TL;DR
The Briogeo Rosarco Milk Leave-In Conditioning Spray is a universal fan favorite that works especially well if you like to air-dry your hair. The lightweight Kerastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Leave-In Spray for Dry Hair is great for anyone with finer hair, while the Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Leave-In Conditioner is a must for curly girls.
With all the mousses, creams, sprays, and serums available, it can be easy to forget the power of the oh-so-humble leave-in conditioner. But the simple product is one of the best ways to score maximum benefits—hydration, shine, smoothness, and more—with minimal effort. Generally speaking, leave-in conditioners add more moisture, promoting elasticity and making hair less prone to split ends and breakage, explains beauty and hair expert Gina Rivera. “A leave-in can also help protect against environmental damage and help with detangling,” she says. Also nice: They’re great for all hair types, as long as you choose the right one for yours. “For example, formulas with coconut oil and shea butter are great for curls but may be too heavy for fine hair,” Rivera explains.
To help determine which leave-in conditioners are best for each hair type, we tested nearly 50 options. We incorporated them into our daily routines, using them at least twice weekly over six weeks. We considered how the hair looked and felt after use, how it addressed frizz and hydration, and the consistency and feel of the formula itself. When all was said and done, the leave-in conditioners below outperformed the competition.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall:
Best Budget:
Best for Frizz:
Best Heat-Activated:
Best Smoothing:
Best for Color-Treated Hair:
K18 Biomimetic Hairscience Molecular Repair Hair Mask at Amazon$75
Best for Fine Hair:
Kerastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Leave-In Spray at Amazon$46
What We Like
Great to use when air-drying
Easy-to-use spray format
Pleasant scent
What to Consider
Can make hair look slightly greasy if used too close to your roots
Hair Type: Dry, frizzy, damaged | Size: 1.75, 5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
A few spritzes of this leave-in was all it took to leave hair shinier, softer, and more hydrated. These benefits were apparent after just one use, but after about a week our testers noticed their strands were also significantly less frizzy, even if they skipped the blow-dryer and opted to air-dry.
We love how easy to use the spray is; just a few quick spritzes and the product is immediately evenly distributed throughout the hair. A nice scent (that’s subtle, rather than overpowering) was yet another positive. Just FYI, you may want to focus this on your mid-lengths and ends, as it had a tendency to get slightly greasy when used too close to the roots.
Alli, tester with type 2A hair: “I am super satisfied with the results. I will be buying the product again! After just one use I noticed my hair felt softer and less frizzy.”
What We Like
Won’t leave hair greasy
Great for detangling
Can be used on wet or dry hair
What to Consider
Feels a little bit sticky initially
Hair Type: All | Size: 8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Here’s proof you don’t have to shell out the big bucks for an amazing leave-in conditioner. It’s also a big bottle and you only need to use a small amount so you get even more bang for your buck. It does have a cream-like feel, though one that’s light enough that it can still be sprayed on and easily combed through. Also noteworthy: You can use it on either wet or dry hair, a feature that we truly appreciate (we love a little versatility). Just keep in mind that it can feel a little bit sticky upon application, but that dissipates quickly as it soaks into the hair.
Jackie, tester with type 2b hair: “I noticed immediate results when I applied it to wet hair —it worked as an instant detangler. And when I applied it to dry hair, it helped smooth out frizz on top of my head.”
Best Applicator
Amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Leave-In Conditioner
What We Like
Spray nicely and evenly
Not sticky
Leaves hair very soft and moisturized
What to Consider
Doesn’t work as well when air-drying hair
Hair Type: All | Size: 6.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
We love the formula of this leave-in; it left hair softer and smoother, and testers were particularly impressed with how well they could curl it after using it. But the packaging of this guy earned it a top spot on this list. Not only does the spray go on super evenly, but the top also boasts a convenient locking mechanism—aka it’s perfect for traveling with since there’s no need to worry about loose caps or spills.
