Washing and conditioning still leaving your hair feeling dry during the week? A leave in conditioner might be your saving grace. If you are wondering if they are worth the extra coin to add to your arsenal of products, continue reading this article. Find out is leave in conditioner good for hair, below!
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Is Leave In Conditioner Good For Hair?
Yes. Leave in conditioner is good for hair and this is due to it’s intense moisture and detangling properties. A leave in conditioner is usually applied after you have washed, conditioned or deep conditioned your hair.
It is an extra step that is meant to be applied and coat the hair one more time after rinsing out your standard conditioner, before going in with a styler.
A leave in conditioner is a great way to add in more moisture to help keep the hair hydrated for a longer stretch of time in between washes. Not only does it help to boost hydration, but it is also is great at priming the hair before going in with a styling gel, cream, mousse or styling foam.
Leave in conditioners are also good for hair because they help with the detangling process. They often provide slip and make the styling process a breeze.
If your hair is prone to feeling dry not long after you rinse it from shampoo and conditioner, applying a leave in conditioner can often help to prolong the moisture levels in your hair before they evaporate out too quickly.
Can I Use Leave-In Conditioner Everyday?
While it is recommended to use leave in conditioner once you have thoroughly washed and conditioned your hair, using a leave in conditioner as a way to help hydrate the hair during the week is not a bad idea.
The problem comes with the potential of creating product build up over time. If you apply a leave in conditioner to your hair not only as your leave in conditioner, but also as your styler (two in one combo), then you shouldn’t have a problem.
At the most and depending on which leave in conditioner you are using, your hair may feel weighed down more than usual over time. There are some formulations that are heavy or lighter than others, so if you feel like it will add weight to your hair, be mindful not to use too much.
The best way to help hydrate the hair in between washes is to use a leave in that comes in the form of a spray bottle to administer the product. This way you can lightly mist your hair and not weigh it down too much.
Is It Better To Use Conditioner Or Leave-In Conditioner?
Conditioner that is meant to be rinsed out and conditioner that is meant to be left in, serve two completely different purposes. One is not better than the other and they actually do different things to the hair.
You conditioner and deep conditioner consist of cationic surfactants that are positively charged. When conditioner comes into contact with the negative charge of your hair, it binds to the hair and helps to lay the tiny cuticles on the hair strands back down after they have been lifted by your shampoo.
Your conditioner adds moister to your strands that is often stripped away from the shampoo process. Your leave in conditioner is acting like primer to prolong the moisture levels in your hair, even after you have rinsed your conditioner out.
However, if you decide to leave your conditioner in for longer than recommended and choose not rinse it out, this can lead to hair that gets very dry, looks dull and has a lot of split ends.
If you choose to shampoo, not use a conditioner and just go in with a leave in, you might find that your hair just doesn’t cooperate as well. Leave in conditioners are often very concentrated in their formulation and are to be use as a step in between your styling routine. Check out this step by step guide on how to use shampoo and conditioner the correct way, to help you with your wash days.
How Long Should You Leave Leave-In Conditioner In Your Hair?
The whole point of using a leave-in conditioner is to apply it and .. leave it in. There is no reason to rinse it out until your next shampoo session.
You will want to apply your leave in conditioner to damp hair as soon as you have rinsed out your previous cleansing and conditioning products. When applying the product to damp hair, you will have better absorption of the product.
When you apply a leave in before using a styling cream, gel foam or mousse, you are ensuring that the cuticle layer on your hair strand is laying flat once you have smoothed it in.
If the cuticle layer on your hair is smooth, you will find that your hair styles a lot easier and tangles way less during the process.
What Are The Benefits Of Leave-In Conditioner?
Leave in conditioners provide many wonderful benefits that can aide in the health and growth of your hair with consistent use over time. Depending on your hair needs, you can find the right formulation to suite your needs.
If you have fine hair, reach for a leave in conditioner that is more on the watery side as far as consistency. These formulations typically come in a spray bottle for easier application. Our top pick is the Mielle Organics White Peony Leave in Conditioner, as it is so light weight but packs a punch in the moisture department!
For hair that is thicker adn craves moisture, go for a leave in conditioner that is creamier in formulation for long lasting moisture without weighing down your hair. A really great option is the Camille Rose Lavender Whipped Leave in Conditioner. It is so nourishing on the strands and smells incredible.
The benefits of a leave in conditioner include:
- Provides Extra Boost of Moisture
- Provides Shine
- Eases Detangling
- Light Weight Formula
- Controls Frizz
- Reduces Breakage and Split Ends
- Protect Hair from external pollutants and UV exposure
What Are The Cons Of Using Leave in Conditioner?
Every product you use may have its pros, but also its cons when used incorrectly and a leave in conditioner is no exception.
Leave in conditioners when improperly applied too heavily can result in flaking once the hair dries. Less is always more when it comes to using hair products, so use no more than a quarter sized amount per section when applying your favorite leave in conditioner.
Not only can you get flaking from using your leave in too heavy handed, but if you are mixing products from different brands, you might run into problems.
Products from the same brands are typically formulated to work with one another, so if you (for example) use a leave in conditioner from one line and then a curling custard from another brand on top of that, you might notice the mix of the two products interact unfavorably.
If you notice the products are beading up when they come into contact with one another, don’t even waste your time continuing with that combination of products. If product is beading up in your hands and on your hair, it will dry down that same way.
How Do I Know If I Put Too Much Leave- In Conditioner In My Hair?
You will surely know if you put too much leave-in conditioner in your hair when you see a glob of the product not being absorbed into the strands. If you are seeing the product sliding off the hair or oozing out when doing a braid or twist, you will want to use way less product.
Another indication that you are using too much product is by how long it takes for it to fully dry. You hair shouldn’t take longer than about an hour and a half to dry under a hooded dryer, so if it is still coming out damp it could be a combination of your hair being low porosity and having too much product just sitting on your strands.
Do You Put Leave-In Conditioner On Wet Hair?
Yes, you will want to apply your leave in conditioner to hair that is wet or damp. This will help to ease the product into the hair and aid with slip.
When using a leave in, you will want to apply to wet or damp hair first and then go in with your styling product of choice.
Although conditioner can be applied to dry hair, it may be easier to detangle on hair that has been freshly washed to avoid ripping through your hair when styling. For more information on applying leave in conditioner to dry hair, read this article.
Final Thoughts On Leave In Conditioner:
Leave in conditioner can be a great step to add into a hair care routine. It provides extra moisture, slip and even helps with defining your curl pattern when properly smoothed in.
The proper balance of moisture in your hair will also help to retain length and provide a level of health to the hair that will be sure to turn heads!
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