The 17 Best Leave-in-Conditioners of 2024

The shower is made for aha moments, but what happens when your volumizing shampoos and conditioners still aren’t inspiring gorgeous hair? (I.e. you still step out with a dry, dull, and flattened mane.) Leave-in conditioners are a key step in everyone’s hair routine — these products reduce frizz, increase shine, lessen breakage, and help repair split ends and other signs of damage. Contrary to a rinse-out conditioner, one that you leave in for a few minutes before washing away with water, hair stylist and educator Karen Miller explains that a leave-in conditioner "adds moisture and hydrates hair without weighing it down" and should be used "after the hair is cleansed and before styling begins.” 

Now for the catch: Discovering that unicorn pick product that simultaneously moisturizes your specific hair type with nutrient-rich ingredients, but uses a formula that won’t contribute to build-up or oiliness. After consulting several expert hairstylists, we tested dozens of the most popular, buzzy leave-ins out there ourselves to see how they performed across a range of hair types, textures, and concerns. These are our favorite leave-in conditioners for every hair type, concern, and need.

Best Overall

Crown Affair The Leave-In Conditioner

Sephora

What We Love: We’ve never seen our hair air-dry so soft, full, and free of frizz.

What We Don’t Love: The scent isn’t very prominent.

For a deceptively lightweight, water-based formula, the Crown Affair leave-in conditioner cream nourishes dry strands with a mere half-pump of product and leaves them buoyant, pillow-soft, and frizz-free. In fact, we even skipped applying our other oils and hair serums while using it. Chock-full of plant-based ingredients including tsubaki and meadowfoam seed oils, this natural formula locks in moisture and seals cuticles closed to prevent static and flyaways. Plus, it’s great for adding volume to fine strands according to InStyle commerce writer Irene Richardson. “After a stylist harped on my thinning hair, I self-consciously picked up this gorgeous bottle, and wow, consider it a hair-thickening miracle worker,” she says, adding that her hair air-dried smoother and looked sleeker than before.

Along with the fresh, lightly citrus signature scent of bergamot, yuzu, and lemongrass, which was a little more subtle in this product compared to its others, the smooth semi-opaque matte glass vessel and elegant black typeface add grandeur to the entire experience, too. 

Formula: Cream | Key Ingredients: Tsubaki seed meadowfoam seed oils | Benefits: Hydrating, anti-frizz, shine-enhancing | Scent: Bergamot, yuzu, and lemongrass | Size: 5.1 oz

Best Drugstore

Raw Sugar Leave-In Conditioner

Amazon

What We Love: Cold-pressed fruit oils treat hair and scalps with a wash of featherweight hydration. 

What We Don’t Love: You need to brush through your hair thoroughly to avoid lingering residue.

Like many of our beauty buys, we discovered the Raw Sugar Leave-In conditioner from TikTok where users claimed it was a more affordable, clean beauty alternative to other natural products out there. Turns out, like its cream conditioner that leaves our strands silky smooth, they were right about this one too — and our brittle, breaking ends couldn’t be more thankful.

This superfood smoothie of a formula contains coconut, castor seed, and baobab oils, among many others, and relies on strengthening vitamins B-5 and E to further fortify strands. For the most part, the mist falls on strands in nearly imperceptible mist, but make sure you’re giving your hair a proper brush through after each use to avoid any lingering residue. 

Formula: Liquid spray | Key Ingredients: Cold-pressed fruit oils, vitamins B-5 and E | Benefits: Smoothing, hydrating | Scent: Coconut milk and agave | Size: 11.4 oz

Best Leave-In Conditioner for 4C Hair

SheaMoisture Strengthen and Restore Leave-in Conditioner

Amazon

What We Love: Our curls become bouncy, and springy every time we apply this product, and it prevents them from frizzing out during especially humid days.

What We Don’t Love: Proceed with caution – too much product weighs down fine strands.

This is one of the best leave-in conditioners we've found for 4C curls, thanks to the wave of moisturizing ingredients, like shea butter, Jamaican black castor oil and antioxidant-rich coconut oil. These creamy emollients nourish delicate coils, allowing them to flourish and retain shape, instead of wilting under humidity and heat. It's not just great for coils, either, given all of the scalp-balancing ingredients it offers as well, including apple cider vinegar and peppermint, both of which work to prevent flakey skin.

Pro tip: Even if you find the thick formula too heavy for your fine hair, its ultra-creamy consistency is the perfect texture for creating a slicked-back bun, and allows us to avoid crunching up strands with hairspray.

