The 7 Best Hair Straightening Serums in 2023

Looking for product recommendations on the best hair straightening serums from hair experts? You’re in the right place. We know hair, and hand-picked 7 of our favorite products to help straighten your hair.

In a hurry and just want to learn what our top pick for the best overall hair straightening serum is? No worries. We chose Herstyler’s Marula Oil Hair Serum as the best.

One of the best styling tools you can use to create a sleek, smooth look without causing damage to your hair is hair straightening serum.

You can reduce the amount of heat you use, which helps keep your hair healthier in the long run. Choosing the best hair straightening serum can make a huge difference in your hair health.

What’s the Best Hair Straightening Serum?

The best hair straightening serum is designed to coat the surface of your hair. It usually has a silicone base that sits on top of your hair to help smooth and straighten it. It can also improve the overall look of your hair in several different ways. 

The silicone in these serums can control frizzy or dry hair. It adds weight, which gives your hair greater mass. Some of these serums contain hydrolyzed proteins, which can reduce the static charge that causes your hair to frizz or have flyaways. 

It also reduces tangles and smoothes your hair. The end result is hair that appears polished and sleek. It also promotes shine, as these products reflect light and give your hair a glossy appearance. You can use them on any hair texture, and they will protect against damage.

Our Top Picks: Best Hair Straightening Serum

1. Best Overall: HerStyler Marula Oil Hair Serum
2. Best for Frizzy Hair: OGX Smoothing + Liquid Luminescent Serum
3. Best for Damaged Hair: Biolage Smoothproof Serum
4. Best for Dry Hair: TIGI Bed Head Straighten Out
5. Best for Thick Hair: Kerastase Discipline Keratine Thermique Smoothing Serum
6. Best for Oily Hair: John Frieda Frizz Ease
7. Best for Flyaway Control: The Body Shop Grapeseed Glossing Serum 

When you want to straighten your hair, these serums do a great job of making it smooth and sleek without the damage that comes from styling tools with heat. You can reduce the amount of heat you need to use and choose a hair serum for your type of hair. 

Why You Need a Hair Straightening Serum

Whether you have wavy or curly hair that you want to straighten or you want to control flyaways and frizz, a good hair straightening serum can make a huge difference. This type of product coats your hair to help keep it smooth and straight throughout the day. 

In addition, most hair straightening serums and creams double as a heat protectant. One of the tools in your styling arsenal for straight hair is a hair dryer or a flat iron, and a heat protectant will ensure that your hair suffers as little damage as possible when you use these products. 

If you don’t want to straighten your hair every day, you can use a hair straightening serum to keep your hair straight overnight. This can extend the life of your blowout or hair straightening treatment. Often, these products will keep your hair straight until your next shampoo. 

If you plan to use the serum before you blow dry or straighten your hair with heat products, make sure that you choose a hair serum or spray that is heat activated and designed to be a heat protectant. Other products may actually add to the damage that heat does to your hair.

Read Next:

• How to Get Rid of Frizzy Hair
• The 7 Best Straightening Shampoos
• How to Get Rid of Flyaways

Best Hair Straightening Serum: Top Seven Picks

When you are looking for the best hair straightening serum, you need to consider your hair type and your styling goals.

You can use these serums to straighten your hair and reduce the amount of heat you apply. This will reduce your long-term damage while allowing you to have the straight hairstyle you desire. 

1. Best Overall: HerStyler Marula Oil Hair Serum

This hair straightening serum gently straightens your hair while protecting and hydrating it. It contains rich moisturizer as well. You only need a few drops to massage into your wet hair. Start at the ends and work up to the roots.

It will infuse moisture into your hair. Marula oil is an incredible source of nourishment for hair, and it also contains Aloe Vera and Vitamin E.

This will keep your hair hydrated and healthy while straightening. You can use it in humid climates to get hair that is free of frizz. It helps reduce split ends and doesn’t leave residue behind.

No matter what texture your hair is, this serum will transform it to soft, manageable hair. The Vitamin E will repair damage to your hair follicles, and the aloe moisturizes while leaving hair smooth and shiny. 

2. Best for Frizzy Hair: OGX Smoothing + Liquid Luminescent Serum

This hair serum enhances the shine in your hair. It nourishes while it smoothes, and it reflects light. Your hair will look smoother and sleeker. It is infused with sea kelp and pear extract to protect your hair while giving it a glassy appearance. 

The product isn’t designed to make your hair look perfect in an artificial sense; it helps straighten your hair while making it look fuller, bouncier, and more natural. It has protection, moisture, and more, and it brings out the best in your hair. 

If you want to use a hair straightening serum that reduces frizz, this is a great option. Your hair will appear smoother and glassier as it reflects light and shines. 

3. Best for Damaged Hair: Biolage Smoothproof Serum

This hair straightening serum is great for damaged hair. It protects your hair from both heat styling tools and humidity. It can tame flyaways and frizz, and it keeps your hair smooth for up to 72 hours.

It is also suitable for color treated hair and is free of parabens. This formula uses the camellia flower, which has water-resistant properties. It encapsulates each hair and aligns the cuticles to lock out moisture for control and smoothness.

You can use it on straight hair, curly hair, or frizzy hair, as it is suited to help with damage on all hair types. You can use it when the hair is damp, and it helps before you flat iron or blow dry your hair. 

4. Best for Dry Hair: TIGI Bed Head Straighten Out

This is a great option for dry hair that needs extra care. It is a cream rather than a serum, but it works better for dry hair because it locks moisture back in.

This straightener contains emollients such as glycerin to nourish your hair and leave it soft and silky. It is a heat activated formula that contains thermosetting polymers, and you can use it before blow drying or flat ironing your hair.

