Paul’s guide to Japanese craftsmanship and beautifully conditioned hair.
Your hair can look beautifully styled and still feel rough through the ends. The lengths may have lost their shine, or a few flyaways may soften the outline of a fresh blow-dry. A well-chosen hair oil can bring softness and polish to those finishing details, helping the hair feel as cared for as it looks.
Diffar introduces a new era of luxury hair oils at Paul Edmonds London, bringing Japanese craftsmanship, botanical conditioning and the craft of perfumery into one daily product. Across six fragrances, its appeal begins with smoother-feeling lengths and a luminous finish, then becomes personal through the scent you choose to wear.
“The ends often tell you what the hair needs. I look for an oil that brings back softness and shine while keeping the movement. It should help the hair fall beautifully, improve strength and feel lovely when you run your hands through it.” – Paul Edmonds
With Paul as your guide, discover where Diffar belongs in your routine, how to achieve the right finish and which fragrance will feel most like you.
WHAT MAKES DIFFAR DIFFERENT?
Diffar brings together a botanical conditioning blend, a dry-feeling finish and fragrance developed in its own Japanese laboratory. The oils are made in Japan with entirely plant-derived ingredients, according to the brand, and without silicones. Their fragrance compositions use natural aromatic materials sourced from Japan and around the world.
The fragrance laboratory is in Yamanashi, in the landscape around Mount Fuji and Japan’s Southern Alps. Hairdressers from SCENT, active in Tokyo and Paris, contribute to the collection’s approach to texture. That meeting of perfumery and hairdressing is central to its appeal: how the oil leaves the hair feeling matters alongside how it smells.
The Japanese influence is expressed through specific materials and places. There is yuzu from Shimanto, sansho from Wakayama and hinoki from Yoshino, alongside flowers, woods and herbs from further afield. Each composition offers a different atmosphere, from Tokyo in the rain to the earthy stillness of a forest.
The value is in how those elements come together: an oil that conditions and finishes the hair, with fragrance treated as part of the experience. For someone who enjoys considered haircare and a personal scent, it makes the final step of a routine something to look forward to.
WHAT DOES HAIR OIL DO FOR YOUR HAIR?
Hair oil can soften the feel of the lengths, improve lubrication and enhance shine. A thin conditioning film helps fibres slide past one another more easily, making rough-feeling hair stronger, smoother and more manageable.
Hair’s outer cuticle has its own fine lipid layer, which contributes to natural lubrication. Weathering and chemical processing can alter that surface and increase friction. An appropriate oil helps improve the feel of the fibre at the surface, different oils can also penetrate and absorb into the hair, depending on their chemistry and how they are used.
That can be particularly useful when the lengths look dull, the ends feel dry or your finished style needs a little more definition. Conditioning improves the appearance and feel of the hair, while your regular conditioner and any targeted treatments continue to support the rest of the routine.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAIR OIL AND HAIR SERUM?
A hair oil is an oil-led product however a serum is a product format that may contain oils but also is adapted sometimes with silicones or other conditioning ingredients. Their benefits often overlap. Both can add slip, strength and smoothness, depending on the formula.
Choose by the result you need. A serum may be designed for a particular styling or treatment benefit; choose Diffar for a conditioning finish and a fragrance you enjoy. You do not automatically need both. A stylist can help you decide which steps contribute something useful to your hair.
WHAT IS IN THE DIFFAR OIL BLEND?
Sunflower and jojoba oils lead the blend, supported by sesame and rice bran oils. Argan, sweet almond, avocado, rosehip, camellia, grapeseed, macadamia, meadowfoam and evening primrose oils add to its botanical composition.
These emollient ingredients contribute to a stronger, softer, more lubricated feel. Jojoba is distinctive chemically, it is predominantly a liquid wax composed of wax esters. Other texture ingredients, including an alkane and conditioning esters, influence how an oil spreads and feels. It is the balance of the complete blend that shapes the experience on your hair.
Diffar describes the finished texture as dry-feeling, with the oil coating each hair to enhance shine and strength. The intention is a polished finish, that reduces frizz and adds strength to hair, that can be adjusted through the amount you apply.
HOW WOULD PAUL USE DIFFAR HAIR OIL?
Paul’s approach is to use Diffar as a finishing step, applying a small amount where the hair needs softness, added strength, definition or shine. Spread it evenly over your palms, work through the ends first and distribute through the lengths as needed. Leave it in, then assess the movement and feel before adding more.
“What appeals to me about Diffar is the care given to condition, texture and fragrance. I would use it to soften the ends, add strength and bring a finished style together. Choose the scent you love, then let your hair tell you how much it needs.” – Paul Edmonds
Paul would adjust the application to the hair in front of him. The aim is an even finish, with the quantity guided by the density, length and texture of the hair.
