If you're looking for ways to add some shine, hydration, and softness to your hair, then you've probably heard of leave-in conditioner sprays. It can also help to detangle and protect your hair from heat damage.
But how do you use them? Do you spray them on wet or dry hair? And how much should you use?
Keep reading to find out!
The Basics
You may be surprised to learn that leave-in conditioner sprays can be used on both wet and dry hair. As for how much to use, that depends on your hair type.
A relatively small amount of leave-in conditioner goes a long way so be sure to check out the product recommendations.
If you have fine hair, start with just a few spritzes. If you have thick or curly hair, you'll probably need to use a bit more. Just make sure not to go overboard—you don't want your hair to look greasy!
If you have thinner or light hair, consider applying to the ends only so you do not weigh down the hair at your roots or cause excessive buildup.
Use It in Lieu of Traditional Conditioner
If you find that your hair is feeling weighed down by traditional conditioners, try using a leave-in conditioner spray in lieu of them—especially if you have fine or oily hair.
Leave-in conditioners are much lighter than traditional conditioners, so they won't weigh your hair down or make it greasy. Simply follow the suggestions below for wet or dry hair.
Use It On Wet Hair
Step One: Towel Dry Your Hair. Give your hair a thorough shampooing and rinse well. Follow with a traditional conditioner if desired and be sure to rinse well. Pat or towel dry your hair so that it is damp and not sopping wet before you continue.
Step Two: Section Your Hair. This step is optional. If you have longer or thicker hair, start by parting your hair into four equal sections. You can use clips or a bandana to keep the sections separated. This will help to ensure that the product is evenly distributed throughout your hair.
Step Three: Apply the Product Evenly. Hold the bottle about six inches away from your head and lightly spritz the leave-in conditioner evenly onto each section of hair. Be sure to apply the product from root to tip.
You can always add more leave-in conditioner for longer or thicker hair or for more heat styling protection. Experiment to see what works for you.
Step Four: Comb Through Your Hair. Use a wide-tooth comb or your fingers to distribute the product evenly through your hair. Wide-tooth combs work best to detangle and distribute conditioner evenly.
Be sure to comb through your hair several times so the conditioner is evenly distributed and there are no missed spots.
Step Five: Time to Style. If you like to air dry your hair, you can stop right here! If you would like to continue with heat styling, begin with a blow dryer on a low heat setting until your hair is completely dry.
If you plan to follow with hot styling tools like straighteners or curling irons, apply a quality heat protectant spray to dry hair before using any heated styling tools.
Do not begin using other hot styling tools like straighteners or curling irons until the your hair and any additional heat spray are completely dried. Due to the higher heat of these tools, any extra moisture can cause your hair strands to burst and create cracking and fraying.
Use It On Dry Hair
Step One: Apply the Product Evenly. To use a leave-in conditioner spray on dry hair, simply spritz it evenly over your locks and comb through. You'll want to avoid putting too much in one spot, as this can weigh your hair down.
Consider focusing on the ends of your hair only. The ends of your hair are the oldest and therefore the driest part of your strands. They're also the part of your hair that's most susceptible to damage and breakage. As such, you'll want to focus the majority of your leave-in conditioner spray on the ends of your hair.
Step Two: Comb Through Your Hair. Once you've sprayed it on your ends, you can comb through and lightly mist the rest of your hair if desired.
Use a wide-tooth comb or your fingers to distribute the product evenly through your hair. Be sure to comb through your hair carefully several times so the conditioner is evenly distributed and there are no missed spots. Be extra gentle when combing dry, brittle hair.
Step Three: Time to Style. Allow the leave-in conditioner to dry completely. If you plan to follow with hot styling tools like straighteners or curling irons, apply a quality heat protectant spray to dry hair before using these tools.
Do not begin using other hot styling tools like straighteners or curling irons until your hair and any additional heat spray are completely dried. Due to the higher heat of these tools, any extra moisture can cause your hair strands to burst and create cracking and fraying.
That's It!
By following these simple tips, you'll ensure that your leave-in conditioner spray works wonders for your mane!
If you would like to try a leave-in conditioner, consider our recommendations in these two articles:
Best Shea Butter Leave In Conditioner: 5 Fabulous Picks!
Best Moroccan Oil Leave In Conditioner: Our Top 4 Faves!
And, we highly recommend heat protection spray for everyone that uses a blow dryer or heat styling tools. Read about our faves!
Best Heat Protection Spray: 5 Favorites You Need to See!
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