Between bickering, tips and homemade tricks, inherited, heard in a low voice and copied from some expert (that we really didn’t understand well), we have gone crazy -let’s be honest- with hair care. Although some fashion has tried to get it out of the way, it seems that the only thing that is clear when it comes to caring for hair is that the essential product is shampoo. Now, it is not the only one that interests us, because if the essential thing is to clean it and for this only the shampoo has that object, to take care of it we can contribute many other products. And here comes the trouble, because hair conditioners may have come first to our knowledge and practice, but oils, masks, sprays and other products have shaken our routine and we no longer know what to wear when, how and why.
conditioner as a second step
The purpose of the conditioner is detangle and add shine to the hair. This is achieved by tightening the scales of the hair fibers thanks to a more acidic pH. For this reason, the conditioner should not be indicated as the second step, but as the last one, since if it is not specified as such, many people add a treatment product to the conditioner. When applying the treatment with the closed fiber it is much more difficult for the active ingredients to penetrate the hair and fulfill their mission.
The hair conditioner is applied from the roots
Although it seems like evidence that everyone has assumed, there are still those who confuse the technique of use with that of the mask and end up applying the conditioner in the same way. It is true that most limit its use from means to ends, but the ideal is to start by applying it from bottom to top without actually impregnating the scalp (without having to indicate the limit in the media). The reason roots are exempted is because applying this product can add oil and sebum to the scalp which will therefore spread to all hair.
How long to leave the conditioner on the hair?
Although most manufacturers recommend that it be applied for a couple of minutes before rinsing, the translation of this advice is a practice with little yield. Unlike the mask, the conditioner is a immediate effect productwhich is spread throughout the hair by means of massages during one or two minutes but it does not need more time to act on the hair because its action is instantaneous from the moment it comes into contact with the hair. In case it is a conditioner with rinsing, yes, it is recommended to do it with lukewarm water and even slightly cold at the end to enhance the effect of shiny hair.
A problem, a conditioner, a solution
As each hair is different, each conditioner must adjust to it. While you want the shampoo to be used for deep cleaning (especially the scalp, which is the main responsible for the health of your hair), the conditioner should focus on a specific problem or characteristic: if it is dry, damaged, devitalized, without volume… In this way, you will get a much more exhaustive and careful treatment of your hair.
replaced by others
Clean freaks believe that it is more convenient use two shampoos to treat the hair to complement the use of a cleansing shampoo with a conditioner, since the latter is chosen as a treatment product, believing that it compensates for the absence of a conditioner with this functionality. However, unless the care routine is very spaced (once a week), it is preferable to stick cleaning to a single product and bet on a new product of treatment different, like the conditioner, to close the hair washing ritual.
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