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15 Best Leave-In Conditioners for Natural Hair to Buy in 2022

Shop stylist-approved products to tame frizz, smooth tangles, and leave hair sleek and shiny.

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A good leave-in conditioner is key to rounding out a solid natural hair care routine. As one of the final steps on wash days, leave-in conditioners provide an extra boost of moisture, make detangling a breeze, and offer overall protection from heat damage. That last point is particularly important as some of the most popular treatments such as styling with heat tools, coloring hair, and relaxing can be the most damaging, says Vanessa Thomas, cosmetic chemist and founder of Freelance Formulations.

“All of these are chemical processes that can literally break the bonds in hair, resulting in split ends and broken-falling off ends of hair,” she adds. How often you use leave-in conditioners is entirely dependent on your hair. If your natural hair retains moisture well, use it less often. On the other hand, use it daily if your strands are very dry. “It’s important to pay attention to your hair,” Thomas says. That said, there is no miracle product to cure all the damage that’s been done. “These protective products will not reverse the damage done and you should lessen the frequency of these processes,” she adds.

Some ingredients to look for in a good leave-in conditioner include coconut oil or milk, aloe vera, honey, avocado oil, shea butter, and jojoba oil. Again, it’s important to listen to your hair’s needs to figure out which ingredients and products give the best results.

Not sure where to start? Ask a professional, says Sofie Pok, Barber, content creator, and co-creator of STMNT Grooming Goods. Pok’s top tip is to refrain from using too much product. Below find 15 recommendations for the best leave-in conditioners for natural hair.

1
Best Overall

Mizani 25 Miracle Milk Leave-In Conditioner

Mizani 25 Miracle Milk Leave-In Conditioner
1
Best Overall

Mizani 25 Miracle Milk Leave-In Conditioner

$13 at Sephora$24 at Walmart$42 at Amazon

Made with coconut and fennel seed oil, this lightweight leave-in conditioner spray provides various benefits for curly hair. It not only enhances curls, but also smooths hair resulting in less frizz, dryness, and tangles. It leaves you with soft, shiny, and manageable hair.

2
Best Value

Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream

Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream
2
Best Value

Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream

The Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream is a must for damaged, dry, or coarse hair. Infused with shea butter, this leave-in delivers intense moisture to each strand. By reducing frizz, this product leaves you with soft and manageable hair.

3
Longtime Favorite

Miss Jessie's Original Leave-In Conditioner

Miss Jessie's Original Leave-In Conditioner
3
Longtime Favorite

Miss Jessie's Original Leave-In Conditioner

Miss Jessie’s products have been a go-to for natural hair for years, so it should be no surprise that the Leave-In Condish is on this list. This leave-in contains aloe vera, soybean extract, and pumpkin seed extract to help your curls flourish. It’s also sulfate-free.

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4

Naturalicious Moisture Infusion Styling Creme

Naturalicious Moisture Infusion Styling Creme
4

Naturalicious Moisture Infusion Styling Creme

The Naturalicious Moisture Infusion Styling Creme is a one-stop product for styling, moisture, and heat protection. The combination of coconut, vitamin E, and sunflower oils aid healthy hair growth and retention. It leaves hair soft and defines curls.

5

Mielle White Peony Leave-In Conditioner

Mielle White Peony Leave-In Conditioner
5

Mielle White Peony Leave-In Conditioner

Now 31% Off

Mielle Organics White Peony Leave-In Conditioner is a lightweight spray containing jojoba oils and tea extracts. This moisture enriching product is free of sulfates and parabens. Protecting your hair from heat tools, this leave-in reduces frizz and leaves your hair smooth.

6

Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner

Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner
6

Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner

If your curls are looking a bit dull and frizzy, Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner can bring your strands back to life. It works by adding a boost of moisture to hair and sealing in hydration. Made with green tea extracts and vitamin B5, this leave-in conditioner benefits overall hair health.   

