{"id":3335,"date":"2019-06-05T18:06:31","date_gmt":"2019-06-05T22:06:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prose.com\/?p=3335"},"modified":"2022-04-26T15:22:16","modified_gmt":"2022-04-26T19:22:16","slug":"hair-oil-serum-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prose.com\/blog\/hair-oil-serum-difference","title":{"rendered":"Hair Oils vs. Serums: How Knowing the Difference Can Transform Your Hair Care Routine"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>How do I know if I\u2019m using a serum or an oil?<\/h2>\n<p>Hair oils are nature\u2019s multitaskers\u2014able to solve everything from treating split ends and a dry scalp to taming flyaways and <span style=\"color: #ffa180;\"><a style=\"color: #ffa180;\" href=\"https:\/\/prose.com\/frizzy-hair-hacks.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">smoothing out frizz<\/a><\/span>. How? Hair oils lubricate the hair and can penetrate the cuticles, causing changes to the hair structure by adding fatty acids to replace the lipids in your hair. This can result in fewer split ends and prevent breakage. There is a perfect oil for every hair type\u2014though the process of finding your perfect match can be a game of trial and error. To make things easier, try a <span style=\"color: #ffa180;\"><a style=\"color: #ffa180;\" href=\"https:\/\/prose.com\/prose-hair-oil-qa.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">custom hair oil<\/a><\/span> that\u2019s blended to meet your specific hair type and needs. Our custom hair oil features <span style=\"color: #ffa180;\"><a style=\"color: #ffa180;\" href=\"https:\/\/prose.com\/ultimate-guide-hair-oils.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ethically-sourced oils<\/a><\/span> like argan and maracuja, among others. Because most of them are cold pressed, your hair gets to soak in the most nutrients possible.<\/p>\n<p>In the salon environment, serums are typically used as styling products. Most serums are silicone-based and add a protective layer to cuticles that fights vigorous brushing, heat styling and combing. Hair serums are most effective on curly or coily hair types, which naturally have raised cuticles. Wavy hair types can also use serums, but they need to be mindful of how much and how often they\u2019re using it to avoid weighing hair down.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #ffa180;\">Pro tip:<\/span><\/strong>&nbsp;Always read the bottle. Some companies use the terms hair oil and hair serum interchangeably. If a product has a laundry list of natural and synthetic ingredients it\u2019s a serum, and if it contains one or more natural oils, it\u2019s an oil.<\/p>\n<h2>What myths need to be debunked?<\/h2>\n<p>The words hair and oil together can be terrifying to people who have been lead to believe that applying oil to the hair (especially those with naturally oily strands) will leave it heavy and greasy. In fact, a small amount of oil distributed evenly can nourish strands, protect fragile ends, and <span style=\"color: #ffa180;\"><a style=\"color: #ffa180;\" href=\"https:\/\/prose.com\/how-to-get-shiny-hair.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">enhance shine<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Serums containing silicones also get a bad rep, but it\u2019s important to remember that everything manmade isn\u2019t necessarily bad. In fact, silicones can give hair a much needed boost and <span style=\"color: #ffa180;\"><a style=\"color: #ffa180;\" href=\"https:\/\/prose.com\/prevent-hair-damage.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">protect from damage<\/a><\/span> caused by styling, managing or manipulating hair.<\/p>\n<h2>Should I apply oils and serums the same way?<\/h2>\n<p>Hair oils can be used in an endless number of ways. Some are so flexible that they can be applied to the body, eyelashes, and browbone. Depending on the type, hair oils can be applied at various stages of the hair care process, including during blow drying or diffusing, as an overnight treatment and even before washing as a rinse-out treatment. Plus, they don\u2019t need to be used daily to be effective.<\/p>\n<p>Hair serums work best when they are applied to wet hair. Be sure to focus the application of serums to ends, not just the roots, and to distribute the product evenly by rubbing it in your hands before adding to hair. Some serums can also be used for midday touch-ups but try not to apply to dirty hair as it may only enhance your days-old look.<\/p>\n<p>Serums work by sealing the cuticles and fusing with your strands to create a lasting protective layer. This effect is why they\u2019re usually sold with the promise of \u201cfixing\u201d split ends. Because they sit on the outside of the cuticle and don\u2019t actually penetrate, they work by simply sticking ends together. Hair oil, on the other hand, can penetrate hair (especially if applied on dry ends) and, with repetitive use, can strengthen hair resulting in less splitting over time. Remember, nothing can actually get rid of <span style=\"color: #ffa180;\"><a style=\"color: #ffa180;\" href=\"https:\/\/prose.com\/how-to-prevent-split-ends.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">split ends<\/a> <\/span>except for a trim.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>If you&#8217;re looking for an oil that won&#8217;t weigh down your strands, look no further. Get your hands on your very own custom hair oil by taking our consultation <span style=\"color: #ffa180;\"><a style=\"color: #ffa180;\" href=\"https:\/\/prose.com\/consultation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a><\/span>.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This will change everything. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":3352,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,382,5],"tags":[283,284,279],"class_list":["post-3335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stylist-education","category-expert-tips","category-salon","tag-goal-shine","tag-goal-smoothing","tag-styling-oil"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Difference Between Hair Oil and Serum | Hair Oil vs. Serum<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Hair oil and hair serum can sometimes seem interchangeable, but they&#039;re actually very different. 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