Last Updated on August 31, 2022 by
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t have a lot of time to spend on your hair. Between work, family, and social obligations, who has the time? That’s where leave-in conditioners come in.
These miracle workers can help you achieve hydrated, soft and smooth hair in just a few minutes.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the best leave in conditioner for curly hair to treat most common problems.
So whether you have wavy, curly hair or coily hair, we’ve got you covered!
When the Survivor contestants were asked to choose one styling product to bring with them to the island, most of them chose something obvious like a hairbrush or gel.
But one woman raised her hand and said she would bring a leave in conditioner. The other contestants looked at her quizzically, wondering why she would choose such an odd item.
“I love my leave in conditioner because I can style my hair with it alone,” the woman explained. “Plus, it keeps my hair healthy and hydrated.”
The other contestants just shrugged and went back to their discussion about what kind of shelter they should build. But the woman with the leave in conditioner was confident in her choice. She knew that if things got bad, she would at least have a way to keep her hair looking good.
That scenario never actually happened, but that’s what I’d say if I were a contestant on Survivor. In case you didn’t know, Survivor is one of my personal favorite TV realty shows.
I mean, who would have thought that a leave in conditioner would be such an important item? But when you think about it, it makes perfect sense.
After all, if your hair is healthy and hydrated, it will look better no matter what situation you’re in.
Okay, enough about Survivor. Just wanted to have a little fun with you guys. In all seriousness, though, I think it’s important to have a good leave in conditioner in your hair care arsenal.
What is a Leave in Conditioner?
Leave in conditioners are also known as no-rinse or leave-on conditioners that are applied after washing your hair and before styling it.
They’re not washed out, like traditional conditioners; consider it to be an extra dose of moisture for your hair, which will help it remain in excellent shape.
A leave in conditioner is not the same as the conditioner you use after shampooing your hair. Although, some curlies like to leave in a little bit of the rinse out conditioner as a leave in conditioner.
Leave in conditioners come in the form of both liquids and creams, and some are formulated as a detangler.
They help to moisturize, add shine, detangle, protect from heat damage, and strengthen your natural curls. As a result, they’re often hailed as being amazing.
Other types of leave in conditioners
Leave in sprays and mists are great for refreshing your hair during the day and for quick touch-ups. They can also help to revive curls that have been flattened from too much product or weather conditions.
Spray-based leave in conditioners are great moisture boosters and work great on fine and thin hair texture, as they won’t weigh your hair down.
Benefits
Investing in a product that will not require you to wash it out is a simple method to keep your locks hydrated.
Different types of curly hair need different kinds of care, and using a leave in conditioner is one crucial step following a cleansing and conditioning session.
There are many benefits to using a leave in conditioner for curly hair.
Besides keeping your hair hydrated, another benefit of is that it can help define your curls and reduce frizz.
It also helps to protect your hair from the sun and environmental pollutants. Lastly, it can also add shine and make your hair more manageable.
What to Look for in Leave Ins
Breakage, damage, and dry curls – oh my! (just had to do that in my Dorothy voice, lol). These are the three most common issues we face as curlies.
What can you do to help reduce the occurrence of these issues and keep your hair healthy? Hydration in the form of a leave in conditioner!
Some leave in conditioners are designed to help reduce frizz, while others are meant to help with damage, or define curls.
It’s important to find one that will provide the optimum benefits that you are looking for.
Ingredients to Look for in a Leave ins
When looking for a leave in conditioner, it’s important to look for ingredients that will help hydrate and nourish your hair.
Some ingredients to look for include (keep in mind that this will also depend on what your hair needs):
- Shea butter
- Coconut oil
- Argan oil
- Olive oil
- Humectants
- Hydrolyzed protein
These ingredients will help to hydrate and soften your curls.
Read the ingredients
Finally, make sure to read the ingredients list before buying a leave-in conditioner.
Some products contain questionable ingredients that can damage your hair. So, it’s important to be aware of what you are putting in your hair.
Consider Your Curl type
There are many different types of leave in conditioners on the market, but not all of them will work for your specific hair type or curly hair issue.
When looking for a leave in conditioner for wavy, curly, or coily hair, it’s best to search for one that is designed for your specific hair type, porosity, and the condition your hair is in to get the most out of it.
These characteristics can help you decide what ingredients to look for and what is ideal for your hair.
Consider what you need the leave in conditioner to do for your hair
If you are looking for a conditioner to help with damage, then find one that contains hydrolyzed protein and emollients.
If you have low porosity hair, then you may need a leave in conditioner that will help hydrate, and help reduce the frizz.
Those with coily hair will need more moisture than someone with wavy hair, so they should look for a leave in that contains ingredients like shea butter, jojoba oil, and film-forming humectants.
Generally speaking, the moisture that your hair requires depends on its texture. The curlier the hair, the more moisture it tends to need.
When choosing a leave in conditioner, select one that best meets your hair’s moisture or protein requirements at the time of use.
Ways To Use A Leave In Conditioner
Now that you know what to look for in a leave in conditioner and the benefits of using one, let’s talk about how to use it!
There are a few different ways that you can use a leave in conditioner, depending on your needs.
The most basic way is to apply it after you have shampooed and conditioned your hair.
You can either apply it to wet or dry hair, depending on your preference. My hair is very curly, so it’s best to apply it when my hair is wet.
Another way to use a leave-in conditioner is to layer it under a curl cream, which helps prime your curls for an extra layer of moisture.
Hydrated curls translates into more definition and less frizz. This will not work for every curl type, so experiment to see what works best for you.
You can also use a leave-in conditioner as a detangler. If your hair is easily tangled, apply the conditioner to wet hair and comb it through with a wide tooth comb.
