Understanding how your hair products is benefiting the health of your hair is important. When we think of a leave in conditioner and rinse out conditioner we know the obvious. One conditioner you wash out the other you do not. The two conditioners may have different consistencies as well. A rinse out hair conditioner tends to be thicker and a leave-in usually is lightweight in consistency. It's important to understand how the to two differ so you can use them accordingly and maintain the health of your hair. Now let's dive in deeper into the subject.
A rinse out conditioner is normally used after shampooing. Shampooing is the 1st step to wash day and rinse out conditioner is the 2nd step. The hair goes through tremendous stress during the cleansing process and it needs immediate attention. The rinse out conditioner is the soother and the replenisher in this case. In other words it's a treatment that's immediately done after shampooing. The process of shampooing strips your hair of not only build-up but also its natural oils. Please don't be afraid of this process; it's a normal cleansing routine you just need to follow it with a rinse out conditioner (the treatment). If you have low porosity hair, cleanse your hair with a mild shampoo not cleansers nor co-wash as they may contribute to build-up prone hair like low porosity hair. Lastly, Wash out the hair conditioner as it's not well suited as a leave-in. It'll dry out your hair and contribute to the build-up. Unless the product indicates that it's formulated for multi-use like Brazilian Combing Crème.
A leave-in conditioner, the 3rd step to wash day, is normally used after shampooing and the treatment (rinse out conditioner). Its purpose is to protect, seal in moisture, and nourish the hair. When the hair is wet, it's in a vulnerable state. Combing and styling can cause harm to the strands. What a leave-in conditioner will do is coat every strand to strengthen, protect and soften the hair during the grooming process, making detangling a much smoother process. Another great benefit of a leave-in is that it's a protector between wash days. Environmental damage can also cause great harm to the strands. Some leave-ins like Rio Mist Leave-in can also be used as a refresher during wash days to quench extra dry hair.
Both products have equal value. it's just used in different stages of your wash day. A rinse out conditioner is a treatment after shampooing and the leave-in is the protector between wash days. Both of these products are indispensable