You’ve shampooed, conditioned, rinsed, and dried off—so why bother with the best leave-in conditioners? Truth is, I wasn’t always a convert (and I still don’t use one every day), but once you find the right formula for your hair type and lifestyle, it’s less an extra step and more a secret weapon for healthier hair. The best leave-in conditioners pull serious weight: hydrating, detangling, softening, taming frizz, fighting breakage, shielding against heat styling and UV damage, and soothing a dry scalp, which makes them just as clutch in winter as they are under the summer sun. Some even moonlight as stylers by adding texture and definition and creating a smooth base for layering products.
“All hair needs moisture, so a leave-in provides that while calming strands and making hair easier to shape and style,” says stylist, colorist, and salon owner Jackson Heller. Application comes down to even coverage and picking the format (spray, cream, or lotion) that works best for you.
We’ll get into the nitty-gritty of what to look for, how leave-ins differ from regular conditioner, and some common questions with Heller’s guidance, but first, let’s dive into our selects. Most come in either spray or cream/lotion form, so we’ve highlighted exemplary options of each. Below, 11 of the best leave-in conditioners right now, plus a few more we love.
The Best Leave-In Conditioners, According to GQ:
Featured in this article
In This Guide
Best Overall: R+Co Waterfall Moisture + Shine Lotion
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Michael Stefanov
R+Co
Waterfall Moisture + Shine Lotion
After testing R+Co’s Waterfall and High Dive, I kept bouncing between them for the best overall slot as they’re equally stellar, just in slightly different ways. (Waterfall leans more toward leave-in lotion, while High Dive is more of a cream/styling hybrid, which is why Waterfall is in our top spot.) Waterfall is the lightweight lotion I’d recommend to almost anyone except those with the thickest hair: It hydrates without buildup, adds a touch of texture, and smells incredible with its blend of blood orange, leather, violet, and dark woods. High Dive, however, is a richer cream that shines on more luscious locks: It smooths frizz, locks in hydration, and can also act as a texturing styling cream. The picks below get more targeted, but for broad cream/lotion leave-in appeal, these two nail it: Waterfall delivers featherlight polish, High Dive brings plush moisture and control—and honestly, you can’t go wrong with either.
Best Spray: Living Proof Leave-In Conditioning Spray
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Michael Stefanov
Living Proof
Leave-In Conditioning Spray
Hot off the Grooming Press, the niche haircare brand that’s been crushing the versatile hair product space just dropped a leave-in spray that does a bit of everything well. This spray hydrates and conditions while also tackling UV protection, frizz control, and heat defense, making it a multitasker across most hair types. Just a couple spritzes instantly softened my fine hair (not surprising, since I already swear by the brand’s fine-hair shampoo) and the formula leans on an all-star lineup of humectants that pull water into the hair shaft, plus botanicals and extracts that boost overall hair health. The strong herbaceous scent might take a minute to adjust to, but given how well this spray performs, it’s hardly a drawback. And it’s potent: Unless you’ve got longer or super-thick hair, two to four spritzes are all you need to smooth and condition.
Best Salon-Grade Formula: Davines OI All in One Milk
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Michael Stefanov
Davines
OI All In One Milk
Davines is a brand my salon-owner and stylist friends swear by, and I almost crowned their OI All in One Milk the best spray—though technically it’s more of a spray-lotion hybrid (and a justified splurge at that). The second this milky mist hits your hair, it melts in like a featherlight conditioner, instantly hydrating while detangling, softening, taming frizz, and shielding against heat up to 445°F, which is serious salon-grade protection if you’re heavy on the hot tools. Its secret weapon is Roucou Oil, loaded with beta-carotene and antioxidants to strengthen and protect strands from the inside out. You’ll want to apply a little more than a typical leave-in, around eight sprays or more, depending on hair thickness. And that warm, ambery-woodsy scent is sophisticated, addictive, and tailor-made for the eventual cooler weather.
Best for Styling: Bumble and Bumble Seaweed Nourishing Air Dry Cream
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Michael Stefanov
Bumble and Bumble
Seaweed Nourishing Air Dry Cream
Bumble & Bumble regularly lands on best-of lists around these parts, and with so many stellar formulas for every hair type, narrowing it down wasn’t easy. (I tested three different leave-ins and loved them all.) Still, the Seaweed Air Dry Leave-In Conditioner rose to the top for its dual-purpose magic: part leave-in conditioner, part styling cream. Infused with nutrient-rich marine botanicals like sea kelp and green microalgae, it smoothed, detangled, and left my hair silky while also acting like a lightweight styler, adding soft texture, a bit of malleable hold, and a healthy dose of shine. Bonus points for heat- and UV-protection, and the fresh scent of apple, mint leaf, pineapple, and woods is aquatically addictive.
Best for Curly or Wavy Hair: Isima All In Leave-In Conditioner
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Michael Stefanov
Isima
