Deep conditioning
Moisturising
6 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your Deep Conditioner
23:13
Deep conditioning is an essential part of a healthy hair regime. It helps us to restore the much-needed moisture and protein back into our parched or weakened strands, improving softness, elasticity, shine and strength.
Here are 5 easy steps that you can take to ensure you get the most out of your deep conditioning sessions:
Use heat
Using heat while deep conditioning opens up the cuticle, allowing the conditioner to penetrate further into the hair strand and offer maximum benefits. Simply cover your hair with a shower cap, plastic bag or cling film (saran wrap) while you treat your hair to lock in the heat and moisture.For your heat source, you can use:
- A hooded dryer
- A handheld blowdryer held at arms length - or affix it to something to make a DIY device
- A warm towel (put a damp towel in the microwave for 30 seconds)
- A heat wrap: I use a heat wrap with microwavable gel packs inside, its great!
Steam your hair
Steaming hair is a wonderful way to inject a dose of moisture into dehydrated locks. The hot steam helps to lift the hair cuticle, meaning the moisture in the steam and conditioner can get inside your strands and hydrate your hair.
Deep condition for 30 minutes
Research suggests that the optimum time for deep conditioning is 30 minutes, so make sure you set time time aside to let your conditioner soak in. After half an hour, the hair won't absorb much more of the product. I wrote a post about how time and heat affects deep conditioning.Apply conditioner with applicator brush
New growth can often feel dry or matted when you're relaxed or transitioning, causing the line of demarcation to become weak and snap off. To avoid this breakage, try applying your conditioner using an applicator brush. This will ensure you can easily get to these fragile areas and coat every strand of hair!Use oils
Add one or two of your favourite oils into your deep conditioner. Each oil has its own benefits, but they generally help to add shine, softness and slip. Coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil, argan oil and jojoba oil are great choices to start experimenting with.Clarify before you deep condition
If you have product build-up, use a clarifying shampoo to ensure the conditioner can properly penetrate your hair by giving it a thorough cleanse. Clarifying shampoos can be drying as they contain harsh detergents, so I recommend to only use once a month or so.
How do you like to deep condition?
Do you use any of the above methods?
4 comments
If only I knew about deep conditioning before. Thanks for teaching me something new that will be helpful on my hair journey.
ReplyDeleteNo problem, I'm glad it helped. Thanks for being such a loyal reader :)
ReplyDeleteWhat type of clarifying shampoo would you recommend?
ReplyDeleteHi Ashana, I use ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo. You can find it in Boots for £3.49 (http://www.boots.com/en/ORS-Olive-Oil-Aloe-Shampoo-370ml_870745/)
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