A leave in hair treatment stays in the hair without rinsing, so the formula matters more than the brand name. The nine picks below cover creams, sprays, a tonic and a mask, for dry hair, damaged hair, coloured hair, frizz and kids' curls. Every fact comes from the product listing, and each pick has an honest catch.
We chose from 27 leave in treatments we checked on Amazon Australia, across 21 brands, and put the most rated listing first. Ratings are shown with their counts so you can see how much each score rests on.
Best overall: Revlon Professional Uniq One
Best overall: the Revlon Professional Uniq One Hair Treatment 150ml, because the listing says it repairs and rejuvenates dry and damaged hair, protects against high temperature and gives colour protection.
The listing describes a treatment that repairs and rejuvenates dry and damaged hair, protects against the adverse effects of high temperature, provides silky smoothness, provides colour protection and makes hair straightening and brushing easy. The pack is 150 ml. It holds 4.6 stars from 99,370 ratings, by far the most of any leave in we checked.
It suits dry or damaged hair that is styled with heat and wants colour protection. The honest catch: that rating count is very large and may be shared across the Uniq One range, and the listing names dry and damaged hair and no other hair type.
Best leave in cream for frizz: Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother
Best leave in cream for frizz: the Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother, because the listing calls it a leave in reparative styling creme that eliminates frizz, hydrates and protects all hair types.
The listing says it hydrates, moisturises and smoothes hair, and defines and smoothes natural curls. It says the formula is made without sulphates, parabens or gluten, and is vegan and colour safe. The pack is 100 ml. It has 4.6 stars from 53,539 ratings, the third highest count of the nine picks, after the Revlon and the Marc Anthony.
It suits frizzy, curly or wavy hair that wants a cream rather than a spray. The honest catch: it is a small 100 ml pack and a styling cream rather than a spray.
Best everyday leave in conditioner: Marc Anthony Grow Long Caffeine
Best everyday leave in conditioner: the Marc Anthony Strengthening Grow Long Caffeine Leave In Conditioner, because the listing says it detangles, repairs breakage and restores moisture and strength.
The listing describes a 250 ml leave in conditioner that promotes longer, stronger, healthier looking hair, detangles and repairs breakage, and restores moisture and strength. It says it is free from sulfates, SLS, parabens and phthalates. It holds 4.4 stars from 68,504 ratings, the second highest count of any leave in we checked.
It suits people who want a plain everyday leave in conditioner in a bigger 250 ml size. The honest catch: at 4.4 stars it rates below the top pick, and the listing's hair growth wording is the brand's own claim, not something we tested.
Best for damaged hair: Redken Acidic Bonding Daily Leave In
Best for damaged hair: the Redken Acidic Bonding Daily Leave In Hair Treatment, because the listing describes a daily conditioning treatment for damaged hair that softens and improves manageability without rinsing.
The 150 ml tube is described as a lotion for damaged, processed or colour treated hair. The listing says it protects hair from heat styling up to 230°C, is formulated with citric acid to reinforce weakened bonds, helps reduce breakage and helps maintain colour vibrancy. It has 4.5 stars from 15,330 ratings.
It suits hair that is damaged, processed, coloured or heat styled often. The honest catch: the listing names damaged, processed or colour treated hair as its hair type.
Best for coloured hair: Pureology Multi Tasking Leave In Spray
Best for coloured hair: the Pureology Multi Tasking Leave In Spray, because the listing says it helps preserve colour vibrancy, helps prevent split ends and smooths the hair surface.
The listing describes a 200 ml multibenefit priming spray that helps even out hair porosity, with a 100 percent vegan formula and a cedar and rose scent. It lists the hair type as all and says it controls frizz and provides heat protection. It holds 4.6 stars from 15,003 ratings.
It suits coloured hair that you want to keep looking fresh between salon visits. The honest catch: the listing leads with colour vibrancy, and it gives the hair type as all.
Best everyday spray: Sun Bum 3 in 1 Leave In Spray
Best everyday spray: the Sun Bum 3 in 1 Leave In Conditioner Spray, because the listing says it helps detangle, condition and protect, controls frizz and goes on wet or dry hair with no rinse.
