These are the best leave-in conditioners of 2024, tested and reviewed

Hair Type: All | Formula: Lightweight cream | Ingredients: sh-Oligopeptide-78 (K18Peptide™), Hydrolyzed wheat starch | Scent: Floral with notes of jasmine and peony

This repairing mask is, by far, not only the best leave-in conditioner I tried, but is the best hair product I've come across in ... as long as I can remember. Kaeding agrees: "I personally love K18’s Leave-in Molecular Repair Mask. It contains a patented peptide that works at the innermost layer of the hair (the cortex) and is clinically proven to repair damage from bleach, color, chemical services and heat in just four minutes. Because it works on this molecular level (where all hair is the same), this product is effective on all hair types — so I recommend it to literally everyone."

My experience with this mask is that it made my hair silkier and shinier than it's been since my high school yearbook portrait. I wish it wasn't close to $30, but I also felt like the quality was worth it.

Hair Type: Fine and long hair | Formula: Lightweight spray | Ingredients: Biotin, coconut oil, shea butter

The best drugstore pick we came across, Marc Anthony's leave-in conditioner, is effective and gentle (paraben-, sulfate- and phthalate-free) without breaking the bank. It's an excellent lightweight detangler that adds moisture to fine and long hair without weighing down your strands. One minor complaint: It's more of an old-school, everyday leave-in conditioner, and it won't repair damaged or ultradry hair like some of the pricier items on this list.

Hair Type: All | Formula: Lightweight moisturizing spray | Ingredients: Fennel seed oil, coconut oil | Scent: Floral, with notes of ginger, amber, and musk

Curly hair folks trust Mizani as a shampoo brand for all types of curls, and its leave-in conditioner follows suit. It's made with coconut oil but is somehow not the least bit greasy. It protects hair from heat, detangles, moisturizes, tames frizz and helps repair damaged hair. Best of all, it works on any hair type: natural, relaxed, straight, any kind of curl and even wigs and weaves.

Hair Type: All, including curly, coily and wavy | Formula: Liquid spray | Ingredients: Coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, olive fruit oil, silicones, humectants, vegetable protein | Scent: Fresh and floral with notes of rose, floral ginger and cedarwood

A trio of luscious oils — coconut, olive, and camellia seed — included in this leave-in conditioner lock in moisture so your hair stays hydrated. Plus, it detangles, adds shine and helps smooth frizz, thanks to coconut oil's ability to penetrate deep into the hair shaft. Yahoo Shopping Deputy Editor Izabella Zaydenberg said, "Now that my bleach blonde days are behind me, I've resolved to make 2024 the year I'm way gentler on my hair. I'm a big fan of one-and-done products, and this Pureology spray is it: I just spritz it on damp hair and style as usual. I love that it provides heat protection, too, so when I choose to give myself an at-home blowout, my strands don't look or feel fried. It's also safe on color-treated hair, plus it smells incredible. I'm still on my first bottle, but I already bought a second as a backup, in case Pureology ever stops making this stuff (and if they do, I'll absolutely buy out their stock)."

Hair Type: All, including straight, wavy, curly and coily | Formula: Cream | Ingredients: Bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, coconut oil, fermented argan oil, vitamin E

This leave-in "bond smoother" from the ultra-beloved Olaplex line (this product alone has nearly 40,000 five-star Amazon reviews) started as a salon-only treatment, but during the pandemic, it was made available to its devoted fans (including Margot Robbie) for at-home use. Kim Kardashian loved the hair-softening, hair-strengthening effects of this formula so much, she once used "Olaplexing" as a verb. I wrote all about Olaplex last year and I had to know: Does it work? Yes, yes it does. My hair was noticeably smoother, less frizzy and softer after just one use. 

Hair Type: Extra-dry hair | Formula: Heavy-duty spray | Ingredients: Squalane, hyaluronic acid, blue algae | Scent: Vanilla with notes of citrus

I love nearly every product I've tried from Brooklyn-based Amika, and this heavy-duty, ultra-hydrating formulation is no exception. It's made with serious skin-care ingredients like squalane, hyaluronic acid and blue algae, but the scent is not sterile at all — it's a luxurious vanilla with a hint of citrus. Plus, it feels great in your hair. Pro tip: Avoid spraying at the very crown of your head, as the extra moisture might make your roots look oily.  

Hair Type: All | Formula: Ultra-lightweight mist | Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, propanediol, glycerin, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, behenamidopropyl dimethylamine, linum usitatissimum (linseed) seed extract | Scent: Light aloe scent

It's pricey, yes, but if your scalp is easily irritated or dandruff-prone, this high-quality French leave-in is worth the investment. The ingredients here are 98% natural; it's also cruelty free and contains zero silicone, parabens, harsh oxidants or phthalates. Plus, it works: It sprays on in a fine mist (making it ideal for thinner or finer hair), detangles handily and adds moisture and shine. 

Hair Type: All, including dry hair | Formula: Light serum | Ingredients: Plant-based proteins, niacinamide (vitamin B3), glycerin | Scent: Floral

If your hair is totally wrecked from sun damage or heat damage or color damage — any kind of damage — this is your (rather spendy) pick. It transforms hair literally overnight with a creamy, nutrient-packed formula and smells amazing. It also accomplishes all the other stuff you want — detangles, protects against heat damage — but it's the retexturizing, body-building, high-charge smoothing and moisturizing where this product shines. Pro tip: Use it sparingly, roughly once a week, for best results.