5 Men's Leave-In Conditioners That Will Help Tame Frizzy Hair
Here we are on day actually-what-are-days-again? of quarantine. Somehow many of us are learning to manage without the services we once took for granted, like cafes, salons, yoga studios, and oh how the list goes on. In the meantime, many of us have learned new skills and DIY tricks to keep our appearances intact (or at least good enough to make a Zoom meeting appearance) from temporary at-home hair color to salon-like manis and even trims or "dustings."
For men, one thing in particular, does seem to be creeping up as the days go on: newly long locks that you haven't quite figured out how to style yet. Yes, for the men who have decided to let their manes grow out during this time, you may be realizing that keeping longer strands perfectly coiffed isn't always easy—and in fact takes hair products. Welcome, gents, to the world of leave-ins. They'll soften your hair with natural oils and nutrients, give a little hold, and smooth down the frizz. If this is your first foray into the genre, here are a few good selects.
Advertisement
Prose Define & Defrizz Curl Cream
If you are finding your newfound length to be a little on the fluffy side, it's likely because you have curly hair that you've just never let grow out enough to notice. So you can help control the frizz and even bring out some texture with a curl cream, like this clean and customizable option. The base is made with a botanical blend that will nourish your new growth as well as give any spirals some spring.
Define & Defrizz Curl Cream, Prose ($25)
Kevin.Murphy Un.Tangled Leave-In
With length comes tangles; with tangles come breakage and frizz. Keep your hair soft and smooth with a detangling leave-in conditioner that will give your strands a soft slip throughout the day. This is made with a host of Australian plant extracts like desert lime, burdekin plum, and kakadu plum to give an antioxidant boost as well.
Un.Tangled Leave-In, Kevin.Murphy ($39)
Reverie MILK Anti-Frizz Leave-In Nourishing Treatment
If your problem is dryness (think hair that feels like straw rather than silk), you may consider a conditioning milk. The texture feels exactly as the name suggests, but it's infused with nurturing amino acids and oils to hydrate and lock in moisture. Now, application is important: Apply this directly after you shower so you seal the water into the strand. This will keep your hair hydrated for longer. Then you can simply sweep on more as you feel necessary.
MILK Anti-Frizz Leave-In Nourishing Treatment, Reverie ($42)
Fellow Barber Styling Cream
This is like a step in between leave-in conditioners and a styling gel. It's made with shea butter and meadowfoam seed oil for hydration, fatty acids for shine, and cacao seed oil to soften coarse strands. Not to mention, it's water-soluble, so it won't cause greasy, tacky buildup and will easily rinse out in the shower.
Styling Cream, Fellow Barber ($25)
Aveda Men Pure Formance Grooming Cream
This classic styling balm will give you hold and texture if you really need help keeping strands in place. Don't worry, while this does provide plenty of grit, it doesn't feel crunchy or like a paste. It's just a soft, smooth cream with just the right amount of stickiness.
Pure Formance Grooming Cream, Aveda Men ($26)
Advertisement
Alexandra Engler is the beauty director at mindbodygreen and host of the beauty podcast Clean Beauty School. Previously, she's held beauty roles at Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, SELF, and Cosmopolitan; her byline has appeared in Esquire, Sports Illustrated, and Allure.com. In her current role, she covers all the latest trends in the clean and natural beauty space, as well as lifestyle topics, such as travel. She received her journalism degree from Marquette University, graduating first in the department. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.