Leave-in and Moisturizers

[MindTwister]

I just realized I never quite figured out what exactly the difference between a leave-in and a moisturizer is

What's the purpose of a leave-in and what is a leave-in supposed to achieve that a moisturizer does not?

What is the added benefit of using both?
Also are leave-in typically more watery than moisturizers?

Thanks in advance for any light you may shed

 

[Blackoutzangel05]

Leave in conditioners for me allow me to have a slighty denser conditioner in my hair while it air drys or I style it. There are some sprays but I use a creamy leave in. It works wonders for my wash n go's as well, leaving them slightly more tamed then without using one at all. Also most leave in conditioners are for after washing your hair, I wouldn't use it for daily use,especially not numerous times a day, like how I use my daily moisturizer.

 

[sylver2]

As far as leave in conditioners used after shampooing and regular conditioning..I use Rusk Smoother Leave in conditioner. Its creamy and tames my frizzies.

NTM Silk Touch leave in conditioner...i tried to use as a leave in conditioner on wet hair and it did nothing for me. I was about to chuck it in the "didn't work product basket" when I happened to read the back and realized it said..can be used on dry hair.
So one night right b4 I went to sleep, I rubbed NTM silk touch throughout my dry hair put on satin scarf. When I woke up my hair was the silkiest, softest it had ever been. I started using it as my daily leave in(moisturizer) and that is my main staple now for my hair regimen.
Its creamy like but not heavy at all.

 

[destiny616]

honestly i don't think there is a difference between the two besides how the product is marketed

just do whatever works for your hair

there are people that use leave ins as moisturizers and people that use moisturizers as leave ins with no ill effects, their hair is thriving, if you compare ingredients there really not that much different from each other except for most moisturizers geared towards black hair have a high content of oil (usually mineral oil) and sometimes tend to be heavier than a leave in

 

[MindTwister]

Thanks ladies for the replies... What made me realize that I didn't know the difference even after almost 4 years on this hair journey was a thread about Qhemet Biologics.
I'm looking for a moisturizer since shea does not seem to be working anymore so I was trying to figure out what is what within the Qhemet line. There are so many different balms and pomades that I was left like this

Between styling aids, leave-ins and moisturizers, I realize that some of the things that could be considered "basics" are still a mistery to me

 

[Divine Inspiration]

They usually have different ingredients and sometimes different textures. From my experience, they perform differently. Some things work well on wet and dry hair, but almost everything I've used is one or the other, rarely both.

For me, a leave-in adds nourishment & moisture and adds a barrier between my hair and the environment. It's a leave-in CONDITIONER so it conditions the hair the way a regular conditioner would but it's not heavy, sticky, or drying the way a regular conditioner could be if left to dry.

A moisturizer is designed to deposit moisture onto dry hair and the ingredients adhere and work best when hair is dry.

The consistency of them varies greatly...I don't even think there's a rule for either...some of them are super thick like Aveda's USC and some are straight liquid like Elasta QP's H-Two. It really depends on the purpose of the product.

For me, the added benefit of using both is that on wash day, I can deposit moisture into my hair at the end of the wash, and it will remain soft and conditioned for days after I apply the leave-in. If need be, I can follow with a moisturizer days later to style my hair, reduce frizz, detangle, or replenish the moisture.

HTH
{DI}

 

[MindTwister]

They usually have different ingredients and sometimes different textures. From my experience, they perform differently. Some things work well on wet and dry hair, but almost everything I've used is one or the other, rarely both.

For me, a leave-in adds nourishment & moisture and adds a barrier between my hair and the environment. It's a leave-in CONDITIONER so it conditions the hair the way a regular conditioner would but it's not heavy, sticky, or drying the way a regular conditioner could be if left to dry.

A moisturizer is designed to deposit moisture onto dry hair and the ingredients adhere and work best when hair is dry.

The consistency of them varies greatly...I don't even think there's a rule for either...some of them are super thick like Aveda's USC and some are straight liquid like Elasta QP's H-Two. It really depends on the purpose of the product.

For me, the added benefit of using both is that on wash day, I can deposit moisture into my hair at the end of the wash, and it will remain soft and conditioned for days after I apply the leave-in. If need be, I can follow with a moisturizer days later to style my hair, reduce frizz, detangle, or replenish the moisture.

HTH
{DI}

Thanks DI for sharing your understanding of these products. I always enjoy your overall knowledge and helpfulness
As far as the way you explained what purpose a leave-in serve, it sheds some light as to why Elucence MB is able to double as a wash-out and a leave-in conditioner
And if I understand you correctly after a wash it's preferable to apply a leave-in conditioner rather than a moisturizer right?

Also, some have said that some conditionners (regular "wash-out" ones) work best when applied to dry hair. So given that a leave-in is basically a conditonner too, do you think it could also work well on dry hair the way moisturizers do?
Dunno if I'm making sense

Next time I go to a beauty supply I'll check out the ingredient list for both kinds of products.


OT: I hung on for a little over 60 days

 

[HoneyDew]

For me, my leave-in helps detangle my hair and prep it more moisture.

I then put moisturizer on it while it is wet and let it airdry. Doing it like that makes my hair retain moisture more than when I put it on my dry hair. Most times I don't have to put moisturizer on my hair again for 3 - 4 days.

It's like a deep condition to me.

 

[Divine Inspiration]

Thanks DI for sharing your understanding of these products. I always enjoy your overall knowledge and helpfulness
As far as the way you explained what purpose a leave-in serve, it sheds some light as to why Elucence MB is able to double as a wash-out and a leave-in conditioner
And if I understand you correctly after a wash it's preferable to apply a leave-in conditioner rather than a moisturizer right?

Also, some have said that some conditionners (regular "wash-out" ones) work best when applied to dry hair. So given that a leave-in is basically a conditonner too, do you think it could also work well on dry hair the way moisturizers do?
Dunno if I'm making sense

Next time I go to a beauty supply I'll check out the ingredient list for both kinds of products.

I'm proud of you girl!!

Yes, for me, I prefer to apply a leave-in after washing instead of a moisturizer.

Some leave-ins work on dry hair; others don't. I have yet to find a leave-in that works well on my dry hair. Giovanni Direct is my leave-in of choice, and my dry hair doesn't like it at all. My wet hair loves it. My moisturizer leaves something to be desired on my wet hair, but on dry hair, it's nice.

So, I guess it's trial and error, but in general, I think it's nice to have both unless you can find one that doubles up.