How to use hair conditioner and should you use it frequently? Can conditioner be applied to the roots? How many minutes does it take to wash it off, completely or not? We answer all these questions with the help of the experts in this article.
Before delving into the study of the issue and finding out how to use hair conditioner, it will not be superfluous to remember what, in fact, the function of this product is. The main task of the conditioner is to close the cuticle after using the shampoo. The fact is that detergents create an alkaline environment on the surface of the hair, and the cuticle scales slightly rise. As a result, strands can become stiff, dry, matted.
The conditioner, on the other hand, has a more acidic pH and helps restore the acid-base balance, smoothes cuticle scales. It was not for nothing that in the old days it was recommended to rinse the hair with vinegar after washing so that it would be shiny, smooth, and not tangled.
All shampoos (with rare exceptions) lift the cuticle, which normally should not be open. A conditioner or balm seals it, restoring fiber protection. If this is not done, the strands will fluff, tangle and injure.
So how to use a hair conditioner correctly?
When, how, and where to apply hair conditioner? Let's answer in order.
1) Conditioners are always used as a final step in shampooing, after rinsing off the shampoo or mask. If you use the conditioner correctly, then it should be applied from the middle of the hair to the ends, while the hair should be very wet. You don't need to wring out your hair before you apply the conditioner; instead, wet it as much as possible. In this case, the conditioner is more evenly distributed inside the strands, along the entire length of the hair, and rinses off better.
2) The amount of the product is measured individually, depending on the length and thickness of the hair. A ball about the size of a walnut goes over the hair to the shoulders. Using too much hair conditioner is wasteful and pointless, the more the better principle does not work in this case.
3) The conditioner is applied only to the length of the hair, you need to distribute it over the strands, combing them with your fingers, movements from top to bottom. You can use a wide-toothed comb or a detangler to completely and evenly cover the hair.
4) The product is kept on the hair for a very short time, the instructions indicate the exact time, and usually, about 1-3 minutes, which is enough for the conditioner or hair balm to complete the main task - to close the cuticle.
Conditioner is a wash-off treatment, so naturally, it needs to be rinsed off. Moreover, thoroughly and completely. Do not leave the product on the hair, because after drying on the hair shaft, it will cover it with a film, which will negatively affect the condition of the strands: sticky and heavy, they will not keep their shape well, attracting dust and dirt.
There is a fairly simple trick to determine if the hair conditioner is completely washed off: you need to rub a strand with your fingers, and then rub your fingers together. If they slip, the product has not been completely removed.
It is advisable to wash off the conditioner not with hot, but with warm water.
If you're worried that conditioner won't be enough for your hair care, use a leave-in serum or oil. And the conditioner must be washed off completely and very thoroughly.
You should use a hair conditioner whenever you wash your hair, no more or no less. Let the shampoo and conditioner be an inseparable pair in your hair care.
Conditioners are not applied to the hair roots, except for special formulas aimed at affecting the scalp, as the manufacturer informs about in the product description.
Usually, scalp care is not included in the function of conditioners and balms, moreover, oils, silicones in the formulas can weigh down the hair roots, depriving the hair of volume, and also provoke an unpleasant sensation of an unwashed head.
With continued inappropriate use of washable care, film-forming substances will accumulate on the scalp, stimulating increased greasiness and the desire to wash your hair more often. If you are not comfortable with this scenario, use the conditioner correctly.
Experts recommend applying the product with your head down - in this position, the formula does not get on the scalp and at the same time is evenly distributed through the hair.
For long hair, it is recommended to separately apply the product to the ends, which are especially vulnerable and almost always suffer from dryness.
The conditioner is applied only after washing the hair, or rather, the use of this product is an integral part of the shampoo ritual: rinse off the shampoo - apply conditioner.
Remember that the first purpose of a conditioner is to close the cuticle after shampooing. And this comes with a wide range of different options: color preservation, smoothing, nourishment, hair restoration, etc.
There is a way to use rinse-off pre-poo treatments, but we are not talking about conditioners, but hair and scalp care products with a pronounced regenerating and nourishing effect - serums, oils, sometimes masks.
Summarizing all of the above, for better memorization.
Apply a hair conditioner after shampooing your hair to soften strands and smooth the hair cuticle.
The conditioner is used every time after shampooing. If you wash your hair every day, then the conditioner is applied daily.
No, you should not do this, otherwise, you may run into trouble with your hair condition.
Only formulas combining hair conditioning and scalp care are applied to the hair roots. Usually, conditioners are applied only to the length of the hair.
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