Conditioners are specially formulated to restore the natural oils stripped away by shampooing, while strengthening hair fibers so they’re more resistant to damage and breakage.
If your hair tends to get oily or greasy easily, lightweight formulas containing essential nourishing ingredients such as argan oil and hyaluronic acid may help detangle and boost volume while detangling and detangling at the same time.
Strengthening
Conditioners contain aqueous ingredients with positive charges that attract negatively charged hair proteins (keratin). This bonds to these negatively charged proteins to strengthen and repair them, thus reducing breakage.
Conditioners can be thick, creamy liquids that contain high concentrations of positively charged cationic surfactants like cetyltrimonium chloride or stearalkonium chloride, along with other conditioning agents like fatty acids such as glycerol and linoleic acid, shea butter or jojoba oil that have an extraordinary hydrating and conditioning effect on hair by neutralising negative charges that cling to it and leaving behind soft, shiny locks.
Preservatives in conditioners help prevent spoilage by microorganisms during their shelf life. While some conditioners are intended to be rinsed away after use, others can be left-in for scalp massage and rub-in use. Leave-in products tend to have low viscosity with reduced levels of cationic materials and fatty acids for hair that does not require deep conditioning treatments.
Frizz control
The best conditioners for frizz control provide deep hydration while smoothing cuticles to reduce flyaways and frizz. Our hair naturally has a protective lipid barrier; however, washing and styling can strip this away, leaving our locks vulnerable and lacking essential lipids needed for moisture absorption. Conditioning products containing emollients, oils and fatty alcohols replace these natural lipids to form water-repellent barriers to help keep tresses hydrated and frizz-free.
These formulas come in the form of water thin aqueous liquid or slightly thickened lotion and can easily be sprayed onto wet hair for spraying. Some contain anti-humidity components to slow the evaporation of moisture from the shaft of hair shaft and reduce frizz and flyaways.
These anti-frizz ingredients are ideal for dry and curly locks that tend to frizz. To minimize frizzy strands post-shower, apply conditioner on wet hair prior to pre-rinsing with a microfiber towel (and before styling it), using wide-toothed comb. To use, comb through your conditioner using wide-tooth comb before pre-rinsing (it is also advised) using microfiber towel (to eliminate build-up).
Detangling
Dealing with an overwhelming tangle is never enjoyable, but you can make the process more pleasant by using a detangling conditioner. Not only will this product reduce hair breakage and scalp pain by coating each strand in an easy-glide substance that makes combing, brushes and fingers glide smoothly through it, but it will also prevent additional hair breakage by protecting combs, brushes or fingers from getting caught in its grip!
Usually, this slippery substance consists of oil like mineral or sunflower seed oil; however, some products also incorporate shea butter. Some even contain an amino acid known as panthenol for strengthening hair growth as well as polymers such as dimethicone to strengthen it further.
Wilczopolski and Malone both depend on this leave-in conditioner/detangler as their go-to product for smooth locks. Combining both benefits, this versatile formula “is a nourishing mist with humectants and oils to nourish the hair”, says Wilczopolski. Additionally, its ingredients include ginger root extracts as well as acerola extracts as tangle-melting agents, shine-enhancing shea butter and shine enhancers to help ensure maximum shine enhancement for gorgeous locks! To use, simply spray onto damp locks!
Hydration
Applying conditioner after shampoo helps hydrate your locks while adding an additional protective layer against heat styling and environmental hazards. Regular usage of conditioner is said to make hair smoother and softer for most individuals.
Hair naturally contains a protective lipid barrier, and conditioners contain ingredients such as emollients and oils to restore this protection. Some conditioners can be rinsed out easily while others may remain in your locks longer before being washed out later on.
As well as hydrating hair, some conditioners are specially formulated to add shine and reduce static electricity. They accomplish this by coating each individual strand to reflect light back towards its source, making the hair appear shinier. Some conditioners even temporarily repair split ends known as trichoptilosis by filling damaged spots with protective film; it is important that you read and follow all instructions for your specific conditioner!
