Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link.
Want a non-toxic leave-in conditioner? We have selected the 5 best organic leave-in conditioners to help you find the perfect one!
Sometimes you just don’t have time to do the full shampoo, rinse, condition, and rinse again cycle. Efficiency is a priority in this day and age, and although I don’t like to admit that, I do enjoy being able to cut down on things that are eating up my time. After all, why waste 30 minutes in the shower when I could be, say … sleeping?
Although leave-in conditioners are known for their ability to save us all time and energy, they should be added to your regular hair care regimen because of their other benefits: They detangle hair, tame frizz, and protect the hair from environmental factors—like sun exposure—and heated styling appliances—like curling irons, blow dryers, and straighteners.
Whether you want to cut down on your shower time or add a boost of moisture to your ends, you’ll love these five leave-in conditioners we’re about to introduce you to.
Ingredients to Look for in a Leave-In Conditioner
If you haven’t dove into the world of organic leave-in conditioners before, if you’re new to organic hair care products altogether, it would only help to learn what ingredients will be most beneficial for your beautiful locks. To have an idea of what we mean, take a look at our list:
Argan oil: This ingredient naturally brings forth hydration and moisture to anything it touches. It has even been found to reduce flaky scalps.
Shea butter: Another moisturizing ingredient, shea butter makes the hair feel smooth and well tended to. It helps with split ends, breakages, and repairs the hair back to a healthy state.
Aloe vera: This ingredient soothes frizz and reduces damage in hair—two things you definitely want in a leave-in conditioner.
Essential oils: Natural mood enhancers, what’s not to love about essential oils? There’s one for everyone, so you don’t have to rely on toxic artificial fragrances for a mood lift in your hair care products!
Ingredients to Avoid in a Leave-In Conditioner
Before plummeting all the way into leave-in conditioners, it’s important to be on the lookout for ingredients you’ll want nothing to do with in your hair care products. This is a list of what you don’t want in your leave-in conditioner:
1,4 dioxane: Found in a good percentage of conventional hair products, you want to avoid this ingredient for its tested link to causing toxicity in the human body. Among other problems, 1,4 dioxane has been found to likely cause immunotoxicity and respiratory and cardiovascular toxicity.
Dimethicone: An artificial compound used to soften everything it comes into contact with, dimethicone is actually a skin irritant known to cause acne and other skin issues.
Formaldehyde: A tested carcinogen and neurotoxin, you don’t want anything to do with products containing formaldehyde. Although this is commonly found in conventional conditioners, you may also see it listed on pretty much any other beauty product.
Phthalates: Watch out for any ingredient that ends in “phthalate”—it may even be termed as “fragrance.” These are not ingredients you want on your person, as they are likely carcinogens.
5 Best Organic Leave-In Conditioners
The EVOLVh Smart Volume Leave-In Conditioner is a light-weight, no-fuss formulation for all of you wanting to boost up your hair’s volume overnight. While it primarily adds volume, it also protects your hair from damage caused by heat and the sun. It also keeps breakaways and split ends at bay with the use of bergamot fruit oil.
We love this leave-in conditioner because it’s non-greasy and wonderful and detangling, making the hair feel incredibly soft when you wake up. Even those with very thick and/or kinky hair rave about this product—it’s just that effective!
Pros
- Highly effective at calming split ends
- Deep moisturizer
- Doesn’t weigh the hair down
- Cost-friendly
Cons
- None!
Where to Shop
Have you ever tried a leave-in conditioner, only to have your hair feel super sticky afterward? Well, this is not that—it’s completely the opposite! Innersense’s Sweet Spirit Leave-In Conditioner is sweet; it’s so easy to use and spritz on, and what you’re left with is a harmonic scent and hydrated hair.
While aloe leaf gel lends a hit of hydration, tamanu oil increases the hair’s strength and keeps it shiny. This product is perfect for all hair types. It has even been said that it’s great for children, too! So, parents: Keep your eyes out for this one.
Pros
- Ideal for all hair types
- Hydrating and detangling
- Tear-free on children
- Non-greasy formula
- Pleasant scent
Cons
- None!
Where to Shop
The Yarok Feed Your Ends Leave-In Conditioner is rich with damage-reversing and nutrient-dense ingredients. Although the content list is short, the positive effects are tremendous: Thanks to apricot and primrose oil, your strands will feel sleek, shiny, and light.