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7

Camille Rose Naturals Curl Love Moisture Milk

Camille Rose Naturals Curl Love Moisture Milk
7

Camille Rose Naturals Curl Love Moisture Milk

Say goodbye to shedding and breakage. Camille Rose Naturals Curl Moisture Milk protects hair from damage. With ingredients such as rice milk, olive oil and vitamins B, C and E, this moisturizer also strengthens hair for better overall health

8

Melanin Haircare Multi-Use Softening Leave-In Conditioner

Melanin Haircare Multi-Use Softening Leave-In Conditioner
8

Melanin Haircare Multi-Use Softening Leave-In Conditioner

Finally available at Ulta, the Melanin Haircare Mutli-Use Softening Leave-In Conditioner can benefit the hair in a variety of ways. It can be used as a pre-poo, detangler, conditioner, deep conditioner, leave-in and a styling cream. This conditioner promises to repair your hair from the root to the ends.

9

Creme of Nature Argan Buttermilk Leave-in Hair Milk

Creme of Nature Argan Buttermilk Leave-in Hair Milk
9

Creme of Nature Argan Buttermilk Leave-in Hair Milk

Made with argan oil, this leave-in conditioner by Creme of Nature nourishes your strands to reduce frizz and make curls pop. Free of parabens and sulfates, this moisturizing leave-in leaves hair light, shiny and bouncy.

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10

Emerge My Mane BFF Leave-In Conditioner

Emerge My Mane BFF Leave-In Conditioner
10

Emerge My Mane BFF Leave-In Conditioner

Now 43% Off

The Emerge Leave-in Conditioner is a great budget friendly option. The “My Mane BFF” leave-in can be used daily to provide moisture and slip to produce soft and frizz-free hair. Made with shea butter, this product is sulfate- and silicone-free.  

11

The Mane Choice Leave-In Conditioner

The Mane Choice Leave-In Conditioner
11

The Mane Choice Leave-In Conditioner

Black charcoal and black cumin are the main ingredients in this ultra-moisturizing leave-in conditioner by The Mane Choice. By sealing moisture into each strand, hair is smooth, soft and shines. Continued use helps to strengthen the hair and protect the scalp.

12

SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Milk

SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Milk
12

SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Milk

The Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curl and Style Milk can be used as both a moisturizer and a styling creme. It hydrates hair to make detangling easy. By reducing frizz and breakage, get ready for eye-popping defined curls.

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13

tgin Green Tea Super Moist Leave-in Conditioner

tgin Green Tea Super Moist Leave-in Conditioner
13

tgin Green Tea Super Moist Leave-in Conditioner

Now 20% Off

If you’re in need of major hair repair, this leave-in by TGIN is a must. Made with green tea, shea butter, argan oil, plus antioxidants, it helps to promote hair growth and strength. Curls will be left moisturized, soft and easy to manage.

14

As I Am Long and Luxe GroYogurt Leave-In Conditioner

As I Am Long and Luxe GroYogurt Leave-In Conditioner
14

As I Am Long and Luxe GroYogurt Leave-In Conditioner

If you are struggling with dry and tangled hair, try the As I Am GroYogurt Leave-In Conditioner. It adds lots of moisture to each strand so detangling is not an issue. It also helps your hair to grow longer and stronger

15

Jane Carter Solution Curls to Go Untangle Me Weightless Leave-In Conditioner

Jane Carter Solution Curls to Go Untangle Me Weightless Leave-In Conditioner
15

Jane Carter Solution Curls to Go Untangle Me Weightless Leave-In Conditioner

Now 11% Off

This product checks all the boxes for your curly hair needs. It hydrates, detangles, and reduces frizz to help enhance your overall curl definition. Mango butter is the main ingredient of this weightless formula, which will not weigh down or cause too much build up. This leave-in works particularly well for wash-and-go styles.

Headshot of Carlett Spike
Carlett Spike
Writer

Carlett Spike is a New Jersey-based writer who earned her BA in Journalism and English from Rutgers University and her MS from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She writes some of everything, but is particularly interested in race, health, and food topics. She has been featured in Shondaland, New Jersey Monthly, and Good Company among other publications. Follow her on Twitter @CarlettSpike and Instagram

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