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The best conditioners that make your hair look and feel seriously good
There's one for every hair type – from frizzy to fine, and everything in-between
Out of all the products you'll find in a shower, a hair conditioner is by far the most subjective. Just like finding your perfect foundation match, there are few things to consider when it comes to choosing the right formula.
Fine, thick, textured and oily hair all need entirely different treatments, so your best friend’s Holy Grail might not turn out to be the love of your life. However, if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it's that a good conditioner is the difference between a bad hair day and a really good one.
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Best conditioner for colour-treated hair
L'Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Vitamino Colour Conditioner
Read review
The first step to success is choosing a formula that works for your hair type and, luckily, the best formulations on the shelves are packed with clever ingredients so you can find the perfect one.
If you have fine, flyaway strands, it’s best to opt for a feather-light hydrator that will condition without weighing down your hair. On the other hand, those with textured lengths may benefit from an oil-rich formula – like argan or jojoba oil – to inject nourishment and hydration.
And, if your hair is no stranger to heat and chemical styling, get yourself a bond-repairing formula to seal those split ends and soften straw-like strands. You should also look out for hydrating ingredients to prolong your colour from fading; hyaluronic acid and squalane are stellar options here.
In terms of application, remember a conditioner is for nourishing while a shampoo is for detoxifying and cleansing, so focus the product on the lengths of your hair rather than your scalp (that's the job of your shampoo).
We've worked our way through a hefty number of bottles. So, to avoid a lengthy trial-and-error process of your own, discover below the ones that come out on top. There's one for every hair type and budget.
The best conditioners for every hair type, from fine and flat to dry and damaged.
Living Proof Full Conditioner
Pros
- Adds lightweight volume and bounce
- Contains hydrating ingredients
- Delicate aroma
Cons
- Doesn't detangle well
Living Proof is synonymous with full-bodied heads of hair, and this volumising conditioner is proof (pls, pardon the pun).
The lightweight cream is fortified with strand-plumping proteins to encourage a fluffy and energised bounce, while squalane ensures a hydrated and sleek result.
Finish up with a touch of volumising spray and you can wave goodbye to flat, soulless strands.
Typebea G3 Strength and Length Conditioner
Pros
- Infused with plant-based keratin to aid growth
- Instantly softens
- Free from sulphates, silicones and parabens
- Works on all hair types
Cons
- A little spenny
Typebea, founded by Rita Ora and Vida Glow founder Anna Lahey, should definitely be on your radar. The gloss treatment was what instantly caught our attention, but after testing the range, something has to be said for this softening conditioner.
The cream cossets each strand to feed it with plant-based keratin, aiding your journey back to healthy hair growth.
You'll know how hard it has worked by how easily a brush slips through tangles and how enviously soft your lengths feel after styling. Oh, and not that frizz needs to be controlled, but we were beyond impressed at its glossy ~ glass hair ~ vibe.
Pros
- Provides unreal shine
- A rich consistency that almost feels like a hair mask
Cons
- Can feel a little heavy on fine strands
We all want shiny hair, and if you say you don't, you lie! Tresemmé's Lamellar Shine Conditioner harnesses the power of lamellar technology – a structure that forms around damaged areas of hair to feed it with active ingredients, such as amino acids and ceramides, to boost strength and shine.
Squeeze a generous size dollop into your palms and smooth through your mid-lengths down to the ends. Style with a finishing oil and you're in for the glossiest hair of your existence.
Pureology Hydrate Conditioner
Pros
- A little goes a long way
- Prevents colour from fading
Cons
- Spenny price tag
- Contains silicones
Colour treated and dry hair often go hand in hand, so slather on this conditioner whenever it's feeling a little worse for wear.
If you focus hard enough, you can practically feel the hydrating ingredients, like jojoba and tea extract, soak into your cuticles to heal breakage and deliver intense nourishment.
We equally love the Deep Treatment mask for hair that's feeling extra parched.
L'Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Vitamino Colour Conditioner
Pros
- Stops colour fading
- Instantly softens
- Works on all hair types
Cons
- Requires a large dollop of product to smooth
When you've invested time and money into your colour, you want to keep it vibrant for as long as poss, right? This is why you need a specific conditioner to prevent the dye from stripping.
L'Oréal's Vitamino Colour Conditioner is finely tweaked to prevent colour fading and is enriched with antioxidants to deeply hydrate and nourish dry strands. Stick to it and this will soon have irreplaceable shower status.
Pattern Intensive Conditioner
Pros
- Packed full of nourishing oils
- Defines and softens natural curl pattern
Cons
- Some may not like the sweet, floral aroma
If your hair still feels dry no matter how much conditioner you slather on, listen up. This one is an award winner for those with low-porosity hair types.
Formulated with deeply moisturising ingredients – like shea butter and avocado oil – it’s designed to penetrate dry hair with a hit of hydration and makes for beautifully separated curls.
It can be used as a rinse-out, or if you really have moisture-zapping issues it makes a great leave-in treatment. Plus, it’s made without parabens or sulphates, so you know it's one truly created with curls in mind.
Pros
- Cleanses without stripping natural oils
- Leaves the hair feeling moisturised
- Easy-to-use pump
Cons
- Possibly too rich for fine hair
Hello Klean's Hard Water Conditioner is cleverly formulated to protect the hair against breakage and brittleness that's often associated with unfiltered water
Soak your lengths from root to tip and the reishi mushroom, rice protein and hyaluronic acid will work to boost moisture, strengthen and restore softness.
