May 22, 2022

How to Choose the Right Oil for your Curl Type | Curlsmith Oil Comparison

This post is sponsored by Curlsmith. All opinions are my own. Affiliate links are used throughout.

Determining which hair oil is right for you can be tough when there are so many options and many seem similar. Curlsmith has three oil/serum products that are multi-purpose, yet have different benefits. In today’s post, we’re going to compare all three Curlsmith Oils and which curl texture and porosity work best with each oil.

Identify your Texture & Porosity First

Porosity and hair texture are two of the most important characteristics to understand about your curls when selecting any hair products.

Hair texture refers to the width of the individual strands of hair. Texture can be fine, medium, and coarse. It’s normal to have multiple hair textures on your head. I have 50% medium and 50% coarse-textured hair.

Hair porosity refers to how well your hair is able to absorb and retain moisture, a.k.a. how damaged it is. This technically is a wide scale, but for simplicity, it can be low, medium, or high porosity. Low porosity hair gets weighed down easily due to its tightly punch cuticle that doesn’t easily absorb product. High porosity hair has gaps in the hair’s cuticle layer, requiring more moisture and ingredients that help seal the cuticle to trap moisture in.

Curlsmith Oil Comparison Chart

Product	Formula	Benefits	Uses	Key Ingredients	Ideal Hair Textures	Ideal Hair Porosities
Curlsmith Fragrance-Free Shine Oil	Lightweight oil	Fragrance-free, fast-absorbing, penetrating and sealing, high shine, softens	Pre-shampoo oil or finishing oil	PLANTSILK™, Watermelon seed oil, Sea Buckthorn oil, Murumuru butter, Babassu oil	All, especially great for fine hair	All, especially great for low porosity hair
Curlsmith Bonding Oil	Lightweight oil	Targets broken bonds to strengthen, penetrating and sealing, adds shine, softens	Pre-shampoo oil, finishing oil	PLANTSILK™, Keratin, Castor oil, Sea Buckthorn oil, Apricot kernel oil	All	All, especially great for high porosity hair
Curlsmith Intense Treatment Serum	Solid butter that melts	Rich butter treatment, sealing, locks in moisture, protects from chlorine & salt, won't leak or drip	Pre-shampoo treatment, finisher for ends	Shea butter, Resurrection flower, Oat kernel, Jojoba, Avocado, Olive, Apricot, Macadamia, & Sunflower oil	Best for coarse hair, but can be used on medium	Best for high porosity, but can be used on medium hair

To summarize, most oils are multi-purpose and work with most hair types, however, there are some that have some unique benefits for specific needs. The Shine Oil and Bonding Oil are the most similar when it comes to formula and uses. I would go with the Bonding Oil if you have damaged hair or struggle with breakage and go with the Shine Oil if you have healthy hair or struggle with oils weighing down your hair. The Intense Treatment Serum is a great option for the summertime due to its moisture-retention properties. It’s also great for travel due to its solid, spill-proof formula.

Watch the video above to see them all in action.

Watch my Reels here to see 3 ways to reduce breakage and how I use the Shine Oil to pre-poo.

Which products would you like me to compare next from Curlsmith? I’m thinking the deep conditioners!

Check out the other comparison videos here:
How to Choose the Right Cream/Leave-In for your Curl Type | Curlsmith Cream Comparison
How to Choose the Right Gel for your Curl Type | Curlsmith Gels Compared