Leave the conditioner in your hair and style as usual.
Now that you know all about leave-in conditioners, it’s time to find one that’s perfect for you!
The following are some of the most common and best leave in conditioners for curly hair on the market, each with its own unique blend of ingredients, tailored for a wide range of textures and curly hair issues.
The Best Leave In Conditioner For Curly Hair Problems
Here are a few of our favorites:
SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore Leave In Conditioner
This grow and restore leave in conditioner is perfect for those with dry, damaged hair. It contains shea butter, and nourishing oils like coconut oil and argan oil, to help hydrate and soften your hair.
This leave in will make your curls shiny and healthy-looking if they are over-processed or dry.
It also has a light scent that smells like play-doh.
Best For Over Processed & Color-Treated Hair
As I Am Leave in Conditioner
This lightweight formula is perfect for those with thick, curly hair. It contains Phytosterols which help promote healthy hair growth and it enhances manageability, and helps prevent tangles.
It also has a light, refreshing scent.
Best For Low Porosity Hair
Camille Rose Naturals Hair Milk
This hydrating leave in conditioner is perfect for those with coily hair. It contains shea butter, avocado oil, and aloe vera to help hydrate and soften your hair.
It also has a light, refreshing scent.
Pattern Beauty Leave In Conditioner
This leave in conditioner is a great way to perk up lifeless, bent-out-of-shape curls. It’s water-based and gently hydrates curls without weighing them down.
This is packed with oils such as castor seed, jojoba, and avocado, which seal in moisture while providing bounce and definition to curls.
Best For Dry Low Porosity Hair
Briogeo Rosarco Milk Reparative Leave-In Conditioning Spray
Coconut oil is a wonderful conditioning and healing agent, but using it in its pure form on your hair can result in greasy hands and weighed-down locks. This leave-in conditioner from Briogeo solves that problem by incorporating the oil into a light but effective spray formula.
Best For Dry & Frizzy Hair
Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repair + Moisture Star Strength Leave-In Cream
This leave in conditioning cream is perfect for those with damaged hair. It contains monoi oil, which is a blend of coconut and tiare flowers, to help nourish and repair your hair.
Infused with moisture, healing, and strength-enhancing ingredients for stronger curls.
Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave in Detangler
Although this is a thick cream-based leave in conditioner, it is a detangling leave in conditioner that will not weigh your hair down. It simply glides on your curls to really bring them to life.
A little goes a long way, so start with a small amount and adjust accordingly.
Ouai Leave in Conditioner
This light leave in conditioning spray provides hydration and heat protection up to 450°F/232°C. It conditions, detangles, fights frizz and leaves hair smooth, shiny and manageable.
It will help remove tangles and make your hair feel smooth while including a beautiful blend of tamarind seed extract, hydrolyzed proteins, and panthenol.
But the best part is the scent! Ooh la la.. it smells like a luxurious French spa. Think white flowers, bergamot, white musk, and violet all combined to make a sweet smelling concoction.
Curls Blueberry Bliss Leave in Conditioner
This blueberry bliss reparative leave in conditioner will help mend, restore, and moisturize your distressed curls. It is clinically proven to repair damaged hair and prevent breakage!
Formulated with certified organic blueberry extract, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, and mango butter to help nourish, repair, and restore damaged hair.
Best For Damaged High Porosity Hair
Giovanni Direct Leave in Conditioner
This leave in conditioner is ideal for all curl types. It infuses each strand with hydration and penetrates each hair strand to provide exactly what your hair needs, every time.
It also has a light, refreshing scent.
Camille Rose Honey Hydrate Leave-In Conditioner
This transformative leave-in conditioner, which is blended with pure honey, olive fruit, and castor oils to help improve moisture, hydration and, shine.
As with many of Camille Rose’s products, you will notice the results pretty quickly.
Best For 4 Hair Type & Maximum Hydration
Oribe Priming Lotion Leave-In Conditioning Detangler
This is a silky leave in conditioner that easily detangles, helps hydrate, and leave your hair feeling soft. It’s formulated with cupuacu and mango seed butter to help smooth hair cuticle, dryness, and breakage.
It also has olive oil that absorbs into hair to repair damage, restore elasticity, and soften it.
Oribe’s Signature Complex: Defends hair from UV radiation, free radicals, photoaging, and the deterioration of natural keratin.
Free of parabens, formaldehydes, formaldehyde-releasing agents, mineral oil, retinyl palmitate, oxybenzone, coal tar, hydroquinone, sulfates SLS & SLES, triclocarban, and triclosan.
It is also vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free.
Innersense Sweet Spirit Leave In Conditioner
This lightweight formula helps detangle hair and boost the moisture content. It’s also perfect for refreshing hair everyday.
Its key ingredients, aloe vera, tamanu oil, honey, and eucalyptus help to boost moisture, calm frizz, add shine, and manageability. Nothing but clean ingredients!
FAQs
Should you use a leave-in conditioner every day?
It depends on your hair type. If you have curly hair, using a leave-in conditioner every day can help define your curl pattern and keep them moisturized.
However, if you have hair that is easily weighed down, using a leave-in conditioner every day may make your hair greasy and limp, and may cause product build up.
If you ever experience product build up, use a clarifying shampoo to help give your hair a reboot.
Is leave in conditioner better for curly hair?
Not necessarily. Leave-in conditioners help to define curls and keep them moisturized, and frizz free.
However, if you have straight hair, you can still use a leave-in conditioner, as it will help to keep your hair healthy and hydrated.
Honestly, any hair type can use a leave in conditioner.
Does leave in conditioner hold curls?
It depends on the leave-in conditioner that you use. Some leave-in conditioners are designed to help hold curls, while others are not.