In terms of best practices for applying a leave-in conditioner spray, Atkin recommends starting a few inches down from your roots and combing through your hair with a wide tooth comb, root to tip, when the hair is wet. “A wide tooth comb will aid in preventing breakage and help disperse product starting at the root, without having to apply too much product directly there.” From Ouai’s detangling formula to Swedish brand Sachajuan’s intensive repair elixir, shop the best leave-in conditioner sprays and treatments below.
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Best Overall: It’s A 10 Miracle Leave-In Product
- Why We Love It: The name does not lie; this product really is a 10/10 miracle because it isn’t limited to conditioning. According to celebrity colorist Rita Hazan, “This everyday formula does everything from preventing split ends and breakage to addressing hair health. It includes natural ingredients and restores luster to strands while adding shine!” It’s also great for curly hair types as it smooths away static while defining your natural curl pattern. “A plus is that the lightweight spray will keep the definition of your curls while retaining the bounce and body of your hair,” adds celebrity extensions specialist Priscilla Valles.
- Key Ingredients: Sunflower seeds, green tea leaf extract, silk amino acids
- Best For: Chemically treated hair, dry hair, damaged hair
- Size: 4 oz
Best For Fine Hair: Crown Affair The Leave-In Conditioner
- Why We Love It: As effective as it is chic, Crown Affair’s tsubaki and meadowfoam seed oil-enriched leave-in conditioner provides weightless hydration to fine, dry, and damaged hair types. Designed to be layered with other hair-care products, this can be used daily to tame flyaways and soften brittle strands.
- Key Ingredients: Tsubaki Seed Oil
- Best For: Fine hair, dry hair, damaged hair, frizzy hair
- Size: 5.1 oz
*Best For Color-Treated Hair: Pureology Color Fanatic
- Why We Love It: For those with color-treated hair, we suggest this leave-in spray as it nourishes, detangles, and protects against UV exposure while providing frizz control—leaving your color looking vibrant and healthy. Hazan is also a fan, saying, “I like the spray application for this one. It also has nourishing ingredients such as coconut oil and camelina oil that are needed for moisturizing and hydration.”
- Key Ingredients: Olive oil, camellia seed oil, coconut oil, xylose
- Best For: Dry hair, damaged hair, color-treated hair
- Size: 6.7 oz
*Best For Damaged Hair: Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Leave in Treatment
- Why We Love It: Valles recommends this leave-in treatment if you want to repair ends, strengthen your strands, and grow out your hair. “I would apply it to clean, damp, towel-dried hair without rinsing it out—it will leave you with softer, frizz-free hair,” she says. Damaged hair types, in particular, will notice a difference, as long as you are consistent with using it.
- Key Ingredients: Citric acid, bonding care complex
- Best For: Dry hair, damaged hair
- Size: 5.1 oz
*Best Vegan Formula: Ceremonia Guava Leave-In Conditioner
- Why We Love It: Not only does this guava-scented leave-in conditioner smell amazing, but it’s formulated with plant-based oils that “tame frizzy hair without making it look or feel greasy,” says Valles. When the humidity levels reach 65%, we immediately reach for this leave-in. If shopping vegan matters to you, this is a great option, plus it is also free of sulfates and silicone.
- Key Ingredients: Guava fruit extract, blue agave, avocado oil
- Best For: Dry hair, frizzy hair, dullness
- Size: 6.7 oz
Best For Multitasking: Mizani 25 Miracle Milk
- Why We Love It: A true multitasking formula, Mizani’s Miracle Milk targets 25 different concerns—from heat damage to unruly frizz. Just spritz on its lightweight blend to experience its protective and reparative properties powered by coconut and fennel seed oil.
- Key Ingredients: Coconut oil, fennel seed oil
- Best For: Frizzy hair, curly hair, heat-damaged hair
- Size: 8.5 oz
Best For Frizz: Lolavie Perfecting Leave-In
- Why We Love It: Partial to Jennifer Aniston’s signature smooth yet undone mane? Consider incorporating this leave-in conditioner from the star’s hair-care line, Lolavie. Recommended by Miller to combat frizz, this formula utilizes a superfruit complex, the Rose of Jericho, bamboo extract, and chia seeds to hydrate, repair, and style.
