9 Best Leave-In Conditioners For Curly Hair, According to Frizz-Prone Editors
Smoother strands will be yours.
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They say good hair starts in the shower, but personally I think it starts as soon as you step out of it. That’s when I apply a leave-in conditioner, which immediately kickstarts the detangling process. Years ago, before I discovered the hair-must that is a leave-in, detangling my curly, knot-prone hair was a painful process. But once I learned to rake a good leave-in conditioner through my hair and gently work through my hair in sections, it was truly a gamechanger.
Detangling is a crucial benefit I look for in every leave-in conditioner, but the best ones have plenty of other perks, too. Having curly hair means I’m constantly battling frizz, so my ideal leave-in helps tame that, smoothing hair from its wet fragile state. Whether I blow my hair out or let it air dry curly (and the latter is my usual go-to), I like a leave-in that sets the stage for styling, making it more manageable. Finally, setting my strands up for softness and shine is another plus on my checklist.
Our Top Picks for Best Leave-In Conditioners for Curly Hair in 2025
Those qualities can be found in these leave-in conditioners for curly hair. The Cosmo team and I put every single one to the test. Prior to detangling, I applied each one right after I towel dried my hair, then combed out my hair and styled as usual. Read the full reviews below and then enjoy smoother strands.
Pros
- Instantly smooths and hydrates
- Lightweight formula doesn’t weigh hair down
- Doubles as great detangler
Cons
- Not formulated for coarser hair
Why we love it: Curly hair is typically dry and this leave-in is designed for thirsty strands. It contains marine ingredients to hydrate hair, specifically sea kelp and coconut water, which are rich in vitamins and minerals, plus vitamins A, C, and E, respectively. The lightweight formula is designed for fine-to-medium hair.
Cosmo editor review: “My hair felt smoother and more manageable the minute I applied it. It made detangling a breeze and left my hair softer and less frizzy. After letting it air dry, it definitely tamed my texture—my strands were sleeker and shinier. I also liked the mild sweet floral scent and the lightweight texture that didn’t weigh down my hair.” —Celia Shatzman, Beauty Writer
Features at a Glance
| Best for | Fine/medium, dry hair |
| Format | Cream |
| Key ingredients | Sea kelp, coconut water, rosehip oil, keratin |
| Silicone-free | Yes |
Pros
- Doubles as heat protectant
- Repairs with bond-building technology
- Fights frizz and smooths
Cons
- Unscented
Why we love it: Damaged hair always needs a little extra TLC and this leave-in is certainly up to the task. Formulated with the brand’s B-PRO3 bond technology sourced from chia seeds, it repairs the appearance of damaged strands and claims to reduce breakage by 70% after just a single use. It also doubles as a heat protectant, courtesy of bamboo extract that safeguards strands up to 450°F, and helps to extend the life of your blowout.
Cosmo editor review: “You know the feeling of relieved thirst and instant hydration after you down a glass of ice water on a hot summer day? That’s what this leave-in feels like for your hair. Lolavie claims it delivers 72 hours of frizz protection and I believe it. As soon as I smoothed this through my wet hair my curls were smoother and more defined, making it instantly more manageable. I also love that it saves a step as a heat protectant, too.” —CS
Features at a Glance
| Best for | Damaged curls |
| Format | Cream |
| Key ingredients | Rose of Jericho, superfruit complex, bamboo extract, B-PRO3 bond technology |
| Silicone-free | Yes |
Pros
- Reduces breakage
- Smooths
- Heat protectant
Cons
- Some reviewers found the scent polarizing
Why we love it: A true damage defender, this leave-in works from the inside out to minimize breakage and strengthen hair from its core, sealing the cuticle along the way and resulting in less frizz and more shine and softness. It protects hair from heat styling up to 450° F and is infused with glycerin and squalane for moisture.
