The best leave-in hair treatment overall
Overly hyperbolic beauty product names are not my favorite. We all know that eye cream isn’t actually going to “erase” the signs of aging and melt your under eye bags back into your face. But I’ll forgive It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product for tooting its own horn because it really does sound like a miracle.
Most leave-in hair treatments are designed to do something specific — detangle knots, smooth frizz, add shine. It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product is designed to do all of that and more.
To cull just a few of the claims from the Ulta product description, this stuff, “repairs dry damaged hair, adds shine, smoothes & controls frizz, seals & protects hair color, detangles, prevents split ends, stops hair breakage, creates silkiness, enhances natural body.” Oh, and it acts as a heat protector. Hello.
Spritz it on wet hair to influence how your strands dry or use it to reinvigorate your existing style on dry hair. The original spray contains sunflower seed extract, green tea leaf extract, and silk amino acids, but there’s also a popular keratin-infused version.
This stuff has over 2,300 5-star reviews on Ulta and has been featured by a host of different publications, including The Cut, Best Products, and Allure. It should work well with most hair types including curly hair and hair damaged from over processing.
Pros: Multi-tasking product that works on most hair types
Cons: Some reviews complained of strong scent
Buy It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product at Ulta for $18.52The best hair milk leave-in treatment:
I know — milk sounds like the last thing you want to put on your hair. As a rule, I avoid the stuff besides in my coffee, but Davines Oi All In One Milk sounds like it should be the exception. It’s hair milk, okay? It’s different.
Don’t take my word for it. All In One Milk is expert-approved, having been recommended by The Cut and BuzzFeed. Shoppers love it, too — the product has a 4.7-star rating on Influenster based on 370 reviews and a 4.6-star rating on Amazon based on 500+ reviews.
So, what does it actually do? It smoothes, detangles, hydrates, and shine-ifys your hair thanks to the roucou oil in the formula. Fans shout out its magical softening powers in several reviews, so if you’ve got dry, coarse strands this could be the answer.
Plus the packaging is really chic, which I know shouldn’t matter but c’mon — you know that it does.
“I love this so far, it’s kind of like a leave-in spray and oil and detangler protectant all in one. Plus, you can use it on wet or dry hair,” writes one Influenster shopper. An Amazon reviewer says, “More people should know about this. This is magic in a bottle.”
Pros: Detangles, smooths, and softens hair, adds shine
Cons: Pricey
Buy the Davines Oi All In One Milk on Amazon for $34The best oil leave-in hair treatment
If you’ve heard of one of the treatments on this list, it’s probably Moroccanoil. The brand offers a host of styling and cleansing products, but the original Moroccanoil Treatment remains one of its best-selling (and best, period) items.
Infused with argan oil and linseed extract, Moroccanoil hydrates and fortifies your hair. Apply it to damp strands — avoiding the roots — to prep for styling or to wet hair to smooth away frizz. The product also claims to protect hair from “environmental factors, including the sun and wind.”
Moroccanoil is recommended for most hair types, from straight to tightly coiled, but there’s a lighter formulation if you find the original too heavy. Of course, if you prefer to avoid applying straight oil to your hair, you probably won’t like this, but it’s one of the most highly rated products of its ilk on the market.
Sephora shoppers give Moroccanoil Treatment an overall 4.7 out of 5 rating based on 600+ reviews. It’s also a four-time Allure Reader’s Choice Award winner and has been featured by countless publications, including BuzzFeed and The Cut.
Pros: Argan oil treatment that preps hair for styling and protects it from environmental damage
Cons: Pricey for mostly being argan oil, might be heavy on fine hair (but lighter formula is available)
Buy Moroccanoil Treatment at Sephora for $34The best air dry leave-in hair treatment
I’m an air dry girl, always have been, always will be. If I had my druthers I would step out of the shower and be on my merry way, no additional hair products necessary. But my curls can be finicky, so I need to use something.
Luckily, the Kristin Ess Weightless Shine Air Dry Creme makes it nearly possible for me to wash-and-go — after I embark on my elaborate scrunch-and-clip-the-roots routine, of course. This $10 miracle in a bottle seals my strands so they dry with minimal frizz and maximum shine.
When I first brought the cream home from a Target press event, I was in the middle of a prolonged absence from the hair salon. This product single-handedly extended the life of my cut for several months, defining my curls and adding serious body to my previously flat and overgrown strands.
Per the instructions, you’re supposed to wait until your hair is about half dry “or until your natural wave pattern starts to form” before working the cream into it. If you’re not a daily washer, the brand recommends you “mist hair with water to reactivate” the Air Dry Creme to keep your style in check.
“I've been looking for a product to give me wash and go hair that tames frizz and this is it! It has just enough weight to tame my hair but not enough to make my hair greasy or flat,” writes one Target reviewer.
Pros: Affordable, aids with air drying hair, adds shine and body, cuts down on frizz
Cons: Strong scent could be a turn off
Buy the Kristin Ess Weightless Shine Air Dry Creme at Target for $10The best conditioner leave-in treatment
I’ve never gotten into leave-in conditioner, in part because there are so many options on the market that a simple browse on Sephora quickly becomes overwhelming. But one pick kept popping up again and again as I researched this article — Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Leave-In Conditioner.
Made with a hydrating blend of black castor oil, shea butter, keratin, and peppermint oil, this is a rich conditioner that you’ll love, especially if you have dry, coarse hair. It’s also a great pick for super curly and coiled textures because it’s so nourishing.
With 2,200+ Amazon reviews and 1,100+ Influenster reviews, I think it’s safe to say this is one of the more popular leave-in conditioners on the internet. Refinery29 also named it the best leave-in for frizzy hair in a conditioner round-up, though the expert they interviewed, stylist Danielle Priano, cautions against using this on “thin, straight hair.”
