Bonding Oil 411: Our Tips & Advice

Let’s talk bonding oil for hair!

Yes, this stuff is expensive, so we turned to our panel of experts (three hair stylists with combined decades of experience) to get their advice. And yes, our staff tried out several brands themselves to see what real-world results we could got.

First, a quick 411: bonding oil helps seal hair cuticles and smooth hair. And yes, it can add shine and even strengthen hair strands (or so the makers claim).

Here is a bonding oil FAQ:

What are the ingredients? 

Bonding oil is often made from silicones—these are lighter in weight than natural oils. 

What’s the best way to use bonding oil?

You can use bonding oil daily on wet or dry hair. And yes, it works well for all hair types.

Why would someone want to use bonding oil?

Bonding oil is great for heat protection—if you frequently use heat-styling products, bonding oil can protect hair from damage.  Our parent readers also told us they love using bonding oil to help cut down on frizz in humid climates (think Houston in June).

What are the downsides to bonding oil?

Well, in our tests, we did have a few cases where the oil made hair more heavy or greasy. And yes, some bonding oils have a strong scent—as you can imagine, not everyone is a fan.

Here are the ones we think are worthy of your investment:

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!