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Could somebody explain to me the benefits of leave-in conditioners? How do you use them? What are the ones most people recommend? I've never used these and wouldn't even know what to look for if I did go to the store for some. Comments?
Steve
Hi Steve,
I used to wonder the exact same thing myself; but gradually an idea dawned inside me that to this day I now still follow: ANY conditioner that you happen to like, if it does the job well of conditioning your hair when rinsed out, all you need to do is leave a small amount of that very same conditioner IN your hair at the very end of your showering ritual (WITHOUT rinsing it out before drying)....
Hair stylists and beauty supply stores that sell a lot of hair products are bound to try to sell you something "specific" as a leave-in conditioner (and maybe they do indeed have some miracle-product that I don't know about...); but after much head-scratching over this dilemma, my conclusions as stated above have been working just fine for me for many many years now. Just make sure that any conditioner that you decide to leave in your hair all day is simply applied to your hair ends ONLY -- I never apply any leave-in hair conditioner close to my scalp, otherwise my hair start looking prematurely greasy.
... I hope my comments have helped!
- Ken in San Francisco
Steve,I agree with Ken. Also, for me, a leave in helps a LOT in preventing or diminishing the amount of tangles, thus helping with finger or pick combing, which leads to less breakage. In addition, my hair tends to be a little curly and dry without the leave in. It helps with shine and manageability too. But, be careful and experiment, too much left in can leave your hair sticky and heavy. I think each person finds their own comfort level there. FYI I use WEN for this. SJ
Hello Steve!
Leave-in hair conditioners are generally used to help detangle the hair, restore damaged hair, protect hair from further damage (including split ends), and in some cases, to either de-frizz hair or add shine to hair. Some people do not see any improvement in their hair when they add a leave-in conditioner to their regular routine. Others have seen anywhere from a mild improvement to dramatic positive results. It differs for each individual person.
As you may have read over the last several months, many members of this board use some type of leave-in product in their hair. Some use aloe vera, jojoba oil, coconut oil, or other natural products. Some use store- or salon-bought products that are specific for certain hair needs. The process of finding what works best for you is trial and error, and can be frustrating, time consuming, and even expensive (depending on how many different products you try and the cost of each product). But if/when a person finds what works well for his hair, it can have a dramatic positive effect on both the condition of the person's hair, and on the way that person *feels* about his hair (i.e. able to enjoy it more, and not worry about it looking damaged and unsightly).
My suggestion is to first try things that cost less, to see if any of them help. If the less expensive options do not give the needed results, then it may be time to try something a bit more pricy.
Start with what you already have: ANY conditioner that you use in the shower and rinse out of your hair can also be used as a leave-in conditioner. Shampoo/condition as usual. When you get out of the shower, you can towel dry your hair or just hand squeeze the excess water (whatever you normally do), then use the leave-in conditioner. Just put a little conditioner mixed with some water in a pump-style spray bottle, shake it up, then spray on your hair, and leave it in. Simple as that! Just start with a very little bit, and work your way up to the needed amount over time, experimenting with how much and where to apply it. There is no magic ratio of conditioner to water; just start with a very little bit of conditioner and enough water to make it spray easily; then you can experiment with different ratios to adjust to your liking.
If you want to try a specific product as a leave-in conditioner, first ask the people you know if they have any, and if so, would they mind giving you a small amount so you can try it? If you are going to buy something - just to try it out - see if the product has other uses (so it won't be a complete waste of money), just in case it does not work well for you as a hair conditioner. For instance, coconut oil or jojoba oil can be used on rough or dry skin (like body/hand lotion) if it doesn't meet your needs as a hair conditioner. Aloe is good to put on cuts/scrapes/burns to help healing. And some coconut oils are good to cook with (obviously find out ahead of time, and consider sanitary food safety issues).
If your wife or any family/friends go to a salon, see if they can talk the hairdresser into a free sample of product(s). Or if you purchase a somewhat pricy product from a salon, ask about the return policy ~ can you return the unused portion within 30 days for a full refund (remember to keep the receipt)? Some salon employees will say NO, but if you talk to the manager - pointing out that the stylists have to have an open bottle of said product to use on customers anyway, so if you do return it, it won't be wasted - the manager may agree.
Hope this helps! :)
I don't really use leave in conditioners but I use Aussie 3 minute miracle conditioner at least once a week. My hair is very thick and I color it a lot. Since I started using that I have never had an issue with damage or split ends.
Hi Steve,
There are many kinds of leave-in conditioners and some are confused with deep conditioners which are a separate but equally useful product.
(1) Detanglers - these are designed to make it easier to combe/brush your hair without snagging, essential to avoid damage from combing/brushing.
I use: http://www.redken.com/products/haircare/extreme/extreme-anti-snap
(2) Deep conditioners - these are designed to return moisture to your hair and provide a protective barrier against he elements. You tend to leave these in your hair for several minutes before rinsing out.
I use: http://www.redken.com/products/haircare/extreme/extreme-strength-builder-plus but you might want a lighter product I use this only about once every 4-6 weeks.
(3) Heat protect serums/sprays - these are to be used whenever using heat styling products like hair-dryers or straighteners. They protect your hair from heat damage.
I use: http://www.feelunique.com/p/ghd-Style-Heat-Protectant-Spray-120ml
So detanglers are a good basic rule of thumb, the others depend on your haircare and styling routine.