Formula: Cream | Key Ingredients: Jamaican black castor oil, shea butter, peppermint, apple cider vinegar | Benefits: Hydrating, anti-frizz, curl-enhancing | Scent: Vanilla, coconut | Size: 11.5 oz

Best for Frizzy Hair

Ouai Detangling and Frizz Fighting Leave In Conditioner

Sephora

What We Love: The unique cream spray has all the benefits of a thicker lotion-type conditioner with a lightweight, serum-adjacent consistency.

What We Don’t Love: Finding out how much product your hair needs takes some trial and error.

The thought of a slick leave-in conditioner is a scary idea to those of us with greasy, fine strands, so we believe us when we say the Ouai formulates one of the best lightweight leave-in conditioners for wispier hair types. Similar to the Ouai Curl Cream, it’s a non-sticky, frizz-fighting machine that doesn’t skimp on follicle support, notably with the root-fortifying and hair-softening ingredient of tamarind seed extract.

Beyond that, its silky consistency is an intriguing cross-hybrid somewhere between a serum and a cream that’s tempting to overapply but trust us a little goes a very long way. Give it a good shake and, presto, it’ll melt between wet and dry strands like butter, leaving a gorgeous scent profile of bergamot and white musk behind.

Formula: Cream spray | Key Ingredients: Tamarind seed extract, vitamin E, hydrolyzed proteins | Benefits: Detangling, hydrating, anti-frizz | Scent: Bergamot, violet, and white musk | Size: 4.7 oz

Best for Aging Hair

Briogeo Rosarco Milk Conditioning Spray

Amazon

What We Love: It replenishes moisture to thinning, dry hair with an easy-to-use spray formula. 

What We Don't Love:  The pump doesn’t always distribute the product evenly.

As we get older our hair starts to lose moisture and nutrients, but before you despair, know that you don’t need an intensive hair mask or pricey treatment to restore fine hair into luscious locks. Briogeo provides a simple, spray solution you can mist onto hair every day and never worry about it weighing down thinning strands. 

Instead, gentle ingredients full of fortifying nutrients, notably rosehip, coconut, and argan oil, gently condition dehydrated strands, smooth frizz away, and increase thickness over time. Vitamin E, a key ingredient we always look for when we’re trying to maintain hair health, also works to ensure our hair is protected against heat and other environmental damage that can take a toll on already-thinning hair.

Sometimes we found that the product didn’t spray evenly across our strands, but the non-sticky formula is so easy to brush through strands it doesn’t make much of a difference. 

Formula: Spray | Key Ingredients: Rosehip, coconut, and argan oils, vitamin E | Benefits: Hydrating, anti-frizz | Scent: Clean florals | Size: 5 oz

Best for Colored Hair

Pureology Multi-Tasking Leave-In Spray

Amazon

What We Love: Simultaneously hydrating, fortifying, and protecting colored strands, the multi-tasking leave-in spray ensures your dye job looks fresh.

What We Don’t Love: The scent is very perfumey.

There’s one thing we absolutely will not allow: The precious time we spend under foils goes to waste because we didn’t properly care for balayage or root touch-up treatments. Specifically formulated for colored hair, Pureology Color Fanatic ditches the bad ingredients, notably color-stripping sulfates, in favor of the good ones such as natural coconut, camelina, and olive oils to revive bleached-soaked strands. 

Plus, it is easy to spritz the fine mist formula on before you apply hot tools or spend time in the sun, preventing any further fading from external factors too. In terms of scent, it’s a matter of personal preference – some people will want to bottle the cedarwood and rose fragrance and wear it proudly, while others will hold their breath until it quickly dissipates. 

Formula: Liquid spray | Key Ingredients: Camelina oil, coconut oil, olive oil | Benefits: Hydrating, heat protection, shine-enhancing | Scent: Cedarwood, rose, ginger | Size: 6.7 oz

Best for Bleached Hair

Bumble and bumble Invisible Oil Primer

Amazon

What We Love: In addition to providing heat and UV protection, it gently detangles hair and enhances shine

What We Don't Love: It is not as volumizing as other leave-in conditioners.

We have a lot of tips for keeping bleached hair bright and healthy, and chief among them is a top-notch heat protectant. Hair-stylist-approved Bumble and bumble does one better than simply shielding strands from harmful rays – it amplifies shine, detangles knotty strands to prevent further breakage, and nourishes chemically-treated hair with coconut, grape seed, and sweet almond oils.

Most importantly, it confronts tender, bleached hair with a super delicate approach and uses a gentle formula free from harsh sulfates and phthalates. That said, it’s a protectant above all else so don’t expect it to noticeably increase fullness.

