In today’s fast-paced world, you may not always have time for lengthy in-shower treatments. That’s when having a product you can simply spritz or smooth onto your hair—no waiting or rinsing—is a major game-changer. Enter: Leave-in conditioners. These multitasking formulas work overtime to make your strands look and feel shiny, soft, and healthy. The secret to their effectiveness, however, lies in finding the best leave-in conditioner that can address your unique needs—and we’re here to help.
Ahead, we’re breaking down all the details of what this miracle product can do for your tresses and how to introduce one into your haircare routine. Plus, we’re shouting 22 of the best leave-in conditioners from L’Oréal pro brands, broken down by hair type and concern. Keep scrolling to learn how you can simplify your entire routine while still getting the hair of your dreams.
Editor’s Tip: If you’re looking for hair advice ASAP, be sure to take our Hair Quiz; it can help reveal your hair type and give you tips on what your mane needs to look and feel its best.
What Is Leave-In Conditioner?
Leave-in conditioner is a type of haircare product you apply to clean, damp hair and leave in, rather than rinsing it out. The best leave-in conditioners are often multipurpose and can tackle everything from restoring hydration and preventing heat damage to detangling strands and boosting shine.
Unlike traditional rinse-out conditioners, which primarily work in the shower to provide immediate moisture and softness, leave-in conditioners offer ongoing benefits throughout the day. Both have their own roles and can be used in the same routine—it isn’t an either/or situation.
Another upside to leave-ins is that they can prep your strands for both air-dried and heat-styled looks, making it easy to integrate one into your existing haircare regimen. With so many different formulations on the market, you’ll get the best results by picking one that can address your specific texture and concerns (more on that soon).
How To Use Leave-In Conditioner
How to properly use a leave-in conditioner ultimately boils down to the type of formula you’re using. A lightweight spray is the most common and traditional form of leave-in, but creams, lotions, and mousses also exist.
After showering as usual, apply the package-recommended amount of product to damp, towel-dried hair; this will either entail spraying it directly on your hair or smoothing it through with your hands, based on what the label instructs. As a general rule of thumb, try to avoid applying leave-in to your roots, which can make your hair appear greasy or weighed down. Remember, there’s no rinsing required, so you can apply straight after showering and get right into your styling or air-drying routine. Because of its lightweight formulation, you can use a leave-in conditioner every time you wash your hair for a boost of shiny, healthy-feeling goodness. It’s that simple.
22 Best Leave-In Conditioners By Hair Type
Now, for the reason why you’re really here: finding the best leave-in conditioner for you. From fine hair to frizzy hair, browse this list of hair concerns and pick the professional L’Oréal formula (or formulas!) that match your needs.
The Best Leave-In Conditioners for Dry Hair
Redken All Soft Moisture Repair Treatment
This moisture-packed gem from Redken takes the top spot on our list of the best leave-in conditioners for dry hair. Brimming with hyaluronic acid, the formula helps hydrate dry hair for up to 72 hours* while visually sleekening split ends, taming frizz, and detangling hair. Plus, it seals the cuticle barrier with an acidic pH to further retain moisture and help balance hair's pH levels.
*based on consumer testing results
Biolage Professional Hydra Source Daily Leave-In Tonic for Dry Hair
If your dull, parched hair needs some sprucing up, reach for this spritz from Biolage. The formula is inspired by the legendary aloe plant and is designed to optimize moisture balance in the hair and protect against environmental aggressors. When using this treatment, you’ll also notice enhanced shine, less breakage, and stronger-feeling hair.
The Best Leave-In Conditioners for Fine Hair
Redken Full Volume Mousse
While mousses may be lesser-known versions of leave-ins, the right formulas can pack a serious hair-lifting punch. Case in point: Redken’s Full Volume Mousse (which is made with castor oil) conditions and volumizes hair for maximum body from root to tip. But don’t just take our word for it—see the impressive results yourself in our Redken Full Volume Mousse Review.