The listing says the vegan blend helps restore moisture, repair damage, reduce tangles and slow colour fading, with sunflower seed oil and quinoa protein, and that it suits all hair types. It also names coconut oil and banana. The bottle is 118 ml. It has 4.6 stars from 14,183 ratings.
It suits anyone who wants a quick spray that works on wet or dry hair. The honest catch: the bottle holds 118 ml, small next to the 250 ml and 400 ml bottles here.
Best for kids' curls: SoCozy Kids Curly Leave In Spray
Best for kids' curls: the SoCozy Leave In Conditioner Spray, because the listing describes a gentle spray with keratin, vitamin B5, olive oil and jojoba oil that helps unravel tangles in children's curls.
The listing sells it as a bottle of about 237 ml for a child's curly hair, and says it contains no parabens, sulfates, phthalates or synthetic colours. It also lists watermelon seed oil. It has 4.5 stars from 33,075 ratings, the fourth highest count here.
It suits parents untangling children's curls. The honest catch: it is made for children's curly hair, and the listing gives no age range.
Best for bleached or chemically treated hair: K18 Leave In Molecular Repair Mask
Best for bleached or chemically treated hair: the K18 Leave In Molecular Repair Hair Mask 50ml, because the listing says it addresses damage from bleach, colour, chemical treatments and heat on straight, wavy, curly and coily hair, with no rinse.
The listing says you apply 1 to 3 pumps on towel dried hair, wait 4 minutes and style with no rinsing. It describes a patented K18PEPTIDE formula and says it is vegan and colour safe. It has 4.5 stars from 13,772 ratings.
It suits bleached or colour treated hair of any texture. The honest catch: 50 ml is the smallest pack on this page even though the listing calls it the larger home supply size, and the listing calls it ideal for consistent weekly treatment use, so it is a treatment rather than an everyday conditioner. Our hair mask guide covers rinse out masks.
Best lightweight daily tonic: Biolage Hydra Source Daily Tonic
Best lightweight daily tonic: the Biolage Hydra Source Daily Leave In Tonic 400ml, because the listing describes an aloe vera formula that detangles, helps seal in moisture and nourishes without weight.
The listing says it is vegan and paraben free, designed for dry hair textures and described as safe for colour treated hair. The listing highlight calls it a daily heat protectant for dry hair with fermented aloe and hyaluronic acid. At 400 ml it is the largest bottle here. It holds 4.6 stars from 5,719 ratings.
It suits dry hair that wants a light daily mist. The honest catch: the listing names dry hair textures, and it has the fewest ratings of the nine.
How to choose a leave in hair treatment
The picks come as creams, sprays, tonics and masks. The Olaplex No.6 is a cream, the Pureology, Sun Bum and SoCozy are sprays, the Biolage is a tonic that you mist on, the Redken is a lotion in a tube and the K18 is a mask.
How to apply a leave in
Follow the listing for each product. The Biolage listing says to mist evenly over clean, damp hair, comb through to the ends and not rinse. The K18 listing says to apply one to three pumps on towel dried hair, wait four minutes and style, with no rinsing. The Sun Bum listing says to spray on wet or dry hair and use a wide tooth comb for tight knots, and the SoCozy listing says to spray onto damp or dry hair.
Match the hair type claim
Only trust a hair type claim the listing actually makes. The Olaplex No.6, Pureology and Sun Bum listings say all hair types, the K18 says straight, wavy, curly and coily, the Redken says damaged, processed or colour treated, the Biolage says dry hair textures and the SoCozy says children's curly hair. The Marc Anthony listing does not name a hair type, and the Revlon listing says only that it repairs dry and damaged hair.
Frizz and curls
For frizz, the listings say the Olaplex No.6 eliminates it and the Pureology and Sun Bum control it. For curls, the Olaplex says it defines and smoothes natural curls and the K18 lists curly and coily textures. If you dry curls with a diffuser, see our hair diffuser guide.
Fine or thin hair
No listing names fine or thin hair as a hair type. The Biolage describes nourishing without weight, and the Sun Bum and Pureology are sprays that list all hair types. Check how the listing describes the formula before you buy.
Heat and colour
If you style with heat, check what each listing says. The Redken gives heat protection up to 230°C, the Revlon says it protects against the adverse effects of high temperature, and the Pureology says it provides heat protection. Our hair straightener guide covers the tools. For colour, the Pureology, Redken, Olaplex, K18, Revlon and Biolage listings all mention colour protection or colour safe care.
