So what's the difference between a leave-in and a moisturizer?

[Sarahh.]

I recently posted a thread about leave ins and was told by a few people that they are different to moisturizers, though some people said they were the same thing.

So, is there a difference between leave-ins and moisturizers?
What is it?

 

[msa]

To be honest, I feel like they're the same thing. I just use whatever I feel will moisturize my hair and leave it at that.

I've never understood how they are different. Like, if you put the leave-in first, shouldn't it moisturize? If not, what's the point of putting it on your hair. And the same with a moisturizer. I don't see why a person would need two different types of products in order to moisturize.

 

[Kay.Dee]

I've always wanted to ask this

They seem like the same thing to me.

IMO is seems like leave-in conditioners are the term used when the product is marketed towards caucasian shoppers, like Herbal Essences, Sunsilk, Giovanni and brands like that.
Moisturizer seem like the term when it's marketed for blacks, in general.

 

[chebaby]

to me leave ins are generally put on wet hair. moisturizers IMO are to be used on dry hair but can be pur on wet hair if desired. i would never put leave ins on dry hair unless it is a spray leave in and i am wearing a wash and go that just needs to be refreshed.
i think where people get confussed is the fact that leave ins moisturize so they figure it is a moisturizer but to me they are two different things.

example: keracare creme hairdress is a moisturizer, salerm 21 is a leave in

example2: hydratherma naturals protein/moisture leave in is a leave in and the growth lotion is a moisturizer. although they are both cremes they are not the same things.

my fave leave in right now is paul mitchell moisture mist and ojon mist.
my fave moisturizer is hydratherma naturals growth lotion and keracare creme hairdress.

 

[HoneyDew]

For me it can be both. I use a product for my leave-in that can also be used as a moisturizer, I just put it on my hair while it is wet.


the purpose is the same for me. The leave-in on my wet hair makes drying and styling turn out better, as well as moisturize. Moisturizer on my dry hair helps maintain the conditioning and moisture, and helps with styling ease.

 

[Tarae]

I don't know. But when I do braidouts (which I let airdry) I use Salerm 21. It works fine for that, good results. But Salerm 21 does not work as a daily (or whatever) moisturizer.

Just like Lacio Lacio is good as a leave in when I rollerset but not as a moisturizer.

I can use LTR as a leave in and a moisturizer. Guess it just depends on your hair.

 

[JustKiya]

I feel like a leave-in can be a moisturizer, and a moisturizer can be as leave-in, but not all moisturizers should be left in, and not all leave in's should be moisturizers.

It really depends on the product and the head, I think.

 

[C.Nicole]

I have always wondered about this.....For me most moisturizers weigh the hair down and take away body (I have really fine hair). Lately, I've been using Giovanni Weightless Moisture Leave-In as my moisturizer. I try to get my moisture fix outta my DC's and condish.

 

[Sarahh.]

Interesting answers.
It seems like there really isn't one clear answer though.

IMO they are the same thing. Leave-ins moisturize, and you leave in moisturizers. Maybe that's just me though.

 

[Neith]

Interesting answers.
It seems like there really isn't one clear answer though.

IMO they are the same thing. Leave-ins moisturize, and you leave in moisturizers. Maybe that's just me though.

I totally agree

 

[clever]

Can anyone give any examples as to what you use for your your moisturizers and leave ins an when you use thm?

 

[1luv]

a hair dresser once told me a regular conditioner could not be used as a leave in on relaxed hair b/c it continues to soften it and break it down.

so, that is my take on it. Now that I am nautral, I do use regular conditoiner as a leave in with no trouble

 

[Neith]

a hair dresser once told me a regular conditioner could not be used as a leave in on relaxed hair b/c it continues to soften it and break it down.

so, that is my take on it. Now that I am nautral, I do use regular conditoiner as a leave in with no trouble

Does that even make sense?

I use a regular conditioner as a leave in as well. Natures Gate conditioner, usually awapuhi.

 

[soulie]

One example that comes to mind is NTM Silk Touch leave-in. I decided to try this and while I was researching it here I found that people use it either way successfully - on wet hair or on dry as a moisturizer. However, I can use Lacio Lacio as a leave-in but LTR doesn't work for me as a moisturizer - it just depends on the individual.

 

[yuriko]

BTW, NTM does say its a moisturizer on the bottle, or does it say leave in cream. I guess it depends on your hair and how it works for you. I find that leave in conditioners make my hair easier to detangle, and moisturizers just moisturize

 

[Neith]

My thoughts are that they are the same.

Different leave-ins give different results, don't they? It's not because one is a leave in and one is something else that they work differently.

The words are synonyms. There is nothing in a moisturizer that you can't find in a leave in and vice versa. There is nothing that a leave in conditioner does that a moisturizer doesn't... and vice versa. It's just the name that the company decides to put on the bottle that determines if it's a leave in or a moisturizer.