Formula: Liquid spray | Key Ingredients: Sweet almond and coconut oils, UV filters | Benefits: Heat protection, anti-frizz, shine-enhancing | Scent: Fruity and tropical with subtle musk and wood notes | Size: 8.5 oz

Best Leave-In Conditioner Spray

Gisou Leave-In Conditioner

Amazon

What We Love: Part hair perfume, part styling maestro, we spray on this leave-in conditioner whenever our dull hair needs a quick fix of shine and moisture. 

What We Don’t Love: Thicker hair types could need to use a couple of extra sprays.

Ready for actually effortless styling? One easy spray (or perhaps several for our thicker-haired friends) of the Gisou Honey Leave-In Conditioner and our wiry, straw-like strands are brought back to life stronger and smoother. And, might we add, smelling delightfully close to a warm spring day?

Whether you use it as a heat protecting primer before styling or you’re leaving hair au-natural, this delicious honey-scented, airy-feeling masterpiece irons out static and supplies hair with a glinting supermodel-like shine. True to format, the formula taps Mirsalehi honey, the brand’s signature ingredient found in its hair oils and heat protecting sprays, which is a humectant that boasts a magnetism for attracting moisture. And, when paired with the benefits from the other antioxidants and amino acids in the formula, like argan oil and baobab extract, it’s an unstoppable force against split ends and moisture-zapping foes. 

Formula: Liquid spray | Key Ingredients: Mirsalehi honey, argan oil, baobab extract | Benefits: Moisturizing, detangling, shine-enhancing | Scent: Subtle florals and honey | Size: 5.1 oz

Best for Straight Hair

Kérastase Blond Absolu Cicanut Serum

Amazon

What We Love: We slick this conditioner back in our strands overnight and wake up to healthier, shinier hair.

What We Don't Love: The floral lemony scent is a little strong.

Consider the Kérastase Conditioning Hair Serum the opposite of bed head – even though you quite literally wear it while you snooze. In addition to the strand-fortifying properties of the edelweiss flower, its formula contains our favorite, and miraculously lightweight, super hydrator, hyaluronic acid. This mighty molecule gives dull straight strands a long-lasting boost of moisture. 

But the best part? Its silky cream texture allows you to comb it seamlessly between your strands and manipulate your hair into whatever style you desire. Turn stick-straight strands into beachy waves with a braid or add additional volume by pulling your hair into a bun overnight – either way, you are guaranteed to wake up with less frizz and more shine. And, by the time you awake, the lemon scent, which sensitive noses may find a tad strong, should’ve dissipated too. 

Formula: Cream | Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid and edelweiss flower | Benefits: Strengthening, anti-frizz, smoothing | Scent: Floral | Size: 3 oz

Best for Wavy Hair

Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner

Amazon

What We Love: It is lightweight, buildable, and safe to use daily. 

What We Don't Love: Its texture can feel a little sticky on our hands.

Ouidad and its range of climate-controlling formulas are always at the top of our list of products that will actually define our waves and prevent them from misbehaving. Taming them once and for all, this formula starts by trapping moisture within strands using humectants, like glycerin and conditioning plant-based extracts.

Frankly, we think the product's consistency is perfect for this hair type as it is not too creamy, but is still thick enough to provide texture as we mold strands into those gorgeous S-shaped waves. However, it can leave a bit of sticky residue on our hands, though we (thankfully) didn’t see it translate to our hair. 

Formula: Cream | Key Ingredients: Vitamin B5, green tea, and prickly pear and cactus extracts | Benefits: Curl enhancing, hydrating | Scent: Floral | Size: 8.5 oz

Best Argan Oil

Moroccanoil All-in-One Leave-In Conditioner

Amazon

What We Love: Nourishing argan oil gently detangles and strengthens delicate damaged, processed, and dry hair. 

What We Don't Love: A cream formula may be better for fighting frizz.

Managing dry, frizzy hair is walking a tricky tightrope – on one hand, it needs plenty of hydration to keep hair flyaway-free and voluminous, but on the flip side, the wrong formula can turn ringlets and straight strands alike into sad, limp strands. The solution? Combing through the lightweight argan and sunflower seed oils, found in the Moroccanoil Leave-In Conditioner and revealing the soft and touchable feel of your hair.

Beyond that, plant-based keratin and vitamin E increase strength and elasticity, and its formula includes heat protection to ensure your hair is well-protected. The airy spray formula might not tamp down stubborn flyaways like a heavier cream would, but we appreciate that many of the ingredients still have smoothing properties that give our manes a glazed finish. 

