The most important product in every natural hair regimen is a leave-in conditioner. No matter how many products you use in your hair on wash day and the price of each product, it won’t matter if you don’t use a good leave-in conditioner.
This is why in this post, I will be recommending ten of the best leave-in conditioners for 4c hair. Please note that this list isn’t exhaustive and the products below are not listed in an order of importance. If you have a successful product you’d like to add to the list, please add it in the comment section below.
Before we get to the list, I’d like to answer some frequently asked questions regarding leave-in conditioners and how to keep natural hair moisturized.
What’s the difference between deep conditioners and leave-in conditioners?
Deep conditioners are applied to your hair after shampooing and it’s rinsed out after a few minutes. Whereas, leave-in conditioners are applied after deep conditioning and are formulated to stay in your hair. Think of leave-in conditioners as a lotion for your hair.
How do you use leave-in conditioners in 4c hair?
Leave-in conditioners are applied after deep conditioning and it’s the third step in my recommended 5-step wash day system. You will apply the leave-in conditioner as recommended by the production company in order to ensure maximum moisture retention.
To learn more about how to apply leave-in conditioner in your hair, please watch this video by Afua BrownSugar
How often should you moisturize your 4c hair?
Depending on the porosity level of your hair, the current condition of your hair, the climate you’re living in and your choice of products, you can moisturize your hair every other day. Sometimes you can get away with only moisturizing your hair 2-3 times a week if you use a thick leave-in conditioner.
For example, if you live in a dry environment, have high porosity hair and wear your hair in a loose and non-protective style, you can moisturize your hair about 4-5 times a week. But if you keep your hair in a protective style like two-strand twists, then you can get away with only moisturizing your hair about 1-2 times a week.
Is it OK to use a leave-in conditioner every day?
Yes, you can use a leave-in conditioner in your hair every day if your hair needs it. If you use heat in your hair or you’ve done a chemical treatment such as coloring your hair, then you can use a leave-in conditioner daily if you feel your hair needs it. You can’t really over-moisturize your hair, so feel free to moisturize your hair daily if you feel your hair will benefit from it.
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What are the best moisturizing leave-in conditioners for dry brittle 4c natural hair?
*This post contains affiliate links which means that I make a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase with my link. Should you have additional products to add to this list, please let me know in the comments section. Also if you find a discontinued product on this list, please do let me know so I can keep this post updated.
1. Uniqurl Dragon Fruit & Kiwi 5 Minute Moisture Conditioner
Product Promise: This moisture-packed conditioner works in 5 minutes and you’re done! Get maximum hydration and slip in half the time of a deep conditioner. This moisture-packed conditioner glides onto your strands like butter and infuses your cuticles to nourish your hair from the inside out. This advanced formula will provide your hair with the elasticity it needs to withstand any style!
2. Strands of Faith Moisturizing Cream
Customer Review: “I love the texture of this conditioner!!! I even use it as a leave-in. The mint helps my scalp so much! I will continue to stock up.”
Product Promise: This moisturizing cream is all you need in a cream. It will give your strands the moisture it needs and provide soft, shiny and manageable hair.
Customer Review: “This moisturizer is very lightweight I love it, it made my hair very soft and moisturized.”
3. As I Am DoubleButter Cream Rich Daily Moisturizer
Product Promise: Moisture is essential for great natural coils and curls. When your hair feels a bit rough and dry, this is the jar to reach for. The power-packed As I Am® DoubleButter® Cream is a rich emollient blend, graced with the finest array of natural butters and organic oils. It gets the job done.
Customer Review: “This was my first time trying this product and I LOVE it! It makes my hair feel so soft. It makes it manageable and feels amazing! It provides instant moisture. This is definitely going into my regular hair regimen.”
4. Oyin Handmade Whipped Pudding
Product Promise: Adds moisture and pliability from scalp to ends, melting in and softening without building up, keeping hair supple for days at a time
Customer Review: “This product moisturizes and leaves my hair soft and manageable.”
5) Camille Rose Naturals Honey Leave-In Treatment
Product Promise: Droplets of pure honey, olive fruit and castor oils are blended into a sweet, hydrating hair conditioning base. Fresh bilberry and citrusy orange extract are layered with pure sugar maple in this confectionary hair treat crafted to provide maximum hair hydration benefits.
Customer Review: “Great product. Looks like honey, but it is not sticky. You feel the moisture in your hair after applying it.”
6. EDEN BodyWorks Coconut Shea Natural Leave-In Conditioner![]()
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Product Promise: Coconut shea natural leave-in conditioner is a daily conditioning treatment formulated with one of nature’s best moisturizers, coconut oil, to penetrate and revitalize tresses It penetrates and revitalizes tresses to seal in moisture.
Customer Review: “It is very moisturizing and does a good job at defining your curls.”
7. Adwoa Beauty Baomint™ Leave-In Conditioning Styler
Product Promise: This product is exceptionally moisturizing and recommended for hydrating dry, parched hair on a daily basis. Expect a smooth, rich and creamy consistency complete with natural omega fatty acids to complement hair growth and growth retention when used as part of a healthy hair regimen.
Customer Review: “I have 4C hair and it can be very dry, but using this product as a leave-in and styler keeps my hair super soft.”
8. Shea Moisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration Leave-In Treatment
Product Promise: The best leave-in conditioners offer much more, and that’s what we’ve done by providing additional natural ingredients that make the best moisturizers. Included in this blend are acacia Senegal, argan oil and sweet almond oil, all admired for their ability to deeply condition and moisturize.
Combined together into a single treatment, this restorative formula re-hydrates hair, detangles, and acts as a barrier against heat, while reducing frizz. Hair feels soft, manageable and flourishes like a coconut breeze.
Customer Review: “This spray leave-in provided just enough moisture to layer underneath my other products without weighing it down.”
9. Uncle Funky’s Daughter Thirsty Curls Leave-In Curl Revitalizer
Product Claim: Hydrates, conditions and preserves moisture in frizzy, fallen curls. Revives the bounce in curls without rewashing.
Customer Review: “I have literally tried every product for black hair under the sun. A few weeks back I had purchased the curly simulator and it did wonders on my dry 4C hair.”
10. Goode Butter Moisture Blast 2-in-1 Leave-in Conditioner & Detangler
Product Promise: The Guava Coolada Collection is Goode Butter’s FIRST collection that is strictly moisture-based! Infused with herbs and fruits, this collection is essential to the hairlista who wants moisture-rich ingredients with incredible slip and shine.
Customer Review: “I have extremely kinky 4c hair and when I used this on it, my hair shrunk into a Ball. But it got the job done. I have moisturized hair, and beautiful braids thanks to this. It smells amazing.”
Remember that this list isn’t exhaustive. If you have additional products you’d like to add to the list, please add them to the comments section.
Which leave-in conditioner have you tried? Which one will you be trying? Let me know in the comments section.