“I have afro-kinky curly 4a natural hair which is currently transitioning from heat damage. I can't believe how moisturized this makes my hair! The slip it provides is a-mazingg!” writes one Amazon shopper.
Another says, “I hated hated hated my curly hair until I found this product. I use this after my shower every night. It really helps moisturize my dry hair without leaving it greasy or being too heavy.”
Pros: Affordable, ultra-hydrating, great for super curly hair
Cons: Might be too heavy for thinner hair types
Buy Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Leave-In Conditioner on Amazon for $12.67 (originally $20.99)Check out our other hair product guides
If your hair still becomes a tangled ball of knots, no matter how much conditioner you use, you should invest in a good detangling spray, to make combing your hair a pain-free experience.
To save you time and money, we've researched hundreds of expert and consumer reviews to find the best options available. Whether you've got natural, curly, thick or damaged hair, we've found the top detangling sprays around that will tame your knots.
Here are the best detangling sprays you can buy:
- Best detangling spray overall: Not Your Mother's Knotty to Nice Conditioning Detangler
- Best detangling spray for curly hair: DevaCurl No Comb Detangling Spray
- Best detangling spray for natural hair: Kinky Curly Knot Today Detangler
- Best detangling spray for damaged hair: Amika The Wizard Detangling Primer
- Best detangling spray for thick hair: Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle Spray
It's not just the summer heat and sky-high humidity that can wreak havoc on your hair — Rain and even damp weather can turn it from fabulous to frizzy in an instant. It's important to be prepared and have a good anti-frizz product in your beauty arsenal to stop yet another bad hair day.
To save you time and money on products that don't work, as well as researching hundreds of expert and consumer reviews, our team of frizzy-headed testers has put the best anti-frizz products on the market to the test to come up with the best of the best for all hair types and budgets.
Here are the best anti-frizz products you can buy:
- Best for curly and wavy hair: Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Heat and Humidity Gel
- Best for coarse hair: John Frieda Frizz Ease Extra Strength 6 Effects + Serum
- Best for fine hair: Kenra Platinum Luxe One Leave-in Miracle Spray
- Best for dry, damaged hair: Moroccanoil Treatment
- Best for straight hair: Garnier Fructis Style Frizz Guard Sleek Anti-Frizz Dry Spray
Some days you just run out of time to wash your hair, but that doesn't mean it has to look greasy. Dry shampoo is here to save you from a bad hair day. Of all the dry shampoos around, R+Co's Death Valley Dry Shampoo is the best because it makes your hair look like new. Here are the best dry shampoos you can buy:
- Best overall: R+Co's Death Valley Dry Shampoo
- Best cult classic: Batiste Dry Shampoo
- Best drugstore option: Dove Volume & Fullness Dry Shampoo
- Best high-end option: Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo
- Best powder formula: Bumble and bumble Prêt-À-powder
- Best foam formula: Ouai Dry Shampoo Foam
Impossible as it might be to find a shampoo that works for every hair type, Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Shampoo comes pretty close. That's why it's our top pick — Living Proof's basic formula really works and it might even help you wash your hair less often. These are the five best shampoos for all hair types:
- Best overall: Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Shampoo
- Best dry shampoo: Batiste Dry Shampoo
- Best for hydration: Pantene ProV Daily Moisture Renewal Hydrating Shampoo
- Best for exfoliation: Briogeo Scalp Revival Micro-exfoliating Shampoo
- Best for curly hair: DevaCurl No-Poo Original Zero Lather Cleansing Conditioner
Hair conditioner is a necessity if you want soft, silky strands. Out of thousands of bottles, shoppers agree that Silk18 Argan Oil Hair Conditioner is the best — no matter your hair type.
You might also like the DevaCurl One Condition Original Daily Cream Conditioner, the It's a 10 Leave-In Conditioner, the Redken Color Extend Conditioner, or the Pantene Pro-V Moisture Renewal Conditioner depending on your hair needs.
The best hair masks you can buyHair masks are an affordable and easy way to give your hair a salon treatment from the comfort of your own home. Here are the best hair masks you can buy:
- Best overall: It's a 10 Haircare Miracle Hair Mask
- Best for damaged hair: Arvazallia Hydrating Argan Oil Hair Mask
- Best for overnight: Sephora Collection Hair Sleeping Mask
- Best for strengthening: Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3
- Best for deep conditioning: Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair Mask
If you style your hair daily with a blow dryer or curling iron, your hair needs protection from heat damage. The Tresemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray will protect your hair from heat damage without weighing it down, keep frizz at bay, and give you silky hair at an extremely affordable price. Here are our picks:
- Best overall: Tresemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray
- Best for straightening hair: HSI Professional Argan Oil Heat Protector
- Best for curling hair: Matrix Biolage Thermal Active Setting Spray
- Best for fine hair: Kenra Professional Thermal Styling Spray 19
- Best for thick hair: Redken Pillow Proof Blow Dry Express Primer Spray
If you have flat, fine hair with little volume, more often than not, adding hair products to your routine just makes matters worse, that is, unless you're using volumizing products.
Here are the best hair volumizing products you can buy:
- Best shampoo: Nexxus Diametress Volumizing Shampoo
- Best conditioner: Nexxus Diametress Volumizing Conditioner
- Best treatment: John Frieda Luxurious Volume 7-Day Volume In-Shower Treatment
- Best mousse: Redken Guts 10 Volume Spray Foam
- Best powder: Big Sexy Hair Powder Play Volumizing Powder
- Best spray: Living Proof Full Dry Volume Blast
- Best gel: L'Oreal Paris Volume Filler Densifying Gellee