Formula: Spray | Key Ingredients: Argan and sunflower oils, amino acids, quinoa | Benefits: Hydrating, heat protection, smoothing | Scent: Moroccan oil | Size: 5.4 oz

Best for Dry Hair

Carol's Daughter Hair Milk 4-in-1 Combing Creme

Amazon

What We Love: It is jam-packed with deeply nourishing agave nectar, cocoa butter, and shea butter ingredients.

gWhat We Don't Love: It can leave the hair feeling stiff if too much is applied.

Whether we’re using its line of strengthening oils or anti-frizz products, Carol’s Daughter always puts the needs of natural hair at the forefront of its formulas and this combing cream is no exception. "The shea butter and soybean oil inside this cream-based leave-in are awesome at providing additional moisture and strength to curls and coils," says Atlanta-based hair stylist Keka Heron. "It also leaves the hair soft, manageable, and frizz-free.” 

Plus, the thicker detangler is ideal for natural hair textures as it softens dehydrated strands, allowing you to gently comb through waves and ringlets, while it provides structure and maintains volume and bounce. Since it has a thicker consistency, we recommend working with small amounts at a time to avoid a greasy residue. 

Formula: Cream | Key Ingredients: Agave nectar, shea butter, keratin | Benefits: Curl enhancing, shine boosting | Scent: Fresh | Size: 1.16 oz

Best for Curly Hair

Cantu Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream with Argan Oil

Amazon

What We Love: The three-in-one formula softens hair with plant-based ingredients so it detangles easily. 

What We Don’t Love: Thinner hair may find the formula too heavy.

The master brand behind the curl cream that revived our hopelessly heat-fried strands once again brings us an affordable, beloved formula that accomplishes a myriad of feats. First, it can be used as a leave-in or rinse-out conditioner. Its non-sticky, non-tacky texture also allows you to apply it to dry hair and sleek away any post-styling frizz. 

But perhaps most importantly, it's loaded with plant-based butters and oils, notably shea and coconut, to soften tangled strands before you give them a good brush through, preventing any breakage that could lead to split ends or painful tugging. One note: Those with thinner may opt to rinse it out considering some of the ingredients are a bit heavy. 

Formula: Cream | Key Ingredients: Shea butter, argan and coconut oil | Benefits: Hydrating, detangling, anti-frizz | Scent: No added fragrance | Size: 16 oz

Best for Dry Scalps

Rahua Leave-in Treatment

Amazon

What We Love: The brand’s signature ingredient of Rahua helps remove build-up which can lead to dry, itchy scalps. 

What We Don't Love: It can be difficult to brush out the creamy formula if you over apply it.

Too often we disregard the importance of scalp health in favor of our big bouncy hair goals, but lest we forget that truly exceptional hair starts at the root. To aid us on our journey, we rely on the Rahua Leave-In Treatment and its luxurious, natural formula that incorporates green tea, rosemary, and coconut oil to moisturize dry scalps and shore off any flakage. 

Notably, the brand’s hero ingredient, Rahua, nourishes the skin and gently removes dirt and oil, relieving any itchiness from too much buildup. Keep in mind this has a fairly thick formula, but as long as you only use a dab of product it should look, and feel, like nothing in your strands.  

Formula: Cream | Key Ingredients: Rahua, yerba mate leaf, shea butter | Benefits: Hydrating, anti-frizz, cleansing | Scent: Fresh botanicals | Size: 2 oz

Best for Damaged Hair

Joico Deep-Penetrating Treatment

Amazon

What We Love: It rebuilds the integrity of the hair and improves hair strength.

What We Don't Love: It has a watery texture that may not feel hydrating enough for thicker hair types.

We throw a lot at our hair – heat tools, bleach, overwashing, and bleaching – and the Joico K-Pak conditioner is a life-saver at turning back time on all of this harmful damage. It double-downs on strengthening hair by packing its formula full of keratin and antioxidant-rich ingredients, like primrose oil and aloe leaf extract. 

Additionally, we like how the serum-like consistency allows us to easily work it through our strands after a shower or even when it's dry if we need some extra hydration. However, if you’re used to working with thicker creams you could find yourself using more product than normal. 

Formula: Cream | Key Ingredients: Keratin, primrose oil, guajava fruit extract | Benefits: Strengthening, hydrating | Scent: Fresh | Size: 8.5 oz

Best for Fine Hair

Aveda Nutriplenish Leave-in Conditioner

Amazon

What We Love: Formulated with almost 100 percent natural ingredients, this leave-in conditioner also provides UV protection and gently detangles hair. 

What We Don't Love: We wish it did a better job at controlling frizz.

