Best Leave-In Conditioner For Curly Hair [Review] in 2022

A leave-in conditioner is a staple in your curly hair routine; it helps rehydrate your curls and lock in moisture. It can also provide a protective layer against heat damage, along with easing knots and tangles for easy combing. 

Since we have no choice but to comb and style our curly hair while wet, using a leave-in conditioner while detangling is a must! I have my trusty leave-in conditioner in the shower; once I’ve rinsed off my conditioner or co-wash, I apply generously to my hair and comb. 

Don’t be scared to apply generously from the root to the tip; this will restore any moisture lost through heat, environmental factors like humidity, or chemically treated hair. 

Whether you have curly, coily, or just wavy hair, applying a leave-in conditioner will help transform your curls; bouncier curls are more hydrated curls. Your curly locks lap up moisture, leaving your hair looking more defined and less frizzy. 

The top cause of frizz is dehydrated hair, humidity, and heat damaged hair. Your hair craves moisture, so it seeks it from the environment, which inevitably causes frizz as it causes the cuticle to swell. 

But don’t worry, I’m here to help you with everything you need to know when buying leave-in conditioners and how to get the best results for your curls. Stay tuned; you won’t want to miss this!

Leave-in conditioners are also known as no-rinse or leave-on conditioners; they are applied after you wash your hair before you style it. They are loved amongst the curly girl community as, unlike regular conditioners, they are not washed out. 

They provide the hair with extra moisture and lock in moisture in the ends of your hair. Curly hair is the driest and most fragile hair type of them all, so a leave-in conditioner is a must to strengthen and protect ends. 

Some leave-in conditioners even offer thermal and UV protection to your hair so you can style and go out with confidence that your curly locks are protected. 

Since curly girls can only detangle and style their hair while wet, many leave-in conditioners have detangling properties which help ease wet combing and prevent snagging or pulling on strands. They also add elasticity to the hair to prevent breakage.

Despite having the most benefits on curly hair, all hair types can benefit from using a leave-in conditioner, especially if the hair is dry or damaged. It helps lock in moisture and combat frizz.

Leave-in conditioners have some serious benefits.

So now we know the basics of what a leave-in conditioner is; I will now cover what exactly it does for your hair and why you absolutely need it in your hair care routine– especially if you have curly hair.

Firstly the most obvious benefit of a leave-in condtioner is that it conditions every strand of hair to restore moisture and softness and prepares your locks for styling, whether diffusing or plopping.

Those that benefit the most from using a leave-in conditioner are those with dry, frizzy, curly hair that has been overprocessed and damaged over the years, or just dry in general.

Here are the top benefits of a leave-in conditioner:

Moisturises dry hair:

Since curly hair is the driest and most fragile of them all, this is a huge plus and a must. The main purpose of leave-in conditioners is to provide intense moisture and hydration to your hair. 

They are ideal for kinkier, coily hair types or tight curls that need more moisture than your regular conditioner can provide. They tend to contain humectants which help to soften dry strands and make them more elastic and stronger. 

Humectants are key moisturizing agents that help absorb moisture and retain moisture on your curly strands. 

Detangles:

Our hair is most fragile while wet and most susceptible to breakage. Since curly girls have no choice but to brush their curls while wet, this is a crucial thing to consider, and luckily the majority of leave-in conditioners have detangling features. 

This means that the comb slides through the hair without any issues; this prevents tugging or snagging and weakening strands or causing unnecessary breakage. It also makes styling much easier. 

Heat protectant:

The majority of leave-in conditioners nowadays also have heat protectant features to protect your curls from thermal and UV damage. You may be thinking, but I don’t use heat? I use a diffuser on low heat, but that is all? 

While yes, using a diffuser is brilliant, evenly distributes airflow, and doesn’t cause heat, you should still use a heat protectant as you are still exposing your curls to heat. This will prevent drying out your curls and help keep them nourished. 

Using a leave-in conditioner with a heat protectant is brilliant as it saves you from buying an extra product; be sure that it protects against the temperature of your hair dryer or styling tool.

