How do leave-in treatments work?

If you leave the shower and find that your hair still feels brittle, dry and difficult to comb through because of tangles and split ends, even after you've used your daily moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, then it's probably time to try some leave-in treatments. Leave-in conditioners and oils are, as the name suggests, products you apply to your hair and do not rinse out. You might be hesitant to use a product that you leave in your hair for fear that your hair will feel heavy or greasy, but that isn't the case with these products that are specially formulated to be left in your hair (well, that is assuming that you don't overuse the product!)

So how exactly do these treatments work?

Leave-in conditioners are very different from regular wash-out conditioners in that they are much thinner, more watery and do not crystallize. What leave-in conditioners do is coat the hair shaft with nutrients, vitamins, and moisturizers, based on the type of conditioner you are using. They lock in moisture, detangle your hair, provide nutrients, and also act as a protective barrier against environmental pollutants, as well as heat. The result is smoother, shinier hair that is easier to manage.

Leave-in oil treatments work similarly to leave-in conditioners except they repair and strengthen the hair more. Oils penetrate deeper into the hair cuticle than conditioners do and are therefore more powerful.

Basically, leave-in conditioners smooth, detangle and protect your hair, while leave-in oil treatments repair, strengthen and moisturize.

Both treatments can actually be combined (use the oil last! Using it first can block the benefits of the conditioner), but should be used in moderation as too much can in fact lead to heavy, greasy-looking hair.

You can start by applying E-VOSS Keratin Plus Daily Leave-in Conditioner to damp, towel-dried hair, combing through as you blowdry and then finishing off by applying a small amount of E-VOSS Argan Oil Treatment Oil to the ends and areas that still appear dry and damaged.