HOW EFFECTIVE IS YOUR DEEP CONDITIONER?
Hey fam!
I know looking for a good deep conditioner that matches your hair needs hasn’t always been the easiest. Sometimes we might even buy a deep conditioner based on good reviews, thinking that it’ll always work for us. But then we tend to forget that there are different hair types and textures out there and what works for one hair may not work for another. So how do you know that a deep conditioner is actually working for your hair and it’s a keeper?
- Retains moisture and hair is softer
One of the main purpose of a deep conditioner is to leave the hair feeling moisturised. Moisture should be able to last for a few days, making the hair feeling softer to touch.
After using the deep conditioner, your hair should be fairly easy to detangle, or comb through. If your deep conditioner is failing in this, it’s bad news.
Another main purpose of a deep conditioner is to replenish lost nutrients in the hair strands, therefore strengthening the hair. Your hair should be able to stretch without breaking.
If your deep conditioner lives up to the above then it’s a winner!
INGREDIENTS TO AVOID IN A DEEP CONDITIONER
Knowing what ingredients you are putting in your hair and the effect of using them can give an entirely new edge to the health of your hair. In my previous post under this series I shared some of the common good ingredients you should look out for.
In this article I’ll be sharing some common ingredients you might want to avoid in your deep conditioner. These ingredients may not serve any purpose or may even be harmful health wise.
1. BAD ALCOHOLS
Names like isopropyl alcohol, propyl alcohol, propanol alcohol, isopropanol alcohol, SD alcohol etc, are bad news for natural hair. Our hair needs all the moisture it can get and these alcohols do the exact opposite. They cause the hair to become dry.
2. PARABENS
Parabens are preservatives widely used in cosmetic and beauty products to prevent microbes from growing. Therefore they make the product shelf life longer.
Studies have linked parabens to breast cancer. Cancerous cells were found to contain parabens, although it haven’t been conclusively said that parabens causes cancer.
Some examples of parabens are: butylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, methylparaben etc.
Given the fact that parabens are widely used in lots of beauty products, it will be advisable to avoid it when one can (starting from your hair products maybe) to be on the safer side. Try looking for paraben free products.
3. SILICONES
Silicones are great for detangling and combating frizz. To identify silicones look out for ingredient names with “cone”, “col”, “conol”, “xane” or “zane”. When it comes to silicones one has to know the one that’s good to use (water-soluble) and the one you might want to avoid (water-insoluble).
Water-Soluble
These silicones do not cause build up and can be washed out of the hair with only water. Examples include: cyclomethicone, dimethicone copolyol.
Water-Insoluble
These ones tend to cause build up and is difficult to remove. It can’t be removed with only water, one has to use a clarifying (sulfate) shampoo. So unless you want to subject your hair to sulfates (more on this later) you should avoid water insoluble silicones like dimethicone.
4. LANOLIN, MINERAL OIL AND PETROLATUM
These ingredients may react differently according to hair type and textures. Although some with natural hair use them for sealing and taming frizz, they can clog your pores and hinder hair growth if used on the scalp aside the fact that they aren’t moisturising in anyway. If you’re absolutely sure that you want to use these ingredients, make sure you use them on your hair and not directly on your scalp. The best alternative still remains using moisturising sealing ingredients like natural oils.
BOTTOMLINE: It’s best to do a little research before buying your deep conditioner. Check the ingredient list. The higher the ingredient is on the list, the higher the percentage of that ingredient contained in the product.
DO NOT forget to always choose what works for your hair and is healthy for you!
What ingredients do you avoid in your deep conditioner? Please do share.
Watch out next for tips on how to know your deep conditioner is really effective!
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE GETTING YOUR NEXT DEEP CONDITIONER
Here comes the second article in the deep condition series. If you missed the first article, you can get all the scoop here!
When it comes to buying a deep conditioner choosing the right one really matters. There are lots of brands out there and it could get quite confusing to make the right choice.
A deep conditioner that’s beautifully packed or one with the nicest fragrance doesn’t always equate a good one. We also do not want to splurge on a deep conditioner, only to find out it’s not as effective do we?
I’ve found that the trick to identifying a good product is by looking at the ingredients list at the back of the product. I first scan through for ingredients that may not be good for my hair before looking for the goodies that could penetrate my hair shaft so as to get the desired effect. For the sake of this post though let’s start with the goodies!
Basically a deep conditioner should contain ingredients that falls under these categories:
Water/Aqua is the first ingredient you should find on the list and it’s the most moisturizing of all moisturizers. Other moisturizers include: Aloe Vera, Panthenol, Glycerin, Fatty/Moisturizing Alcohols (Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Lauryl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol)
These ingredients help condition the hair, making it easier to detangle and comb through. Examples of some common conditioners: Amodimethicone, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Propyl Glycol Dicaprylate, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine.
The word “hydrolyzed” simply means the protein molecules has been broken down to smaller particles to make them more penetrable. A protein deep conditioner should contain one or more of these proteins: Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Silk Protein.
Deep conditioning treatments don’t last for a long period, sealants are required to help make the hair stay strong and moisturized for a while. Your deep conditioner may contain some of these sealants: Lanolin, Shea Butter, Phenyl Trimethicone, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil.
