For many of us, conditioners are somewhat like a prized possession that we use sparingly only during important days and special days. The truth is conditioner is an essential step that must be incorporated into every wash. On the surface, conditioners make your hair soft but they do a lot more to keep your hair healthy. They restore moisture levels, nourish cuticles, and repair signs of damage. Skipping conditioners on the regular leaves your hair dull and parched. Shampoos, sulphate-free or not, can sometimes strip away the natural oils which can also make the strands brittle. If you want smooth, soft hair after every wash, here’s the only guide on how to use conditioner the correct way that focuses on types of conditioners, benefits, and the right ways to use them.
Types Of Hair Conditioner
Anti-Frizz
If you have thick, wavy, or curly hair, frizz can be a common contender that you may deal with daily. Frizz occurs when the cuticles are raised to allow moisture to pass through. This process can disrupt the hair fibres which can leave the strands porous, dry, and dehydrated. Aveda’s Smooth Infusion Anti Frizz Conditioner is silicone and sulphate-free; it’s made with Plant polymer complex and a botanical smoothing oil blend to restore the natural moisture barrier of the hair, repair the fibres, and tame unruly frizz for manageable, soft hair.
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Breakage & Tangle-Free
When hair is subjected to constant styling, product, and brushing, it becomes knotted and brittle leading to breakage. This makes the hair look sparse and lifeless. While you can continue styling your hair mindfully, you also need to ensure that your hair strands are getting enough nourishment to withstand it. L’oreal Paris Dream Lengths Detangling Conditioner, which has been a Nykaa best-seller since its launch, targets three core concerns tangles, breakage, and split-ends. Formulated with vegetable keratin and castor oil, this conditioner deeply moisturises, strengthens, detangles, and prevents split ends. Plus, this conditioner also promotes healthy hair growth.
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Colour Protection
One of the goals of getting your hair coloured by a professional is to make the colour last longer and stay vibrant. Constant heat-styling and product build-up can pare back the lustre and vibrancy of the colour, leading to constant touch-ups and possibly, chemical damage. GK Hair Moisturizing Color Protection Conditioner is your salon-like ally. It’s made with
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Bond-Repairing
The hair is made of three types of bonds – hydrogen, ionic, and covalent bonds. They maintain the hair’s elasticity, strength, and natural shine. When these bonds are exposed to environmental, chemical treatments, and heat damage, they break apart. Bond-repairing conditioners repair the hair fibres to restore broken bonds. Love Beauty & Planet’s new launch, Bond Repair Conditioner is the perfect silicone-free, vegan formula. It has olive oil which is rich in antioxidants, lipids, and vitamins E & A that moisturise and strengthen the lengths. It’s made with a peptide complex and glucose-based technology to rebuild damaged bonds, revive broken hair fibres, and improve the hair’s vitality.
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Smooth Shine
Healthy shine and smoothness are one of the core reasons why we use conditioners. It instantly detangles and makes the soft and prepared for glossy, shiny hairstyles. Frayed, brittle, dry hair cuticles result in lacklustre, dull strands. If you love a glass-like shine for your hair, we recommend Cadiveu Quartzo Shine Conditioner. It’s formulated with protective polymer, shea butter, and 92% natural ingredients to quench dryness, seal cuticles, and make the hair shiny. It prepares the hair for heat-styling hairstyles like sleek straight hair or bouncy, glossy waves.
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Curl Care
Curly and wavy hair tends to get coarse, rough, and tangled owing to its natural shape and texture. Therefore, people with this hair type require conditioners that deeply moisturise the curls and retain their natural shape. Wella Professionals Nutricurls Detangling Conditioner boasts their unique formulation, Nourish-In Complexe with wheat bran extract and jojoba oil to detangle, soften and define the curls while controlling frizz.
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Leave In Treatment
Leave-in conditioners are a type of post-wash treatment that hydrates and moisturises the hair to keep it protected from humidity-induced frizz. It’s also a quick, easy way to detangle and manage hair of all types. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter & Biotin Leave-in Conditioner is silicone-free so that it won’t weigh down the hair and make it greasy. It’s made with ethically sourced cocoa butter, quinoa protein, aloe vera, vitamin E, and biotin. A few sprays to the lengths and tips of the hair will moisturise and protect the hair from heat styling and external environmental factors like sun damage.
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Benefits Of Using Conditioner
- Conditioners are mainly used to soften and moisturise the hair to balance the cleansing properties of shampoo. When shampoos cleanse the hair, it may sometimes strip the natural oils which are restored by conditioners.
- They nourish frayed bonds and seal cuticles. Sealed cuticles help with better absorption of post-hair wash products which reflect off more light for a healthy, glass-like shine.
- Conditioners repair the natural bond of the hair strands, thereby retaining the natural volume and shape of the hair. They help maintain curly hair’s natural coils and bounce.
- They prevent breakage, knots, and tangles to control hair fall and thinning for healthy hair growth and density.
Simple Steps To Use A Conditioner
Cleanse thoroughly: Use a gentle, clarifying shampoo to remove dirt, sweat and excess oil to help the conditioner penetrate the strands.
Apply conditioner: Take the right amount of conditioner as per the length and thickness of the hair. Start applying from mid-lengths to the tips. Avoid the scalp. Keep it on for 2–3 minutes or as the label suggests. For extra shine, rinse it off with cold water. Make sure to thoroughly cleanse any residual conditioner to avoid greasiness.
Use a detangler brush: If you have thick, curly, unruly hair, detangle the strands with a detangler brush after allowing the conditioner to settle into the strands for a few minutes. This will easily detangle and smooth out the hair without causing damage.
Try Reverse Washing
Reverse washing is a technique that involves using a conditioner as the first step. This method of using conditioner is better for people who naturally have an oily scalp and hair. Using conditioner before shampoo will soften and nourish the hair without weighing it down or making the scalp greasy. Though shampoo may rinse the conditioner off, the hair will still look and feel lightweight, tangle-free, and manageable.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Do you apply conditioner wet or dry?
It depends on the kind of conditioner you’re using and how you’re applying it. Applying conditioner on wet hair, after shampoo is the traditional way of using a conditioner. You can even use conditioner to dry hair as a pre-wash treatment if you have oily hair and scalp.
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How long do you leave the conditioner in your hair?
Conventionally, a conditioner is left for a few minutes depending on the thickness and length of the hair. If you want to use conditioner as a pre-wash treatment, you can leave it on for ten to thirty minutes before rinsing it off. Leave-in conditioners, as the name suggests, need not be washed off
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Can I skip shampoo and just use conditioner?
Yes, you can. Washing your hair only with conditioner is called ‘co-washing’. This hair wash method is best for those who have extremely dry, unruly, frizzy hair that requires deep moisturisation. However, this hair wash method should be followed along with the traditional hair wash method that makes use of shampoo to avoid product build-up and clogged hair follicles.
Conditioners do feel luxurious, creamy and irresistible but they must be used in hair every wash to truly enjoy the benefits. If you want healthy, nourished, expensive-looking hair, we assure you this guide on how to use conditioners will make you a convert!
