Researching hair care can be a pretty laborious task. We all want healthy-looking, voluminous locks and have probably tested out a whole range of fancy looking products that claim to give the ultimate bounce and shine to our hair. The marketing surrounding conditioners is a whole other level of confusion, they claim to be the holy grail of conditioners yet we are served with products that either weigh down or lightly coat our hair with silicones, giving us a false sense of hair care security.
So what type of conditioner is the best to opt for? The main problem us ladies suffer from is dehydrated, heat damaged hair; so asides from stepping away from the hair straighteners, turning your attention to a deep conditioning hair mask with natural ingredients is probably your best bet to restore the condition. Investing in a conditioner dedicated to hydrating curly hair is a good place to start. The curly haired community have tried and tested vast amounts of conditioners, educating themselves on the best hair care ingredients to maintain or help them transition to curly hair – it’s all about a regular deep hair condition, may that be a mask, leave in or wash out. If you want your hair to look and feel supple and nourished, restoring your hair to its natural state, curly haired or not, is greatly advised. We’ve put together a quick crash course in hair science to help you to choose the best conditioning treatments.
Keratin:
The main function of a conditioner is to smooth the hair’s outer cuticle which is made up of keratin. The cuticle is a barrier that contains the right amount of water in the hair shaft; too little and the hair becomes dry and prone to breakage, too much water however, can also cause hair to snap as the cuticle can’t expand to hold it all in. If your hair is straight/wavy and more on the dry side, opting for a keratin conditioner will help rebuild your hair’s cuticle. We love Keratin Complex Vanilla Bean Deep Conditioner, £14.99 for giving hair that extra strength.
Oil:
Use nourishing oils like castor and coconut oil which bond with the cuticle to form an extra level of defense from inside the hair shaft. Treating your hair with a castor oil hair mask for example, deeply penetrates and fortifies hair, leaving it stronger and more supple once you’ve washed it out. Alternatively, we love Dizziak’s Deep Conditioner, £22; created for afro hair, its hydrating formula includes triglyceride babassu oil which is also perfect for hair on the curly or straight side. If your hair is naturally oily however, avoid using heavier oils which can weigh hair down and make it look greasy, opt for a lighter cream product instead.
Silicones:
Silicone is most likely made up of rubber and/or plastic and acts as a sealant against water. It’s the backbone of most conditioners and sits on top of the care rather than penetrating the cuticle which forms a coating on the hair, giving the illusion of smooth, shiny hair. It’s not a natural ingredient and the fake shine comes from the plastic; however this coating reduces the porosity of the hair so it’s less likely to react to humidity. Curly haired people are advised to avoid conditioners that contain silicone, but straight hair may see more of a benefit. Try out Amika Soul Food Nourishing Mask, £20 which contains vitamin C and is free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates, gluten, mineral oil, petrolatum and artificial colours.
Sulfates:
When you conveniently choose hair care products from supermarkets and drugstores on a whim, your hair is likely to come into contact with various chemicals that can cause damage – sulfates in particular are considered to be the most potentially harmful. Also known as surfactants, sulfates are detergents that create a lather in shampoo, shower gel and even household cleaning products, the most encountered types are sodium laureth ether sulfate (SLES) and sodium lauryl sulfate. Sulfates are irritants and can lead to excessive dryness and skin flaking, which will end up making hair dull and dehydrated, rather than glossy which is completely counterproductive as its the entire purpose of the conditioner in the first place. For a deep cleanse, opt for a sulfate-free conditioner like Drunk Elephant Cocomino Marula Cream Conditioner, £21 which won’t strip your hair of essential oil and moisture, or the expensive dye or highlights!