Combats frizz:

Since curly hair is the driest hair type, it also means that it is the most prone to frizz. A good leave-in conditioning treatment offers everlasting frizz control.

Since the top cause of frizz is un-nourished or dry hair, maintaining a deep conditioning treatment and applying leave-in conditioner regularly can help tame frizz.

It also helps tame flyaways and will leave your curls looking defined and hydrated.

There are many different ways to apply a leave-in conditioner, and it’s all about working out what works for you. There are two different ways I tend to use my leave-in conditioner to get the best results:

Apply to soaking wet hair after washing:

Whenever I wash my hair, I always apply my leave-in conditioner. I tend to wash my curls once a week and co-wash in between washes when my curls need reviving or are looking a little dry.

Once I have washed my hair like usual, two washes, then condition the ends. I will comb through the ends of my hair while the conditioner is on to help ease any initial tangles; it also helps evenly distribute the conditioner, which helps hydrate.

I will then rinse off my conditioner and apply my leave-in conditioner to my soaking wet hair. Some people will tell you to towel dry your hair first, but we want the most moisture absorption possible, and this is how you do it.

Plus, with curly hair, you can only style while wet. So once you’ve combed and detangled your hair using the leave-in conditioner, I get out of the shower, sit in front of the mirror, and section my hair, soaking each section with a water spray, then applying my styling gel or cream and use my styling brush to define the curl.

Once I’ve styled each section of curls, I will then scrunch my hair with my microfibre towel or cotton t-shirt but not a minute before. This helps prevent frizz and ensures all the hydrating products are absorbed.

Apply before putting your hair into a protective style:

Another method I love using with my leave-in conditioner is applying it before I tie my hair up in a protective style before bed. I will either do this before wash day or when my hair is looking a little dry.

I apply the leave-in conditioner generously, mainly focusing on the mid-lengths and ends, where my hair gets particularly dry. I will comb it through with my wide tooth comb and then tie my hair up in a pineapple or bun and go to sleep. 

When I wake up, and if there’s a little hard casting on the outside, I will scrunch the crunch, and my curls will look revived snd hydrated. 

Check out my full guide of how to use leave in conditioner, benefits & more here. 

How often should you use a leave-in conditioner?

As a general rule of thumb, you should really only apply leave-in conditioner once a week when you wash your hair. However, if your hair is particularly dry or damaged, you can apply it when you co-wash in between shampoos.

You can apply however much you would like and however much works for your hair. If you have thick, coarse, dry curls, then applying frequently will help with the condition of your hair. 

If you have fine hair, then once every week or two will be enough as otherwise, you may notice a greasy residue on your curls. 

Why use a leave-in conditioner?

Leave-in conditioners are brilliant for nourishing and rehydrating the hair. If you have curly hair, you should definitely have a leave-in conditioner in your routine, as it will help moisturize the already dry ends. 

Leave-in conditioners can also combat frizz and help protect your hair against heat and UV damage. Curly hair is the most fragile hair type and most prone to frizz; just adding a leave-in conditioner to your routine will make a world of difference for your curls. 

How much leave-in conditioner should you use?

You should start at the ends and work your way up to the roots, you don’t want to apply too much to the roots as this may leave a greasy residue, but it’s all a bit of trial and error.

Apply more than you think you need, and the next time you wash your curls, you can judge whether you need to add less or more to hydrate your curls. If you have dehydrated curls, then more will probably be best. 

Can you make your own leave-in conditioner?

Absolutely! It’s quite straightforward too, all you need is a couple of ingredients from your local store and a glass spray bottle or glass jar to mix them all together in. It allows you complete control of the ingredients you put in and the benefits. 

Check out my full guide of my top leave-in conditioner recipes here. 

So now you get the importance of having a leave-in conditioner in your curly hair routine? Brilliant! Like with all new products you try, it may be trial and error but be patient. Some brands may offer samples, and if they do, try them first!

You’ll notice that your frizz is more manageable, curls look refreshed and more defined, and overall bouncier after using a leave-in conditioner; if you have split ends, then these may be less visible. All in all, your hair will feel happier and healthier. 

It’s time to up our hair game, ladies!