- Key Ingredients: Chia seeds, bamboo extract, rose of Jericho
- Best For: Frizzy hair, damaged hair, colored hair
- Size: 5.0 oz
Best For Pre-Styling: Briogeo Farewell Frizz
- Why We Love It: Designed to work on wet and dry hair, Briogeo’s milky leave-in conditioning spray features a robust blend of rosehip, argan, and coconut oils that smooth, detangle, and protect against humidity.
- Key Ingredients: Rosehip oil, coconut oil, argan oil
- Best For: Frizzy hair, hydration
- Size: 1.75 oz
Best For Blonde Hair: Kérastase Cicaplasme Heat Protecting Hair Serum
- Why We Love It: Tending to blonde hair? Look no further than this treatment by Kérastase. Incorporating hyaluronic acid and edelweiss flower, this leave-in protects against future heat damage, environmental stressors, and breakage to all blonde hues.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, edelweiss
- Best For: Dry hair, damaged hair, dullness
- Size: 5.1 oz
Best For Dry Hair: Aveda Nutriplenish Leave-In Conditioner
- Why We Love It: Pro hairstylist Karen Miller highlights this Aveda formula for those with dry hair. Infused with botanical extracts and oils, the leave-in conditioner is designed to replenish moisture on wet or dry hair. There’s even a naturally-derived UV filter to protect against sun rays, as well as heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Key Ingredients: Pomegranate seed oil, coconut oil
- Best For: Dry hair, damaged hair, frizzy hair
- Size: 6.7 oz
Best For Curly Hair: Pattern Leave-In Conditioner
- Why We Love It: Celebrity hairstylist Jeremy Tardo counts Pattern’s leave-in as a coily and curly hair salve as it “helps define curls, smooth frizz, and moisturize hair without making curls heavy.” The formula uses a blend of jojoba oil, honey, and biotin to promote soft-touch hydration.
- Key Ingredients: Jojoba oil, avocado oil, argan oil, honey, shea butter
- Best For: Curly/Coily Hair, Hydration
- Size: 9.8 oz
*Best For Adding Shine: Moroccanoil All In One Leave-In Conditioner
- Why We Love It: Argan oil has plenty of benefits, which is why it’s a key ingredient in the Moroccanoil line. “It replenishes, adds shine and moisture to lackluster hair, and tames frizz,” says Valles. While the oil is pretty lightweight and typically doesn’t weigh your hair down, one thing to keep in mind, per Valles, is to “keep it mainly on the ends when you apply it to your hair.”
- Key Ingredients: Argan oil, sunflower seed oil, quinoa extract, amino acids
- Best For: Hydration, tangled hair, damaged hair
- Size: 5.4 oz
*Best For Softening: Shea Moisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Leave-In Treatment
- Why We Love It: Think of this leave-in as a suitable substitute for conditioner. It smells like summer in a bottle, which lingers long after you apply it. Plus, it softens your hair and improves manageability. According to Valles, the lightweight treatment is also “ultra-nourishing and helps to rehydrate hair and detangle while reducing frizz.”
- Key Ingredients: Coconut oil, acacia senegal, coconut milk
- Best For: Tangled hair, frizzy hair, dry hair
- Size: 8 oz
*Best Customizable Option: Prose Leave-In Conditioner
- Why We Love It: If you feel as though nothing currently on the market speaks to you, might we suggest customizing your own formula? “This leave-in is really amazing because you are able to customize it based on your hair type and texture. Customized hair care is important because it ensures that the formula will work for your specific hair, giving the best final results,” says Valles.
- Key Ingredients: N/A
- Best For: All hair types
- Size: 5.1 oz
For Coily Hair: Innersense Sweet Spirit Leave-In Conditioner
- Why We Love It: Innersense’s leave-in conditioner is rich in botanical oils, herb and plant extracts, flower essences, and even bee-friendly honey to give hair a touch of weightless moisture. Because it’s so lightweight, it excellently primes hair for whatever style lies ahead.