However, less is more with this one. It did tend to leave hair a bit greasy, particularly on the second day, and more so when testers used too much product. It also worked best when they heat styled after versus just air-drying.
Alicia, tester with type 1B hair: “The spray is consistent, wide, and sprays evenly. I love that it doesn't come out as a clumpy cream. It was easy to distribute the product and absorbed completely into my hair.”
Best for Frizz
Ceremonia Guava Leave-In Conditioner
What We Like
Great for fighting frizz and adding moisture
Evenly distributes
Feels lightweight despite cream texture
What to Consider
Doesn’t offer any detangling benefits
Hair Type: All | Size: 6.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Errant frizzies don’t stand a chance when you have this leave-in in your hair care arsenal. Despite the creamy texture, we were pleasantly surprised by how lightweight it felt as well as how nicely it distributed throughout the hair. It even has a nice scent (always a plus in our book), and helped enhance shine, softness, and moisture.
It doesn’t have any detangling effects or offer any real long-term benefits, but it’s still a great, all-around product.
Michal, tester with 1B/1C hair: “I noticed that my hair feels soft and less frizzy after using the product, and shiny and hydrated, too.”
What We Like
Heat protectant
Good for detangling
Pleasant coconut scent
What to Consider
Could leave hair softer
Hair Type: Dry, dull, color-treated | Size: 6.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Calling all hot styling tool aficionados: This one’s for you. The formula is heat-activated, with moisturizing ingredients (including coconut oil) that start to work once you apply heat. (To that point, it also acts as an oh-so-important heat protectant.) Our tester used it before air-drying and blow-drying and confirmed that the latter is the way to go. It also detangles, adds a nice shine to the hair, and has a delicious coconut scent. But heads up: There’s a fine line between using the right amount and too much of this cream. One pump was the perfect amount for shoulder-length, fine hair.
Ashley, tester with type 1B hair: “I noticed a bigger difference in my hair’s texture when I blow-dried and styled it with heat than when I let my hair air dry after using it. I also felt like it protected my hair against the heat. The scent may have been my favorite part, I loved it!”
What We Like
Imparts tons of shine
Helps detangle
Weightless
What to Consider
Has tendency to transfer to hands after application
Hair Type: All | Size: 8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
We loved this pick for its ability to detangle, fight frizz, and hydrate, but it really impressed us when it came to adding tons of mirror-like shine to our strands. And despite the fact that the product has more of a conditioner-like texture, it still felt extremely lightweight and didn’t weigh down our hair. Itis worth mentioning, however, that it doesn’t absorb particularly quickly; while applying it and working it in was very easy, it did transfer to our hands if we touched our hair after the fact.
Emelia, tester with 1A/1B hair: “My hair felt healthier and less brittle, less frizzy, and VERY shiny!”
What We Like
Has instant and long-term smoothing effects
Light, serum-like consistency
Absorbs quickly
What to Consider
Didn’t notice any detangling benefits
Hair Type: All | Size: 1.7, 5.1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
To be fair, all leave-ins have some smoothing benefits (part of the whole conditioning hair thing). But this really took the cake in that department; we couldn’t get over how smooth and silky it left hair—and hydrated, too. The serum-like texture was another huge plus, extremely lightweight and fast-absorbing, so much so that our tester didn’t even notice a trace of residue or product transfer.
We’d be remiss not to mention the scent—a light, refreshing, citrus fragrance that our tester couldn’t get enough of. She didn’t see a ton of detangling benefits, but that was a minor drawback for a product that worked so well both instantly and over time.
Michele, tester with type 2A hair: “Even after the first use, my hair felt smoother and softer. And it looks shinier and healthier when I use this product consistently.”
