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Best Hair Serum NZ: Anti-Frizz, Repair and Night Serums Compared
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Short answer: The best hair serum depends on the job. For frizz and polish, Sebastian Dark Oil Taming Elixir Serum ($49.24). For damaged hair, Sebastian Penetraitt Overnight Serum ($63.32) or, as the premium option, Kérastase Première Sérum Filler ($93.24). Split ends: Kérastase Nutri-Supplement Split Ends Serum ($94.08).
Updated November 2026. Prices are our live online prices.
"Hair serum" covers a lot of different bottles. Some are smoothing, silicone-rich finishers for frizz. Some are repair treatments you leave in overnight. Some go on the scalp and never touch the lengths. Buying the wrong type is the main reason people decide serums don't work. Here's how we match them in the salon, with our live prices.
What is a hair serum, and is it the same as hair oil?
A hair serum is a leave-in product with a concentrated job. Oils are mostly oil and are there for shine and softness. Serums can be water-based, silicone-based or oil-based, and many carry active ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide or acids that repair or protect. The line is blurry. A smoothing serum and a light hair oil do similar things on frizz. A repair or scalp serum does something an oil can't.
If shine is all you're after, our best hair oil guide is the better read.
Best hair serum NZ: our picks by concern
| Concern | Serum | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Frizz and flyaways | Sebastian Dark Oil Taming Elixir Serum | $49.24 |
| Damaged, dry hair (overnight) | Sebastian Penetraitt Overnight Rescue Repair Serum | $63.32 |
| Damaged hair (daily, silicone-free) | Kérastase Première Sérum Filler Fondamental | $93.24 |
| Split ends | Kérastase Nutri-Supplement Split Ends Serum | $94.08 |
| Dry hair (night) | Kérastase Nutritive 8H Magic Night Serum 30ml | $34.95 |
| Coloured hair + heat | Kérastase Chroma Absolu Sérum Chroma Thermique | $70.56 |
| Bleached blonde (night) | Kérastase Blond Absolu Cicanuit | $90.72 |
Best hair serum for frizzy hair
Anti-frizz serums coat the outside of the hair so moisture in the air can't puff it up. Thicker, coarser hair can take a richer serum; fine hair wants something lighter.
| Sebastian | Kérastase | |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Dark Oil Taming Elixir Serum | Elixir Ultime L'Huile Originale |
| Price | $49.24 | $105.00 |
| Texture | Thicker taming serum | Light oil, absorbs fast |
| Who it suits | Thick, coarse or frizz-prone hair wanting a sleeker finish, at the lower price | All hair types, the premium choice. Kérastase's answer to frizz is an oil rather than a serum |
Fine hair that frizzes? Try a single pump of Sebastian Dark Oil ($29.88) instead. It's lighter. Our frizzy hair guide covers the whole routine.
Best hair serum for damaged hair
| Sebastian | Kérastase | |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Penetraitt Overnight Rescue Repair Serum | Première Sérum Filler Fondamental |
| Price | $63.32 | $93.24 |
| How you use it | Leave in overnight or as a treatment, damp or dry hair | Damp hair before styling, silicone-free |
| Who it suits | Dry, brittle or colour-processed hair, at the lower price | Weakened hair that's lost its bounce, the premium choice |
Penetraitt uses hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, the same names you'd see on a skincare shelf, and works while you sleep. Première Sérum Filler is silicone-free, restores elasticity and reduces breakage, so it suits fine damaged hair that silicones flatten. Same job, choose by budget. For hair that's snapping, pair either with our breakage routine.
Best serum for split ends
Nothing glues a split end back together for good. A trim is the only real fix. What a split-end serum does is seal and smooth the ends so the splits don't travel further up the hair between cuts. Kérastase Nutri-Supplement Split Ends Serum ($94.08) is made for exactly that, on dry ends. Sebastian doesn't make a dedicated split-end serum, so at the lower price, Penetraitt Overnight on the ends is our pick. More in our split ends guide.
