We all have been using this without knowing to use it in the right way? Yes, I am talking about the conditioner. Conditioners are a significant part of a hair care routine. But if you have been using it for a long time now and not getting the prescribed benefits, chances are you might be using it the wrong way! But how to use a hair conditioner?
What Is a Hair Conditioner?
It is usually the second step of hair washing. As the name suggests, it conditions your hair and makes it moisturized.
The shampoo is produced to clean off the dirt, sweat, and dead skin cells from the hair.
One Can Never Condition the Roots of the Hair.
- A. True
- B. False
But, conditioner is usually formulated to protect your hair from damage. Additionally, it makes your hair softer and easier to manage.
The ingredients present, such as silicones, oils, emollients, or detergent, are combined with replenishing your hair, leaving it soft and moisturized.
Why Should You Use a Hair Conditioner?
What does hair conditioner do? We will discuss some hair conditioner benefits below,
- When you use shampoos, it leaves off chemical residues on your hair, making your hair follicles rough. If you are about to style your hair, shampoo-washed hair can be dry, dull, and hard to style. Conditioners help detangle the hair, which might also help prevent breakage and split ends.
- Conditioners contain fatty alcohols, humectants, and oils to make your hair soft and flexible.
- Some conditioners also come with proteins to bind split ends temporarily.
- Dry and damaged hair is static because of the negative charge. The positive charge present in the conditioners’ ingredients clings on to hair, making it less static.
Types of Conditioners:
This tabular column shows different types and usage of conditioners.
| Types of Conditioners | Uses | Suitable For | When to use conditioners? |
| Rinse-out conditioner | Smoothens and protects your hair from damage. | All hair type | Daily |
| Leave-in Conditioner | Spray it to moisture your hair quickly. | Thin, curly, or oily hair | Twice or thrice a week. |
| Deep Conditioner | Penetrate your hair deeply. | Curly and color-treated hair. | Once or twice a month. |
| Cleansing Conditioner | Cleanses and conditions your hair. | All hair type. | Twice or thrice a week. |
| Moisturizing Conditioner | Gives your hair extra moisture. | Dry and Frizzy Hair. Might not be suitable for oily hair. |
Once or twice a month. |
| Protein Conditioner | It has keratin to provide extra nourishment to your hair. | Dry and frizzy hair. | Once or twice a month. |
Note- If you are wondering how much time you should leave your conditioner on, you can always refer to the conditioner bottle’s instructions. However, as far as the deep conditioner is concerned, it might take approximately three to five minutes to work.
How to Apply a Hair Conditioner?
- Nathaniel Hawkins, Los Angeles-based hairstylist, suggests that the right way involves applying the conditioner in long, fluid motions.
- Do not apply the conditioner to dripping-wet hair. Hawkins also suggests squeezing the excess water after shampooing and before conditioning so that the conditioner works on your hair effectively. If your hair is too wet, the product you apply might slide-off easily, and also, it might not be able to penetrate your hair enough to provide moisturization.
- He also explains that the amount of time it takes for the conditioner to adhere to the hair is approximately two minutes.
Most of the conditioners come with a ‘direction to use’ label. Following this can help you gain maximum results. However, we are listing some of the general steps on how to condition your hair?
How to use a conditioner?
1) Shampoo your hair and rinse out all the dirt, dead skin cells, and products you used.
2) Always check the amount of conditioner that is recommended on the bottle.
3) Apply the conditioner to the ends of your hair, focusing on the most damaged section.
4) You can use a wide-toothed comb or your fingers to spread the conditioner throughout the hair evenly.
5) Leave the conditioner on your hair for the amount of time mentioned on the conditioner bottle, usually 1 minute.
6) Wash off your hair and remove the conditioner thoroughly.
Note that you cannot use a conditioner on the scalp.
Using the Right Amount of Conditioner
Using the right amount of conditioner is the key to get the most out of the conditioner you use without any side-effects. The amount of conditioner you use also depends on the length and condition of your hair.
- Short Hair- Use conditioner in the size of one blueberry
- Shoulder-length Hair– Use conditioner in the size of two blueberries
- Long Hair- Use conditioner in the size of three blueberries.
- Thin Hair- Make sure to use less conditioner and focus only on the ends of your hair.
- Thick Hair/Rough Hair- Make sure to use enough conditioner that could penetrate into every strand of your hair.
- Colored hair – Using the right conditioner might also help preserve your hair’s color for a longer time. Rinse-out conditioners might be helpful for you.
Things to Note:
- Conditioners do not have potentially harmful side effects; however, the cosmetic ingredients present can be allergic to some people.
- If you fail to rinse off your conditioner thoroughly, it might clog the pores on your skin, causing it to break out.
- Usage of excess conditioner can make your hair look greasy or flat.
- Instead of focusing on your hair type, it is always better to go according to your preferences and needs.
- Avoid using silicone-based conditioners.