Why are some people advocating for conditioning the hair everyday? Yes, conditioners make the hair soft, malleable and all the good things that come with conditioning but should you do it everyday?
In this article, we want to dissect hair conditioners and understand why and how often to condition the hair.
Should you condition your hair everyday?
Conditioning the hair everyday is not practical or effective for everyone especially if you wear protective styles. However, if you prefer to wash and style your hair daily, then it makes sense to condition your hair everyday as the conditioner will make the hair soft and manageable.
The type of conditioner you use also matters. A rinse out conditioner can be used daily while a deep conditioner is used less frequently.
Here are 4 things to consider when deciding how often to condition your hair;
- Hair type
- Type of conditioner
- Styling
- The health of your hair
Hair type
Your hair type has a say on both the type of conditioner you use and the frequency of conditioning.
If your hair tends to dry out and loose moisture quickly, then applying a leave-in conditioner daily or every other day works well in restoring moisture.
Another consideration to make is whether your hair build-ups quickly in which case you should avoid using a leave-in conditioner too often. This is very typical for people with low porosity hair. Products tend to sit on the strands and cause build up.
Types of conditioner
The type of conditioner you use will determine whether to condition the hair everyday or less frequently.
Conditioners can be classified into 4 main categories namely:
- Rinse out conditioners
- Deep conditioners
- Leave-in conditioners
- Hair masks
1. Rinse out conditioners
Rinse-out conditioners can be used everyday as they barely penetrate your hair. They are also known as surface conditioners/instant conditioners.
This type of conditioners works by smoothing out your hair, making it more manageable and protecting it from damage.
After shampooing the hair, a rinse out conditioner should be used for about 3-5 minutes before rinsing off.
So it follows, if you wash your hair every day, then you should condition it every day after shampooing.
2. Deep conditioners
Whether your hair is damaged or not, deep conditioners should never be used on a daily basis. The recommended frequency is at least once a month.
Just like all other conditioners, deep conditioners work as hair moisturizers enabling them to improve your hair’s elasticity. This means that your hair will be able to resist tension and stress that may lead to hair breakage. [1]
Deep conditioners also work by smoothening out hair damaged by hair chemical processing, heat exposure and effects of some medication.
The use of deep conditioners leaves hair healthier, shinier, softer, and manageable. If you are considering changing your hair color, ensure to have deep conditioned your hair before the whole procedure.
Deep conditioners applied onto the hair and left on for a while before they are washed off. This gives them time to penetrate your hair so that your hair can enjoy all the benefits they have to offer.
Because the deep conditioners penetrate the hair and stay a while, there is no need to use them regularly.
3. Leave-in conditioners
Leave-in conditioners are also referred to as no-rinse conditioners. They are not washed off after application. Leave-in conditioners are best used for hair styling after the hair has been washed.
Unlike deep conditioners, leave-in conditioners can be used more frequently but be careful not to overuse it as you may experience build-up and moisture overload.
Leave-in conditioners work by minimizing any strain, tension, or damage to one’s hair follicles when they are styling their hair. They make hair more elastic and manageable, reducing any form of breakage that may occur when detangling the hair. Lastly, they offer heat protection to your hair.
Any hair type can benefit from a leave-in conditioner. However, if you are looking for a specific purpose such as adding curls, you may want to narrow down to a leave-in conditioner serving that purpose.
4. Hair masks
Hair masks, otherwise known as deep conditioning treatments, contain very heavy concentrations of natural oils and lipids compared to a normal hair conditioner. Hair masks work by hydrating and restoring your hair to its original shine.
Just like regular deep conditioners, hair masks should not be used everyday. Monthly to every 5 weeks should work fine.
Hair masks are mainly used to treat extremely damaged hair and are left on the hair for longer than normal conditioners.
Hair masks can be bought or made at the comfort of your home and can be used on all types of hair.
Styling
How often you wash and style your hair also determines whether you should condition daily or not.
If you are considering putting on a protective hairstyle that will stay for a while, it’s advisable to treat the hair with a deep conditioner before putting your hair in the protective style. This ensures that there is a well-balanced ratio of moisture and protein on your hair.
With a flexible hairstyle, you can add leave-in conditioner occasionally before you decide to remove the protective hairstyle. This adds more moisture to your hair.
Any type of conditioner would work but I personally emphasize on the leave-in conditioner, If you are leaving your hair open. This is because it works well for styling the hair.
The health of your hair
Whether your hair is healthy or not, it requires conditioning. Washing your hair with shampoo can be very dehydrating to your hair hence conditioning immediately after restores the lost moisture.
If your hair is damaged, dry, frizzy and all those bad things we do not want on hair, deep conditioning at least monthly, will be extremely beneficial.
Use conditioners specifically meant for colored hair if you have colored hair as it tends to dry up and get brittle often.
Conditioning your color treated hair gives your hair a protective layer preventing your dye from washing out fast.
Using a leave-in conditioner is highly advised for this as they are light on your hair and give your hair a lot of moisture for a long time.
With relaxed hair, any conditioner works well for you. Once you have used shampoo on your hair, you can apply the rinse out conditioner immediately then rinse it off after 3-5 minutes. If you are styling your hair, proceed to use a leave-in conditioner.
Can you condition your hair everyday without shampoo?
Whilst you can often use a conditioner without a shampoo to clean the hair, you should not do this everyday. At some point you will need to alternate with a shampoo to effectively clean and remove build-up.
The method of conditioner to wash the hair is known as co-washing.
When co-washing, you are killing two birds with one stone, i.e. You are cleansing your scalp and hair while at the same time moisturizing your hair too.
For best results, alternate co-washing with shampoo washing.
Related article: How often should you wash 4C hair?
Can you over condition your hair?
Definitely! When hair is over conditioned, it means that there is a thick layer of conditioner on your hair strands, which can lead to moisture overload.
This also makes penetration of other hair products into your hair very difficult.
Over conditioning the hair can happen because of the following reasons:
- Using too much conditioner on your hair
- Leaving the conditioner for long hours on your hair
- Poor rinsing of the conditioner
- Using silicone-based conditioners r
You can tell if your hair is over conditioned if it’s:
- Excessively greasy or oily all the time.
- Extra shiny and sticky.
- Very soft and stiff at the same time. This is because of excess conditioning products on your hair.
- Lacking volume and looks flat most of the time. This is because your hair is extremely soft from the use of conditioner and cannot retain their volume for a long time.
- Difficult to style it.
Before you decide to condition your hair daily, make all the above considerations. It’s always best to practice moderation while taking note of your individual hair needs.
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