What Does Conditioner Do To Your Hair

Conditioner is usually applied after shampooing. Conditioner makes hair smoother and more manageable, but shampoo is designed to remove buildups like perspiration, dead cells from the skin, and styling chemicals. It also prevents breakage of the hair shafts. 

The hair follicle-damaging chemicals used in most shampoos are a fact of life. Furthermore, freshly rinsed hair may appear unattractive, uninteresting, and difficult to style. 

Conditioners have oils, humectants, and fatty alcohols that soften and lubricate the hair. Some contain proteins that briefly repair ends that are splitting, while others contain thickening chemicals to give the impression of fuller hair. 

Learn more on how it is essential to consider the condition of your skin and hair type while you shop for a conditioner and the benefits and risks associated with using a certain formulation. 

Who Should Use Hair Conditioner?

Using conditioner after washing your hair is a must. Shampoo gets rid of the sebum, the natural conditioner your head produces. Hair that is routinely processed with heat tools, permed, or dyed can become extremely dry and should be treated with conditioner on a regular basis. 

However, the use of headbands and ponytails can cause damage even if you don’t blow dry or curl your hair. This constant friction can damage hair strands and eventually make hair look lifeless and frizzy. 

How to Use Hair Conditioners

First, make sure you get all the shampoo out of your hair in the shower. Second, there is a recommended dosage for each brand. Make sure you stick to the instructions on the bottle. Third, scalp conditioners should be avoided at all costs. The product should be applied from the center outward. Fourth, work a wide-toothed comb or your fingertips through your hair from root to tip. Wait a minute or two after conditioning to remove it. Lastly, ensure thorough rinsing. Keep all products off the floor. 

The recommended amount of time to leave the rinse-off conditioner on your hair in the shower is two to three minutes. However, the best advice is to follow the directions on the conditioner’s bottle. It may take more time for some conditioners to be fully integrated in your hair. 

What Your Hair Type Is? 

The ideal conditioner for your hair type will depend on your hair kind. 

• Irresistibly Dry Hair: Damage is more common with dry hair. To maintain healthy-looking hair, use a heavy conditioner whose contents are rich in providing nourishment. Using a suitable conditioner can help minimize the visibility of split ends and tame unruly hair.‌ 
• Slick, Greasy Hair: Apply conditioner mostly to the tips of your hair if it tends to seem oily near the scalp. Keep away from your scalp so you don’t clog your hair follicles or make your hair greasier. Your oily hair means you may get away with using less conditioner. 
• Hair Without Color or Tone: A regular conditioner is what you need if you’re not sure if your hair is greasy or dry. Moisturize without letting your hair look greasy or weighed down. You could discover that you need less conditioner after each wash, or that you can go longer between washes.‌ 

Choosing Conditioner for Your Hair

Selecting a conditioner that is appropriate for your hair type is essential. Check to see whether your hair is greasy, typical, or dry; medium or large; straight or wavy or curly; bleached or dyed to a specific hue or any combination of such.  

1. Conditioning agent that thickens 

You may think of this as a volumizing conditioner as well. Ingredients in it cling to hair fibers to provide the impression of greater thickness and volume. If you want your hair to have more volume, seek a conditioner that contains protein, collagen, biotin, caffeine, green tea, and saw palmetto. 

2. Leave-in conditioners  

They are lighter and use different surfactants than regular conditioners, so they add very little substance to the hair and don’t make it greasy. Unsaturated fatty acids have curved chains rather than straight ones. Leave-in conditioner, like hair oil, is meant to be applied to dry hair before it is styled to keep it from becoming tangled and frizzy. People with curly or wavy hair are more likely to utilize it. 

3. Conditioners that you can rinse out 

The vast majority of people regularly employ this type. Applying a rinse-out conditioner to wet hair (after shampooing) is the norm. After a short period of time (only a few minutes), the product is completely removed by rinsing. 

4. Conditioned with a cream rinse 

This conditioner has a consistency more like shampoo than regular conditioner. If you don’t need to add hydration, substance, or protection to your hair, this is an excellent detangler. Use a stronger conditioner compared to cream rinse if your hair becomes tangled easily.

Precautions and Side Effects

While conditioner is generally helpful, using too much might really be detrimental. Over-conditioning your hair can manifest in a variety of ways. 

• volume and buoyancy issues 
• greasiness 
• problems arise when trying to conceal an excessive sheen  
• using heat to style your hair 

If you have any of these symptoms, reduce the frequency with which you apply conditioner. You can find the sweet spot between shine, volume, and smoothness by experimenting with how often and what kind of conditioner you use. 

Regular use of conditioners is likely safe, but there is always the chance of an allergic reaction. A higher pH level in some conditioners can be irritating to the scalp and harmful to the hair. It’s possible to have an adverse reaction to a conditioner’s components or get contact dermatitis from using it. Do a skin test on your upper arm or back of your ear to see if you have any adverse responses. 

However, if you suffer from acne, draw your hair upward with a claw or clip while the conditioner is sitting on your hair during a shower. 

If you notice that the product you’re using is aggravating your scalp, you should stop using it. The most common side effect is a temporary burning sensation if the product gets into the eyes or nose. 

Conclusion

 

The use of a hair conditioner can improve the look and feel of your hair by replenishing and nourishing it. The frequency with which you ought to use conditioner on your hair varies with what sort of conditioner you use. Rinse-out conditioners, deep conditioners, rinse-in conditioners, and hair masks are all different kinds of conditioners. You need to find a conditioner that works well with your hair type. When it comes to hair care, too much conditioner can be just as damaging as too little.  

Regular use of a cleansing conditioner or rinse-out conditioner on fine or greasy hair is recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions