Styling Conditioners

While shampoos primarily cleanse the hair, a conditioner is designed to soften, detangle and repair the hair. While most people should not use a conditioner every time they shampoo, it should be used weekly, with greater frequency if someone swims, spends lots of time in the sun, or has long or dry hair. We like to break conditioners down into 3 categories:

1. Daily Conditioning Treatments.
2. Deep Conditioner.
3. Spray-in Conditioner.

Daily Conditioners and Deep Conditioners are the traditional types of conditioners that have been in use for decades. Designed using solid emulsifiers combined with liquid oils and water they dominate the market. Spray-in Conditioners are the newest addition, becoming popular only in the past decade.

Daily Conditioning Treatments are like lotions for the hair and scalp. Designed for light conditioning and softening of the hair, daily conditioners provide the preventative measures, avoiding dryness, tangling, and split ends. This category of conditioners is the dominant type in the hair care industry. Most consumers prefer the quick massage in, wash out style of this type of product. Daily Conditioners are a blend of oils and conditioning agents with water, held together with emulsifiers to create a viscous, lotion type product.

Deep Conditioners are like heavy creams for the hair and scalp. Usually sold in cosmetic jars as they are not free flowing, they are designed to repair damage due to chemical treatments, styling aids, sun exposure etc… Deep conditioners are usually massaged into the hair, and allowed to penetrate before rinsing out. These conditioners are usually rich in moisturizers, and natural oils, with an emphasis placed on moisturizers and nutrients. Deep conditioners are often most effective if used with a bit of heat, so often a warm towel will be wrapped around the head to help the penetration of the moisturizers into the scalp and hair follicle. These products should be used in moderation, as over use can leave hair limp and lifeless.

Spray Leave-In Conditioners are quick, detangling fixes for active hair. Designed to help give hair body and life, they often incorporate ingredients which help give the hair shine as well as protect the hair from Sun Exposure. These products have gained only a small segment of the conditioner market, and are mainly used by active women with long hair who either chemically treat or use heavy styling aids.