Best Leave In Treatment for Coloured Hair: How to Choose

Best Leave In Treatment for Coloured Hair

The best leave in treatment for coloured hair is the one that suits your hair type and that you'll actually use after every wash. Colour fades a little each time you wash. Shampoo and conditioner get a few minutes on the hair. A leave in stays on until the next wash.

We stock leave in treatments from salon brands in sprays, creams and oils, so you can compare them side by side here.

Why coloured hair needs something left in

Colour, and lightening most of all, opens the outer layer of the hair so the dye can get in. That layer never sits quite as flat again. So coloured hair dries out faster, tangles more and lets colour wash out sooner than hair that has never been coloured. Sun, chlorine, salt water and hot tools all add to it.

A leave in sits on that outer layer between washes. Stylists use one so wet hair combs through with less pulling. It won't bring back colour that has already faded, and nothing stops fading completely. Think of it as day-to-day care between colours.

Pick by hair type, not by shade

Most leave in treatments made for coloured hair work on any shade. What changes the choice is the hair under the colour.

Fine hair: use a light spray or milk. Creams weigh fine hair down and it goes flat by lunchtime. See our best leave in treatment for fine hair for more.
Thick, coarse or curly hair: a cream holds up better and helps with tangles and shape. Our best leave in treatment for curly hair goes into this in more detail.
Lightened or blonde hair: this hair has had the most done to it, so it's usually the driest. Use a richer leave in. If it snaps when you brush it, start with the best leave in treatment for damaged hair instead.
Frizz-prone hair: look for a cream or a smoothing spray. If frizz is the main problem, our best leave in treatment for frizzy hair is the better place to look.
Reds and vivid shades: these fade fastest. Pick one you're happy to use after every wash.

Spray, cream or oil

Sprays are the lightest. They spread evenly and suit fine hair, and they're handy for a top-up on second-day hair.
Creams and lotions carry more moisture. Better for thick, dry or curly hair, and they help with tangles.
Oils go on the mid-lengths and ends only, a few drops at a time. They add shine and smooth the ends but do little for the hair near the root. If you like an oil finish, start with our pick of the best hair oil for coloured hair.

Plenty of people use a spray or cream after washing and a drop of oil on dry ends. That works, as long as the total amount suits your hair. Too much product on fine hair looks greasy, not cared for.

When a leave in isn't enough

A leave in is upkeep. If your hair feels like straw after colour, it needs more than something left on between washes. Use a mask once a week and keep the leave in for the days in between. Our best hair mask for coloured hair covers the rinse-out side.

The rest of the routine counts too. Pair the leave in with a colour-safe shampoo and conditioner, and wash only as often as your hair needs. Our coloured hair range has the full routine in one place.

How to use it

Put it on towel-dried hair, not soaking wet. Too much water in the hair thins it out and it slides off.
Start at the ends and work up. The ends are the oldest part of the hair and have been coloured the most times.
Use less than you think. You can always add more. Taking it out means washing, and washing is what fades colour.
Comb it through with a wide-tooth comb so it's even from mid-lengths to ends.

When you can skip it

If your colour is a gloss or semi-permanent on healthy hair, and your hair feels soft after conditioner, you may not need a leave in at all. A good conditioner can be enough. Add one when the ends start to feel dry, tangles get worse, or the colour dulls sooner than it used to.

Not sure where to start? Shop all hair treatments and narrow it down by hair type.