Hair conditioner is a common hair care product. It helps in changing the appearance and texture of hair. Also, the frizz formed in hair can greatly be reduced making hair more manageable and soft. Hair conditioners generally come in the form of a cream texture. Hair conditioner will tame your mane after you wash your hair with a good shampoo.
But did you know there are three kinds of conditioners available in the market? Read further to find out if you didn’t. Traditional/regular, leave-in and deep conditioners are the three types. Probably you didn’t know but there are dos and don’ts to be remembered while you apply conditioner into your hair. Read on to know how to use hair conditioner correctly.
Simple Tips For How To Use Hair Conditioner:
Let us find out the correct way to use hair conditioner with these following steps. The following simple tips and ways explain how to use conditioner on hair deeply.
1. Select The Suitable Conditioner For Your Hair Type:
Regular/traditional hair conditioner is probably used by all every time they wash their hair with shampoo. Traditional conditioners repairs damages caused by hot tools, chemicals and general wear and tear that our hair experiences daily. Hence, choose a conditioner suitable to your hair type. There are various kinds of conditioners available in the market to suit all types of hair be it fizzy or curly and dry or damaged.
Leave-in conditioners come in two forms. Creams are great for thick, long or curly hair. Spray-on conditioners are better suited to thin or straight hair. There are not many types of deep conditioners to choose from so just go with the one which suits your hair and budget.
2. Wash Your Hair Well:
While you shower, wash your hair well with a good shampoo concentrating on scrubbing your scalp and strands. Be careful to not to tug at your wet hair because that can lead to breakage. This step is common for all the three types of conditioner. Washing before applying the conditioner can be said to be one of the most important steps. It is more of like making the hair ready before the application of the artificial product. Without washing, the hair will become a little sticky when the conditioner is applied.
3. Rinse Out Your Shampoo With Cold Water:
It is always recommended to wash hair with cold water because it is safer on the hair and closes the hair shaft. It also prevents breakage. All the shampoo should be completely rinsed off from your hair. You know you have rinsed out all the shampoo when your hair feels “squeaky”. If you have long hair, then wring out your hair and remove excessive water out of it. This step is common for all the three types of conditioner. Never use warm (not lukewarm also) for washing off the conditioner from the hair. It can damage the hair at this point, since it has been vigorously washed with the help of shampoo and then moisturized with a conditioner. Even if you are a conditioner before applying a shampoo, warm water should be avoided strictly.
See More: How To Wear Your Hair
4. Apply The Conditioner/Apply The Serum and Rub it in Your Hair/Apply the Deep Conditioner:
Read on to know how to apply hair conditioner correctly:
- Depending on the length of your hair, pour a reasonable amount of conditioner into the palm of your hand.
- Apply the conditioner and run your fingers though every strand possible. Remember to only apply conditioner to the ends of your hair. Do not put conditioner on your scalp unless you want to clog your follicles that lead to slow hair growth and increases oil production.If you are using a leave-in conditioner, then take the desired amount of serum into the palm of your hand and rub it on your hair avoiding the scalp and roots. Concentrated on the oldest which are the most damaged parts of your hair.
- If you have opted for a deep conditioner then scoop out the required amount of conditioner and apply a thick coating to your entire head.
- Spread the conditioner from the ends of your hair to the roots but every strand should get a thorough coating.
See More: How To Moisturize Hair Naturally
5. Give Time To Set/Comb Your Hair:
The conditioner should be given time to set as it improves the health of your hair. If you are in a rush you can wash it off right away but it won’t make your hair as soft and fizz free as it generally would. A minute or two is ideal for the conditioner to do its work on your hair. For leave-in conditioner, brush your hair with a wide-tooth comb which will help in spreading the product evenly through your hair. For leave-in conditioner, wait for 20-30 minutes for the conditioner to set.
