Hair Oiling: Does It Work, and How to Oil Your Hair Properly (NZ)

Updated November 2026. Prices are our live online prices.

Hair oiling has gone from something your nan did on a Sunday to all over TikTok. Clients ask us about it every week, usually with a jar of coconut oil or a bottle of rosemary oil they bought online. Here's what it does and doesn't do, which oils are worth using, and how to oil your hair without spending three washes getting it out.

What is hair oiling?

Hair oiling is a pre-wash treatment. You massage oil into the scalp and through the lengths, leave it on, then shampoo it out. It's a long tradition across South Asia, often with coconut, sesame or amla oil and a scalp massage (champi). The idea is simple: oil coats and softens the hair before water and shampoo hit it.

Does hair oiling work?

For dry, coarse, curly, bleached or porous hair, yes, it can make a real difference to softness and how much breaks off when you detangle. When hair gets wet it swells, and the cuticle lifts. Over and over, that swelling weakens the fibre. Oil on the hair first means less water soaks in, so less swelling. Coconut oil is one of the few oils shown in lab studies to soak into the hair shaft rather than sit on top, which is why it has such a following.

What it won't do is repair broken bonds or regrow hair. If your hair is badly damaged from bleach or heat, you need a bond-building or repair treatment, not oil. And if you're losing more hair than usual, talk to your GP first. Our guide to growing hair faster covers what does and doesn't help.

Best oils for hair oiling

Rosemary oil for hair gets the most attention online. The research behind it is small and early, so we don't treat it as a hair-loss fix. If you want to try it, dilute a few drops in jojoba, use it as a scalp massage, and stop if your scalp gets itchy or red.

Two ways to do it the salon way: Sebastian or Kérastase

Kitchen oils are fine. The salon products below are made for the same job, rinse out cleanly and add repair actives that oil alone doesn't have.

The NO.BREAKER crème goes on dry hair for five minutes before you shampoo, which is hair oiling in a tube. Kérastase's Première Concentré also goes on before the wash and lifts out the calcium from hard water, handy in Central Otago. Our hard water guide explains why that matters here.

How to oil your hair properly

1. Start with dry hair. Oil and water don't mix, so oil goes on before the shower.
2. Use a little. One to two teaspoons for shoulder-length hair. More if it's long and thick.
3. Lengths first. Work it through mid-lengths and ends, where hair is oldest and driest.
4. Scalp only if it's dry and flake-free. Massage gently with your fingertips for a couple of minutes.
5. Leave it on. 30 minutes to two hours is plenty for most hair. Overnight is fine on dry lengths; put a towel on your pillow.
6. Shampoo before you wet it. Rub shampoo into the oiled hair first, then add water and lather. Rinse and shampoo a second time. Then condition the ends.

How often should you oil your hair?

Once a week suits most dry hair. Very dry, curly or bleached hair can go twice a week. Fine hair, or hair that gets oily by day two, may only want it every couple of weeks, and only on the ends. If you're unsure how your hair handles oil, our hair porosity guide helps: low-porosity hair prefers lighter oils like jojoba or argan.

Hair oiling for curly, bleached and fine hair

Curly hair usually loves it. Curls are drier by nature because scalp oil struggles to travel down a coil. Oil the lengths the night before wash day and you'll notice less tangling when you detangle in the shower.

Bleached hair is porous, so it drinks oil and drinks water. Oiling before a wash cuts down how much it swells, which is when lightened hair is most fragile. For bleached hair we'd still put a bond-building step first; our bleached hair guide covers the routine.

Fine hair can do it too, just lighter. A few drops on the ends only, for 30 minutes, then one good shampoo. Overnight oiling on fine hair usually leaves it limp for days.

Who should skip scalp oiling?

If you have dandruff, flaking or an itchy, oily scalp, keep oil off the scalp. The yeast behind most dandruff feeds on oil, and oiling can make it worse. Treat the scalp first; our dandruff and itchy scalp guide covers how. Oil the lengths only. And if oil leaves your roots heavy for days, a weekly clarifying shampoo will reset them.

Want to compare finishing oils for after the wash? Our best hair oil guide goes through each one, and the Dark Oil guide covers the bottle most of our clients start with.

Questions we get asked

Is hair oiling good for your hair?

For dry, coarse, curly, bleached or porous hair it usually helps. Oil softens the lengths and reduces how much water the hair absorbs in the shower, which means less swelling and less breakage. It won't repair broken bonds or regrow hair.

How long should I leave oil in my hair?

30 minutes to two hours is enough for most hair. Overnight is fine on dry lengths. Longer than that doesn't add much and makes it harder to wash out.

Should I oil my hair before or after washing?

Traditional hair oiling goes on before you wash. A light finishing oil, like Sebastian Dark Oil or Kérastase Elixir Ultime, goes on after washing on damp or dry ends.

Is coconut oil good for hair?

Coconut oil is one of the few oils shown in lab studies to soak into the hair shaft. It suits dry, thick or curly hair well. On fine or low-porosity hair it can feel heavy or stiff, so try jojoba or argan instead.

Does rosemary oil help hair growth?

The research is small and early, so we don't recommend it as a hair-loss treatment. If you want to try it, always dilute it in a carrier oil and patch-test. If you're losing hair, see your GP.

How do I get oil out of my hair?

Rub shampoo into the oiled hair before you add water, then lather and rinse. Shampoo a second time, then condition only the ends. A weekly clarifying shampoo helps if roots still feel heavy.

Can I oil my hair if I have dandruff?

Keep oil off the scalp if you have dandruff or an oily, itchy scalp, because the yeast behind dandruff feeds on oil. Oil only the lengths and treat the scalp separately.

How often should I oil my hair?

Once a week for most dry hair, up to twice a week for very dry, curly or bleached hair, and every couple of weeks on the ends only for fine hair.

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