Night serums: are they worth it?
For dry or damaged hair, yes. You're giving the product eight hours with no heat, no wind and no styling. Kérastase's Nutritive 8H Magic Night Serum is the best known; we currently have the 30ml travel size. Blondes should look at Cicanuit from the Blond Absolu range. Our Kérastase night serum guide compares them.
Scalp serums
Scalp serums go on the skin, not the lengths. Kérastase Genesis Sérum Anti-Chute Fortifiant ($94.08) is for hair that's falling because it's weak and breaking. Spécifique Potentialiste ($94.08) soothes and rebalances a sensitive scalp. Neither treats medical hair loss. If you're shedding a lot, see your GP. Our Genesis serum guide has the detail.
Hair serum for fine hair vs thick hair
Fine hair goes flat under heavy serums. Go for water-based or silicone-free formulas like Première Sérum Filler, use one pump, and keep it below the ears. Thick, coarse or curly hair can take a richer serum and more of it, and it usually looks better for it. If you have both (fine strands but lots of them), use a light serum through the lengths and a heavier one on the ends only.
Curly hair is the exception to "less is more". A richer serum scrunched into damp curls before diffusing helps them clump and stay soft.
Are silicones in hair serum bad?
Not on their own. Silicones are what make a smoothing serum smoothing: they coat the hair, block humidity and reduce friction when you brush. The catch is build-up. On fine hair, or if you use silicone serum every day and a gentle shampoo, it can leave hair heavy and dull over a few weeks. A clarifying shampoo once a week clears it. If you'd rather skip them, Première Sérum Filler is silicone-free.
How to use hair serum
- Start with one or two pumps. Serum is concentrated.
- Warm it between your palms.
- Apply to mid-lengths and ends first, never straight onto the roots (scalp serums are the exception).
- Smoothing serums: damp hair before blow-drying, plus a touch on dry hair to finish.
- Repair and night serums: follow the bottle. Most go on damp or dry hair and stay in.
Every serum above is genuine salon stock, bought direct from the brands' New Zealand distributors and used on clients at our Wānaka salon. Browse them all in our serums collection.
Questions we get asked
What is the best hair serum in NZ?
It depends on your concern. For frizz, Sebastian Dark Oil Taming Elixir Serum. For damaged hair, Sebastian Penetraitt Overnight Serum or Kérastase Première Sérum Filler. For split ends, Kérastase Nutri-Supplement Split Ends Serum.
What is the difference between hair serum and hair oil?
Hair oil is mostly oil, used for shine and softness. A serum is a concentrated leave-in that can be water, silicone or oil based and often carries actives like hyaluronic acid or niacinamide for repair or protection.
Do I apply hair serum to wet or dry hair?
Smoothing serums work best on damp hair before blow-drying, with a little more on dry hair to finish. Repair and night serums usually go on damp or dry hair and are left in. Always check the bottle.
Can I use hair serum every day?
Yes. Use one or two pumps on the mid-lengths and ends. If your hair starts to feel heavy, use less or skip a day.
Does hair serum repair split ends?
No product permanently fixes a split end; a trim does. A split-end serum such as Kérastase Nutri-Supplement Split Ends Serum seals and smooths the ends so splits are less visible and less likely to travel up the hair.
Is hair serum good for frizzy hair?
Yes. Anti-frizz serums coat the hair so humidity can't puff it up. Thicker hair suits a richer serum like Sebastian Dark Oil Taming Elixir; fine hair is better with a light oil.
Do hair growth serums work?
Kérastase Genesis serum is made for hair that falls because it's weak and breaking. It isn't a treatment for medical hair loss. If you're losing more hair than usual, see your GP or a dermatologist.
How much hair serum should I use?
One or two pumps for short to shoulder-length hair, a little more for long or thick hair. Start small. Too much serum makes hair look greasy.
Everything we sell is genuine salon stock, bought direct from the brands' New Zealand distributors and shipped from our salon on Helwick Street in Wānaka. Free NZ shipping over $75.
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