If you’ve been a Birchbox subscriber, or ordered beauty products from major retailers, you probably have a lot of travel-sized sample bottles from various brands arriving on your doorstep. One sample item that has piled up for me happens to be leave-in hair conditioners and detanglers – and it occurred to me that it’s actually a very relevant topic in the midst of winter. Admittedly, these products aren’t widely used by a lot of people, so these are very commonly distributed as sample products in order to allow people to give them a try in their daily routines. Leave-in conditioners or shine sprays are actually very convenient to have on hand in your purse or gym bag on a daily basis – here’s a few reasons why:

1. Most modern formulas are multi-tasking, meaning that they will condition the hair, act as a heat protectant, and add shine. You can save room in your gym bag by using one of these small bottles in winter instead of carrying separate styling products for various uses, and the extra conditioning is great for all hair types during the cold weather.
2. Control static during the day – this is one of the best kept secret uses. Ever experience a cold walk in from the parking lot to your office, only to realize that you went right into a meeting with your hair standing on end from the static electricity of a climate-controlled room? Combat this with having one of these small bottles in your purse, of which you can easily spritz some product on or run through your hair anytime. This also helps flyaways, and it won’t ruin your style. Especially with the lightweight formulas on the market now, you can maintain the volume or texture of your hairstyle, but still add shine and moisture. The humectants and essential oils in these products tame static, unlike drying alcohols from hairspray. Dry conditioners are also a great item to use to combat static.
3. Spray into hands and then apply to targeted areas. This is one of my favorite ways to apply these types of product, since you can control product distribution and concentration on problem areas of your hair. My ends get dry first from heat styling and regular coloring of my hair, so I can easily spray the product into my palms and then work through the ponytail part of my strands to address the areas in most need. In a pinch, I’ve also used these to rescue dry cuticles – many of the conditioners and essential oils mimic lightweight lotions.

I had to laugh at myself when I realized how many of these little bottles of leave-in conditioner I have around my house, but I do find that I use them often. It’s also a time saver if you’re ever in a pinch, and only have time to suds up from head to toe in the shower – you can spritz these on right before blow-drying your hair, and it works double duty as a conditioner and heat protectant. If you have any favorites out there that you want to share, please let me know!

© 28daysbeauty 2016