Bottle size
Sizes run from 50 ml to 400 ml. The K18 is the smallest and is a treatment, the Olaplex and Sun Bum are small at 100 ml and 118 ml, and the Biolage is the largest at 400 ml.
Listing specs side by side
| Pick | Size | Form | Hair type per listing | Heat protection per listing |
|---|
| Revlon Uniq One | 150 ml | Treatment | Dry and damaged hair | Protects against high temperature |
| Olaplex No.6 | 100 ml | Cream | All hair types | Not stated |
| Marc Anthony | 250 ml | Conditioner | Not stated | Not stated |
| Redken Acidic Bonding | 150 ml | Lotion in a tube | Damaged, processed or colour treated | Up to 230°C |
| Pureology | 200 ml | Spray | All | Provides heat protection |
| Sun Bum 3 in 1 | 118 ml | Spray | All hair types | Not stated |
| SoCozy Kids | About 237 ml | Spray | Children's curly hair | Not stated |
| K18 Mask | 50 ml | Mask | Straight, wavy, curly, coily | Not stated |
| Biolage Hydra Source | 400 ml | Tonic | Dry hair textures | Listing highlight says heat protectant |
Frequently asked questions
What is a leave in hair treatment?
A leave in hair treatment is a conditioning product you put on and do not rinse out. The Redken Acidic Bonding listing describes a daily conditioning treatment for damaged hair that softens and improves manageability without rinsing. Leave ins come as creams, sprays, tonics and masks, so pick the form that suits your hair.
What is the best leave in hair treatment for dry, damaged hair?
The Revlon Professional Uniq One is our best overall pick: the listing says it repairs and rejuvenates dry and damaged hair. The Redken Acidic Bonding is built for damaged hair and gives heat protection up to 230°C, and the K18 Leave In Molecular Repair Mask is a no rinse mask for bleached or chemically treated hair.
What is the best leave in conditioner for dry, frizzy hair?
The Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother is a leave in styling cream that the listing says eliminates frizz, hydrates and protects all hair types. If you prefer a spray, the Sun Bum 3 in 1 and the Pureology both list frizz control, and the Sun Bum goes on wet or dry hair.
What is the best leave in conditioner in Australia?
On this page the Marc Anthony Grow Long Caffeine is the leave in conditioner with the most ratings, 4.4 stars from more than 68,000. The Sun Bum 3 in 1 is the spray version that goes on wet or dry hair. For a treatment rather than a conditioner, start with the Revlon Professional Uniq One.
What do hairdressers recommend for frizzy hair?
We have not surveyed hairdressers, so we only go on what the listings say. For frizz, the Olaplex No.6 listing says it eliminates frizz, the Pureology controls frizz and smooths hair, and the Sun Bum 3 in 1 controls frizz. Ask your own hairdresser which formula suits your hair.
Should I use conditioner if I have thin, fine hair?
The listings do not name fine hair as a hair type. The Biolage Hydra Source listing describes an aloe vera formula for dry hair textures that nourishes the hair fibre without weight, and the Sun Bum 3 in 1 and Pureology listings say all hair types. Read each listing before you choose.
What are the best hair care brands in Australia?
The nine picks come from nine brands: Revlon Professional, Olaplex, Redken, Pureology, K18, Biolage, Marc Anthony, Sun Bum and SoCozy. We chose by listing facts and rating counts, not by brand, and the Revlon Professional Uniq One has the most ratings of any leave in we checked, at 99,370.
Which leave in treatment is best for coloured hair?
The Pureology Multi Tasking Leave In Spray is our pick: the listing says it helps preserve colour vibrancy, helps prevent split ends and smooths the hair surface, in a vegan formula. The Redken Acidic Bonding and Olaplex No.6 listings also say they are colour safe.
Is there a leave in conditioner for kids' curly hair?
Yes. The SoCozy Leave In Conditioner Spray is made for children's curly hair, and the listing says it helps unravel tangles, with keratin, vitamin B5, olive oil and jojoba oil. The listing gives no age range, so check the label for your child. The K18 mask suits all hair textures.