Pair this with the brand's shampoo, designed to stop hard minerals and metals from settling on your strands, and you'll quickly notice stronger hair and a happier scalp.
Pros
- Budget friendly
- Adds moisture and boosts shine
Cons
- Some customers wished it reduced frizz
If your hair is snapping off at the tug of a brush, it's likely lacking hydration, so get your mitts on a really good moisture-boosting conditioner.
Monday's Moisture Conditioner is created with the driest (and saddest) strands in mind. Fortified with coconut oil and vitamin E, as well as hydrolysed rice protein to strengthen, the cream cocoons the hair to soften and will leave a salon-like shine in it's wake.
Oh, and just to mention, it'll cost you a fiver, literally.
Pros
- Boots volume and gives lengths more body
- Has a fresh scent
Cons
- Spenny price tag
Raise your hand if you've ever been love-bombed by a volumising conditioner. Yup, me too. Many fail to deliver their promises, but one that never disappoints is RevitaLash's Thickening Conditioner.
The formula contains keratin and biotin, just like the Eyelash Conditioner, to support growth and thickness, while loquat leaf, ginseng and green tea protect against environmental stressors (read: pollution and sun exposure).
Dry your hair with a rounded brush and trust us, it gives '90s Cindy Crawford energy.
Olaplex No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner
Pros
- Contains patented technology to re-build broken bonds
- Works to improve quality and strength of the hair
Cons
- Spenny price tag
There are lots of great repairing treatments out there, but our hat will always go off to Olaplex's No.5 Conditioner.
Specially designed for hair that's been through the wringer, it works to actively repair the broken bonds in each strand, rather than simply smoothing the surface.
In simpler terms, it seeks out and solves breakages. Genius.
Pros
- Makes over-processed hair feel soft and manageable
- Hydrates rough split ends
Cons
- Can leave a slight greasy feel if not properly washed
If you've overdone it on the heat styling, you're going to need a conditioner that'll stop those ends from becoming so dry that they start to snap.
Firstly, step away from the straighteners. Secondly, reach for this clever conditioner from Nexxus' Keraphix line. It contains proteins derived from black rice (inspired by the Chinese tradition of rinsing hair in rice water), meaning it'll help to rebuild your straggly strands before they reach crisis point.
Drunk Elephant Cocomino Marula Cream Conditioner
Pros
- Prevents product build-up
- Cleanses scalp without irritating
Cons
- Some may not like the 'bakewell tart' scent
- Not ideal for detangling
Designed in collaboration with Chris McMillan – the hairdresser behind 'the Rachel' – this pretty-much-perfect conditioner is designed with both your scalp and hair in mind.
A pH of 3.5 ensures the skin is left balanced, while the silicone-free, marula butter infused formula delivers nourishment the hair can actually absorb, meaning no product build-up.
If scent is important to you, know that this smells exactly like a bakewell tart. Now, go forth and stockpile.
L'Oréal Paris Dream Lengths Wonder Water
Pros
- Cuts down shower time
- Leaves unreal shine
- Affordable
Cons
- Doesn't last as long as a standard conditioner
This eight second hair treatment will save you lots of time if you need to be speedy in the shower.
The formula is powered by lamellar technology which, in layman's terms, coats damaged areas of your hair to penetrate the cuticle, feeding them with amino acids and protein (the power couple for promoting stronger strands).
After you shampoo, pour the liquid over your hair and skip the conditioner; it offers a glossy shine and a soft touch that you’ll be stroking for days.
Noughty Purple Reign Tone Correcting Shampoo
Pros
- Affordable
- Eliminates brassy tones
Cons
- Doesn't detangle well
- May not be suitable for thicker hair types
For our on-a-budget blondes, this purple conditioner proves you don’t have to break the bank to keep your colour looking fresh.
Use it when your blonde looks a little ‘meh’ and the violet pigments will reduce unwanted brassy tones to reveal a brighter look.
Fruit extracts also take care of your hair, leaving it shiny and hydrated with each wash.
Clare Stephenson is the Senior Fashion and Beauty E-commerce Writer for Cosmopolitan, ELLE and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been an e-commerce writer since 2022, creating matter-of-fact reviews and shopping pages filled with her favourite products for every budget and need – whether that’s a glow-giving foundation, a high-tech LED face mask or the perfect wear-with-everything blazer.
Alongside writing, Clare loves to be in front of the camera creating shopping content, putting viral products to the test to see which ones are truly worth the hype. Through her work, she has interviewed leading dermatologists, makeup artists and industry experts to bring readers trusted advice and product recommendations.
Clare has contributed to titles across the Hearst UK portfolio, including Women’s Health, Good Housekeeping, Red and Prima. Prior to joining Hearst, she earned a BA in Multimedia Journalism from Bournemouth University, focusing her studies on magazines and editorial. She later worked as an editorial assistant at Voir Fashion Magazine, covering events including Fashion Week and interviewing notable brand founders.
Outside of work? You can find Clare strolling through London’s Columbia Road Market, pouring her fourth coffee of the day or heading to a Pilates class.
Follow Clare on Instagram @clarefrancesstephenson.
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