This product has worked well for many hair types, including curly, thick, straight, and fine hair. Because of that, we can’t say you could go wrong with this leave-in conditioner! Just beware not to go overboard with your spritzes, as it may cause your hair to feel greasy.
Pros
- Reverses effects of heat and UV ray damage
- Tames frizz
- Great for many hair types
Cons
- Applying too much of the product may result in greasy hair
Where to Shop
After trying the REVERIE Milk Anti-Frizz Leave-In Nourishing Treatment, we understand the hype surrounding it. With a soothing jasmine scent and array of 16 essential oils, this product was a wonder to work with.
That said, don’t expect that you’ll be physically spraying this onto your hair; actually, the formula requires you to pump and work it into your hands before running through your ends. Since the consistency is on the thicker side, we recommend this to those who have curly, kinky, or wavy hair, or for hair in need of deep repair. Otherwise, it may be too heavy for you.
Still, this product certainly lives up to its anti-frizz title—and the scent is enough reason alone to give it a try!
Pros
- Rich essential oil blend
- Anti-frizz formula
- Works on both wet or dry hair
- Don't need much product
- Smells of Jasmine
- Lightweight, won't weigh the hair down
Cons
- Recommended only for thicker or curly/wavy hair
- A bit pricey
Where to Shop
Maybe you’re looking for more from your leave-in conditioner—you don’t just want sleek hair; you want to be transported to a beachside getaway. If that’s the case, let us introduce you to the Rare El’Ements Marula Cocktail Leave-In Hair Mist, with a scent that brings us back to some of our favorite vacation spots.
This luxury leave-in conditioner will bring the life back into your otherwise brittle, fragile hair. If you’ve spent too much time in the sun, or if you’ve used a heated styling appliance without any protection, allow this hair mist to take your hair back to its better days.
Pros
- Lightweight formula
- Leaves hair sleek and healthy
- Scent is divine!
Cons
- For the size, this product is fairly expensive
Where to Shop
Conclusion
Leave-in conditioners got a lot of hype ten or so years ago, but they’re still worth all the rage: If you need to minimize the time you’re spending on your hair, or if you need to bring some life back to your hair, don’t fail to check out all the good things leave-in conditioners can bring to you.
We love leave-in conditioners because they’re simple to use and effective. And when you find a product that’s organic and non-toxic, how can you lose? All of the aforementioned leave-in conditioners have our golden seal of approval. They contain awesome formulations that will only do good for your hair.
What’s your experience with leave-in conditioners? Is this the first time you’ve really considered using them, or are you a die-hard fan?
As for us, we swear by them! Let us know what your opinion is below in the comments. Or if you have any questions, we would love to hear from you.
Thanks for being a part in our community!
Hey Andrea,
I am 28 living in Vancouver. I have very thin hairs and sensitive scalp. I have been using different brands of shampoo and conditioner for my hairs but none of them suiting me as I got bumps and itchiness on my scalp. Also I want to switch some organic body lotion. I’ve been thinking to give a try to bare baby organic products. So what do you suggest? Please write me back.
Love your page!
Trisha
Hi Trisha, I love Vancouver! Such a beautiful city 🙂
Have you read our sensitive skin guide? It has lots of helpful information for people with sensitive skin.
We have an article on the best organic body lotions that you may want to check out.
Bare Baby Organics is a good brand, they have safe and basic ingredients, I wouldn’t hesitate to give them a try.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Hello Andrea, I must say that this article is very helpful and informative. My wife is still looking for “perfect” organic conditioners and now I see that EVOLVh could be a great match for her hair. I like that it is not expensive yet so effective. Thank you for sharing, I will order one for her, hope that she will like it.
Hi Daniel, so glad you found the list helpful! Let us know how your wife enjoys the conditioner 🙂
OMG! Did I just see Dimethicone among the list of ingredients to avoid in a leave-in conditioner? It is present in the conditioner I make use at the moment. Though it was suggested to me by a colleague at work but I never realised it is harmful to my skin. It is high time it threw it away. Thanks! However, you have reviewed great products up here and I think I would purchase one of the reviewed on this list especially the EVOLVh Smart Volume Leave-In Conditioner. It seems very cool and considering the fact that it has no cons too.
You can use up the conditioner containing Dimethicone rather than just throw it out 🙂 Then when you have used it up, replace it with one from the list above.