How to Use Conditioner: Must know Golden Tips to Care your Hair

Wondering how you can fight pollution to save your hair from damage? Nothing better than shampooing your hair on an everyday basis. It is likely to remove all the dirt and dust particles that might ruin your hair, but some shampoo may dry out your scalp. As a result, your hair might look frizzy. Now if you want to tame the dryness, there should be more to your platter. To retain the natural hair oil is as important as cleansing the pollutants. You can achieve the smooth and shiny texture of your hair by a proper use of conditioner. 

Well, two things to remember:

a.      Conditioner is only to support for regaining normal hair texture

b.     Conditioner is too a chemical mix, so you should use as per your requirement

Of late, we can find three distinct types of conditioner – mainstream conditioner, leave-in conditioner, and deep-moisture conditioner – each of them executes a similar work of hydrating and smoothing the hair.

Choosing the right conditioner as per the hair type is pivotal

A mainstream or traditional type of conditioner is most likely used each time you take a shower, only after you completely wash your shampoo. Now remember, your scalp should be well rinsed and make sure there is no stickiness in your hair. Otherwise the conditioner would not work as desired. 

The purpose of this sort of conditioner is to mend the damage that is caused by various types of chemicals, normal splitting that your hair faces on an everyday basis. You must go with a type of conditioner which will suit your particular hair type. You need not worry because in today’s market, there is always a conditioner in terms of solution irrespective of curly and frizzy hair, dry and damaged hair, colored hair etc.

1. Washing hair is a must

Okay ladies, you have to take baby steps to achieve the hair you wish to have. Conditioning only works when your hair is perfectly shampooed and washed off.  Remember when you take hair care, the scalp is your most important part to look after.  So, scrub your hair gently and wash it in a manner so that it is perfectly dust and chemicals free. So be aware that you do not tug at your wet hair. This can stimulate more breakage, especially if you have thin strands.

2. Rinse out your shampoo

Lukewarm water is normally a wise choice for rinsing your shampoo. So, wash out with that. Warm water is a lot less likely to put a damaging effect on your hair than hot water is.  As a result, your scalp will also feel a soothing impact. If your hair feels whiny, that means your hair is perfectly rinsed.

3. Wring out your hair

Now always remember that there are certain rules of using a conditioner. After you wash off your hair, do not put the conditioner immediately. It will melt off right away because wet hair is not capable of retaining its creamy texture.

So, a very important tip, after you rinse your hair try to wring it out a little until it becomes moist from wet. Then, if you apply the conditioner it would be more absorbent and give out an effective result.

4. Apply your conditioner

The amount of conditioner depends on how long your hair is. 

So, if you have shoulder length hair, pour two-three drops of conditioner and gently apply it on the strands. 

For mid length and long hair, this would be a far too laborious job. But one thing to be kept in mind, that dryness mostly shelters at the bottom of the hair and causes breakage there. So, while applying conditioner the main focus should be moisturizing the bottom of the hair to repair split-ends. 

For very long hair, it is a little difficult to uniformly apply the conditioner everywhere. In that case the best option is to take help from someone else since the conditioner being uniformly spread is a must.  

5. Let the conditioner set

This is the most vital step of conditioning your hair. So, pay attention, ladies! Any kind of conditioner brings out its complete impact when it is left out at least for some time on your hair. This span of time varies with different experts’ opinions. Some say, 10-15 minutes or some emphasize at least 20 minutes. But it is up to us. It does not really matter 5 minutes back and forth. What matters is that you give time so that your hair can soak most of the conditioner before you rinse it off. This way the hair regains its vitality and thus looks fresh and shiny.   

6. Rinse out the conditioner

Rinsing out the conditioner is as essential as that of the shampoo. You have to perfectly wash it off, so that your hair does not feel slippery or slimy. 

Remember again, conditioner is ultimately a chemical mix. So, it’s over usage might backfire and cause even more damage. Conditioning should reset our hair to its healthy texture. So, you should be really careful regarding its amount of usage. And obviously, when you see that your hair is squeaky enough, you can be assured that the conditioner is perfectly washed off.

Choose a leave-in conditioner for your hair type

Just like regular or traditional conditioners, leave-in conditioners vary with the diverse requirements of the customers according to their hair types. But what is significant is the basic difference in their usage. 

Generally, leave-in conditioner comes in two basic forms- creamy and spray-on. The initial sort is plausible for nourishing mostly thick, dense and curly hair and helps to weigh down the strands a little bit. The curls are likely to catch more dryness, so this is another reason why the creamy texture of the conditioner is the best choice. The latter mostly is more functionable on thin and fine strands. Thus, gives it a fresh look.

1.    Shampoo and condition your hair

Well, now let’s talk about the usage of this kind of conditioner. 

