A bad hair day may lead to a bad dayーand we don’t want that! To ensure your hair looks its best, try using a hair serum. Hair serums are liquid-based hair treatments most commonly used to alleviate frizz and protect your hair from damage. It also helps you achieve smooth, silky, and healthy-looking hair that constant blow-drying and ironing takes away from you.
More than just shampooing and applying conditioner, your crowning glory deserves more care. Prepare to sport sleek and shiny locks whether inside the comfort of your home or outdoors, because in this article, we will give you a list of the best ones available in the Philippines as well as a buying guide with comments from dermatologist Dr. Katrina Habaluyas Luz!
Dr. Katrina Habaluyas Luz is the face behind Ask Your Derma. She is a board-certified dermatologist in Metro Manila. She is also an educator and digital creator on all things skin, hair, and nails. She is a Diplomate of the Philippine Dermatological Society and offers online video consultations. You can also catch her on her Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube channel.
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
The products and services listed are ranked independently by the editorial team based on the points mentioned in our thoroughly researched buying guide (as of 01-16-2023).
Table of Contents
While both hair serums and hair oils help manage frizz, hair serums are more geared towards protecting your hair from pollution, sunlight, heat from electrical styling equipment, and any other external factors that could damage your hair.
On the other hand, hair oils have more long-lasting effects as it hydrates the hair and nurtures your hair to reduce split ends and avoid breakage.
There is actually no standardized definition of what a hair serum is. Generally speaking, hair serums are typically silicone-based products that aim to protect the hair from the external environment (heat from the sun and styling, too!). On the other hand, hair oils are more geared towards addressing hair damage and/or breakage.
Here are some key points to consider:
For more detailed information, read through our buying guide below.
People have different hair typesーsome even require greater care than others. Whether you have curly, thick, or colored hair, it is important to know what proper hair care routine is for you. Knowing this will help you not waste your money on a hair serum that won't work well with your tresses.
An important thing to consider for people with thick hair is hydration. Hair serums infused with argan or Moroccan oils help with taming your hair and giving it some shine. There are also other plant-based oils that help with moisturizing, such as olive, sunflower, or rose oils, so make sure you look for those.
Argan oil is prepared from the fruits of argan trees (Argania spinosa), which have been found to have hair protective effects. Interestingly, a study by Faria, et al. entitled Hair Protective Effect of Argan Oil (Argania spinosa Kernel Oil) and Cupuassu Butter (Theobroma grandiflorum Seed Butter) Post Treatment with Hair Dye showed that the addition of argan oil reduced the protein loss in hair.
People with dry hair require intense moisture on their locks. Plant-based oils help moisturize your hair without that heavy, somewhat greasy feeling. You can also let it sit in your hair overnight for a more nourished hair the day after. Try looking for those infused with jojoba, argan, and coconut oil in your hair serum.
Dry hair is prone to brittleness and/or hair breakage. Hair oils can help restore moisture into those locks. Jojoba oil is a safe and natural emollient with many benefits not only for the hair but the skin too!
Curly hair needs extra, extra care. In order to keep your curls bouncy and lively, choose serums that contain hydrating and moisturizing oils such as jojoba, almond, or marula oil. Coconut and castor oils also help give curly hair more definition and more volume, so you can flaunt those curls anytime and anywhere.
Castor oil is a good choice for the hair as its fatty acid content conditions and increases shine. While castor oil has gotten a reputation for thickening and/or increasing hair growth, more studies are needed to substantiate these claims.
You don’t want to stress your hair more by adding in more chemicals, so lightweight hair serums are perfect for your colored or chemically treated hair. Those which are infused with oils like jojoba, argan, or coconut oil are preferable, along with green tea extracts, to facilitate hair growth at the same time.
Lightweight formulas are also a good choice, especially if the problem areas are just the tips of the hair strands. This lessens the chances of the product weighing down your hair.
Apart from considering which serums suits your hair type the best, it is also important to know what your hair needs. Damage can occur when you constantly blow dry and style your hair with electrical styling tools or color your hair frequently. Thus, you need to know what serum would protect your hair from these stressors.
If you frequently blow-dry or straighten your hair with a hair straightener, your hair might get brittle and rough over time. Using serums containing natural oils will help hydrate your hair, as well as retain your hair's smoothness. Moreover, these can help with revitalizing your hair's overall health.
Oil-based serums can help lock in existing moisture in the hair and prevent it from drying out.
Frequent hair coloring causes hair to be porous and to shed easily. If you are experiencing these, hair serums that are rich in protein will help tame your hair and make it stronger and silkier. An ingredient such as keratin is one thing to look for if your hair is stripped off of proteins.
Fun fact! Did you know that the hair is primarily made up of a protein called keratin? Yes, this is the rationale behind protein-rich serums. But as to how much of it is actually absorbed into those hair strands has yet to be determined in clinical studies.
When choosing hair serums, try to go for ones that contain minimal ingredients. Hair serums containing preservatives, alcohol, or other chemicals like styrene, resorcinol, dioxane, and acetaldehyde may give off a pleasant smell, but they’ll just dry your hair more.
Silicone works as a protective seal for your hair, but it lessens the ability of your hair to lock in moisture. Those containing plant-derived oils tend to be healthier and give your hair more nutrients.
Remember, simple is key. The fewer ingredients, the better, as there's less chance of developing a bad reaction to any of the component ingredients in that product. As long as the product has its key ingredient that addresses your hair concern, then you're good to go!
From ₱425
Sport smooth, frizz-free hair with Mise En Scène's Perfect Repair Hair Serum! This product lives up to its name as it does not only moisturize dry and frizzy hair, but also helps with styling. Not to mention, it can improve your hair's condition in as early as 3 days!