Cosmo editor review: “Isima’s All In Restorative Leave In Conditioner gets so many things right. As someone with thick, medium length 3B curls, I'll take any product that tames my frizz and keeps my curls moisturized. This leave-in gives maximum results with lower maintenance—when I have to run out the door and air-dry my hair, I swap my more involved routine for this baby. It also smells divine and will grant you tons of compliments.” —Sam Olson, Assistant News Editor
Features at a Glance
| Best for | All curl types |
| Format | Cream |
| Key ingredients | Biomimetic ceramide, squalane, glycerin |
| Silicone-free | No |
Pros
- Enhances texture
- Light texture for a cream
- Fights frizz
Cons
- Floral scent is pleasant, but might be too strong for some
Why we love it: Impressively lightweight for a cream, this won’t weigh down curls. It contains natural humectant manuka honey to deeply hydrate curls and infuse them with minerals and nutrients, plus ceramides to lock in moisture and fight breakage.
Cosmo editor review: “I love how soft this cream left my hair—there was zero residue or stickiness, despite using a lot to help define my texture when I let my hair air dry. It definitely cut down on frizz too, and instantly made my hair more manageable. Personally, I like the warm floral tuberose scent, but I could see fragrance-phobes not being as into it.” —CS
Features at a Glance
| Best for | Wavy, curly and coily |
| Format | Cream |
| Key ingredients | Manuka honey, ceramides |
| Silicone-free | Yes |
Pros
- Brings curls and waves to life
- Super lightweight
- Contains heat protection
Cons
- Bi-phase formula requires strong shake
Why we love it: Infused with milk protein to boost bounce and elasticity, when you spray on this bi-phase serum it instantly strengthens the hair fiber. The unscented formula is super light and helps fight frizz. Bonus: It’s infused with a heat protectant.
Cosmo editor review: “I was impressed with how this spray instantly brought my texture back to life. My curls often look and feel weighed down and some products can make them go flat, but this gave them back their bounce and really defined them. There was less frizz and fluff than usual too.” —CS
Features at a Glance
| Best for | Limp curls |
| Format | Serum mist |
| Key ingredients | Milk protein |
| Silicone-free | No |
Pros
- Adds shine
- Contains vitamin C
- Nourishing
Cons
- Doesn’t add much definition
Why we love it: Think of the perks of a vitamin C serum for your face and consider this the hair version of that. It’s rich in antioxidants and vitamin C to ward off damage from environmental aggressors, plus there’s amino acid-packed vegetable protein to strengthen, coconut oil to soften and prevent breakage, and hyaluronic acid to hydrate and nourish.
Cosmo editor review: “As I raked this through my wet hair, it was amazing how quickly it worked to help detangle and nourish. I was wowed by the high-wattage shine it brought to my hair, which is often hard to achieve with curly hair. I noticed a smoother air dry as well.” —CS
Features at a Glance
| Best for | Hair that needs antioxidant protection |
| Format | Cream |
| Key ingredients | Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, vegetable protein, coconut oil |
| Silicone-free | No |
Pros
- Easy spray application
- Tames frizz for 24 hours
- Hydrates and nourishes
Cons
- Nozzle falls off top of bottle
Why we love it: In many cases curly hair equals frizzy hair. This spray delivers loads of hydration with its patented hyaluronic acid technology to stop frizz in its tracks, even on humid days. There’s also pure coconut milk (hence the yummy scent) to nourish, strengthen and smooth strands.
Cosmo editor review: “My hair is no stranger to frizz, but misting this into my damp hair made a world of difference. I found that it actually lived up to the brand’s claims of fighting frizz for 24 hours. The light and even spray made application a cinch.” —CS
Features at a Glance
| Best for | Frizz-prone curls |
| Format | Spray |
| Key ingredients | Pure coconut milk, hyaluronic acid |
| Silicone-free | Yes |
Pros
- Good for damaged hair
- Works on dry and wet hair
- Preps for styling
Cons
- Doesn’t provide enough slip, according to some online reviews
Why we love it: At the heart of Fenty Hair is Replenicore-5, the brand’s proprietary complex that does it all: repairs, strengthens, hydrates, smooths and protects. Whether you use the leave-in on wet or dry hair, it will fight frizz, smooth, detangle and hydrate on all hair textures and types.
