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There are so many things you can do for your hair to keep it shiny, moisturized and healthy. Like most things though, there can be too much of a good thing, especially when it comes to your hair. Many people ask their stylists, how often should you condition your hair? This is not a one size fits all question though so we will dig deeper and explore this further. There are many factors that go into how often you should condition your hair.
What is the Purpose of Conditioner?
Conditioner is used to leave your hair feeling manageable, shiny, smooth, and easy to brush through so you don’t end up damaging and breaking your hair as you brush–especially when your hair is wet. Conditioner cuts down on the friction that occurs between the strands of your hair and allows a brush or comb to pass through the hair easily and smoothly. Conditioner is one of the many healthy hair solutions as it can also cut down on frizz, breakage, and make the hair appear smoother.
What Factors Go Into How Often You Should Condition Your Hair?
- Hair Texture: Hair texture is probably the biggest factor when it comes to how often you should condition your hair. If you have healthy, strong hair that can withstand many washes then you might not need to be conditioning every time you shampoo. Some people find that their hair feels healthy and soft after just one wash without using any extra products on it. If your hair is thin or fine, you may want to look for alternative healthy hair solutions as this hair type may need you to condition less as conditioner can weigh down your hair or cause it to look dull and greasy if used too often.
- Heat: If you religiously use heat tools on your hair, you may not want to skip the conditioner on your hair washing days. Heat tools can leave your hair looking and feeling dry–especially on your ends. Using conditioner after every wash can lessen the appearance of dryness and split ends and can be one of the many healthy hair solutions for people with hair that’s on heat overload.
- How Often You Visit the Salon: If your hair is extremely over processed or bleached, conditioner is going to be a must for you. Focus on putting the conditioner closer to your ends where it will need the most TLC. Applying conditioner to your roots can cause them to get oily faster and your hair can also fall flat quicker if you’re not washing every day. The good news is that even if your hair is over processed, there are plenty of healthy hair solutions and products for you to use to try to reverse those effects.
Read More About How Soon Can I Dye My Hair Again To Fix It
So, how often should you condition? After you’ve pinpointed these factors, you’ll have a better idea of how often you should condition based on the current state of your hair and your hair texture. Now we can get down to the nitty gritty! If you have longer hair, it’s best to condition your hair every single time you wash as long hair is much easier to get tangled and possibly break due to the tangles when you’re trying to run a brush through your hair. If you have thinner hair, you may want to skip the conditioner every once in a while to ensure your hair isn’t flat and greasy looking. When you do condition, make sure you’re applying condition from about midway down your hair, focusing mostly on the ends.
Deep Conditioner
If you want to skip the daily conditioner and only use something when your hair really needs it, deep conditioning is a great way to go. Deep conditioners and hair masks can bring your hair back to life when it’s looking completely dried out and dull. Consistency is a biggie when it comes to conditioning though, so it’s suggested to use a deep conditioner or hair mask about once a week for optimal results. There are many healthy hair solutions in the form of masks and deep conditioners on the market to choose from, but it’s always best to purchase one from your salon or hair stylist as they know your hair best.
Conditioner Don’ts
It’s important to use the conditioner correctly if you want it to do its job. Many people condition too often or just use way too much. You can tell if you’ve used too much conditioner if after drying your hair is visibly greasy, oil, or flat no matter what you do. It’s suggested to use about the size of a quarter when conditioning. That may not seem like a lot, but a little conditioner goes a long way! Applying conditioner to your roots is also a common mistake people make. Conditioner only needs to be applied about midway down your hair to your roots. The last major “don’t” of conditioner is don’t rinse it too quickly! When people apply conditioner and then immediately rinse, the product doesn’t have enough time to do it’s job. We suggest making shampoo and conditioner the first thing up in your shower routine. Allow the conditioner to sit on the hair while you take care of the rest of your shower routine, then rinse at the very end.
Conclusion
There are many things that you can use as healthy hair solutions and they may be as simple as using conditioner. Knowing how often and how to properly use it is key though and when used correctly, your hair will thank you!
