A hair "conditioner" is a
general term that is used to categorise four different types of
strengthening and moisturising hair treatment products. Some hair conditioners are "surface acting"
in that they provide temporary protection and strength to the
hair. These are a bit like a sheath in that the product doesn't
penetrate the hair, it provides a microscopically thin protective
film giving smoothness and combability (a true conditioner). This
is different to hair treatments which penetrate the hair, restoring
and maintaining internal strength. Hair conditioners are generally
used every time you shampoo whilst treatments are applied either
by you or your hairdresser when needed.
The 4 hair conditioner
product types are:
- Re constructors
to make the hair stronger (treatment)
- Rinses and
acidifiers to close the cuticle and seal the hair (conditioner)
- Moisturizers
balance the moisture content of the cortex (treatment)
- Thermal
Protectors
to prevent heat damage before it starts. (conditioner/finishing
product).
So how do I apply them properly?
After shampooing (see our
shampooing
section for more info)
and rinsing thoroughly (and towel drying if the instructions say
so), apply a teaspoon sized blob to one of your hands, and
then rub them together to ensure even distribution of the product.
Then work your hands along the length of the hair to the ends,
avoiding applying too much to the scalp. The reason for this is
because if too much is applied your hair will become floppy. At
certain times of the year, you may find that your scalp becomes
dry and flaky and it is then a good idea to work the conditioner
into the scalp as a moisturizer.
A common complaint about conditioners
is that they "weigh the hair down". This can be caused by:
- Conditioner being incorrectly
applied to the scalp rather than the lengths and ends of the
hair where it is needed.
- The use of way too much conditioner (with professional brands this is about 1 to 2 tsp's depending on hair length)
or not rinsing it out thoroughly.
- The use of the wrong type of conditioner
for your hair type. Many are now formulated for the texture of hair you have e.g. for coarse hair or for fine hair. If you use the variant for coarse hair on fine hair the result will not be more nourishing but it will be too heavy resulting in lank lifeless hair. If your hair is fine we have more information on this in our
fine
hair section.
Tip:
Many of the conditioners you buy are the spray leave-in (don't rinse out) type these are great for hair that becomes overloaded or weighed down if you use a cream (rinse out) type.
Sharon Blain from The Art
of Hair gives us this little tip "When conditioning your
hair don't forget to towel dry it very well prior to applying
any conditioner. If the hair is very wet this will stop the conditioner
from being absorbed deep into the hairs shaft. A treatment once
a month is recommended to help prevent dehydration and damage."
Visitors to this page also went to:
In salon treatments
Hair treatments, what are they
Product build-up
Peroxide, ammonia, lauryl sulphate's etc
Dry damaged hair
De tangling hair
How to shampoo your hair properly
Cuts to suit you
Blow dry and styling
Salon services and chemical treatments
© VirtualHairCare
|