Best Lightweight
It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Conditioner
What We Like
Very lightweight
Tams frizz and flyaways
Pleasant scent
What to Consider
Nothing
Hair Type: All | Size: 4, 10 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
We couldn’t find one thing we didn’t like about this spritz, but we especially appreciated the featherweight formula. It has an almost watery consistency, absorbing quickly and not weighing down hair. Still, it manages to pack a serious punch, offering a host of different benefits. It detangled so well immediately and even left hair with fewer snarls the next day, locked in moisture, and tamped down errant frizz and flyaways. It worked especially beautifully on slightly wavy hair types.
Cara, tester with type 2B hair: “This enhances my natural waves by adding moisture and taming flyaways and frizz.”
Best for Color-Treated Hair
K18 Biomimetic Hairscience Molecular Repair Hair Mask
What We Like
Safe for color-treated hair
Very lightweight
Pleasant scent
What to Consider
Thicker consistency can be harder to apply
Hair Type: All | Size: 1.5, 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
This winner far surpassed our expectations by improving the overall look and feel of the hair, even combatting dry and brittle split ends resulting from color processing. It does take a few uses to see results, but the effects after a few days were truly transformative. Our tester’s hair looked shinier, softer, and even a little bit thicker.
There were just a few minor things we weren’t as crazy about, namely a slightly goopy texture that made application a bit challenging. It’s also best to use this when you’re going to be blow-drying/styling afterward; when just air-drying, our tester could feel the product unpleasantly coating her hair.
Taylor, tester with type 2A hair: “I’m overdue for a haircut and my split ends definitely feel noticeably less brittle. I’d also recommend this for someone with color-treated hair, especially those who bleach it.”
Best for Fine Hair
Kerastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Leave-In Spray
What We Like
Extremely light, won’t weigh down fine hair
Doesn’t feel greasy
Also acts as a heat protectant
Only a small amount is needed
What to Consider
Cap can pop off easily
Hair Type: All | Size: 4.1 oz | Cruelty-Free: No
As anyone with fine hair will tell you, less is always more when it comes to products—particularly moisturizing/conditioning ones which can quickly start to weigh down strands. But we were blown away by this one: two spritzes were all it took to leave hair feeling softer, more hydrated, shinier, silkier…you name it, this did it. And all of that without feeling the least bit heavy or greasy.
The fact that this doubles as a heat protectant is the cherry on top of the sundae. In related news, it enhanced the results of heat styling, making for a smoother and easier blowout.
Kelly, tester with type 1C/2A hair: “My hair has never felt so healthy, I’m honestly thrilled. I have thin hair so many products will weigh it down, but this one didn’t at all. My hair was shinier and silkier to the touch.”
What We Like
Very pleasant, tropical scent
Helps detangle
Adds lots of moisture
What to Consider
Can be a bit heavy for finer hair types
Product comes out unevenly
Hair Type: All | Size: 1.7, 4.5, 8.1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
The scent was one of our favorite things about this product. It’s on the stronger side, but it made our tester feel like they had just left the salon. Their hair also looked like they had just left the salon. The leave-in added tons of moisture for extra smoothness and softness and excelled at detangling. We just wish that the spray came out more evenly—it sometimes made application challenging. It also may be too heavy for anyone with finer or thinner hair.
Gabriel, tester with type 2B/2c hair: “This melts into your hair. After the first application, I noticed my hair felt softer, almost like I had used a deep conditioner. It lived up to the claims of detangling and hydrating while also leaving hair softer.”
What We Like
Bond-building
Enhances shine
Pump-top bottle is great for distributing the perfect amount
What to Consider
Not a lot of product for the price
Hair Type: Damaged, weak | Size: 3.3 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Olaplex may be best known for its reparative treatments, but don’t sleep on this leave-in. It touts the same bond-building technology; indeed, it legitimately felt like it strengthened strands. Aside from that, it checked all of the other important leave-in criteria: adding shine, smoothing frizz, and detangling. Bonus points for the pump-top bottle which made it easy to distribute the perfect amount of product each time. It also absorbed beautifully and didn’t transfer or leave behind residue. You don’t get a ton of product for the price, but a little goes a long way so we can overlook that.