Containing a mix of 7 extracts such as jojoba, argan, and marula oils, this hair serum provides intense nourishment to your hair and helps repair brittle strands. It is also infused with royal jelly and seal technology to prevent tangles!
Moreover, this hair serum comes improves the 7 symptoms of damaged hair, such as tangles, roughness, and dryness, among others. It also comes in different variations namely, Rose, Styling, and Waterーall with pleasant smells that make you feel as if you are wearing perfume!
From ₱1,700
If you are willing to splurge to give your hair the boost it needs, then L'Oreal's Absolut Repair Oil hair repair serum is perfect for you! This serum can give you salon-quality hair even without the help of a professional.
It contains rice bran oil and gold quinoa protein, which help repair damaged hair, making your hair shinier and softer. The best part here is that it doesn't feel greasy, so your hair still feels silky!
From ₱899
Miracles do exist with Pantene's "dual chamber" serum! It consists of a dual form of oil and serum to give you smooth hair that lasts all day long. Its key ingredients, aqua serum and jewel oil, promise to give your hair intense moisture and shine while nourishing your hair fibers.
Infused with the scent of freshly-picked apples and rose, this serum is guaranteed to give your hair a fresh smell all throughout the day. Moreover, Pantene boasts its smart engineering packaging technology, making the serum inside air-free and ideal for reapplication.
From ₱228
Infused with marula oil and keratin, TRESemmé's Keratin Smooth Anti-Frizz Shine Serum can give you a smooth crowning glory. Not only does it repair frizz, but it also gives your hair a shiny look perfect for those who have long, flowing locks.
It gives you 5 benefits in one such as anti-frizz, detangling, shine, softness, and tamed flyaways. This product is not only perfect for salons, but also for personal use as it is affordable and caters to all types of hair. You can use this every day for gorgeously sleek and frizz-free hair, minus that greasy feeling!
From ₱2,950
Kérastase’s Nutritive 8H Magic Night Repair Serum may be quite on the expensive side, but we are sure that you will find that it is worth your money! For one thing, it delivers 8 hours of overnight moisture to dry hair. It also repairs coarse hair and provides easier detangling so that dry and frizzy hair will become a thing of the past.
It also gives definition to curly hair without the oily feeling, all while giving a relaxing fragrance. Use 2-4 pumps, depending on your hair’s length, and apply it before sleeping. Trust us, you will wake up to smooth and manageable hair!
From ₱220
This all-natural hair serum from Moringa-O2 contains plant-based oils, which nourish the hair so that it is not frizzy and free from flyaways. Its main stair is argan oil, which moisturizes hair and also protects it from breakage.
It also contains a blend of malunggay, olive, and sunflower oils to stimulate hair follicle growthーyou don't have to worry about your hair falling out, especially if you frequently color and style it! You can apply it on wet or dry hair and leave it on overnight for best results.
From ₱1,100
Dubbed as a universal serum, KRISTIN ESS' hair serum is suitable for all hair types. Moreover, it has a unique "zip-up" technology that helps fix dry ends by smoothening hair cuticles. It also provides a silky and glossy look on your hair while moisturizing it.
You can mix it with pomade for added texture and shine to your hair. You can use it on wet hair before styling and also on dry hair to reduce any puffiness. This product is also sulfate, paraben, and phthalate-free!
From ₱199.75
Looking for a hair serum that will give you smooth and shiny hair? Human Nature's Hair Serum might be the one you're looking for! This hair serum does not contain any harmful chemicals and is silicone and mineral oil-free.
It is a 100% natural hair serum made from sunflower, avocado, broccoli seed, and soybean oils that can nourish your hair while protecting it from damage that may be caused by sun exposure, heat, and pollution. Not only that, it restores the overall health of your hair as it penetrates and moisturizes hair strands.
From ₱169
Coloring strips off some moisture from the hair. If you're faced with that concern, Lolane's Color Care hair serum helps protect your colored locks from sunlight and heat while giving moisture with its main ingredient, sunflower seed oil.
Not only that, using this hair serum will help prevent hair color from fading, so you can sport vividly colored hair for a longer period of time. It also comes at an affordable price, perfect for personal use! Indeed a good serum to use when styling or blow-drying your hair.
From ₱129
Apart from its branding as an apparel store, Penshoppe also has its very own hair serum. The Penshoppe Style Keratin Hair Serum contains ingredients, such as jojoba and argan oils, to moisturize your hair as well as keratin, which infuses your hair with protein to smoothen it.
This product promises a lightweight, non-greasy feel, natural shine, and, most of all, an instant boost for your tresses. Lastly, it has an affordable price, so you don't have to worry about breaking your budget!
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by Dr. Katrina!
Just 2-3 drops of hair serum would be enough. This is just enough to gently coat the hair strands from the tips up.
Serums can be used as needed before (as it acts as a heat protectant) and even after styling. Remember though, you'd want to keep styling to a minimum, especially if you use heat, to prevent hair damage
Yes. The key would be in choosing the right serum and/or formulation. Typically, a lightweight serum would be a good choice for oily hair.
You might probably think that applying a hair serum is the same as applying shampoo or conditioner on your hair, but it most definitely is not. Here are some tips from Redken and SkinKraft on how to properly apply hair serums.
Tips:
Hair serums are meant to be applied to washed hair! Remember, they're meant to protect the hair from the harmful external environment not lock in the oil and dirt into those locks.
Your hair is dubbed as your "crowning glory" for a reason. Check out these links to level up your hair care routine!
Author: Maureen Kate Basa
Editor: J. Cuizon
Our buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors, in collaboration with the expert featured in this article. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
When you purchase products mentioned in the article, part of the sales may be returned to mybest.
The descriptions of each product is referenced from the content available from the manufacturer, e-commerce sites etc.
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