Everything You Need To Know About Hair Milks

2025 makes it clear that the milk craze isn’t slowing down anytime soon. We’ve been watching its rise closely; think: creamy toners and scented lotions, and now, it’s time for its hair serum to shine. While these lightweight moisturizers have always been a popular solution for textured hair, providing moisture without weighing down curls and curls; the category appears to be expanding as brands look to skin-based hair care products. What exactly is hair cream? Why is it so popular?

fashion magazine Favorite hair lotion

Image may contain: bottle, lotion, cosmetics and perfume

Image may contain: bottle, cosmetics and perfume

Image may contain: bottle, cosmetics, perfume and aftershave

Image may contain: bottle, lotion, shaker bottle and cosmetics

According to celebrity hairstylist Keshia Tabaran, hair cream is a lightweight leave-in. “It’s typically thinner than a cream but more nourishing than a spray, so it moisturizes the hair and helps detangle it while maintaining movement,” she says, noting that the industry is catching up to these results. The industry is only now beginning to realize the excellence of formulas, thanks in large part to their ability to provide nutrition without gaining weight. Their popularity is attributed to consumers’ increasing focus on overall hair health and maintaining moisture.

Jonathan van Ness, celebrity hairstylist and founder of JVN Hair, whose brand has best-selling formulas, agrees. “While moisturizing and smoothing are the sole purposes of hair creams, many formulas also include additional functions such as hair protection, added strength, or in our case, style memory,” Van Ness tells Fashion.

With that in mind, there’s no reason not to love hair lotion—just find a formula that’s right for your hair type. Below we’ve rounded up eight of our favorite picks, including expert insights from celebrity hairstylists.

Best general purpose leave-in: Davines OI all-in-one milk

davinis

OI all-in-one milk

why we like it: Tabaran’s favorite leave-in, suitable for all hair types—yes, all Hair types, from straight to curly – from Davines. Talk about a crowd pleaser! Described as a universal leave-in, this cleansing formula is blended with nutmeg oil, vitamin B5, glycerin and sunflower oil to give hair an incredibly soft feel. As an added bonus, the smell of the product is considered particularly pleasant and creamy.
Editing experience: “Detangling your braids? The oil-infused spray easily detangles tangles and knots. Freshens dull curls? It also moisturizes hair, smooths frizz, and imparts a healthy shine. Containing protective ingredients to protect hair from damage, this lotion can also be used before intensive heat styling. Best of all, it smells exquisite. I’d go so far as to say that its scent has replaced some of my best fragrances. The range has a clean, shiny scent that’s very different from aldehyde-based fragrances—think: Maison A breath of fresh air from Francis Kurkdjian’s 724, but at a fraction of the price.” ——Tracy Achonwa, contributor to British Vogue
Main ingredients: Nutmeg oil, vitamin B5, glycerin, sunflower oil
More to know: Vegan, cruelty-free, sulfate-free, phthalate-free, paraben-free, mineral oil-free, silicone-free
type: Leave-on spray
size: 4.56 fl oz