Rachel, tester with type 2B hair: “This is by far the best leave-in conditioner I’ve ever used. I like the immediate results—it added shine and smoothed my hair—and I felt like it strengthened it, too.”
What We Like
Acts as a heat protectant
Transforms into a lightweight mist
Smooths hair well
What to Consider
Doesn’t really help detangle
Hair Type: All | Size: 1.5, 4.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
This quickly earned a top spot in our pre-blowout routine. Just a few sprays helped smooth out tons of frizz and left hair nice and silky after our tester took a hair dryer to it. It pulls double duty as a heat protectant as well. Our tester loved the pleasant floral scent and raved about how light the formula was (even though it looks like a thicker cream in the bottle). You may be slightly disappointed if you’re looking for a detangler, but this is still a pretty universal crowd-pleaser.
Katy, tester with type 2A hair: “My ends looked and felt more hydrated, especially after blow-drying with a round brush, and my hair was smoother, too. The effects are incredible.”
Best Multitasker
Pureology Heat Protectant Leave-In Conditioner
What We Like
Offers instant, multifaceted results
Great for detangling
Works for all hair types
What to Consider
Scent is pleasant but can linger
Hair Type: All | Size: 1, 6.7, 13.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
As the name suggests, there isn’t much that this leave-in can’t do. Even after one use, our hair was fuller, softer, smoother, less frizzy—you name it, this did it. It detangles (typically very knotty) hair beautifully, and generally leaves hair looking and feeling healthier. While our tester liked the fresh scent, she noted that it tends to linger, something that anyone sensitive to fragrance may want to take into consideration.
Keren, tester with type 2A hair: “The product definitely made my hair smooth, hydrated, and less tangled. I would recommend it to anyone.”
Best Detangler
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Joia Milky Leave-In Conditioner
What We Like
Detangles well
Very moisturizing
Coconut-y scent
What to Consider
Bottle deflates as you use it
Hair Type: All | Size: 7.1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Stubborn snarls, be gone. The detangling prowess was one of our favorite things about this winner, although how moisturizing it was was a close second. The middle-of-the-road consistency (neither too thick nor too watery) was also very pleasing. It also didn’t weigh down hair. This brand is also well-known for its fragrance blends, reminiscent of a tropical vacation, and that was the case here; we love the coconut-y smell. We didn’t love that the bottle deflates a bit as you use it, but that wasn’t a huge drawback at the end of the day.
Roselynn, tester with type 2A hair: “My hair was 100% less tangled. It also left my hair less dry on days I had to use a more clarifying shampoo.”
What We Like
Made hair super bouncy
Doubles as a heat protectant
Helped stretch the time between washes
What to Consider
Can leave fine hair feeling oily
Hair Type: All | Size: 1.7, 5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
This aptly named pick did in fact deliver on all of its promises, helping to detangle and smooth frizz. Beyond that, our tester loved how bouncy and shiny it left her hair, even after using it once. The fact that it works as a heat protectant was another boon; it not only streamlined her styling routine but also meant she could use one less product. Her hair was ultimately less greasy and she could go longer between wash days, an unexpected added benefit. However, reviewers with finer hair note it can leave their hair looking oily and weighed down.
Mariya, tester with 2B hair: “I noticed immediate bounce and shine after the first application. This is now a staple hair product for me!”
Best for Natural Hair
Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Leave-In Conditioner
What We Like
Makes natural hair much easier to comb through
Doesn’t flake or leave behind residue
Improves shine and texture
What to Consider
Not designed for fine hair
Hair Type: Natural, curly | Size: 2, 8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Natural hair can often be coarser and drier than other hair textures, which is where a good leave-in conditioner can come up huge. Our tester with natural hair was astounded (in the best way possible) at how beautifully this detangled and smoothed her coarse strands, making it super easy to comb through them. It leaves hair shiny and silky, not greasy or weighed down, and also has a pleasant vanilla scent that isn’t cloying or overpowering. At the end of the day, there wasn’t a thing we would change about it, except maybe advise fine-haired folks to try something a bit lighter.
