Leave-in conditioners are essential to moisturize 4c hair. As water-based products, leave-in conditioners ensure to moisturize the hair shaft to keep it healthy. Because of the beautiful shape that 4c hair has, the oils from the scalp have difficulty to come down to the hair shaft.
Finding the right regimen to keep your hair moisturized can seem intimating. Applying a leave in conditioner is one of the most important step of your routine and you will need to use the right product at the right cadence to do it right.
What are leave-in conditioners and why do you need it?
Leave in conditioners have similar properties than conditioners and deep conditioners but are used at a different time of your routine. Conditioners and deep conditioners are rinsed off products after shampooing whereas a leave-in is applied after rinsing off your deep conditioner. It’s the first layer of product you apply to moisturize your hair.
Leave-in conditioners provide moisture to your hair making it easier to detangle and style your hair. It will prevent your hair from becoming brittle and experiencing breakage. In a nutshell, this product is a very important for your hair to retain moisture.
Can you use leave-in conditioners every day?
Leave-in conditioners should be applied on wash day and can be reapplied after a week depending on how you choose to style your natural hair. If your hair is in a protective style such as mini twists your moisture cycle could last up from 10 days to 2 weeks. There is no need to moisturize your hair daily if you follow the right routine but there will be no harm if you choose to.
Which leave in conditioners is good for 4c hair?
This all depends on the ability of your hair to retain moisture which is called hair porosity. Low porosity natural hair has a hard time letting products in while high porosity easily lets moisture in but struggles to retain it.
Here are the 5 best and affordable leave-in conditioners who can be used on low and high porosity hair. These are great drugstore options which will make your hair softer and easier to style.
1. Most affordable and easiest to find: Aunt Jackie’s Quench Moisture Intensive Leave-In Conditioner (7$)
- Use For: Dryness and prep for styling
- Customer Review: “Most of the leave in conditioners I’ve tried are very heavy on my hair. This causes my hair to be very greasy and not stay in its original curl. This cream on the other hand is very light but still very moisturizing. And not to forget it smells AMAZING!’
You will easily find this leave in conditioner at your local hair or drugstore shop. Aunt Jackie’s Quench Leave-In has been a staple product for years and does wonders to nourish the hair shaft and lock in the moisture. This product is perfect for high porosity hair that experiences dryness thanks to its quality ingredients such as Marshmallow Root, Shea Butter and Extra Virgin Oil.
2. Softening Milk for Low Porosity Hair: Camille Rose Curl Love Moisture Milk (15$)
- Use For: Dryness in winter and curl definition
- Customer Review: “The smell is amazing! The scent is delightful, clean, and yummy! It has great slip, conditions and moisturize my hair, and pairs up extremely well with the curl maker”
The Curl Love Moisture Milk is a favorite among the girlies with low hair porosity! Especially during winter, the moisture milk will deeply moisturize your hair and leave it soft for days. The smell is a delight and this conditioner can also be used to restyle your hair when it feels dry. According to reviews this leave-in does wonder paired with the Camille Rose curl maker.
3. Leave-In Conditioner designed specifically for 4c hair: Mielle Pomegranate & Honey Leave-In Conditioner (13$)
- Use For: Dryness and detangling
- Customer Review: “This leave in is my go-to for twists and braid out, I use the Pom and honey leave in to set my hair. It’s work great as a detangler and if you add the twisting soufflé or coil custard, provides the best definition.”
For all hair porosities, this product from Mielle will do everything to lock in extra moisture and show of your beautiful coils. This leave-in conditioner has a wonderful blend of babassu oil and citrus extracts to provide long lasting hydration.
4. Best for damaged high porosity hair: Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Leave-In Conditioner (10$)
- Use For: Heat Damaged and color treated hair
- Customer Review: “I was recommended this product and I can feel the difference. My hair retains moisture, is healthier and overall happier. Definitely recommend this if your hair is lacking moisture.”
If your hair is heat damaged and in result, you’re experiencing split ends this product will do wonders to restore your hair. Perfect for high porosity hair, the Shea Moisture leave-in conditioner is infused with Jamaican Black Castor Oil that supports elasticity to resist breakage when detangling.
5. The 2-in-1 Leave-In Conditioner: Taliah Waajid Green Apple & Aloe Nutrition Leave-In Conditioner (11$)
- Use for: Strengthen and repair
- Customer Review: “My 4c hair LOVES this. It’s super moisturizing and detangling, but without being too heavy or leaving your hair with that “coated” feeling. The product feels like it actually absorbs into the hair strands. It also plays well with the other products in this line and smells so good, just like apples.”
The Green Apple & Aloe Nutrition leave-in conditioner does everything! It will deeply moisturize, softens, and detangle your hair. This product can be used for daily styling such as twist-outs, to refresh your hair when it feels dry and as a deep-conditioner by spraying onto wet hair and cover with a plastic cap for 20 min. Additionally, this product comes from a small black-owned brand. Another reason to try!
Final tips to hydrate 4c hair
4c hair always needs water to be hydrated. Make sure to follow these steps when applying your leave-in conditioner:
- Section your hair into sections. This is important for 4c hair as it can be difficult to reach every hair strand.
- Spray water on your hair until the water is penetrating your shaft and it feels wet/damp.
- Apply your leave-in conditioner to each section with attention to your ends. The water and the leave in conditioner should mix in and penetrate your hair shaft.
- Apply your styling cream or gel if needed and style your hair as desired.
This list of the best conditioners for 4c hair will ensure that you build the best natural hair routine. Remember that the key to moisturized hair is using good quality products in a consistent schedule.
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