If you’re struggling with your strands, let me share with you some of my favorite hair conditioning tips of all time. These tips have either come from my favorite beauty magazines, through trial and error, or are ones I’ve seen salon professionals use and tell their clients about. Trust me, dry hair is no fun to deal with, and it is also terrible for your locks ladies. Dry hair that isn’t conditioned properly can make your hair brittle, create tangle, make it harder to grow and maintain, and can look frizzy in no time. Shiny, soft hair is easy to achieve, no matter what kind of hair you have. As long as you follow some crucial hair conditioning tips, there’s nothing your strands can’t do!
One of the most, if not the most, important hair conditioning tips is to pick the right conditioner for your hair. If you have dry hair, pick one that contains natural oils and moisturizers. If you have oily hair, then pick one made for oily hair. I also suggest picking out a conditioner that contains no alcohol since alcohol dries your hair out pretty quickly.
Aside from the normal conditioner you’ve picked out, one tip I have is what I like to call “pre-conditioning”. All you have to do is apply about 2-3 tbsp. coconut oil all over your hair before you get in the shower. Rub it on your dry hair really well and all over your scalp. Then, pin your hair up and get in the shower. Wash your face and body as normal, and then take down your hair. Then wash and condition your hair as normal. Pre-conditioning does two things. First, it applies a high quality oil to your strands when they are dry, helping them to absorb the nutrients in the oil better than if they were wet. Then, secondly, in this this technique the steam from the shower for those first few minutes helps hair to absorb the oil even better. Yet, you’re not leaving it on so long that it makes your hair oily. This worked wonders for my dry hair, breakage and brittleness I used to have. It also does not make my hair oily either, compared to applying oil to my hair wet, which does.
After you’ve washed your hair with shampoo, and then applied your conditioner of choice, be sure to let it sit on your head at least 2-3 minutes. I like to shave my legs during this time to take up the extra minutes, or just enjoy the hot steamy shower! Letting it sit on your hair long enough allows the product to do its job better than just applying and rinsing immediately.
Here’s one tip my hairdresser shared with me, and it works great. Instead of rinsing all your conditioner out of your hair, rinse just enough to get most of it out, but not so much that you feel your hair get dry again. I always quit rinsing when I can feel just a little bit of the conditioner left on my strands. Believe it or not, this does not make your hair oily at all, because all the conditioner from your scalp is pretty much rinsed to the ends of your hair at this point, and the little product left on your ends will help your hair brush out better and make it softer too.
Leaving a bit of conditioner on your ends is especially beneficial if you're prone to dryness or frizz. Think of it as a leave-in conditioner; it's a protective layer that can combat styling heat and environmental stress throughout the day. Your tresses will thank you for that extra bit of moisture, giving you a sleek, manageable mane without weighing it down. Plus, this method can be a lifesaver for curly-haired beauties, as it helps define curls and keeps them looking luscious and full of life. Just remember, a little goes a long way!
One tips for hair conditioning is to know your hair. By this I mean, is it truly so dry you might need an extra conditioner after you get out of the shower? Mine is! I have to apply a leave-in conditioning spray when I get out of the shower, as well as a leave in cream. I like organic brands that contain no nasty ingredients and am preferable to ones based with argan oil, which doesn’t make my hair greasy. These allow me to comb through my hair better and makes it incredibly manageable too. This is also great to do so you don’t have to use hairspray. The conditioning cream sets your hair in place and after you dry it, it holds better no matter how you wear your hair.
When brushing through your conditioned hair, be careful! Start at the bottom of your strands, not the top of your head. This prevents pulling your hair out from the scalp and instead working your way up your strands very gently and softly. I also recommend using a detangling comb instead of a brush or standard comb. Detangling combs are inexpensive and they are shaped and covered to prevent your hair from breaking. Goody brand makes a great brush I’ve used for years.
One last tip for conditioning your hair is to start drying your hair out on a high setting and alternating between high and low temperatures throughout the drying process. This prevents a high heat setting from being applied to your hair the entire time you dry it and can prevent frizzies, which often happen with a high blast of heat on your hair continuously.
I realize some of these tips apply to those mostly with dry hair like myself, yet even if you have oily hair, conditioning your hair is important. What’s your biggest struggle with conditioning your hair?