Is A Leave-In Hair Treatment A Worthy Investment?

No rinse necessary. 

While many of us have adopted a 10-step Korean skin care regime, hair care has remained a relatively simple affair. For the most part, we stick to the age-old shampoo then conditioner routine. However, sometimes hair needs a little extra love – particularly if it has been colour treated. Cue: Leave-in hair treatments – the multi-tasking hair saviours that do all the hard work for you. 

We know what you’re thinking: do I really need to add another step? But hear us out. These treatments are as easy as they come; simply spray, smooth or comb through your hair and head straight out the door. 

Here, we’ve enlisted the help of hair heavy-hitters Anthony Nader, Founder and Creative Director of Raw by Anthony Nader, and Renee Marshall, Owner and Director of Allure Hair Bar, to explain why a leave-in treatment should be the next item on your hair care hit list.

What Is A Leave-In Hair Treatment?

As far as hair care goes, a leave-in treatment does to the hair what a green juice does to the body. It’s a sure-fire way to inject some serious life back into your hair. 

“A leave-in hair treatment is designed to target something specific [that] your strands may be lacking. It’s for when they need a boost to get them back into tip-top shape,” says Nader.

A natural timesaver, Marshall thinks a leave-in treatment is the busy woman’s dream. “A leave-in treatment is for the modern day woman who is too time poor to add an at-home treatment into her beauty regime but needs to put more moisture into her hair.  It can be applied to mid-lengths and ends, then it’s good to go!”

See? We told you it was easy. 

What Are The Main Benefits Of A Leave-In Treatment?

“Treatments are beneficial for a number of reasons including boosting hair that is lacking sheen and smoothing over unruly, textured strands,” says Nader. 

Detangling knots and revamping dehydrated, coloured hair are also benefits you can expect. And for our blonde babes? A leave-in moisturising treatment will help strengthen and repair the hair after bleaching. 

What Are The Key Ingredients To Look Out For?

Nader recommends keeping an eye out for natural, moisture-rich ingredients such as shea butter, aloe vera, avocado and coconut oil.

“Shea butter is a beauty for sealing in moisture [and] aloe vera is excellent not only for nourishing your strands but also for nourishing your scalp at the same time,” says Nader.

Keratin is also good to look out for if you suffer from dry or brittle hair, as it makes the hair less prone to breakage and smooths over rough cuticle scales.

Marshall recommends steering clear of products containing parabens, sulfates or silicones, as they have a tendency to weigh the hair down. 

“Silicon builds up on your hair and it can alter your colour. Sulfates are designed to cleanse but are especially harsh on coloured and keratin treated hair and can dry out and irritate the scalp,” says Marshall. 

Who Needs To Use A Leave-In Treatment?

“Dry hair and all colour treated hair-types would benefit from a leave-in treatment,” says Marshall. “Blondes especially can use the added moisture to really strengthen the hair and keep it looking and feeling healthy.” 

Nader takes his recommendation even further, suggesting that “everyone with hair on their heads needs a [leave-in] treatment.”

“From fine hair to coarse, frizzy hair and every texture in between. Think of a hair treatment as an instant hair CPR.”

Which Formulas Are Best?

Oils, sprays and foams, oh my! Much like their hairstyling relatives, leave-in treatments can come in a multitude of formulas. Nader recommends an oil-based treatment for those with dry or colour-treated hair due to its efficiency in restoring shine and body. 

Moisture-rich creams are also super nourishing and essential in plumping up the follicle for the appearance of thicker, healthier hair.

Marshall’s rule of thumb? “The thicker the hair, the heavier the formula.” 

Top Picks

Don’t know where to start? Allow us. Nader’s top picks include David Mallet’s Mask No3 La Couleur and the Bumble and Bumble Invisible Oil, both of which restore natural shine and body to the hair.

Marshall recommends the Oribe Run-Through Detangling Primer for an instant moisture hit and the Kerastase Nutritive Eight Hour Magic Night Serum for when your hair needs a richer treatment. 

Have a leave-in treatment recommendation we’ve missed? Leave us a comment below!