Biolage Professional Full Density Densifying Spray Treatment
Pick up Biolage Professional’s biotin-packed thickening spritz to enjoy smoother, softer, and fuller-looking hair in one fell swoop. This leave-in treatment promises va-voom volume, vowing to make hair feel up to 84%* thicker without any added weight. As a bonus, it helps remove excess oil, detangle strands, and tame pesky flyaways.
*Full Density Densifying Spray vs. non-conditioning shampoo
The Best Leave-In Conditioners for Curly Hair
Good hair day by @livsbeautyroom
Redken All Soft Mega Curls Hydramelt
Hydration is the name of the game when it comes to textured hair types. Give your pattern some extra TLC with this rich, creamy formula, which deeply replenishes moisture in severely dry curls and coils. You can apply it to damp hair after showering or on dry hair between wash days; the latter method helps reactivate your curls' bounce, leaving them springy and healthy-looking. With so many benefits, it’s no wonder this formula is one of the top-rated leave-in conditioners on Redken's site.
Redken Acidic Bonding Curls Silicone-Free Leave-In Treatment
What do heat styling, bleaching, and perming all have in common? Each of these services can compromise the integrity of curly hair, resulting in damage and decreased pattern definition. If you’re a naturalista who’s always hitting the salon, scoop up Redken’s Acidic Bonding Curls Leave-In. This treatment helps rehydrate hair, repair broken hair bonds, and restore curl strength. (It also offers heat protection up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit if you just can’t part with your flat iron).
Matrix A Curl Can Dream Moisturizing Cream
Free from parabens, mineral oils, and silicones, this Manuka honey-infused cream melts into curls and coils, providing moisture and definition without flaking or crunch. And, unlike other leave-ins, this one works best when applied to soaking wet hair: Apply the desired amount of product based on your curl density (less for fine hair and more for thick hair), section by section, and air dry or blow dry for salon-caliber results.
The Best Leave-In Conditioners for Color-Treated Hair
Pureology Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-In Spray
It can take several sessions and a pretty penny to achieve the color of your dreams, so you’ll want to make sure you’re protecting your investment. This all-in-one leave-in is the ultimate multitasker—it primes, protects, and perfects all hair types. Even so, we especially recommend it for those with color-treated hair. That’s because all of Pureology’s haircare products are infused with the brand’s patented AntiFade Complex to help protect color vibrancy and ensure lasting shine. This mist also smells like a spicy mix of florals and cedarwood, which is a nice touch.
Matrix Unbreak My Blonde Reviving Leave-In Treatment
Going ultra-blonde is not for the faint of heart: It requires a commitment to touch-ups and a whole lot of bleach to reach your desired shade. Keep this leave-in treatment on standby to help undo some of the resulting bleach damage. The citric acid-backed formula is made to revive and revamp all types of lightened, damaged hair. Plus, the treatment helps neutralize yellow brass, enhance cool hues, and strengthen weakened hair bonds.
Matrix Brass Off All-In-One Toning Leave In Spray
Applying a blue-tinted leave-in can help banish the orange undertones that sometimes appear in lightened brunette hair. This toning spray features cobalt pigments that help counteract brassiness in brown strands between salon visits. It has a conditioning formula that also delivers a wide range of haircare benefits, from moisturization to breakage prevention.
Good hair day by @etanima
L'Oréal Professionnel Metal Detox Smoothing Cream
Metals trapped inside your hair fibers (commonly caused by hard water exposure) can seriously impact the vibrancy of salon hair color. Thankfully, this product helps neutralize heavy metals, resulting in 100% true-to-tone color and a whopping 87% less breakage when used in conjunction with other products in the range. Learn more about how the system works in our L’Oréal Professionnel Serie Metal Detox Review.
The Best Leave-In Conditioners for Dry, Frizzy Hair
Biolage Professional Smooth Proof Leave-in Cream for Frizzy Hair
Frizz often occurs when dry hair attempts to soak in moisture from its surrounding environment. As such, the best leave-in conditioners for frizz are ones that can simultaneously address dryness and help strands lie smooth. The Smooth Proof Leave-In from Biolage Professional fits the bill. Inspired by nature’s water-resistant camellia, this 100% vegan formula offers humidity control and keeps flyaways at bay, leaving you with sleek and shiny, ready-to-style locks. Additionally, it encapsulates hair’s outer layer (the cuticle) in a water-repellant shield to prevent outside moisture from seeping in.