Cosmo editor review: “Wow, I was absolutely blown away by the Fenty Water Boi. I had read some mixed reviews so I was hesitant, but this is the best curly hair product I’ve used in a minute! For me the moment of truth is when I brush the first section with the product to see how the curls form and the Fenty Water Boi did not disappoint! It turned my ramen noodle curls into spiral coils. Love this formula! A little bit goes a long way. On top of that the product smells amazing! I will definitely be purchasing this product when it runs out! God bless Riri.” —Khadija Horton, Digital Designer
Features at a Glance
| Best for | All curl types |
| Format | Spray |
| Key ingredients | Hyaluronic acid, Replenicore-5 (Fenty Hair’s proprietary complex) |
| Silicone-free | Yes |
Pros
- Lightweight formula doesn’t weigh down hair
- Time-release moisture technology maintains curls
- Hydrating
Cons
- Not suited for thicker hair
Why we love it: Curly-haired girlies with fine hair know that their texture can go limp by mid-day, which is exactly what this spray is designed to prevent. Its time-release moisture technology delivers lasting hydration—the brand claims it increases moisture by up to 50%—so curls stay plump all day long. The formula also features a TriCera Blend with three types of ceramides to nourish the hair's natural lipid barrier, keeping frizz at bay.
Cosmo editor review: “This happens to me far more than I’d like to admit: I leave in the morning with perfectly defined curls and by the afternoon they are very undefined, to put it mildly. This light-as-a-feather spray helps prevent that by hydrating my hair all day long, which helps keeps curls looking like, well, curls, instead of pieces of frizz.” —CS
Features at a Glance
| Best for | Fine to medium curls |
| Format | Spray |
| Key ingredients | Resurrection flower, olive oil, macadamia oil |
| Silicone-free | Yes |
How we tested
Cosmo editors are constantly testing a range of hair products. To compile this list, we narrowed down dozens of leave-in conditioners for curly hair based on staffer favorites and customer reviews, and then personally tested nine different products. We also interviewed a hair expert about what to look for in a leave-in conditioner for curly hair.
What should people with curly hair look for in a leave-in conditioner?
“Curly hair more than anything needs moisture,” says Steven Picciano, Goldwell National Artist and owner of Glass Beauty Bar. “I prefer a leave-in cream to a spray for curly hair. My favorite is Goldwell DualSenses Just Smooth 6 Effects Serum. This leave-in cream helps tame frizz, detangle, fight flyaways and helps to repair internal damage as well as improve elasticity and shine.
What should different curl types look for in a leave-in conditioner?
“When shopping for a leave-in conditioner you have to take your hair texture into account,” Picciano says. “If your hair is fine but curly try to avoid heavy creams or butters. Conversely, if your texture is coarse make sure your leave in has enough weight to help smooth your hair and moisturize.
What are the benefits of using a leave-in conditioner for curly hair?
“Curls need moisture to bounce and keep from frizzing,” Picciano says. “Introducing a leave-in cream as a primer to your styling product helps detangle and nourish strands.”
What’s the best way to apply a leave-in conditioner to curly hair?
It’s best to use one after every wash or restyle, according to Picciano. Apply it section by section, working it through with a detangling brush or medium tooth comb.
Why trust 'Cosmopolitan'?
Celia Shatzman (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based journalist who has covered beauty for two decades and has had curly hair even longer. She interviewed an expert and made product selections based her personal testing experiences, sharing many of her favorites that have kept her curls defined and frizz at bay.
Celia Shatzman (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor who has penned stories on topics ranging from beauty to fashion, travel, celebrities, health, entertainment, finance and more. A graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, she is a beauty and style contributor at Forbes and her work has appeared in New York, Cosmopolitan, WWD, ELLE, Conde Nast Traveler, Afar, Travel + Leisure, Women’s Health, Marie Claire, Byrdie, Refinery29 and NYLON, among others.
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