How to Maintain Healthy and Beautiful Hair.
October 30, 2023A Step-by-Step Guide to Treating Curly Dry Hair
November 8, 2023How to Deep Condition at Home like a Salon.
If you have dry hair, deep conditioning may be your solution to softer, more manageable hair.
“Dry hair lacks moisture from external sources and internal sebum, or oil, production,”
Here’s what you need to know to choose the right deep conditioner and keep your hair moisturized.
What makes hair dry
Your hair’s moisture levels depend on how much sebum is produced by the sebaceous glands located in your hair follicles. Sebum is an oil that lubricates the skin, scalp, and hair.
The amount of sebum the scalp produces varies from person to person and fluctuates throughout life. It’s impacted by your age, hormones, stress, and environmental triggers, Mraz Robinson explains.
Your hair may also feel drier if you lighten it, since the bleaching process opens up strands to destroy melanin (pigment).
“This can leave strands of hair dry, porous, and brittle,”
Heat styling is another factor that can dry out your hair – so if you constantly reach for your blow-dryer or the curling iron, you may want to add deep conditioning to your hair care routine.
What are deep conditioners?
All conditioners contain a couple of key ingredients:
- Humectants. These bind to water and add moisture to the hair.
- Emollients. Sometimes just called moisturizers, these are substances that soften hair and reduce moisture loss by creating a protective film around strands.
Deep conditioners contain higher concentrations of emollient and humectant ingredients than daily conditioners. They’re also left in the hair for much longer: 20 to 30 minutes instead of just 2 or 3 minutes.
“Deep conditioners will have a thicker, heavier concentration,”. “They may also continue working for days after use, as they are formulated to penetrate the strand more deeply than surface-smoothing daily conditioners.”
The benefits of deep conditioning
Both regular conditioners and deep conditioners improve hair’s appearance. But deep conditioners have a more noticeable impact. They can:
- detangle hair
- decrease frizz
- boost shine
- increase smoothness
Who needs a deep conditioner?
Because shampoo also removes sebum, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a quick rinse-out conditioner every time after washing hair.
Unless you have especially oily hair, you can likely benefit from also using a deep conditioner.
How often you should deep condition really depends on your hair texture and how often you wash and heat style it.
In general, once per week is a good rule of thumb for most people, as using it too frequently could lead to product buildup.
Since sebum travels most easily down the hair to lubricate straight and loose curled strands, people with tight curls may find they need to deep condition more often.
It’s also a good idea to deep condition your hair before you get it chemically treated (i.e., lightened, straightened, or permed).
How to deep condition at home
- Shampoo first, only if necessary. “If your scalp isn’t dirty or oily, then you can rinse and skip the shampoo before your deep conditioner”.
- Apply based on your hair type. If you have dry hair or tight curls, you’ll likely benefit from applying deep conditioner very close, if not all the way, to the root. If your hair is oilier, use deep conditioner from the mid-shaft to the ends of the hair, and use your regular conditioner closer to your scalp.
- Comb it out. Comb the product through with your fingers or a tooth comb to coat all your strands. “Most people will want to apply on the lower part of the hair, concentrating on the ends”.
- Follow the instructions. They vary, so read the packaging. “On average, I’d say [to leave it on for] about 20 to 30 minutes” .
- Rinse with cool water. “This will help seal the conditioner into the hair shaft.”
DIY deep-conditioning recipes
Avocado, egg, and olive oil are the ideal ingredients for a homemade conditioner because they’re “rich in omega-3 fatty acids to repair and strengthen strands”.
Recipe #1
Ingredients
- 1/2 an avocado
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
Directions
- Mix the ingredients together using a fork or whisk
- Apply to hair, and rinse out after 20 to 30 minutes with cool water.
Recipe #2
Ingredients
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 an avocado
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. honey
Directions
- Blend all the ingredients together.
- Apply to hair, and rinse out after 20 to 30 minutes with cool water.
Deep conditioning products
We suggest looking for the following emollient ingredients in a store-bought deep conditioner:
- honey
- avocado oil
- shea butter
- coconut oil
A note of caution
Use caution if you have sensitive skin on your scalp, especially if you have eczema or psoriasis.
“Many of these treatments are heavily fragranced and may trigger a flare-up of your condition”.
If you’re acne-prone, be sure to keep freshly conditioned strands away from your face and change your pillowcase regularly.
The bottom line
Deep conditioners have more concentrated emollient and humectant ingredients and are left on the hair longer than daily conditioners.
Most people can use a deep conditioner once per week. Comb through from the mid-shaft to the ends, leave on for 20 minutes, and rinse with cool water.
Look for ingredients, like avocado oil, shea butter, and coconut oil.
If you have dry hair, deep conditioning may be your solution to softer, more manageable hair.