Are Leave-in Conditioners Important For Kinky Hair?

My answer to this one will be YES, YES and YES. I also thought it was not that important to use a leave-in conditioner after washing my hair and little did I know that was the deal breaker to my quest for longer healthier hair. Need I say more? 

Why a Leave-in Conditioner?

Like the conditioner that you use after conditioning, a leave-in conditioner is there to lightly condition the hair so that it is easier to detangle and is able to retain as much moisture as possible. It adds slip to the hair when detangling and helps to strengthen the hair, adding to its elasticity thereby making it less prone to breakage when styling. Without a leave-in conditioner, SSK incidences may increase, more knots, tangles and matting of hair and more time spent detangling  with increased breakage because hair will be so weak and fragile. Including a leave-in conditioner in your hair care regimen is therefore a no brainer.

How do I find a good Leave-in Conditioner?

Finding a good leave-in conditioner is very important especially for our thirsty tresses. If you are a no-poo kind of a girl, be sure to get one that does not have silicones in it because co-washing will not be able to wash the leave-in conditioner out and you will end up with lots of build-up. If you shampoo your hair often, no problem with silicone conditioners. Conditioners with silicone are also good to use when you are using heat to style your hair as they aid in laying down the cuticle layers which will result in a sleeker look and the core of the hair will also be protected. The only folly is that when you moisturise your hair, no moisture will reach the core of your hair. So, for daily or wash day use, one that does not have silicones is best. A rule of thumb should be, one that is water based. As you may know by now, water is the only moisturiser and all the other stuff added to it just help to keep the water in your hair longer. Besides your leave-in conditioner being water based, it should not have parabens and any harmful chemicals so one with natural ingredients will be the best.

Making a DIY leave in conditioner or upgrading one you already have.

So, you might have a leave-in conditioner which is not exactly doing a great job for your hair, below is a way of upgrading it to an awesome, brilliant conditioner that will leave your hair easy to detangle, shiny and protected from styling and weather elements while giving you a good hair day always.

You will need:

a bottle/container

2 tbs leave-in conditioner as a base (I use Organic Therapy Olive Oil Leave-in Conditioner)

2 tbs castor oil

2 tbs jojoba oil or coconut oil

2 tbs aloe vera juice

1 tbs ACV

Fill the rest of the bottle with filtered or previously boiled water and shake well before every use. Store your leave-in conditioner in the fridge for continued freshness or reduce the quantities and only make enough to use in a week. (that’s what I do)

I have also substituted the leave-in conditioner with Tresseme Naturals conditioner in this DIY recipe with great results. I used to use the Kair leave in conditioner for a long time but it made my hair feel sticky every time. Maybe I was applying too much of it.

Do you use any leave-in conditioner? Which leave-in conditioner do you use and what are your experiences? Do you have any DIY recipes? Please share in the comments space below.

Love and blessings from my Father to you.

PS. if you live in and around Johannesburg and have not yet sent me an email to reserve your seat for the lunch hair meet up, please do so now as we have a limited seating space available. I would love to see you there.