Choosing the best conditioner for your hair

Conditioners are liquids, creams or gels that when applied on hair, make your hair appear glossy and manageable.

In this post, we would discuss facts about conditioners: mechanism of action, ingredients, types, and tips for use of conditioners.

What is the use of conditioners?

Sebum is the natural conditioner of hair, it makes the hair shiny and manageable. Shampooing removes sebum along with dirt and unwanted resides from scalp and hair. So, there emerges a need to replenish sebum by applying conditioner to the hair.

What is the mechanism of action of conditioners?

Conditioners reduce static electricity between hair strands while combing or brushing. They contain surfactants with positive charge or cations. The hair strands have negative charge. More dry, damaged or weathered hair has an excess of negative charge. The positive charged cations present in conditioner deposit on hair strand and neutralise the static electricity and make hair more manageable and combable.
While they deposit on hair strand, they improve the quality of hair fibers by flattening the cuticle scales over the hair shaft, sealing the split ends and frayed fibers.
They increase the reflection of light which improves shine and colour of hair.

What are the ingredients present in conditioners?

Cationic surfactants are quaternary ammonium compounds. They are the main ingredients of conditioners.
Film forming ingredients: these include polymers or hydrolysed proteins. These form coating over hair shaft giving them volume. These may penetrate hair shaft and increase strength of hair fiber temporarily.
Oily compound: these include natural or synthetic oils, but also esters and waxes. Natural oils used in conditioners are jojoba oil, olive oil, or grape seed oil. The most frequently used synthetic oils are silicone (like dimethicone) which are even superior to natural oils in terms of film formation, shine and luster.

What are the different types of conditioners?

Rinse or Instant conditioners: applied to shampooed hair, left for 2-5 minutes and then rinsed off. They serve to improve the combability of hair. These are the most common type of conditioners used.
Deep conditioner: these are the intensive conditioners that are more concentrated than instant conditioners. These are left on hair for 20-30 minute then rinsed off. These are used on dry damaged or chemically treated hair.
Leave-in conditioners: Applied to shampooed wet hair or even dry hair and is left on until next shampooing. These are lighter than rinse conditioners, act as hair detanglers adding moisture to hair without making them heavy or limp. These are of two types: moisturising that are creamy in nature or voluminizing that are lotion or spray type. Moisturising leave-in conditioners should be used for curly or unmanageable hair or on hair that has been damaged by chemical process. They repair hair, impart gloss and trap in moisture. While voluminizing leave-in conditioners are to be used in fine hair. These contain hydrolysed proteins that form a coat over hair shaft giving them volume. These are also devoid of silicones that makes the hair oily and limp,thus they are perfectly suitable to be used in fine hair.
Cleansing conditioner: These conditioners have mild cleansing potential. These are to be used in frizzy curly hair where harsh shampoos are to avoided and intense conditioning is required.

Tips for using conditioners in different hair types

Conditioners were originally designed to add moisture in shampoo-parched hair. It is a good practice to condition your hair after every shampoo using rinse conditioners. It will retain moisture of hair, making them feel soft, smooth and easy to comb and style. But don’t over condition your hair, it can make your hair look flat, limp and lifeless.
If you have dry, damaged and chemically treated hair, you may need to go for intensive conditioning using a deep conditioner. You might also use moisturising type of leave in conditioners. The constant used of conditioners improves hydration and repair damaged hair.
To tame frizzy curly hair, you should avoid using shampoo, and instead use cleansing conditioners to wash your hair. These provide intense conditioning with mild cleansing. Moreover, such hair might also require deep conditioning and moisturising type of leave in conditioners.
If you have oily fine hair, you should avoid using hair products containing silicones present in most of the rinse conditioners that further makes your hair limp or lifeless. You should rather use a light- weight leave-in conditioner containing voluminizing ingredients like hydrolysed proteins that form film coating on your hair strands giving them volume.

What is correct technique of using conditioner?

The hair near your scalp gets plenty of natural oils, but hair farther away from your scalp tends to dry out. Thus, it the later 2/3 of your hair strand and hair end that need moisturization or conditioning. Conditioners should be massaged thoroughly through the distal 2/3 length of your hair in sections all across your hair.

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Dr Monika Misra

Consultant cosmetologist at Dermacosm clinic

Dr Monika Misra is a consultant cosmetologist at Dermacosm clinic. She possesses more than 5 years of experience in dermatosurgical procedures, chemical peels, microneedling, and radiofrequency.