Mary, tester with type 4C hair: “I would definitely recommend this product to anyone with natural hair. It helped me comb through my hair in a fraction of the time.
Best for Curly Hair
Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Leave-In Conditioner
What We Like
Leaves curls defined and supple
Excellent for frizz
Made hair feel less brittle
What to Consider
The texture is a bit watery
Hair Type: Curly | Size: 6 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Given the innate differences between straight and curly hair, the latter often requires its own set of products specifically dedicated to addressing curls’ unique needs. This one does exactly that, and then some. Our tester with curly hair raved about how well this worked—it never weighed down her hair (a common conundrum) but did tame frizz and left her curls perfectly smooth and bouncy. It was easy to apply as well, and even made dry and brittle ends feel better. The slightly sweet scent was another pro—as was the wallet-friendly price tag.
Dawn, tester with type 3B hair: “Adding this to my regular haircare routine has only enhanced the health of my hair and the look of my curls. They’re smooth and supple, without any frizziness.”
What to Look for in a Leave-In Conditioner
- Nourishing and Protective Ingredients: When shopping for a leave-in conditioner, professional hairstylist Kelly Macedo recommends looking for a formula with restorative ingredients such as almond, coconut, jojoba, argan, or roucou oils. Another must? An ingredient that will help protect against breakage and damage, like hydrolyzed protein. Lastly, she recommends antioxidants (or antioxidant-rich ingredients) to protect against UV damage, such as sunflower extract, guava, or vitamins A, C, and E. Rivera adds that humectants—ingredients that draw moisture to the hair—like glycerin are also good to seek out.
- Consistency: If your hair is on the finer side, Macedo recommends opting for products that are lightweight yet still hydrating to ensure your hair won’t be weighed down. She recommends reaching for something richer if you’ve got coarse, thick hair or curly textures. “Curly hair naturally tends to be dryer, so I’d recommend a milkier leave-in with a little thickness to it,” she says. Top tip: Lighter formulas typically come in spray formats, thicker ones in creams or lotions.
FAQ
How long can you leave in a leave-in conditioner?
Until your next shampoo—a good leave-in conditioner will work instantly to give hair nourishment and shine and promote silky, soft strands. There's no downside to keeping leave-in conditioner in; it adds hydration and yields a smoother texture. That being said, Rivera notes that you should make sure to wash it out thoroughly when you do shampoo to minimize buildup on your hair and scalp.
Do leave-in conditioners work for curly hair?
In a word, yes. “Leave-ins are great for curly hair because they help keep moisture in the hair, which tends to be drier and more frizzy, to begin with,” says Rivera, adding that they can also keep your curls more uniform and intact.
Can I use a leave-in conditioner every day?
You can, but might want to alternate or skip days here and there. Leave-in conditioner contains moisturizing ingredients that can build up on the hair and scalp and create a greasy hair look over time. If your hair is fine or thin and tends to experience buildup, try using leave-in conditioner once weekly or whenever you feel your hair needs extra hydration.
How should I apply leave-in conditioner?
Start with clean, towel-dried hair. For sprays, mist on from roots to ends (but avoiding the scalp), says Rivera. For creams, emulsify it in your hands to ensure even distribution, then work it through the hair, moving up from the ends and stopping about an inch away from the roots, she adds. In either case, you can then brush through with a detangling brush or comb to distribute the product evenly, then dry and style it as usual.
Why Trust Byrdie
Byrdie contributor Melanie Rud contributed to this article. She has over a decade of experience in the beauty industry, writing for some of the biggest magazines and websites out there. She uses a leave-in conditioner (including the Odele product on this list) daily. Kelly Macedo, a hairstylist and owner of Interior Hair in Los Feliz, California, also contributed to this article, as did hair and beauty expert Gina Rivera.