The Best Leave-In Conditioners for Your Hair Type
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Getty Images
When I was at the cusp of puberty my sophomore year of high school (I was a late bloomer, OK?), my hair went though what could only be called aĀ hellish, cursedĀ metamorphosisāand it happened overnight.Ā In my possibly unreliableĀ memory, I went to bed with luscious, virgin hair that was equal parts silky and shinyāit wasĀ the long, wavy brown kindĀ you’d see glisteningĀ in slow motion inĀ shampoo commercialsāand then I woke up with my mom’s hair. I’m not totally sure how I can describe my mom’s hair without offending anyone, namely her, but it’s not exactly the object of envy: It’s naturally frizzy and unmanageable, but because it’s thick, she can douse her hair in leave-in-conditioner and walk out the door with perfect hair, and her coworkers are none the wiser.Ā I followed suit, spritzing Pantene’s original leave-in formula all over my head just like she does, and I ended up looking like a wet dog.Ā If only the slicked-back look was in then.
Now, afterĀ a decade and a half of testing every formula out there,Ā I’ve finally found a combination of products that work with my majorly damaged, flat-on-the-top-but-frizzy-on-the-bottom hairābut there’s no universal cult-favorite leave-in conditioner for a reason:Ā While thin, limp hair oftenĀ recoils at the sight of moisture, those withĀ thick hair need a super-hydrating formula to curb its propensity for dryness. And if you’re hair is damaged? Forget it. To take out the guesswork (and to be sure nobody else has to look like a wet dog, ever), we broke down theĀ 15 best leave-in conditioners for every hair type.
Best For: Damaged Hair
If your hair is wreckedĀ from heat styling, apply a dime-sized blob from mid-lengths to end, focusing on the areas with the most damageāmost likely, any face-framing pieces.
IGK Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm, available on Amazon
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Sephora
Best For: Damaged Hair
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Dermstore
Best For: Damaged Hair
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Carol's Daughter
Best For: Thick, Curly Hair
If you have thickĀ or textured hairĀ that needsĀ majorly moisturizing, look for ingredients like castor, argan, and rosehip oils.
SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Grow Leave-In Conditioner, available on Amazon
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SheaMoisture
Best For: Thick, Curly Hair
Briogeo Rosarco Milk⢠Reparative Leave-In Conditioning Spray, $20; at Sephora
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Sephora
Best For: Thick, Curly Hair
Qhemet Biologics Moringa Tree Conditioning Ghee, $22; at Sephora
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Sephora
Best For: Normal Hair
Even normal, healthy hair can use a boost. Look for leave-in sprays or finishing creams, which lendĀ shine without weighing hair down.
It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Plus KERATIN Product with Bonus Deep Conditioner, $17.96; at Walmart
Best For: Normal Hair
Sachajuan Leave In Conditioner, $31; at Sephora
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Sephora
Best For: Normal Hair
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LeVert Beauty
Best For: Fine Hair
Leave-in conditioner might sound like kryptonite for anyone with fine hair; start with a pinch of product and build up as needed to keep hair from falling flat.
Oribe Supershine Light Moisturizing Cream, available on Amazon
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Blue Mercury
Best For: Fine Hair
Pacifica Hairvana Leave-On Detangling Conditioner, $14; at Ulta
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Ulta
Best For: Fine Hair
Aussie Hair Insurance Leave-In Conditioner, $3.43; at Aussie
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Aussie
Best For: Fine, Curly Hair
Not all curly hair is thick, too. If your spirals are thin, look for a formula with cirtus oils, which tend to be lighter.
Intelligent Nutrients Leave-in Conditioner, available on Amazon
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Credo Beauty
Best For: Fine, Curly Hair
Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner, $26; at Ulta
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Ulta