Top Haircare Treatments of 2019: The Best Masks, Oils & Serums for Every Hair Type

Overview

2019 was genuinely a landmark year for haircare. After years of the beauty industry obsessing over skincare with ten-step routines and serum layering, the haircare world finally caught up — and the results were spectacular. This roundup covers the most effective, most talked-about, and most transformative hair masks, oils, and serums that defined the year, from drugstore heroes to luxe salon-grade treatments worth every penny. Whether you’re battling bleach damage, chronic dryness, heat styling abuse, or a scalp that can’t quite get its act together, 2019’s lineup had something for you. One-line verdict: The class of 2019 haircare treatments set a new benchmark for ingredient transparency, performance, and accessibility — and many of these picks still hold up brilliantly today.

This guide targets everyone from the casual wash-and-go crowd to the dedicated hair enthusiast who reads ingredient labels the way others read menus. We tested across hair types — fine, thick, curly, color-treated, and chemically processed — to give you a full-spectrum view of what these products genuinely deliver.

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Design & Build Quality

One of the most welcome trends of 2019 was the clear elevation in packaging quality across the haircare category. Brands began investing in packaging that felt premium without being gratuitously wasteful.

Hair Masks: The standout jar packaging — seen in products like the Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask — felt weighty and well-sealed, preventing product from drying out between uses. Wide-mouth jars made scooping easy, and most included spatulas or had pump-top alternatives for hygienic application. Many masks came in both travel (2 oz) and full-size (8–16 oz) formats, which is a genuine quality-of-life upgrade for frequent travelers.

Hair Oils: 2019’s oils frequently arrived in sleek dropper bottles or precision-tip applicators — a far cry from the unwieldy flip-top mess of older formulations. The Moroccanoil Treatment Original continued its reign in its iconic amber glass bottle with a pump, protecting oxidation-sensitive argan oil while dispensing cleanly. Similarly, the Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil came in a beautifully tapered glass bottle with a controlled pour spout that minimized accidental over-application (a real concern with oils).

Serums: Serum packaging leaned heavily into airless pump technology in 2019, which not only keeps formulas fresh longer but ensures precise, consistent dosing. The Redken Frizz Dismiss Instant Deflect Serum used this approach effectively. Overall, build quality across the category was high — these are products designed to sit on your bathroom shelf and actually look good doing it.

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Key Features & Performance

Hair Masks: Deep Conditioning Done Right

The Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask was arguably the mask of the year. Packed with rosehip, algae, and B-vitamins, it hit the sweet spot between genuine repair and weightless finish. After a single 20-minute application on chemically processed hair, strands felt noticeably smoother — not in that artificial silicone-coated way, but in a genuinely healthier way. Color vibrancy improved after regular use, and the clean-ish formula made it suitable for those avoiding sulfates and silicones.

For those on a budget, the SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Hydrate + Repair Protein Power Treatment punched astronomically above its price point. The protein-moisture balance was exceptional for low-porosity natural hair, and the yogurt extract helped temporarily seal the cuticle for glassier results than you’d expect at the drugstore price tag.

Oils: Multitasking at Its Finest

The oil category in 2019 was defined by versatility. Consumers no longer wanted a product that just added shine — they wanted pre-wash conditioning, heat protection, frizz control, and scalp nourishment in a single bottle.

The Moroccanoil Treatment Original delivered on nearly all of these fronts. A few drops through damp hair before blow-drying noticeably cut drying time while leaving zero greasy residue — impressive for an argan oil formula. The scent is distinctively floral and woody, which has become almost synonymous with “salon-fresh” for an entire generation of beauty consumers.

For those preferring a lighter touch — particularly fine-haired individuals who live in fear of weighted-down roots — the Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil was a revelation. Six rare oils including marula, sweet almond, and argan combined to create an incredibly lightweight formula that detangled, protected against heat up to 450°F, and added luminous shine without a trace of heaviness.

Scalp health also came into sharper focus in 2019. The Sunday Riley Juno Antioxidant + Superfood Face Oil (crossover appeal noted) inspired a wave of scalp oil treatments, with brands like Kérastase Initialiste Advanced Scalp and Hair Concentrate demonstrating that treating the scalp like skin — with concentrated serums and botanical actives — yields healthier hair from the root.

Serums: Targeting the Details

Frizz-fighting serums had a particularly strong year. The Redken Frizz Dismiss Instant Deflect Serum offered humidity protection that held up in genuinely muggy conditions — tested in a July heatwave, no less. Applied sparingly to dry hair, it eliminated flyaways without making hair feel crunchy or stiff.

