This Moisturizing Leave-In Conditioner Saved My Dry, Shedding Hair
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As someone with fine,curly hair,leave-in conditionerscan be difficult to incorporate into my routine. Most leave-ins for curly hair are thick creams packed with oils, formulated to deeply moisturize hair and keep it from drying out between wash days. This is ideal in theory, especially since my hair can get very dry, but I’ve found that it also weighs my curls down, leaving things looking defined but flat — more Rick James than Diana Ross. To avoid this, I’d given up leave-in conditioner altogether, relying instead on myK18 maskandmoisturizing mousses. This meant my hair would dry out after a few days and I’d have to wash it or deal with a voluminous, parched fro. I didn’t mind this, especially because I wash my hair every five-ish days, but I knew it wasn’t great. Dryness can lead to breakage, which impacts length retention and overall hair health. Recently, though, I’ve had less time for regular wash days — washing every seven or so days instead of every five — and during my wash days I’ve noticed more hair in my brush. While I understand this could be from the additional shed hairs (your hair naturally sheds up to 100 strands a day), I suspected that my hair was harder to detangle because of the dryness.
I told my hairstylist, Reece, about my woes, and she reminded me that I should be “refreshing” my hair every three days. This can look like rewetting with a spray bottle or using a liquid leave-in like Mizani 25 Miracle Milk. It’s what she’s been using on my hair since I sat in her chair in 2017. The anti-frizz leave-in works as a detangler and heat protectant and contains lightweight, moisturizing oils like fennel seed and coconut oil. I had a bottle lying around, so on my next dry hair day, I decided to give it a shot. I sectioned my hair into six and then sprayed a piece down with my continuous spray bottle until it was wet but not dripping. Then I spritzed the section with the leave-in. I used my trusty TangleTeezer to comb through my hair, and it quickly turned a knotty section into smooth curls with little shedding. I twisted that section and moved on to the next. I then tried to detangle with just water and noticed it wasn’t as smooth a process: My hair caught in the brush, and it took almost twice as long to achieve the same smooth finish.
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After I twisted my hair, I tied it down and let it dry for a few days. When I took it out, I noticed it was softer than my original twist-out with just mousse. My curls were a bit more defined but still bouncy and soft to the touch. I loved the feel so much I texted my hairstylist to say she’d been right all along. Since then, I’ve incorporated the leave-in into my routine, spritzing it right after a wash. I’ve noticed less shedding in the shower because my hair is staying hydrated longer, and my hair is much easier to manage. Incredibly, it has allowed me to be even lazier than before: I’ve extended the time between my hair being washed and drying out, all without losing the soft, volumized look.
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