Have you ever stopped to wonder “what does leave in conditioner do?” Don’t worry you’re not alone! With an array of different hair products on the market, it can sometimes feel overwhelming when it comes to adding another step to your hair routine. Find out if using a leave in conditioner is right for your hair type in this article!
This Post Is All About What Does Leave In Conditioner Do.
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What Does Leave In Conditioner Do?
A leave in conditioner can provide an extra layer of moisture, after you have shampooed and conditioned your hair. Leave in conditioner tends to absorb into the hair, helping it stay hydrated for a few days once the hair has either air dried or set using heat styling tool (hooded hair dryer or diffuser).
Not only can you use leave in conditioner after your shampoo and conditioner to replenish the hair after all rinse out products have been rinsed, you can also use it as a moisturizer throughout the week as well.
Leave in conditioner helps to coat the hair and protect it from damage that may be emitted from heat styling tools, harmful UV rays from the sun, toxins/pollutants in the air and environment.
When your hair needs a boost of moisture throughout the week, you can feel free to apply a dollop of leave in conditioner to your strands, focusing on your ends. This will help to prevent them from drying out before you’re ready to shampoo again.
If you suffer from hair that is damaged, leave in conditioner can help to prevent the hair from drying out too quickly and eventually breaking off.
It also acts as a great detangler when the hair becomes a little unruly after shampooing and conditioning. It can help to smooth the cuticles down on the hair, helping to prevent frizz as well.
What Is The Difference Between Conditioner And Leave-In Conditioner?
A regular conditioner is formulated to consist of heavier moisturizing and repairing ingredients that coat the hair, but is meant to be rinsed out, while a leave in conditioner is meant to be left on the hair after an application. There is no reason to rinse a leave in conditioner out unless your hair feels weighed down from too much product.
Since a shampoo has a negative charge (anionic), a conditioner is made up of positively charged atoms (cationic) and it is best to use the two in conjunction with one another (whether you choose to use a rinse out conditioner or a deep conditioner).
A conditioner is used to smooth the cuticle layer back down after it has been slightly raised by shampoo, whereas a leave in conditioner can not effectively do this.
Conditioners are usually on the heavier side and are meant to add vitamins, minerals and strengthening agents lacking in the hair. A leave in conditioner is typically light weight and can provide some flexibility and manageability to the hair before styling or for a quick boost of moisture throughout the week.
Leave In Conditioner Benefits:
- Helps to prevent dryness by adding a boost of moisture
- Increases elasticity of the hair making it easier to style
- Prevents against damaging factors in the environment
- Acts as a base layer underneath your styling gels, creams and custards
- Helps in increased manageability for detangling due to slip
- Can help to shield from heat damaged cause by flat irons and blow dryers
- Can help nourish hair that has been damaged by chemicals
When Should I Use Leave In Conditioner?
Leave in conditioner should be used after you have rinsed out your basic conditioner or deep conditioner. It can act as a protective layer to your strands before going in with a styler.
Use a leave in conditioner the moment your hair starts to feel a little dry throughout the week instead of just simply applying an oil.
The water content in a leave in conditioner will help to give the strands a quick boost of hydration with the addition of its other moisturizing benefits of butters, oils and botanical blends. Our Top Pick for a leave in conditioner that is super moisturizing no matter how thick your hair is, is the Camille Rose Naturals Curl Love Moisture Milk.
How Do You Use Leave In Conditioner?
You can choose to use it right before styling, apply throughout the week or both. Here is a step by step guide below:
- After rinsing out your shampoo, conditioner or deep conditioner, wring hair of excess water.
- Section hair into as many parts as you need to stay organized when distributing the product. You may want to do 4 -6 sections held by hair clips, so that you can see what you are doing.
- Apply a liberal amount of leave in conditioner to each section, thoroughly working the product in by use of a detangling brush.
- Smooth each section with your detangling brush section by section and clip away again when complete.
- Do not rinse out and apply your styler of choice.
When using a leave in conditioner throughout the week, use this step by step guide below:
- On hair that is already styled, mist hair lightly with water.
- Apply a dime sized amount of leave in conditioner to each section of hair with caution not to weigh it down.
- Apply more product if necessary to your ends.
- Seal with a lightweight oil of choice.
Can You Overdo Leave-In Conditioner?
Yes you can overdo using a leave in conditioner by applying too much product. Be sure to use a dime sized amount per section so that you don’t weigh the hair down.
You will also want to avoid applying too much conditioner and then going in with a styler. This could result in hair that has a hard time fully drying (hair stays wet for days) and you run the risk of flakes when it finally does dry. Typically a little goes a long way with any product you use.
If you have thin, fine hair, you will want to avoid applying too much product, as it could weigh your hair down. Your hair might start to look flat and lifeless if you are using a leave in conditioner containing a lot of heavy butters and oils.
You should opt for a spray on leave in instead if your hair is fine, thin and fragile as the product won’t be as concentrated due to the increased water content. Our Top Pick for a spray leave in conditioner is the Mielle Organics White Peony Leave In Conditioner.
Final Thoughts On What Does Leave In Conditioner Do?
Leave in conditioner, although not to be used to replace your regular conditioner or deep conditioner, is a great step to use before you style the hair or as a moisture reboot throughout the week.
It can help to reduce frizz, promote shine, add definition to textured hairstyles, provide slip for detangling and add moisture to thirsty stresses.
Apply a dime sized amount or spray onto hair for best results to avoid weighting the hair down or having bad interactions with other products that may result in flaking.
This post was about What Does Leave In Conditioner Do.
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