While there are tons of other ingredients contained in a deep conditioner, I tried not to go all chemistry on you and summarized it as best as I could. Never been a fan of chemistry anyways.
At the very least, the next time you go deep conditioner shopping you’ll have this trick up your sleeve.
Upcoming post! The next post under this series will be the ingredients you should be wary of.
Until next post.
xx
Uloaku.
KNOW YOUR DEEP CONDITIONERS
Deep condition. Deep condition. Deep condition often! This is on the list of the natural hair mantra as it should be. Deep conditioning is packed with many goodies for the hair. From providing intense moisture, cutting down on frizz to strengthening hair etc.
In this series I’ll be sharing post on all you need to know about deep conditioners/conditioning.
Let’s begin shall we?
First you need to know the major types of deep conditioners and how to identify them.
TYPES OF DEEP CONDITIONERS
It can be categorised into two.
1. Moisture Deep Conditioner
No matter how good your moisturiser/leave-in conditioner is at keeping your hair moisturised, it just gets to a point where you need to cleanse all that build up and replenish all the moisture your hair lost due to manipulation, weather, colouring, heat styling and so on. This is where moisture deep condition comes in. It infuses the hair strands with nutrients and boost the moisture content, making it flexible and manageable. It also keeps breakage at bay.
To identify moisture deep conditioners look out for ingredients such as water, panthenol, behentrimonium chloride. It may also contain some Aloe Vera juice.
2. Protein Deep Conditioner
It comprises of ingredients like hydrolysed silk protein, hydrolysed wheat protein, hydrolysed keratin etc. Our hair is made up of protein, but general wear and tear break down the protein in our hair structure making it weak. Protein deep conditioners help to temporarily rebuild the sections of the strand underneath the follicle, making the hair stronger.
In the
next post under this series, I’ll be sharing the ingredients you should look out for in a good deep conditioner.
After making the decision to go natural either by transitioning or big chop, your healthy hair journey begins. You may find out that the products that worked on your relaxed hair aren’t working anymore.
This means getting new products that promote healthy scalp and beautiful hair.
These are the basic hair products you’ll need for taking care of your hair:
Deep Conditioner: Yes! This takes priority over other products. Our natural hair has the tendency to dry easily, so deep conditioning is a must! The benefits of deep conditioning are numerous. It restores internal hydration to the hair, provides intense moisture, balance the pH of the hair, cuts down on frizz, helps maintain internal moisture balance, promotes elasticity, adds shine and luster, strengthens hair,...should I keep going on the benefits? I could go on and on. I’m sure you get how important deep conditioners are now.
Leave In Conditioner: It adds extra moisture to the hair. It improves manageability of the hair making it smoother, more flexible and makes detangling easier.
Shampoo: Getting a good shampoo (preferably sulfate and paraben free) is an important step to remove buildup from hair.
Rinse Out Conditioner: After shampooing comes conditioning. You may want to try some below. Rinse out conditioners aids in detangling hair during wash and can also double up as co-washers for days when your hair is slightly dirty or when you don’t want to shampoo.
Natural Oil: They are used to seal your ends after moisturizing to lock in moisture for the hair.
Wide Tooth Comb: This helps prevent much breakage when detangling hair. Small tooth combs are terrible for detangling hair, they cause a lot of breakage. You shouldn’t use them unless you have a teeny weeny fro.
Satin Bonnet or Pillowcase: Wrapping your hair in a satin bonnet or using a satin pillowcase helps protect your hair and prevent pulling and breakage while sleeping.
Other products that may not be very basic:
- Hair Curlers (rollers, flexi rods, perm rods, curlformers etc) can be used to achieve curly hairstyles without heat and blend in different textures for transitioners.
- Stylers, like holding gel, edge control and setting lotion or mousse, can help from your wash and go, to twist or braids. The right products won’t make your hair stiff or contain drying ingredients that can affect your hairline.
- Hair Accessories like bobby pins, hair bands etc.
Here I made a short list of hair products you may want to try out. Keep in mind that what works for one hair, may not work well for another. We all have different textures.
Deep Conditioners
- ORS olive oil replenishing conditioner
- Shea moisture raw shea butter deep treatment masque
- Soft and beautiful botanicals deep condition repair masque
- ORS hair mayonnaise
- Cantu shea butter deep treatment masque
Leave in conditioners
- Africa’s best organics olive oil moisturizing growth lotion
- Dr. Miracle’s leave in conditioner
- Profective mega growth daily leave-in strengthener
- Elasta olive oil and mango anti-breakage leave-in conditioner
- Shea moisture strengthen, grow & restore leave in conditioner
Shampoos
- ORS olive oil creamy aloe shampoo
- Dr. Miracle’s conditioning shampoo
- Alberto vo5 shampoo
- Creme of nature Eden hydrating shampoo
- Shea moisture coconut and hibiscus curl & shine shampoo
Rinse out conditioners
- Vo5 moisture milks
- Gentelle hair fruits coconut conditioner
- Herbal essence hello hydrated and totally twisted
- Aussie Moist
- Suave naturals ocean breeze
Natural Oils
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
- Castor oil
- Almond oil
- Jojoba oil
- Grapeseed oil
Are you transitioning or a natural? What products works for you?
