If you ask a hair care specialist about the most beneficial products you can use for your hair, a hair conditioner is going to be among the top 3. And yet, it doesn’t get the limelight it deserves. It’s high time we change this. How do we do that? By curating a complete hair conditioner guide that includes everything such as what is a conditioner, how to use it, how brands like Mamaearth are giving all solutions to all conditioning-related problems under one roof, and so on. If you are interested in making your hair strong and shiny, this beginner’s guide on hair conditioners is for you.
For Starters, What Is A Conditioner?
To put it in the simplest terms, a conditioner is a hair care product that conditions or moisturizes your hair. Harsh shampoos strip off the moisture from your hair after a wash. You can use a conditioner afterwards to replenish hair’s moisture back to normal levels.
The benefits of conditioners don’t just stop at moisturization. Hair conditioners also improve the manageability and feel of hair. Often, people damage their hair while combing or brushing their strangled hair. Conditioners also reduce friction between hair strands and make a way for smooth combing.
Types of Hair Conditioners
Hair conditioners come in various types. There is no consensus about how many types there are. Some say there are three, some say four, others say seven. The number doesn’t matter if you understand the basic process behind the working of conditioners. Here are four main types of conditioners you should know about:
- Rinse Out Conditioners: A rinse out (also called rinse through conditioner) is the most common type of conditioner available in the market. To use it, all you have to do is apply a sufficient amount to your damp hair and then wash the conditioner out after a few minutes. This conditioner smoothens your hair and protects them from heat damage.
- Deep Conditioners: As you can guess from its name, it conditions your hair more deeply than most of the rinse-out conditioners. The key ingredients of deep conditioners are emulsifiers, waxes, and oils. If your hair becomes dry and damaged, this conditioner should be perfect for you. Since these conditioners add oil to the hair, they are not suggested to people with normal or oily hair types.
- Leave-in Conditioners: These are lightweight, lesser viscous conditioners that moisturize and protect your hair. Since they have a thin consistency and make the hair soft, they are also used as a styling product. Unlike deep conditioners, leave-in conditioners are suitable for every type of hair including oily, curly, and thin hair.
- Masks: These are the conditioners with the thickest consistency and the most concentrated formulas. The main purpose of these conditioners is to deeply penetrate into your hair cuticles and provide moisture. If you want radiant and beautiful hair, and you are not in a hurry, you can try hair masks.
Benefits of Hair Conditioners
A hair conditioner should be an irreplaceable part of your hair regimen. Here is why:
-
Protects Hair Cuticles:
Probably the most important benefit of hair conditioner to your hair is protecting the outermost layer of hair called the cuticle. When the cuticle is healthy, your hair looks lustrous and beautiful. A lack of hydration can damage the cuticle and make your hair look frizzy. Conditioning your hair with a hair conditioner can fortify the cuticle.
-
Adds Shine To Your Hair
If you have dry or damaged hair, a quality hair conditioner is all you need. Conditioners improve both hair appearance and texture by providing nourishment and intense hydration. Along with that, conditioners also help in neutralizing the negative charge in your hair produced by friction.
-
Prevents Hair Breakage
Frizziness, hair breakage, and split ends are often the result of hair friction and entanglement. Conditioning makes your hair smooth and this, in turn, protects your hair from all of the above-mentioned problems. Leave-in conditioners and rinse-out conditioners are best for getting tangle-free silky hair.
-
Repairs Damaged Hair
Styling tools that use heat and treatments that use chemicals can dehydrate and damage your hair cuticles. If you don’t stop this at the right time, your hair will become weak and thin. Thankfully, hair conditioners can easily enliven your heat and chemically-damaged hair by healing them.
-
Moisturize Your Hair
This is the most basic function that hair conditioners are known for. Shampoos are infamous for stripping off moisture and essential oils from hair. Hair conditioners reverse that by locking-in moisture in your hair strands. Along with that, the rich oils present in hair moisturize become a rich source of antioxidants and fatty acids.
FAQs
How often can I use a hair conditioner?
There is no single answer to this. How often you should use a hair conditioner totally depends on the type of hair conditioner you are using, the result you want, and the type of hair you have. That being said, it is safe to use a gentle hair conditioner like Mamaearth BhringAmla Conditioner after every head wash if you have damaged, rough, or dry hair.
How should I apply the hair conditioner properly?
Here is how you can apply a hair conditioner the right way:
- First, rinse out the shampoo completely from your hair strands and scalp.
- Now, squeeze out a little amount of hair conditioner on your palm.
- Using your palms, apply the conditioner to the end of your hair strands.
- You should never apply the conditioner to your hair roots or the scalp.
- Leave it in your hair strands for about 3 to 5 minutes and then wash it off thoroughly.
Which type of conditioner is best for my hair type?
If you have oily hair, you can try a rinse-out conditioner. If you have dry hair, hair masks, and deep conditioners are best for you. You can also get some quality hair conditioners in the market like the Mamaearth Almond Conditioner with Almond Oil & Vitamin E that is suitable for people with all types of hair.
The Bottomline
If you think that dehydration is causing all the hair woes, there is no better and easy solution than a hair conditioner. You don’t even need to spend a hefty amount of hair care budget on hair conditioners as there are a number of pocket-friendly hair conditioners from brands like Mamaearth in the market. The importance of hair conditioners is clear to you. Now what remains is buying the right hair conditioner and incorporating it into your hair care regimen.
Keep these things in mind before conditioning your hair
Whenever you do conditioner, do not apply it at the root of the hair. Apply according to the length of your hair, so that it stays hydrated.
Before choosing a conditioner, check the requirement of your hair. Because some ingredients in conditioners like silicones and parabens can damage your hair, use them accordingly
People who have coloured hair keep in mind that they will have to use a different conditioner that suits their hair.
You can also use conditioner without shampooing to prevent hair breakage.
Conclusion
Hair conditioners nourish your hair to make it soft and shiny. repair them. There are different types of conditioners that you can choose from according to your hair type. You should choose a conditioner whose pH level is between 4.5 to 7.
