PRO
Leaves hair smooth, manageable and frizz-free
Fast action in 12 hours
Safe for color treated hair
CONS
Can cause stinging sensation on allergic scalp
Rinse-out conditioners are necessary hydrators that soften and smooth hair after cleaning, but the finest leave-in conditioners take it a step further. They linger, penetrate hair follicles, and create a visible change in how moisturized your hair appears. Furthermore, leave-ins provide additional benefits such as UV protection and hair-type-specific style assistance.
Leave-in conditioners are also fantastic lifesavers for those of us who don’t have the additional 15 minutes in the shower to wait for an intense hair mask to work its magic — but still want to emulate some of the smoothing, deep-conditioning, shine-inducing effects of using a mask.
When searching for leave-in conditioners, seek for substances like oils, fatty alcohols, and triglycerides that will smooth the cuticles and hold the hair in place.
With all of these factors in mind, we asked hairstylists to give their recommendations for the finest leave-in conditioners to meet your hair’s moisture demands, and we threw in a few of our personal favourites.
But, with so many leave-in conditioners on the market, it’s not always easy to choose the finest one. Fortunately for you, we searched high and low until we discovered the greatest leave-in conditioners so that your curls may live their best lives. Check out the top selections below.
15 Best Leave in Conditioners
1. Suave Professionals Avocado and Olive Oil Leave-in Conditioner
This leave-in conditioner, which combines avocado and olive oils, smooths and conditioning your curls for a soft, crunch-free finish. When your hair is feeling dry or you want to smooth down flyaways, comb a few squeezes of cream into your curls.
Key Feature:
Infused with 100% natural avocado & olive oil, which are known for their rich emollients
2. Mizani 25 Miracle Milk Leave-In Treatment
This leave-in conditioner with coconut oil hydrates and softens your curls without leaving them lank or oily. Go ahead and spray it all over—the mixture is so light (thus the “milk” moniker) that you won’t be able to overuse it.
Key Feature:
Has coconut oil in it
PRO
Smoothens hair
Firms the scalp
Removes hues
CONS
Little expensive
Comes in small size
3. Not Your Mother’s Naturals Royal Honey & Kalahari Desert Melon Leave-In Conditioner
This leave-in conditioner, specially created for dry and over-processed curls, can help give your fried, dead hair a new lease of life. It contains royal honey and Kalahari Desert melon, which work together to repair damaged hair and restore its softness and smoothness.
Key Feature:
Plant-derived ingredients help reconstruct dry and damaged hair.
PRO
Paraben-, gluten- and sulphate-free
Fortifying Shampoo to naturally revitalize your hair.
Light formula
Gentle formula makes it ideal for everyday use.
CONS
Hair color resistance effect is not that effective
4. It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product
If your curls are looking a touch flat, this leave-in conditioner might assist. With silk amino acids and green tea leaf extract, this lightweight treatment adds volume to your curls while keeping them smooth and silky. It may also be used as a leave-in conditioner on wet hair or as a style cream on dry hair.
Key Feature:
Miracle Leave-In Conditioner spray is a great addition to your daily hair care routine to help leave dull, damaged hair in the past and rejuvenate natural oils.
PRO
Helps protect against heat damage while smoothing, styling and/ or controlling frizz
Works wonders on dark circles, wrinkles and puffiness
CONS
Strong smell
Not suitable for sensitive scalp
5. Mielle Organics Leave-In Conditioner White Peony
This lightweight leave-in conditioner seals in moisture and smoothes your curls with only a few spritzes. The recipe combines coconut oil and argan oil, which work together to delicately coat hair in a hydrating layer that also protects your curls from heat damage. Make sure to spritz it on before using a diffuser on your hair.
Key Feature:
Ultra moisturizing leave-in conditioner is lightweight and gives your hair the moisture and protection it needs; Helps seal in moisture, smooths hair shaft and helps tame frizz and flyaways.
PRO
Protects against UV rays
Can be used for daily styling and to help protect from heat damage
Features organic ingredients
CONS
Not suitable for damaged or broken split ends
Does not help dry scalp
6. The Mane Choice Soft As Can Be Revitalize & Refresh 3-in-1
Get yourself a multi-tasking leave-in conditioner for curly hair. This one is a three-in-one, which means it may be used as a co-wash, leave-in conditioner, and detangler. Apply a palmful of this cream on your curls for smooth, lustrous, and oh-so-moisturized hair.
Key Feature:
Whether you want to cleanse, condition, or free your hair of annoying knots and tangles, this conditioner has you covered.
PRO
Silky lightweight formula
he 3-in-1 conditioner supports the natural hair growth and retention
Enriched with Biotin and Tea Tree to promote healthier, longer, and thicker hair.
CONS
A little expensive
7. Pantene Gold Series Leave-On Detangling Milk
The star ingredient in this leave-in conditioner is argan oil—not only will the lightweight oil hydrate and soften your curls, but it will also help untangle them without tearing your hair out of your head. Smooth the cream through your hair, avoiding the roots, and then go about your business.
Key Feature:
Helps Restore Hair Health
PRO
Infused With Argan Oil
Lightweight and quickly absorbed
Sulfate And Dye Free
CONS
Little expensive
8. Shea Moisture Strengthen & Restore Leave-In Conditioner
This leave-in conditioning lotion contains shea butter and Jamaican black castor oil, which will keep your 4C hair clumped and stretched while still providing hydration to your coils. Spread it through your hair every day for a week of extreme TLC, or rake it through it after wash days.
Key Feature:
Organic shea butter that helps to smoothens the hair.
PRO
Reduces the appearance of split ends
Prevents hair breakage
Tames stray flyaways and keeps frizz at bay
CONS
Comes in small bottle
9. Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner
This non-greasy solution is ideal for looser curls since it moisturises and enhances texture without leaving a heavy residue. The leave-in conditioner contains prickly pear extract, which locks in moisture, and arnica extract, which smoothes flyaways and adds shine.
Key Feature:
Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner helps create a balanced moisture foundation before you begin your style, so curls respond better to the styling products you layer on top.
PRO
Creates a base layer of moisture to prime hair for styling
Deeply hydrates curls with no greasy residue left behind
CONS
Not suitable for dry scalp
10. DevaCurl B’Leave-In Miracle Curl Plumper
This leave-in does The Most in the greatest way imaginable. The lightweight product, which contains wheat protein, lemongrass, and chamomile, moisturises and protects your hair while imparting pumped-up volume to delicate curls. To enhance body to your natural texture, scrunch a quarter-size dab of product into damp curls.
Key Feature:
Provides body. Makes hair appear fuller and plumps curls. Encourages curl shape and definition.
PRO
Lemongrass gives a good fragrance
Suitable for sensitive scalp
Provides 24 hour hydration
CONS
Comes in small bottle
11. Curls Blueberry Bliss Reparative Leave-In Conditioner
This leave-in conditioner not only smells like a delicious blueberry smoothie in a bottle, but it also repairs, strengthens, and hydrates your curls. Blueberry extracts (high in growth-stimulating vitamins) are used in the mix, as well as mango butter, coconut oil, and grapeseed oil for supersoft and lustrous hair.
Key Feature:
Curls Blueberry Bliss Reparative Leave In Conditioner repairs, restores, and conditions overworked curls.
PRO
Repair, restore, and condition your overworked curls
Recommended for wavy, curly, very curly, and kinky hair
CONS
Expensive
12. Living Proof No Frizz Leave-In Conditioner
If you’re tired of dealing with frizz and flyaways, you should start using this leave-in conditioner for curls right away. It employs a proprietary chemical that effectively prevents humidity and outside moisture from influencing (and thereby frizzing up) your hair, leaving it smooth and silky for hours.
Key Feature:
Time-released fragrance delivers a light, clean scent throughout the day.
PRO
Hydrates and moisturizes hair
Has anti frizz effect
CONS
Thick gel feeling
Takes time for visible result
13. OGX Quenching Coconut Curls Curling Butter Leave-In or Rinse Out
If you’re one who would opt for an all-natural haircare routine, then this one is your way to go. Infused with coconut oil, citrus oils, and honey, this drugstore leave-in conditioner shows your curls a ton of love by hydrating TF out of it. Your hair will seriously be left so bouncy and shiny, you won’t be able to stop touching it. Plus, it’s under $10—what a steal, right?
Key Feature:
This 66-ounce tub of OGX Quenching, Coconut Curls Curling Hair Butter helps detangle and enhance definition for smooth curls that are full of bounce and shine.
PRO
Ideal for medium to coarse-textured hair
Instant effect
Designed to enhance natural softness
CONS
Heavy thick cream
Pricy
14. Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream
This two-in-one argan oil mix is all you’ll need to put on your hair between washes. It’s a mix of leave-in conditioner and curl cream styler. Simply massage a teaspoonful into your hair to achieve silky, nourished curls that are defined and separated.
Key Feature:
Separates and defines curls while nourishing hair. Replaces the need for multiple curl products.
PRO
The nourishing formula provides a soft hold, and is made for all curl types.
It’s also infused with argan oil for conditioned curls that are silky
CONS
Takes time for visible result
15. Mielle Organics Pomegranate and Honey Leave-In Conditioner
This organic leave-in conditioner for curly hair performs just as well as a traditional rinse-out conditioner. The recipe, which contains components such as babassu oil and citrus extracts, offers hydration and gloss to your hair that lasts. Use this only if you have thick, curly hair; it’s far too heavy for fine curls.
Key Feature:
This lightweight leave-in conditioner allows you to show off your beautiful coils and curls with added shine, extra moisture and a formula that prevents frizz.
PRO
This leave-in moisture helps make detangling easier
Especially formulated for thick, curly hair
Curls with added shine, extra moisture and a formula that prevents frizz
CONS
Not suitable for sensitive and allergic scalp
Little expensive
Conclusion
The conditioners listed here have raving customer reviews and certified by reliable authorities. Try the one that best suits your needs and fits your budget. If you want to know more, don’t hesitate to leave a comment. We would love to hear from you!
Editor's Choice
PRODUCT RECOMMENDATION
Shea Moisture Strengthen & Restore Leave-In Conditioner
5/5
This leave-in conditioning lotion contains shea butter and Jamaican black castor oil, which will keep your 4C hair clumped and stretched while still providing hydration to your coils.
Post Like This
