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For smoothing and taming flyaways, these sprays can make a world of difference
It may sound frivolous, but a bad hair day really can alter your mood, add extra stress and make getting ready in the morning even more of a mad rush. While a silk pillowcase, good hair oil and strong shampoo and conditioner routine really can make a world of difference, there are a few extra products that we can add to keep our locks looking smooth and silky.
Designed to detangle, fight frizz, flatten flyaways, protect from heat styling and all around tame your mane, just a little spritz of a leave-in conditioner could be the key to reviving lacklustre locks, and they couldn’t be quicker or simpler to use.
We caught up with Neil Moodie, hairstylist and founder of the Neil Moodie Studio, to find out exactly which leave-in conditioner works best for each hair type and how and why you should use them. “Leave-in conditioners are a great way to moisturise hair, especially curly or coiled hair, which tends to be drier as it takes longer for the oil to distribute from the scalp down the hair strands,” he shared.
“If you have thick, coarse hair, you’ll likely be better suited to a creamy leave-in conditioner, whereas if your hair is very fine, a light spray will work better and not weigh the hair down,” Neil added. “Thicker, creamier formulas tend to be better for moisture and frizz control, and spray formulas tend to be lighter and are not only easier to apply but are a good choice for heat protection, detangling and smoothing.”
As for ingredients, Neil recommends keeping an eye out for the following: argan oil, coconut oil, macadamia oil, shea butter, castor oil, hydrolysed protein and amino acids, panthenol and vitamin E, avocado and jojoba seed oil. All can be found in our tried and tested best leave-in conditioner picks below. Keep reading to see which ones made it onto our list for each and every hair type.
Our tester has incredibly long hair, which has been dyed and has a tendency to get dry, so these leave-in conditioners were really put through their paces to try and tame this mane. Looking at density, as Neil Moodie explained, as well as ease of use, ingredients and final result, we rated each leave-in conditioner on which hair type it was best suited for and how well it fared.
There’s a huge number of leave-in conditioners to choose from, so finding the right one for your hair type is vital. Taking Neil Moodie’s advice into account, those with finer hair are better suited to the lightweight spray bottles, and for those with thicker, curlier strands, the pump bottles with shea butter and other heavyweight ingredients at their core will work wonders.
Our all-time favourite for all hair types was the Amika dream routine overnight hydration treatment which deeply hydrated and tamed strands when left in on thicker hair, and those with finer locks would be best suited to Innersense, Oway or Beauty Works.
Afroani and Wakati are specifically designed for curly, kinky or coily hair, thanks to their incredibly nourishing and heavy ingredients. Sam McKnight’s two-in-one conditioner is a great choice for those looking to reduce the number of products on their bathroom shelf, and John Freida’s frizz ease is a bargain buy for those not looking to splash too much cash.
Just remember that less is more, and work small amounts into your hair until you get the desired result.
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