How You Should Be Conditioning Your Hair

by Emma Stern
December 17, 2016
in News
0

Every winter, we highlight the importance of maintaining a moisturized mane. This includes hair masks, oiling, and regular and diligent conditioning. But, the question remains, what is the best way to condition your hair—what type of product should you be using, how often, and what is the protocol for using it. Sometimes, people feel that with conditioner the more the better, and let me tell you, that is not the case.

I’ve had a long and riddled history with conditioner. When I was a kid (around 8 years old), my family took a trip to the Italian coast. Sounds lovely right? Naturally, I ruined it by getting lice from never, I repeat, never rinsing out my conditioner. You’d think I would have learned my lesson from that traumatizing experience, but no. For most of my college days I was using whatever was cheapest/smelled the best from the drugstore. That is a very low bar to cross, meaning I’d put just about anything in my hair. Once my hair dried, it was always a frizzy mess, despite the gobs of cheap conditioner I was abusing it with. This lead to me virtually always having my hair wrapped into a tight braid.

So, the moral of the story is: more is definitely not always better. Like most things, conditioner is best used in moderation. Here are some tips to make sure your conditioning game is on point.

Buy Conditioner for You Hair Type

This seems relatively obvious, but everyone’s hair is different and, thus, requires different treatment. Factors such as your hair’s texture, length, color, age all play into what kind of product you should be using. For example, if you have fine flat hair, you’re going to want to seek out a volumizing conditioner. Many people make the mistake of thinking that volumizing conditioner will lead to puffy, heavy hair, when in reality, it is more targeted towards giving your hair more texture. If you have color-treated hair, you’re going to want to seek out a specific formula for your hair, and so on and so forth.

Use the Right Amount

This obviously depends on how much hair you have, so let your intuition be your guide. If you have short hair, you’re probably going to need about a quarter as much as us with long hair will use. Think about conditioner as a moisturizer for your face, so you only need the amount to cover the surface area, otherwise you end up with a greasy face or wasted product. On average I think about 2-3 pumps will suit most hair lengths.

Correct Application

You should always apply conditioner to your ends first, where it’s driest and the most damaged. Then you can work your way up, stopping just before your roots, which produce enough of their own oils. Fingers aren’t always enough to get your desired effect—actually, the best way to get an even application is to use a wide tooth comb, especially if you have curly or particularly thick hair. Make sure you leave your conditioner for at least 2-3 minutes (longer for a deeper impact), in order to let the product truly sink in and have it’s intended effect. If you find that you’re always in a rush in the morning, brush your teeth in the shower while you’re waiting for your conditioner to sink in.

Look into Leave-In Conditioner

During the driest months of the year, it is a wise choice to seek out a conditioning option that you can take with you. Rather than rinse it out, you spray or gently spread this kind of product into your hair while it’s still wet. The leave in conditioner will create a natural seal on your hair follicles, keeping them shiny and protecting them from damage throughout the day. Generally, well conditioned hair holds styling better as well.

A general rule of thumb is to condition every time you shampoo your hair. Use an oil (I use argan oil) or leave-in conditioner during drier months, and do a deep conditioning treatment about once a week. Do all this and your hair will reward you with luscious, shiny locks.

Have you had any problems finding the right conditioner or with conditioning your hair in general? Let me know in the comments below, maybe we can help you out!