Are You Applying Leave-In Conditioner All Wrong?

By Jessie Amato & Powered By L’Oreal Professional Products Division

The hype over leave-in conditioner has exploded over the past few years—and we can totally understand why! While your regular rinse-out conditioner is important, leave-in formulas help to give your strands extra nourishment and protection post-shower.

If you’ve been using a leave-in conditioner for years, applying the product may seem like a no-brainer—but could you be doing it all wrong? Whether you’re dealing with dry, damaged, or color-treated ash blonde hair, keep scrolling for our step-by-step guide on how to use a leave-in conditioner like a pro.

Find the perfect leave-in conditioner for your hair type.

If you’re looking to invest in a leave-in conditioner, you should be sure to find one that addresses your specific hair needs. Luckily, there’s a leave-in conditioner formula for just about any hair type and concern!

Wondering which leave-in conditioner is best for you? See below for 14 of our top picks.

Our Best Leave-In Conditioners For Every Hair Type And Concern

If you have fine hair:

Redken One United Multi-Benefit Hair Treatment Spray
When you have fine hair, the last thing you want is a leave-in conditioner formula that’s on the heavier side. After all, you’re likely already struggling with flat strands. Redken One United Multi-Benefit Hair Treatment Spray provides 25 benefits including lightweight conditioning, detangle, reducing dryness, and strengthening hair.

If you have thick hair:

Shu Uemura Art Of Hair Essence Absolue Hair Oil-In-Cream
Dealing with plentiful locks? Shu Uemura Art Of Hair Essence Absolue Hair Oil-In-Cream is formulated with camellia oil to help nourish and tame coarse, thick hair.

If you’re dealing with frizz:

Redken Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame Leave-In Hair Treatment
If you can’t remember a day when frizzy hair didn’t ruin your polished blowout, Redken Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame Heat Protective Leave-In Cream will be your go-to. This multi-benefit smoothing cream provides frizz control while hydrating, detangling, and protecting hair from heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you have color-treated hair:

Matrix Total Results Keep Me Vivid Color Velvetizer Protectant Balm
It can be challenging (and expensive) to prevent high-maintenance hues from fading—particularly if you love to heat style your hair. Matrix Total Results Keep Me Vivid Color Velvetizer Protectant Balm has a color-protecting UV filter and heat protecting qualities to prep your hair before air-dry or blow-dry styling.

If you’re dealing with damage:

Redken Extreme Anti-Snap Split Ends Hair Treatment
Looking to break up with split ends once and for all? The award-winning Redken Extreme Anti-Snap Split Ends Hair Treatment for damaged hair and split ends repairs, strengthens and protects hair shine. It fortifies hair to reduce breakage, split ends, and mechanical damage to hair from brushing.

If you have dry hair:

Biolage Hydrasource Daily Leave-In Tonic
A salon-quality leave-in conditioner is like a breath of fresh air for dry, dehydrated strands. Biolage Hydrasource Daily Leave-In Tonic helps optimize moisture balance in dry hair. It instantly moisturizes, renews shine, and helps protect hair from environmental aggressors.

If you have curly hair:

Kérastase Discipline Oleo-Curl Hair Cream
Managing curly hair is no easy task, but a quality leave-in conditioner can make all the difference in the look and feel of your ringlets. Kérastase Discipline Oleo-Curl Hair Cream provides definition, smoothness, and suppleness for unruly curly hair.

Begin with freshly shampooed hair.

Before you apply your leave-in conditioner, begin your hair care routine as you normally would by cleansing your mane with your regular shampoo and conditioner routine. For best results, we recommend using a system specifically formulated for your hair type.

Apply leave-in conditioner.

Whether you’re using a cream, spray, or mist formula, apply a generous amount of leave-in conditioner evenly throughout towel dried hair. Since your mid-lengths and ends tend to need the most care, focus the most on those areas when applying the product. Since leave-in conditioner can leave your roots looking greasy, we recommend avoiding applying it to the top of your head.

If you're not exactly sure how much leave-in conditioner your strands need, make an appointment with a hair care professional to learn what's best for your hair.

Comb your hair.

To ensure you’ve evenly distributed your leave-in conditioner throughout your entire mane, comb the product through your hair using a wide tooth comb.

Pro tip: Since wet or damp hair can be more prone to damage, don’t use a regular bristle brush until your strands are completely dry. Once the leave-in conditioner is fully applied, you’re ready to begin styling as usual.