The 12 Best Leave In Conditioners For Biracial Hair (2024)

Inside: The best leave in conditioners for biracial hair along with why, and how you should use leave in conditioners.

Leave in conditioners are an essential hair product for those with mixed curly hair because they put much needed moisture back into the hair, plus they provide additional protection from the elements, (like the weather or sun exposure).

Keeping curly biracial hair moisturized will protect it from frizz and breakage, which is vital in keeping the hair healthy.

Consistently using a leave in helps make the hair stronger because it won’t get damaged from being too dry.

You may wonder, (as I did) why you’d need a leave in if you’re already using a conditioner, which also hydrates naturally curly.

But regular conditioners are meant to be washed out, while leave ins are meant to stay in the hair giving it more hydration and protection all day.

Leave ins are the lightest product you can use to add moisture, and some definition to curly hair.

Depending on the hair texture, you can use it alone, or in addition to other products. (Check out the best curl creams for mixed hair)

Some leave ins also double as a detangler, which is fantastic when you’re trying to comb through your kids curls and you don’t want to do your entire shampoo and detangle routine!

If your kids have thick, coarse curls, leave ins likely won’t be enough to keep the hair protected and defined all day, so you should try including some of these products for mixed hair into their hair care routine.

How do you use leave in conditioner?

When my mixed kids were babies and young toddlers, I used leave in as a stand alone product for their hair. Their curls were fine textured, so it kept moisture in their hair while giving their curls a little definition.

If your child has fine curly hair, you don’t want to use too many products, (or heavy products) because that’ll weigh the curls down. But a leave in conditioner is lightweight so it’s great for fine curls.

Now that my daughter’s hair is coarser and thicker, I use the leave in right after I rinse the conditioner out, as the first layer to add moisture in her hair.

You’ll want to make sure your child’s hair is very wet, put some of the product in your hands, rub them together, (to avoid applying too much product in one spot) and spread the leave in conditioner from the bottom towards the top.

You want to apply it from the bottom to the top to make sure driest parts of their hair are getting the benefit of the leave in.

I generally avoid the roots because they’re not usually dry and I also want to avoid weighing the top of her hair down, or causing build up.

If your child’s hair is in a protective hairstyle and you want to re-do the style, you’d take the hair down, spray the hair so it’s damp, and use the leave in to hydrate their hair and to quickly detangle it.

How often should you use a leave in conditioner?

If I leave my daughter’s hair down, I’ll use it every two or three days, (after getting the hair wet again).

I don’t use it every day because I feel like it would be adding too much product to her hair and then it would cause build up and limp curls.

(Find out how to get rid of build up with these clarifying shampoos for mixed curly hair.)

If her hair is in a protective hairstyle, then I use it if I’m taking it down to restyle her hair, (which is generally after 4 days or so).

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The Best Leave In Conditioners For Biracial Hair

Not all leave in conditioners will work the same, as some work better for specific hair types. This list has leave ins for various hair needs, (like fine curls, coarse curls, low porosity curls, high porosity curls, etc.). Take a look through to find the one that matches your child’s hair needs.

(I’m currently loving the last two on this list!)

Knot Today Leave In Conditioner/Detangler