For heat protection, the HSI Professional Argan Oil Heat Protector became a cult favorite for good reason: it combined argan oil conditioning with up to 450°F thermal protection at a price that made daily use feel guilt-free.

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Real-World Use Experience

Testing these products in real-life conditions revealed a lot about their staying power and practicality.

Commuting: The oils were tested during sweaty subway rides and windswept walks — the Bumble and Bumble oil held up remarkably well against humidity without turning slick or greasy. The Moroccanoil’s scent lingered pleasantly without being overpowering in close quarters.

Travel: The smaller sizes of many masks and serums slipped easily into TSA-approved bags. The Briogeo mask’s travel size was genuinely useful — enough for two generous applications during a long weekend trip. The serum tubes and dropper bottles showed zero leakage issues, even at altitude.

Work: Applying a small amount of hair serum at your desk to tame midday frizz became a legitimate desk-drawer beauty hack in 2019. The Redken Frizz Dismiss serum’s clean, professional finish made it ideal for the office touch-up.

Exercise: Post-workout hair is a battlefield. Pre-workout application of a lightweight hair oil created a protective barrier that made post-gym hair easier to manage — less friction-induced frizz after tying hair in ponytails repeatedly, and easier detangling after sweaty sessions.

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Pros

• Wide range of price points — from drugstore SheaMoisture options under $15 to luxury treatments, there was genuinely something for every budget in 2019’s crop
• Improved ingredient transparency — more brands embraced clean-ish formulas, clearly labeling sulfate, paraben, and silicone-free credentials
• Versatile formats — masks, oils, and serums all offered multiple use cases (pre-wash, post-wash, heat protectant, styling aid) making them excellent value for money
• Noticeable, measurable results — even after a single use, most of these treatments delivered visible improvements in shine, manageability, and smoothness
• Travel-friendly sizing widely available across the product category, making it easy to maintain routines on the road
• Fragrance variety — from the warm, musky argan scent of Moroccanoil to the light botanical notes of Briogeo, there was something for every fragrance preference (or fragrance-free alternatives existed)
• Color-safe formulations dominated the year, making it easier for color-treated hair to indulge without fear of fade

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Cons

• Protein overload risk — several of the repair masks in 2019 were heavy on protein, which is great for high-porosity hair but can cause brittleness with overuse on low-porosity hair types if not balanced with moisture-focused treatments
• Learning curve for oil dosing — even with improved applicators, the line between “beautifully glossy” and “accidentally greasy” was narrow with some oils, particularly for fine-haired users new to oil treatments
• Premium pricing for some luxury picks — while the results justified the cost in most cases, several of the high-end serums and scalp treatments represented a significant investment, putting them out of reach for budget-conscious consumers
• Scent sensitivity issues — a handful of the most popular oils featured heavy, persistent fragrances that could be problematic for sensitive individuals or those who work in fragrance-restricted environments

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Who Should Buy / Who Should Skip

Buy if you:

• Have damaged, color-treated, heat-styled, or chemically processed hair that needs regular intensive repair
• Are building a more intentional haircare routine and want to graduate beyond basic shampoo and conditioner
• Struggle with frizz, dryness, or dullness and want targeted, ingredient-led solutions
• Are willing to invest a little time (even just an extra 20 minutes on a Sunday) in your hair health

Skip if you:

• Have extremely fine, easily weighted-down hair and are cautious about oils specifically — look for featherweight alternatives carefully
• Are dealing with a specific scalp condition like seborrheic dermatitis or significant hair loss — these treatments are wellness-oriented, not medically therapeutic, and a dermatologist should be your first stop
• Prefer a fully minimal, three-product routine and aren’t interested in adding more steps

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Verdict

Category	Score
Performance & Efficacy	4.8/5
Value for Money	4.4/5
Packaging & Design	4.5/5
Ingredient Quality	4.7/5
Ease of Use	4.4/5
Range & Versatility	4.8/5
Overall	4.6/5

The haircare treatment landscape of 2019 represented one of the most exciting and expansive years the category had seen in over a decade. Whether you invested in a luxurious weekly mask ritual, switched to a protective pre-styling oil, or streamlined your routine with a hardworking anti-frizz serum, the options available were broader, cleaner, and more effective than ever before. These are treatments that trained consumers to expect more from their haircare — and the industry has been trying to keep pace ever since. If you haven’t explored this generation of treatments, many remain available and absolutely worth your attention. Start with one mask, one oil, and one serum, and prepare to be genuinely surprised by what a difference targeted hair treatment can make.