- Key Ingredients: Aloe vera, eucalyptus, rosemary, tamanu oil, honey
- Best For: Dull hair, frizzy hair
- Size: 10 oz
*Best Heat Protectant: Dae Mirage Mist Leave-In Conditioner
- Why We Love It: While we have been guilty of ridiculing men’s three-in-ones, we fully appreciate a good multitasking hair product. This Dae mist not only serves as a leave-in conditioner that primes, conditions, and detangles hair, but it also doubles as a heat protectant, which is great for styling your hair after application. Oh, and not to mention, it smells divine.
- Key Ingredients: Rose of Jericho, prickly pear seed oil, cactus flower extract
- Best For: Dry hair, frizzy hair, damaged hair, dull hair
- Size: 5 oz
*Best For Detangling: Adwoa Beauty Baomint Leave-In Conditioning Styler
- Why We Love It: A proprietary blend of Kalahari melon, red raspberry, and strawberry seed oils power Adwoa Beauty’s leave-in conditioner. Formulated with fine hair types in mind, this is designed to soften, detangle, and reduce frizz without weighing hair down.
- Key Ingredients: Shea butter, nettle extract, lavender oil
- Best For: Curly hair, frizzy hair, tangled hair
- Size: 3.3 oz
Best For All Hair Types: R+Co Sun Catcher Power C Boosting Leave-in Conditioner
- Why We Love It: A beach hair favorite of celebrity hairstylist Jillian Halouska, R+Co’s Sun Catcher leave-in treatment offers just the right amount of hold. On top of that, the antioxidant-packed powers of Vitamin C protect hair from the elements while hyaluronic acid locks in moisture, and vegetable collagen helps restore hair health.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, vegetable collagen
- Best For: Dull hair, all hair types
- Size: 4.2 oz
*Best For Textured Hair: Lobie Peptide Leave In Mask
- Why We Love It: A win for textured hair types, this new line from Lobie is packed with hair-penetrating peptides and over 100 amino acids which are great for building hair strength over time. Valles explains that it is formulated to maintain color vibrancy, reduce breakage and frizz, and boost moisture retention.
- Key Ingredients: Peptides, amino acids
- Best For: Frizzy hair, tangled hair, dry hair
- Size: 5 oz
What is a leave-in conditioner?
According to Valles, a leave-in conditioner is a product that provides extra moisture to the hair, protects it from damage, and helps detangle it. She says, “Leave-in conditioners are particularly useful if you have dry, frizzy, or damaged hair.” Hazan adds that it should be applied to freshly washed hair and left to soak for a certain period of time. “It helps provide nourishment and moisture to the hair throughout the day,” she explains.
How does a leave-in conditioner benefit hair?
A leave-in conditioner benefits the hair in numerous ways. It locks in moisture, provides continuous hydration, and helps repair dry and frizzy hair, explains Hazan. She continues, “The conditioner also leaves the hair looking shiny and soft, making it appear healthier.” Unlike hair masking, don’t worry about overdoing it either, according to Valles. “Every time you wash your hair, you can use a leave-in conditioner—there’s no such thing as too much moisture.” “It nourishes each strand from the inside out, strengthens and repairs damage, boosts shine, and makes your hair easier to comb and style,” she adds.
Who should use a leave-in conditioner?
Hazan explains that there are many different types of leave-in conditioners that target specific hair needs, making them suitable for a variety of hair types: dry or damaged hair, curly or coily hair, color-treated hair, and fine hair. Valles says, “If you have dry, brittle, frizzy, or damaged hair, or hair that has been chemically treated, then you probably need extra moisture.”
What to look for in a leave-in conditioner
“When looking for a leave-in conditioner, make sure it is specific to your hair type—whether curly, thin, or color-treated,” explains Hazan. Also, ensure that the treatment or result you are looking for is achievable with the specific leave-in conditioner. For example, if you frequently use heat on your hair, a heat-protectant leave-in is best for you. Valles suggests looking for ingredients that you recognize, such as coconut oil, avocado oil, shea butter, and jojoba oil, as key ingredients and advises staying away from any products that include alcohol or silicone.
How to apply leave-in conditioner
Hazan says that when applying leave-in conditioner, always start with clean, washed hair to ensure the best results. Then, rub the product between your hands and apply it to damp hair, starting at the ends and working your way up. Use a comb to distribute the product evenly through the hair and then style as usual. For finer hair, use less product; for curlier hair, use more to ensure full coverage.
