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Leave-in conditioners are some of the most underrated hair products out there, but those with fine or low porosity hair will know it’s important to pick the right one. Like most products that seek to add moisture to your hair, they can risk adding too much and weighing down hair, leaving it greasy or taking away natural volume.
I was really interested to find some of these best ones for those looking for lightweight moisture and detangling. However, I’ll also admit that among the lightweight conditioners I chose, I was also curious to see if the differences among them were really that noticeable. Even those these are all good “lightweight” leave-in conditioners, they were definitely different!
I tried these 4 leave-in conditioners for weeks, even using them on different parts of my hair at once to compare. Whether you have the finest hair ever, or just want a more lighter weight weight option, these reviews will guide you to the right one for YOUR hair.
Leave-in conditioners add moisture to the hair which helps with detangling, smoothing, and softening. And the best part is they don’t need to be rinsed out! The ease of detangling that they create helps reduce breakage when your hair is wet and most vulnerable. They also prevent heat damage and prevent dullness and dryness. Every hair type from superfine and straight to highly textured hair can benefit from using a leave-in conditioner.
I have fine, wavy hair that can be frizzy. However, my hair has a good amount of natural volume that I don’t want to mess with. On top of that my scalp is prone to oiliness and greasy hair is something I try to avoid at all costs.
I like to look for leave-in conditioners that make my hair easy peasy to detangle and leave it smooth and frizz-free without any greasiness at all. I’ve tried a lot of leave-in conditioners that made my hair smooth but left it flatter and made it oily more quickly. I like to try formulas that are labeled “weightless” or “lightweight,” but there’s nothing like trial and error to find the right hair products that work for me.
Unite has a lot of reliable hair products that pretty much do the job with no frills so I’ve come to appreciate a lot of their products. Their 7SECONDS Detangler is a popular lightweight leave-in which detangles, strengthens and protects hair from UV damage. (Why is it called 7SECONDS? I did some research and still don’t know.)
This was the lightest of all the leave-in conditioners I’ve used. This wasn’t my favorite personally since I got smoother, more easily detangled hair from the other ones I tried, but for some with superfine hair this is the one to beat.
The Kristin Ess Leave-In Conditioner claims to be weightless and I find it’s definitely very lightweight, but still powerful. It really softens my hair and makes it easy to brush and style afterwards. It’s hard for me to say if it really increased shine by any significant amount, but it also has a light scent which is pleasant but not at all overpowering.
It’s a 10 came out with a leave-in conditioner so good they came out with additional leave-in sprays for different needs, including a “Lite” version. This spray is lighter than the original but still an excellent source of moisture. It is such an easy product to use and after only a few sprays my hair is a cinch to detangle.
It significantly reduces the amount of frizz I have and leaves my hair feeling super soft and healthy. This is one of my favorite sprays I’ve found so far for balancing lots of moisture while also leaving out the oily residue.
Creams are typically heavier than sprays which is why I’ve mostly included sprays on this list. But I was dying to try the brand Ceremonia and found this leave-in conditioner to be one of my favorite new products. While not strictly “lightweight,” it doesn’t make my hair heavy or greasy. It’s an easily spreadable liquid-y formula. Still, I used quite a bit on my fine waves and didn’t feel like I’d used too much.
My hair felt so silky afterwards, and I especially liked this for helping create bouncy, shiny waves. While perhaps the heaviest of this bunch of four leave-in conditioners, it’s a great choice for those with medium texture hair or those with fine waves or curls who still want to pack a lot of moisture into their hair without making their hair greasy.
You really can’t go wrong with any of these leave-in conditioners if you’re looking for something lightweight. Hopefully this breakdown of the differences between these four popular products gives you a sense of which ones would be best for your hair to soften, detangle, and smooth without weighing your hair down. Let me know if you try any of these and if they’ve made a difference in your hair’s softness!