For fine hair
Begin with a trace of oil spread thoroughly across the palms and fingers. Touch it onto the ends first, keeping the root area light. Let the oil already on your hands distribute through the hair before reaching for more.
For thicker lengths
Work in sections so the oil reaches the areas that feel rough. Add small amounts gradually through the mid-lengths and ends rather than concentrating a larger amount on the surface.
For curls and waves
Gently glaze the oil over the lengths or scrunch a small amount into the ends, following the existing shape. Minimise repeated handling once you have the definition and shine you want.
You have applied enough when the ends feel softer and the hair still moves freely. If it begins to look separated or feel coated, use less next time. Keep your dedicated heat-protection step when heat styling.
WHICH DIFFAR FRAGRANCE SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?
All six fragrance hair oils come in 90ml bottles and share a botanical base. Choose the scent that appeals to you; the fragrance names describe the composition rather than a different treatment for each hair type.
Tokyo Balance
Choose Tokyo Balance if you like floral freshness with a woody base. Geranium and rose meet Yoshino hinoki, sandalwood and vetiver in a composition inspired by Tokyo in the rain.
Woody Earthy
Choose Woody Earthy if you enjoy vetiver, patchouli and the atmosphere of a forest. Aomori hiba, Yoshino hinoki and juniper berry give the composition its earthy, aromatic character.
Herbal Floral
Choose Herbal Floral if you prefer flowers with a green, herbal edge. Galbanum, clary sage, thyme and armoise meet tuberose and ylang-ylang. Diffar uses ylang-ylang collected during the first 15 minutes of distillation.
Japanese Citrus
Choose Japanese Citrus if you gravitate towards bright, fresh fragrances. Shimanto yuzu and Wakayama sansho are balanced with Yoshino hinoki, thyme and rosemary.
Spicy Wood
Choose Spicy Wood if your favourite fragrances feature oud and warm woods. Agarwood, sandalwood and oakwood are layered with nutmeg and patchouli for a deeper, spiced impression.
Floral Floral
Choose Floral Floral if you love a full bouquet. Jasmine, rose, neroli, osmanthus, ylang-ylang and tuberose are brought together with vanilla.
WHY IS THE BOTTLE PART OF THE PLEASURE?
Diffar’s coloured glass bottles are designed to reflect the complexity of the fragrances. Unexpected colour combinations give each oil its own presence, while the cylindrical presentation box makes the experience feel considered from the moment it is opened.
It is a collection that earns its place on a dressing table as well as within a haircare routine, and a thoughtful gift for someone who appreciates fragrance, good design and beautifully finished hair.
YOUR HAIR OIL QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Will hair oil make my hair greasy?
Too much oil can leave hair looking greasy or weighed down. Diffar describes its texture as dry-feeling, but quantity and distribution still matter. Start with a small amount through the ends, keep the roots light and build only where the hair needs more softness or polish.
Should you apply Diffar to wet or dry hair?
Paul’s finishing recommendation is a small amount on dry, styled hair, so you can judge the shine and feel as you apply it. Diffar’s published directions say to apply an appropriate amount to the hair, without specifying wet or dry. Paul particularly likes to add oil to damp hair before drying to remove frizziness and protects from humidity.
Can you use hair oil on fine hair?
Yes, but the quantity matters. Begin with a very small amount, spread it thoroughly over your palms and concentrate on the ends. Add more only if the hair needs it. Diffar describes the collection as suitable for all hair types; your preferred finish should determine how much you use.
Can you use hair oil every day?
You can use a finishing oil when the lengths need softness or polish. Daily application is optional. If your hair already feels smooth and looks finished, there is no need to add another layer.
Does hair oil replace conditioner?
No. A finishing oil complements your washing and conditioning routine. Conditioner helps with detangling and manageability after washing, a small amount of oil can add softness and polish afterwards.
Does hair oil hydrate the hair?
An oil does not supply water, but some oil films can slow moisture loss and influence how water moves into and out of the hair. The effect depends on the oil, formula and conditions. Alongside that moisture-retaining role, lubrication helps dry-feeling lengths become softer and smoother. Use a finishing oil alongside your usual conditioning routine.
Can hair oil repair split ends?
An oil can smooth the appearance and feel of rough ends, but it cannot permanently mend a split hair. Trimming removes the split; conditioning and careful handling help you manage the remaining lengths.
Are the six Diffar oils for different hair types?
The collection is organised by fragrance, with a shared botanical base. Choose your preferred scent, then adjust the amount to your hair. If you are unsure, ask the Paul Edmonds London team to help you choose your finishing routine.
Find your Diffar
Find the finish your hair needs and the fragrance you want to wear. Explore all six Diffar hair oils online, or ask your stylist at Paul Edmonds London to help you choose an application for your hair. Whether you are drawn to bright yuzu, green florals or layered woods, there is a different way to make this daily gesture your own.