As one of our favorite clean haircare brands, Aveda never lets down our locks. Case in point: This multi-use formula simultaneously hydrates and detangles hair with mango butter and coconut oil while protecting it from UV rays and hot tools. The fine mist never leaves hair looking greasy or oily. Truly, even razor-thin, super-fine hair will see an increase in volume.

Sure, it doesn’t control frizz as well as say, an overnight hair mask might, but we’re pretty impressed with how well it can smooth strands ahead of styling. The icing on top: A subtle, fresh floral scent of soft ginger and sweet cardamom that leaves us burying our noses in our hair all day.

Formula: Spray | Key Ingredients: Pomegranate oil, coconut oil, shea butter | Benefits: Heat protection, hydrating | Scent: Cocoa, ginger, cardamom | Size: 6.7 oz

Best for Dry, Frizzy Hair

R+Co Waterfall Moisture and Shine Lotion

Dermstore

What We Love: This lighter-weighted version of the brand’s best-selling leave-in conditioner hydrates all hair types without making them feel heavy. 

What We Don't Love: Super thick, dense hair may need to use more product.

Aptly coined, the R+Co Waterfall Moisture and Shine Lotion drenches dry, frizzy hair in a wash of all-natural hydrating ingredients while topping off your ‘do with a gloss-like texture. It’s unsurprising why the lotion is a go-to for Chicago-based hairstylist, Krysta Rojas, who says that ingredients such as babassu oil and vegetable proteins may even out the porosity of the hair by helping it absorb and retain moisture. That said, if you have some seriously thick, dehydrated locks, the High Dive Moisture Shine Creme could provide additional moisture, but we think this lightweight formula is universal for all hair types. 

Beyond that, the included witch hazel and rosemary provide the long-term benefits of hair growth and protection from color fading. Also worth mentioning is the bright scent of blood orange, violet, and berries we take a good whiff of whenever we want to be reminded of a five-star hair salon. 

Formula: Cream | Key Ingredients: Babassu oil, rosemary, witch hazel | Benefits: Shine-enhancing, anti-frizz, color-protecting | Scent: Fresh | Size: 5 oz

What To Keep In Mind

• Hair Type: While our experts agree every hair type can benefit from a leave-in conditioner, each one needs something different. “Someone with fine hair would benefit more from a mousse rather than something more creamy," says Miller, while celebrity stylist Kylie Fritas recommends a lighter mist for fine and thin hair types. "If your heart is set on a cream leave-in even if you have fine hair, just apply less of it," she says. For hair that is extra dry or damaged, you can bring your hair back to life by applying a leave-in more frequently, or right before going to bed so it can sink in all night.
• Formula: Out of the three most common formulas — sprays, creams, and serums — the most universal type of leave-in is a spray. “I prefer a spray-in over anything because it allows you to really evenly saturate the hair better than a cream or serum form,” says hairstylist and salon owner Joshua Duchene. However, creams and serums are best suited for thicker, more coarse hair because they need and can handle the extra moisture.
• Lightweight Ingredients: Since you’re not rinsing out these styling products, Miller suggests looking for lightweight water-based formulas that add extra weight to hair with super-heavy silicones and oils. In addition to moisture-replenishing molecules like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, seek out lightweight oils such as argan, jojoba, almond, avocado, and grape seed. 

Your Questions, Answered

What does a leave-in conditioner do?

We like to think of these multi-tasking hair heroes as a glaze on a donut: They’re the extra element that takes a look from good to really, really great. Leave-in conditioners simultaneously boost hydration, fight frizz, detangle, and offer heat protection, using nourishing ingredients such as plant-based oils and butters. Unlike a rinse-out conditioner, you can incorporate a leave-in conditioner into your post-wash routine by working it through damp hair and styling as usual. 

How do you use a leave-in conditioner?

“I recommend applying leave-in conditioners on damp hair after the hair is properly cleansed — once applied you can move forward with heat styling,” says Miller. Celebrity stylist Joseph Michael adds that you should never reapply a leave-in conditioner to dirty hair because “It can cause a product buildup and leave your hair feeling greasy and thick.”

Colorist Emily Landino recommends using it every other day if you’re someone who washes daily because “it is possible to over-moisturize the hair, which can lead to breakage,” she says.

Why Shop With Us

Irene Richardson is a beauty and fashion writer for the InStyle commerce team. For this article, she tapped expert insight from Karen Miller, stylist and educator at the New York City-based salon Spoke and Weal. Freelance writer Olivia Hanson contributed to reporting and interviewed stylists Joseph Michael, Joshua Duchene, Kylie Fritas, and colorist Emily Landino.

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