The Best Leave in Conditioner for Your Hair Type
Your ultimate guide to leave-in conditioners.
Picking out the best leave in conditioner is perhaps the most fun—yet underrated—part of cocktailing your wash and care regimen. If a person’s strands are happy with a regular two-in-one shampoo but need some extra TLC on the weekends, there are proper ways to address that situation with a deep conditioning treatment. Same goes for the opposite end of the spectrum, where someone with extremely processed hair (#thirsty) might need an extra shot of daily moisture beyond what her everyday wash and care system can provide.
Bottom line: It’s a matter of preference. Lucky for you, we love breaking these things down. Read on to learn more about how to discover more about how to find a good leave in conditioner.
Best Drugstore Deep Conditioner for You
1. No hair concerns
Frequency: Weekly
For those with no jarring hair needs, i.e. have strands that aren’t dry, damaged, processed or oily, or who aren’t worried about hair fall, are probably in the “normal” category. In other words, nearly virgin hair, with little to no split ends or frizz (a.k.a. the unicorn category). As far as the best deep conditioners go, choose a lightweight hair mask, such as TRESemmé Botanique Nourish and Replenish Mask that you can use on a Sunday night just as a gentle shield for the week to come. Even non-damaged locks experience wear and tear from styling, UV and pollution, and hard water in the shower.
2. Fine or thinning hair
Frequency: Weekly
If you have super fine hair that doesn’t have a lot of damage, a super-rich deep conditioner might just make your hair flop. To keep from having limp strands, try a conditioning mist instead. Keep up that much-needed moisture by regularly misting on a lightweight nourishing spray, like Nexxus Humectress Luxe Lightweight Conditioning Mist. It’s an editor favorite!
3. Dry and brittle hair
Frequency: Daily
If your hair is extra dry, look for a product with a botanical oil. You can always D.I.Y. with coconut oil as a deep conditioner, but using straight-up oil may be too heavy for your strands and may be harder to rinse out, which can be damaging for brittle hair. One of the best leave-ins for your hair type is Suave Honey Suave Professionals Honey Infusion 10-in-1 Leave-in Conditioner as it helps nourish your hair without leaving it limp or lackluster.
4. Curly, Dry, Damaged Hair
Frequency: Twice a week
Just like how we need a full weekend to unwind, hair that’s been reasonably put through its paces needs to rest for a couple of days, too. A dip in the pool, the seasonal color job and bouts with hot tools leave some creaks in your strands. Or maybe your hair is naturally curly, which renders it on the drier side. Fortunately, these hair types are the best candidates for the beneficial effects of a deep conditioner. Three minutes every three days in the shower, is all it takes to regain bounce and shine. Choose a silky crème variety like Nexxus Humectress Restoring Masque to ensure an even application from root to tip.
5. Overprocessed, Severely Damaged
Frequency: Every other day
Not gonna lie, you have your work cut out for you. The more processed hair is, the more porous and consequently, the weaker it gets. Its cuticle is barely intact and is extremely vulnerable to breakage and split ends. Cushion locks against the trauma of daily washing, wetting and friction from styling with a potently emollient moisturizing weekly treatment such as Dove Quench Absolute Intense Restoration Mask.
