FYI: You're Probably Not Conditioning Your Hair Enough
We all condition our strands for smoother, softer, tangle-free, and frizz-free. We’ll even turn to conditioners for preventative measures against further damage and breakage. Needless to say, the benefits of conditioning can seem endless. But during a time when we’ve been encouraged to shampoo our hair less and less, are we conditioning our hair enough?
Every one of us has our own unique hair type. Wavy, fine, dry, straight, thick, silky. Fine hair, but lots of it! And on top of all that, we have to recognize our styling habits, our chemical treatments, sun exposure, water filtration, diet, and all sorts of other factors that come into play when considering our hair’s state of health. It’s understandably difficult to figure out the right formula for hair care, let alone conditioners, but no matter what you’re working with, conditioner is not to be skimped on.
While shampoos manage our scalp health, conditioners are the shields for our strands. Its purpose is to help us fight all of those outside barriers. To get things started and simplify the decision making process, we’re here to to give you some tips to up your conditioning game.
For Thin Hair
If your strands are fine (but you have a lot of hair) you want to be sure that you are conditioning every other day. The main concern with your hair type is avoiding tangles. Conditioning often is so much more gentle (and therefore better) for the integrity of your hair as opposed to using a brush to rip through those tangles all the time, which can lead to breakage. Instead, comb through in the shower as you apply to your ends.
When your hair is fine and there isn't too much of it to work with, you may tend to skip out on conditioner altogether—but you, too can use conditioner to get the upper hand. Try a volumizing conditioner; they are made specifically for your hair type so they won't weigh your hair down like most other conditioners Plump up those few strands 2-3 times a week, just be sure to keep conditioner on your ends—it doesn't belong on your scalp.
For Thick Hair
Thicker strands of hair need a ton of hydration, so conditioning plays a very important role in your hair's health and should be used daily. Even if you're skimping on shampooing your hair, the same rule does not apply to conditioner (unless your desired end game is dry, brittle ends). Whether you're a gym fanatic or just a firm believer in minimal shampoos, your thick mane needs to stay moisturized, so be sure to get it wet and apply conditioner every single day. For even better conditioning results, use a deep conditioner once a month to boost your daily maintenance to keep strands strong and moisturized.
For Color Treated Hair
For color treated hair, we suggest using a deep conditioning treatment 1-2 times a week in addition to your regular conditioning to help rebuild cuticles from the inside out. Hair that's been colored or bleached has been stripped and its porosity has been elevated by bleach and/or peroxide (meaning that your hair absorbs moisture but can't actually retain it). A deep conditioner will keep your strands soft and smooth and will fight against treatment-induced frazzle and breakage. As for your daily conditioner, there's an abundance of them out there that can actually protect your color from getting stripped or altered by minerals (or other buildup). Be careful not to select protein-based deep conditioners at this frequency as too much protein can actually make your locks stiff and brittle. It sounds like a lot, but don't worry, your hair will definitely let you know when enough is enough.
For Dry Hair
Dry hair could be a result of using heat styling tools too often, or a reaction to the change in our climate. The key word you need to look for in your conditioner is moisturizing, and it's a word you'll want to continually find in your hair care regime. Moisturizing conditioners are going to smooth out any deficiencies. You can get away with conditioning every other day, but there are also other protective measures we recommend that you take: Use a conditioning oil, cream, or leave-in spray to add extra moisture to your hair after the shower. You'll also want to do a deep treatment conditioning mask once or twice a month. Sticking with this frequency will keep your hair on the shinier side and provide a barrier against drying out.
Conditioning is crucial for our hair's overall health. When it comes to how often we condition—whether it be a leave-in spray, deep conditioning treatment, or an attempt at breakage prevention—the moral of the story is the more we properly condition, the healthier our hair will be.