Redken Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame Leave-In Cream
If you prefer using hot tools to help tame frizz-prone hair, this formula is right up your alley. The reason: The sodium chloride and sulfate-free cream acts as both a heat-protectant and a leave-in conditioner. In it, you’ll find Redken's Smoothing Complex with babassu oil, and you’re bound to love how the formula fights frizz while leaving hair hydrated and silky smooth.
Matrix Mega Sleek Iron Smoother
Another great option for heat-styling unruly hair is Matrix’s Mega Sleek Iron Smoother. It boosts the performance of your favorite thermal tools and helps maintain your polished look for longer periods of time. The shea butter-enriched smoothing spray also controls frizz and protects against heat damage and humidity.
The Best Leave-In Conditioner for Damaged Hair
L'Oréal Professionnel Absolut Repair Molecular Leave-In Mask
Revamp overprocessed, damaged tresses with this salon-grade leave-in treatment from L’Oréal Professionnel. It’s made with a unique peptides bonder that rebuilds hair’s molecular structure from the inside out, restoring strength, elasticity, and shine. Pair it with the corresponding shampoo and rinse-off serum to visibly fight up to two years of damage in one wash.
Biolage Professional Bond Therapy Smoothing Leave-In Cream
Opt for this creamy treatment from Biolage Professional if you have medium to coarse damaged hair. The conditioning, bond-repairing cream is infused with ingredients like coconut oil and citric acid, delivering hair that is up to three times stronger and 14 times smoother.
Biolage Professional Strength Recovery Strength Repairing Spray
If a lightweight, airy spray is more your jam, you’ll enjoy this vegan squalane-infused leave-in. Formulated to restore damaged, sensitized hair, it strengthens strands, provides heat protection, and delivers supple softness. Hair becomes detangled, conditioned, and much more manageable in just a few sprays.
Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Leave-In Treatment
For healthy-looking hair that rivals a blonde pop star’s, you’ll need to have Redken’s Acidic Bonding Concentrate Leave-In Treatment in your arsenal (it’s rumored to be one of Sabrina Carpenter’s faves). Ideal for all hair types and textures, the intense conditioner works some mane magic: After just one use, visible damage is reduced, hair feels stronger, and there’s an impressive 88% noticeable reduction in split ends. Pop over to our Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Review to discover how to mix and match the product lineup in your own routine.
L'Oréal Professionnel Pro Longer Renewing Cream
Don’t let breakage keep you from reaching your hair length goals. This lightweight cream works wonders to reverse the look and feel of long, thinned-out ends. Exclusive technology penetrates the hair fiber to visibly thicken damaged or split ends. Not to mention, it helps make hair more resistant to future breakage.
The Best Leave-In Conditioners for All Hair Types
Matrix Miracle Creator Multi-Tasking Hair Treatment
A leave-in mist like Matrix Miracle Creator Hair Multi-Tasking Treatment nourishes and moisturizes all hair types and textures. It boasts 20 beautifying benefits for your mane, including boosting shine, adding moisture, conditioning lightly, priming hair for styling, and much more.
Mizani 25 Benefit Miracle Milk Leave-In Conditioner
Whether you have straight hair, natural locks, or are rocking a wig, this versatile spray with coconut extract is a fit for every hair type. And its weightless, non-greasy formula packs some serious punch with 25 benefits. Among them are calming frizz, restoring softness, detangling, fighting split ends, and protecting against heat damage—just to name a few.
Biolage Professional All-In-One Coconut Infusion Multi-Benefit Treatment Spray
This Biolage Professional spray-and-go formula is effective for everyone, everywhere, anytime. No matter the hair texture or the hair moment, this spritz is all you need to help set your strands up for success. The brand’s signature floral heritage scent is just the cherry on top of this must-have multitasker.
Next Up: 15 Hair-Strengthening Products for Dry, Brittle Hair
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Header photo credits (left to right): Redken brand and @matrix