I am sure the name itself explains a lot. Yes, you are right, leave-in conditioners do not need to be washed off. But it’s full fledged effect will reflect only when you apply damp hair. Mind it ‘damp’ hair, not drenched hair. The process is similar- soak off the extra water from your hair and lay on the conditioner when it becomes moist or damp. But do not rub it vehemently, apply it gently inside out.

2.    Place a small amount of serum in the palm of your hand

Again, do not use a handful of conditioners be it traditional and leave-in. It will ultimately bring more damage and your scalp cells might decay as well. Most experts suggest a coin-sized amount of mid length hair. But a little mismatch is allowed. You can apply more or less as per your needs. But begin with a lesser amount than what you thought you would use.

3.    Rub the product into your hair

The most important thing to remember is that unlike traditional conditioners, leave-in conditioners must not be applied to your scalp. This type of conditioner is mostly a treatment for removing dryness from the lower ends of your strands. You should spread or smear it on the most damaged areas of your hair. Otherwise, unnecessarily the healthier parts will get affected.

4.    Comb through your hair

When you take a shower generally what happens, your hair tends to tangle, creating a higher chance of tearing of the strands. So, after you make your hair moist, try to comb your strands so that they loosen up a little. Use shower comb in this process. And when you are done apply the conditioner, comb it again. It would help the product spread out widely and cover most of the area of your hair. So, less parts will be left dry.

Choose a Deep Conditioner

Now let’s get familiar with the idea of deep conditioners. Its sole purpose is to repair split-ends and damaged hair. Some deep conditioner gives you a silky and shiny look to your hair. There are various quality brands available which provide deep conditioners. But there is not as much variety as the other two kinds.

1.    Wet your hair 

The same process is followed here as well. You have to clean your hair first as perfectly as you can. Your scalp should be completely pollutants free. Well, after taking a good shower, absorb the extra water with a towel and put the conditioner after that.

2.    Apply the deep conditioner

Take a scoop of the conditioner on your palm. Apply it uniformly on your strands. The coating must be thick throughout your hair length. And good news! If you even spread the product to your scalp, it does not have any negative impact. Remember, you must comb your hair before applying the product so that each of the strands get nourished.

3.    Wait for it to set

If you have a shower cap, nothing like it. Put on the shower cap after you smear the conditioner well uniformed. It will help your hair to absorb most of the product so that it can heal in a more effective manner. Generally, it takes 20-30 minutes for the conditioner to do wonders.

4.    Wash out the deep conditioner

After approximately half an hour, you should remove the shower cap. Turn your water on and put on the heater for 2-3 minutes. The water should be warm by then. Again, keep in mind that the water should not be hot as a flame. 

Next comes the process of cleaning off. Allot 3-4 minutes for rinsing off the deep conditioner. You have to be extra cautious this time and make sure that not a single drop of the product is left on your hair. Since this is a heavy conditioner and a chemical mix, retaining it on the hair might cause damage as well. You should keep washing unless and until your hair removes all the stickiness from within. Then comb your hair and again rinse it with plain cold water.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to condition my hair every day?

Well, most of the hair experts advise not to use conditioner on an everyday basis. And they have their scientific reasons to say so. Whether to apply conditioner daily or not, depends on what type of hair you have.

For instance, if you have dry or frizzy hair, you must use conditioner more often in a week. Especially if you are a college or office goer. If your hair is already oily, which means your hair tends to produce more natural oil, then it is advisable to not put conditioner regularly because it would make your hair greasier. Thus, your hair would not look healthy. You have to remember that the function of the conditioner is to provide moisture as much is required. So, both over and under use of it can cause serious damage to your hair.

Can I leave the conditioner in my hair?

As mentioned earlier in the article, it depends on which type of conditioner you are using. If you are going with the traditional type, then you should keep it for 10-15 minutes at max and then wash it off. On the other hand, if you are using the leave-in conditioner, then you can spray it on your hair without rinsing it off.

Can too much conditioner damage my hair?

Yes, too much conditioner can damage your hair. We have to keep in mind that after all, a conditioner is a chemical mix. And over usage of chemicals can always bring out negative and harmful effects.

Is conditioner good for thin hair?

Conditioner is good for any kind of hair, provided it is applied and used in a proper manner and with limited amounts as mentioned earlier in the article. Specifically, for thin hair, you need the least amount of conditioner, solely to nourish your strands.

Should I use leave in the conditioner every day?

No, you should not use a leave-in conditioner every day. It is advised that you apply leave-in conditioner twice or thrice a day.

Is it bad to use a lot of conditioner?

Using plenty of conditioner has never been a healthy practice. As mentioned in the article, it always brings negative effects. Both your scalp and strands get hurt and injured. Sometimes you may lose a lot of hair as well.