The Essentials of Hair Conditioning

Conditioner has become a regular part of most women’s hair care routine, but what exactly does it do? For one thing, conditioner brings much-needed moisture, volume and shine to hair that is regularly assaulted by the elements (sea, sun) and over-processing—coloring, blow-drying, perms and styling products overdose. It can also give softer locks as a good conditioner smoothes the hair’s cuticle.
Conditioner has evolved from the “cream rinse” of the 1970s, and shoppers are now spoiled for choice—from products that are left in for a few minutes (detanglers, light conditioners), to deep conditioners which have a similar, but less intensive action than a hair mask, and leave-in conditioner which isn’t rinsed out at all.

The type of conditioner you need depends, of course, on your hair type.

• Normal hair calls for a light moisturizing product—Beauty-id’s Vitamin and Kiwi conditioner, for example, combines moisturizing and anti-oxidant ingredients to give hair that extra kick.
• Dry, over-processed, chlorine-stricken and bleached hair cries out for heavier moisturizing and repairing properties, which is where masks come in.
• Fine hair that tangles easily requires a basic cream rinse/detangler.

Conditioner should be applied to wet hair that has been squeezed—you don’t want it to be sopping wet. For normal to dry hair, apply your favorite conditioner to the ends, massage and then rinse. Don’t put any on the roots if you have oily hair, this will only aggravate sebum production in your scalp.
Last, but not least, rinse thoroughly—nothing is worse than the residue of a good conditioner to reverse the desired effect!