There are essential beauty products and those that are only desirable. The latest generation of leave-in conditioners belongs to the former category. They originated as a lazy substitute for conditioner after shampooing when there was no time to wait for a proper conditioner to do its function. In the past, leave-in conditioners were considered inferior.

Currently, they are on par with their defunct relatives. Leave-in conditioners essentially compensate for the fact that shampoos can be dried by hydrating the hair. Any type of conditioner restores lost moisture to the hair, but they also give much more. It is a blessing for those who have dry, brittle hair. In addition, they detangle, combat frizz, serve as a pre-shampoo treatment, and give a good barrier against heat and severe conditions. Particularly Pattern and Trepadora are ideal for curly and coily hair.

Ouai works great on finer hair textures, whereas Olaplex is a game-changer for everyone, particularly those with colored or chemically treated hair. So, I hear you asking, “Can’t we simply leave in a standard conditioner? ” Well, no. If it’s not designed to be left in, it will cause buildup and make your hair crunchy. Nobody requires that.

1. Virtue Purifying Leave-In Conditioner £30, cultbeauty.co.uk
2. Babassu Quench Leave-In Curl Primer £27, trepadora.com
3. Olaplex No 6 Bond Smoother £26, spacenk.com
4. Aveda Nutriplenish Leave-In Conditioner £29.50, aveda.co.uk
5. Davines OI All In One Milk £24.50, uk.davines.com
6. Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Joia Milky Leave-In Conditioner £28, spacenk.com
7. Briogeo Superfoods Avocado and Kiwi Mega Moisture 3-in-1 Leave-In Spray £22.50, cultbeauty.co.uk
8. Ouai Leave-In Conditioner £24, theouai.co.uk
9. Living Proof No Frizz Leave-In Conditioner £22, livingproof.co.uk
10. Pattern Beauty by Tracee Ellis Ross Leave-In Conditioner £25, boots.com