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The key to mastering your curls — and making them look like luscious locks year-round — is hydration. If your curly hair is hydrated, then they are looking good. That's where leave-in conditioners can really come in and save the day! They help to hydrate the hair and lock in moisture, hence the "leave-in" part. They work their magic overnight or throughout the day to ensure that your curls are refreshed and silky smooth!
To understand more about leave-in conditioners for curly hair, I chatted with celebrity hairstylist and hair expert, William Whatley. He gave me all his opinions on how to properly treat curls, plus the best qualities everyone should look for in leave-in conditioners.
Keep reading to discover the best leave-in conditioners for curly hair and expert advice for using them.
How should I take care of curly hair?
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Whatley's number one top for treating and taking care of curly hair is not brushing it while it's wet. Brushing your curls while they're wet can actually damage your hair – especially if you have naturally curly hair. The hair ends up stretching as you brush, causing damage.
Whatley also explained that your cuticle layer is more exposed if you have curly hair, and if you're brushing that vigorously, you’re disrupting the outer layer of the hair — AKA where all that gorgeous shine usually comes from. If you're constantly damaging your hair with bad brushing habits, this will ultimately make your hair less shiny!
What ingredients should I look for in a leave-in conditioner for curly hair?
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When you're looking at the leave-in conditioner bottle, Whatley says to always look at the ingredients immediately listed after water. Those will be the predominant ingredients necessary to do the job of either moisturizing, protecting, or adding strength to your damaged hair! The top ingredients to look for include:
- Panthenol
- Aloe
- Weightless oils and extracts
- Refined fruit oils
- Hydrolyzed keratin
Whatley also noted that natural extracts or oils are great for moisturizing and hydrating your hair — which is exactly what we're looking for in leave-in conditioners for curly hair! Scroll on for the best formulas to retain hair health and shine.
The 8 Best Leave-In Conditioners For Curly Hair
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SEEN Leave-In Curly Creme
This non-comedogenic and sulfate-free curl defining cream is a great leave-in conditioner to help get rid of frizz and help style your hair while helping to nourish it at the same time. I love a good multi-use product like this — especially since it also protects against heat if you feel the need to style with a hot tool.
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Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair!
This mask is a ride or die favorite of mine! I honestly notice such a significant difference in my hair when I use it. And good news: it works phenomenally for anyone with curls! It's great for curly hair types that are dealing with significant damage or dryness. It will really keep the moisture locked in, and make it look like shiny perfection!
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Cantu Argan Oil Conditioning Repair
One ingredient that your curly hair won't be able to get enough of is argan oil! It's the number one component people always recommend if you're struggling to bring your locks back to life. So, if you pair that with a leave-in conditioner that soaks and will fully absorb into the hair, then we're off to a great start in our hair repair journey. This one from Cantu is beloved on Amazon with over 13,000 reviews singing its praises!
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Curls Blueberry Bliss Mask
If you're looking to repair damage done to your hair while fixing frizz, then I've got the leave-in for you! This one from Blueberry Bliss is super popular on Amazon because it also helps to promote hair growth — which we all love, am I right? At only $13, I'd say that's a pretty good deal as well!
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Divi 3-in-1 Leave In
This product is raved with reviews noting that it takes people's notoriously frizzy hair to magically smooth and shiny after use! I love this company because their products really do show results — and quickly. I use their hair growth serum, and holy cow, my hair has never grown that quickly in my life! It's such a good company, so I would definitely recommend using it!
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Paul Mitchell Full Circle Leave-In
I love a mask that will leave your curls super hydrated, and this one will do just that — and I mean seriously hydrated. This leave-in moment is meant to give your hair an ultimate bounce and shine, so that your tresses comes back to life after the dry summer heat. It's also paraben-free, which we (and your hair) love to hear!
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OGX Quenching + Coconut Curls
This hair mask has quite a few great ingredients in it, including honey, citrus oil, coconut, and curl-styling milk — all of which will help you not only tackle frizz or unruly hair, but also give your curls that "I can't stop touching my hair" softness. Yes, please!
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Shea Moisture Jamaican Castor Oil Leave-In
A mask that's from 100% pure Jamaican castor oil? That's pretty hard to come by! And it's only $7.50 (was $13), so you can grab it for a fantastic deal. It's great at detangling your curls for when they get a little extra unmanageable or have too much of a kink in them.
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This post has been updated.