6. Wash Off The Conditioner:
Again, use cold water to rinse off the conditioner from your hair. As long as your hair doesn’t feel super slippery, let the water run and continue rinsing off the conditioner. For deep conditioner, you might require more time than the usual to rinse off the extra conditioner from your hair. Proper washing is always required. One thing should be remembered about these products that all these are artificially made and thus contain chemicals, even if that is in the least amount. If the hair is not properly washed, these chemicals will remain in the hair and can damage the scalp at a massive rate.
Do not follow this step if you are using a leave-in conditioner.
See More: How To Make Hair Toner
If you are one of those people who thinks that hair conditioner is not that necessary to make the hair good from the roots, the following benefits will surely prove how essential a hair conditioner is for all hair types.
To discuss the advantages of hair conditioners, we will have to discuss them on the basis of the different types out there.
1) At first, we have the pre-shampoo hair conditioners. This hair conditioner will save the hair form the harmful reaction of the different chemicals in the shampoo. It will make the hair soft from the core and will be helpful for applying shampoo and styling it later. These conditioners generally don’t have any kind of disadvantages or side effects and thus one can apply them on the hair with their eyes closed.
2) There is a type of conditioner, which has to be applied after the shampooing. It is called the post-shampoo conditioner. This rinse out conditioner has been proved to be good for moisturizing the hair and it the regular form of conditioner used after doing the shampoo by almost all people. It detangles the knots formed due to application of a well-cleansing shampoo. It can add additional weight to the hair and create some layers as well. If you want to make the hair look shiny, then this can be said to be one of the best form of conditioners out there. The hair will not be chemically damaged because of the application of this type of conditioner and thus you can apply it without any kind of worries. It will be great for the fresh and virgin hair that has not been polluted hair. For example, if someone in your family is about to apply the conditioner for the first time, you can suggest this type of a conditioner.
3) The leave-in conditioners are one of the most interesting and effective types of conditioners out there. It works on the knots and reduces the struggle that most people face after shampooing their hair with a good type of cleansing element in them. If you hair is light to medium, then it will be one of the best conditioners for you and you can use it and get the benefits of it comfortably. Generally, a good branded product doesn’t cause any kind of damages to the hair. There are certain leave-in conditioners that come with added sunscreens which protect the tresses of the hair from the harmful UV rays of the sun. One of the basic disadvantages of these this type of conditioners is that a bad formula can make the hair heavy and may lead to oily hair as well.
This above guide will help you get a clear picture on how to use a hair conditioner and about the application of conditioner in the hair for maximum benefits.
How to Use Conditioner for Dry Hair?
- Choose a conditioner that best suits your hair.
- Wash you hair with a gentle shampoo and rinse as usual.
- Wring out excess water from your hair.
- Take a coin-sized amount of conditioner on your palm and apply it to your hair from the mid-length till the roots. Avoid the scalp and roots as it may clog the pores.
- Leave the conditioner on for a few minutes (at least 3-5 minutes) and 20-30 minutes if you’re using a deep conditioner.
- Rinse out the conditioner with cold water
- Dry your hair gently with a soft cloth.
Hair Conditioner for Men:
Men usually don’t spend a lot of time taking care of their hair. Follow these simple steps:
- Rinse your head and shampoo your scalp.
- Rinse the shampoo off.
- Apply the conditioner the same way as the shampoo and leave it on for 2-3 minutes.
- Rinse thoroughly with cold water.
- Use a soft towel or cloth to dry your hair.
How Much Conditioner You Should use?
The amount of conditioner to be used depends entirely on the length of your hair. Here’s a simple rule that you can follow:
- For short hair, you should be using a dab of conditioner roughly the size of a coin.
- For shoulder-length hair, you should be using two coins worth.
- And, if you have long hair, you can use as many as three coins or a palm full ensuring it covers your hair entirely.
You can see results and notice a considerable amount of difference when you use the right amount of conditioner and the right type. You can’t over-condition your hair or leave it dry. You need to strike a balance and see how much care your hair needs. Of course, you’ll need to try out a few times to get it right. For men, it is recommended to use a sulfate free conditioner. Don’t let dull and lifeless hair dampen your spirit. Follow these tips and choose the right product for your hair and get your locks healthy!