You can also apply it to your hair when it is damp and leave it; your hair will look straight, smooth, and be more manageable. That said, it can leave hair feeling stiff if you let it air dry. 

5. Best for Thick Hair: Kerastase Discipline Keratine Thermique Smoothing Serum

This hair straightening serum is ideal for people who have thick hair. It reduces hair breakage and tames frizzy hair while smoothing flyaways. It also protects against humidity.

It is a heat protectant with 450 degrees Fahrenheit thermo-protection. You can apply a quarter size amount to your damp hair. Then, you can blow dry it. It has ceramide R to strengthen your hair fibers and amino acids that replenish nutrients.

Start with the ends and work your way up to the roots. It smells like peaches and apricots, which is fresh and subtle. It will leave your hair smooth, silky, and straight each time you use it.

6. Best for Oily Hair: John Frieda Frizz Ease

One of the best things about this product is that it will keep your hair straight for up to three days. However, you can’t shampoo it during that time. If you have frizzy hair, it will smooth it.

It makes your hair straight without adding weight. It is also heat-activated for a longer lasting style. It is made with a proprietary blend of polymers and keratin protein to remove frizz and prevent your hair from becoming oily.

It keeps hair glossy and smooth without the frizz. If you have wild, unmanageable hair, this product will make a difference. It hydrates as it smoothes, and users love this product. 

7. Best for Flyaway Control: The Body Shop Grapeseed Glossing Serum

When you need to control flyaways, this serum is a great choice. It adds shine and gloss while it controls them. It also prevents frizz and nourishes your hair. It contains grapeseed oil and sesame seed oil to nourish and add moisture to your hair.

It does contain silicones to help straighten your hair, even in high humidity conditions. The product does wash out easily, and you can use a clarifying shampoo once a week.

Users love the scent and the way this product works to help straighten their hair and control flyaways and frizz. 

Best Hair Straightening Serum Buying Guide

When you are looking for the best hair straightening serum, you need to consider the type of hair you have and your goals. If you have frizzy hair, look for anti-frizz products.

If your hair is damaged from heat styling, find a heat protectant that can repair and protect your hair. Consider the following when choosing a product.

Hair Concerns

Hair serums are made to treat different problems with hair. A straightening serum is designed to help keep your hair smooth, sleek, and straight, but each product addresses different concerns.

It is a good idea to choose a high-quality serum that does its job rather than something inexpensive that may not. 

Consider whether your concern is heat damage, dryness, frizz, or something else, and then choose a serum that works best for your hair concerns. 

Versatility

When you choose a hair straightening serum, you want something that is versatile. One day, you may need to control frizz in high humidity, while you may also want it to keep your hair smooth and sleek for a night out.

You should be able to use your serum with or without heat styling tools as well. Look for serums that straighten, strengthen, and nourish your hair.

You may want to infuse moisture in dry hair, and you may need to repair heat damaged hair. There are many different products, so consider your potential needs and choose a versatile product. 

Quality

You should always choose high-quality products for hair straightening serum. When you select products with natural ingredients, they will straighten and smooth your hair while nourishing and hydrating it.

You don’t want products that straighten your hair and add more damage. Although silicone can cause buildup on your hair, it does wash out. As long as you use a clarifying shampoo after use, you can use it safely without harming your hair. 

Smoothing Properties

One of the most important characteristics of hair straightening serum is its ability to smooth your hair. Some serums contain dimethicone or silicone, which are very effective for this.

This is more important for people with frizzy or curly hair, as you need to coat the hair to make it lie flat.

Serums with high protein will help repair hair that is dry or damaged from heat styling. They will also help smooth your hair. You can look for products that contain natural oils to add gloss and shine while smoothing. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there tips for maintaining straightened hair?

If you have your hair straightened, you can use hair straightening serum to keep it smooth. You should trim your hair regularly to prevent split ends, which leads to frizz. Avoid daily shampooing, and stick to two or three times a week.

You should always use a moisturizing conditioner as well. In addition, avoid sleeping on wet hair. This can cause it to be damaged. Instead, use a leave-in conditioner and make a loose braid. 

Should you apply hair serum before straightening?

You should use the hair serum after you straighten your hair unless it is a heat-activated protectant. Otherwise, the oil in the serum will literally fry your hair and cause damage. You can apply a small amount of oil after you apply serum if you have damaged or dry hair.

Can you use hair straightening serum every day?

You should use most hair straightening serums as needed, and avoid using them daily. Often, you can use it once after straightening.

And it will keep your hair straight until your next shampoo. The best way to use hair serum is to use it after your shampoo and wait until your next shampoo to apply it again. 

What causes hair not to stay straight after straightening?

The main reason hair loses its straightness after treatment is that it is dry and damaged. If the hair cuticles become exposed to air, it causes frizz.

If you live in a climate with high humidity, you can end up with a buildup of static from different styling tools. Using a hair straightening serum will help protect your hair from these factors. 

How can you keep your hair straight overnight?

You can keep your hair straight overnight by using a hair straightening serum. There are products that offer a tiny spray of product, and it will prevent frizz while you are sleeping.

You should also consider using silk bed sheets in place of cotton, as cotton is absorbent and robs your hair of its moisture. Finally, braid or tie your hair before going to bed to hold it in place. 

So, What’s the Best Hair Straightening Serum?

When you are looking for the best hair straightening serum, you need to consider your hair type and your goals. Our top pick is HerStyler Marula Oil Hair Serum.

It suits all hair types and will control frizz, counteract dryness, and keep your hair straight throughout the day.