Most hair oils ask you to choose between shine and weight. Gisou’s flagship Honey Infused Hair Oil has spent years making the case that you can have both, and it remains the product the rest of the range is measured against. This guide is not a quick set of instructions; it is a reference for the questions that come after you buy it: what the formula actually does, how many drops your hair type can take, which moment in the routine suits it best, and what it will and will not change about your hair over time.
What goes into the formula
The oil is built on Mirsalehi Honey from the family bee garden, combined with a blend of oils the brand calls its Bee Garden Oils. Honey is a humectant, which means it attracts and holds water; in a hair product it helps hair feel softer and look glossier rather than simply sitting on the surface. The oils carry that hydration along the strand and add slip, so combing and styling feel easier. Gisou describes the formula as scientifically proven for intense hydration, instant shine and lasting frizz control, and it also lists heat protection among its benefits. The product carries an award-winning badge on Gisou’s own listing, and it is sold in a 50ml bottle and a 20ml travel size. That last detail matters more than it sounds: a little goes a long way, and the small bottle is a realistic way to try the formula before committing to the full size.
How much oil your hair actually needs
Dosing is where most people get this product wrong. The correct amount is not a fixed number of drops; it depends on strand diameter, length, and how porous the ends are. Start at the lower end of the ranges below and add one drop at a time. If hair looks greasy within an hour, you used too much; if it looks dull by the end of the day, you can afford a little more.
| Hair type | Starting amount | Where to apply | Best moment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine, shoulder length | 1 drop | Ends only | Post-styling, on dry hair |
| Medium, mid-back | 2–3 drops | Mid-lengths and ends | Pre- or post-styling |
| Thick or long | 3–5 drops | Mid-lengths through ends, plus a pass over the surface | Pre-styling or overnight |
| Coarse, dry ends | 4–6 drops, split across two passes | Concentrated on the last few centimeters | Overnight, then a small top-up in the morning |
Two habits make any amount work harder. Warm the drops between your palms first, then press and smooth rather than rubbing. And always stop several centimeters short of the scalp unless your hair is very dry and coarse; roots rarely need oil, and the scalp produces its own. If you have tried richer oils before and found them too much, cut the starting amount in half and build from there rather than giving up on the format.
Three moments in the routine
The oil is designed for pre-styling, post-styling and overnight use, and each moment changes how you should apply it.
Before styling
On damp or dry hair, apply a small amount to mid-lengths and ends before heat. This is the moment to use it if your hair tangles easily or if you blow-dry often; it adds slip and is part of why the product is also used as a heat protectant. Keep the application light, because wet hair can hide how much product you have added.
After styling
This is the finishing use: a drop or two warmed in the palms, pressed over the surface to tame flyaways and add a gloss that reads as healthy rather than heavy. It is the fastest way to use the product and the one that suits fine hair best.
As an overnight treatment
For drier hair, apply a slightly more generous amount before bed, concentrating on the ends, then loosely braid or wrap hair. You will transfer some product to the pillow, so a silk or microfiber wrap helps. Wash it out the next morning with your usual shampoo.
What to expect, and what the oil will not do
Used consistently and in sensible amounts, the oil makes hair look shinier immediately, feel softer, and behave more predictably in humidity. Frizz looks calmer because the surface is smoothed and moisturized, not because the product changes the strand. The shine is cosmetic and temporary by nature; nothing in a bottle permanently changes how hair reflects light.
It will not repair split ends, and it will not turn a damaged, breaking length into healthy hair. If your ends are splitting, the oil can make them look and feel better while you grow them out, but a trim and a mask do the heavier work. It is also not a scalp treatment, and it is not a replacement for conditioner. Treat it as the last, most visible layer of a routine, not the routine itself.
Where it sits in a wider routine
If you wash with the Honey Gloss shampoo and conditioner pair, the oil is the step that finishes the wash day and protects the result between washes. If you use a mask, add a drop or two of oil to the mask before applying it for extra nourishment on the ends, then rinse as normal. If you are unsure whether this richer oil or the lighter Collagen Drops is the better match for your hair, our comparison of the two formulas walks through the difference in weight, dose and finish; the short version is that this oil rewards medium to thick hair and dry ends, while the drops suit fine hair that resists weight.
Product note. The flagship Honey Infused Hair Oil is the richer of the two oils, sold in 50ml and 20ml. If you want a lighter everyday finish, the Honey Gloss Collagen Drops Hair Oil is the fine-to-medium option. To try both without committing to two full bottles, the Honey Hair Oil Duo pairs the full-size drops with a travel-size Honey Infused Hair Oil. See also our guide to choosing a Gisou hair oil.
