Are you giving your hair the right deep conditioning? Although the idea of deep conditioning may appear simple, some of us curlies struggle to grasp its fundamental concepts.
If you notice that deep conditioning your hair causes you to lose hair when trying to detangle, leave a lot of conditioner on the bathroom floor, or overall create a mess of things. Most likely, you’re not doing it correctly.
So, how do you do it properly? In this article, I’ll cover how to deep condition curly hair, what to look for in a deep conditioner, how often to deep condition, and all there is to know about deep conditioning.
Let’s get started!
What is Deep Conditioning?
Curly hair is naturally prone to dryness
and this is because it isn’t naturally textured and so, it’s harder for the scalp’s natural oils or sebum to travel down the hair shaft from root to ends when the cuticle shape isn’t straight.
In essence, it lacks moisture, and what deep conditioning does is provide that moisture.
Conditioners work by supplying positive charges to the hair fiber to balance out its electrical negative charges, and lubricating the cuticle by lowering the fiber’s water-repellency.
Conditioners are fantastic for mending split ends and preventing hair damage as well as detangling hair, reducing friction, minimizing frizz, and generally enhancing hair health.
Is there a difference between deep conditioning and normal conditioning?
Both of them are conditioners, right? So what makes a deep conditioner unique?
Deep conditioners, as their name suggests, are an intensive type of hair treatment for dry, brittle, or damaged hair.
Deep conditioners penetrate the hair cuticle’s inner cortex and work their magic from the inside out, as opposed to regular conditioners, which are made for everyday use and can only penetrate the hair cuticle’s outside layer.
How often should you use a deep conditioner?
This depends on the type of hair you have; if it has low porosity, a deep conditioner might not be necessary. In contrast to high porosity hair, low porosity hair absorbs and firmly hangs on to moisture.
On that hair type, using a deep conditioner too frequently could lead to over-moisturizing, which could result in hair damage.
You must examine your hair carefully to determine its needs.
To get damaged curly hair back on track, you might need to use this treatment regularly (once per week), but once you start seeing the results you want, you should cut back on how often you use it.
Key ingredients to look out for in a deep conditioner
How do you tell which deep conditioner is best for your hair when there are so many options available? Here are some essential components to watch out for:
Aqua
Aqua equals hydration and that is just what we want for our curls, to look and feel hydrated.
Aqua is distilled water devoid of any form of impurities or contamination.
This is achieved by boiling water and condensing the steam back to liquid to deionize substances such as salt and minerals that could thwart hair growth and development.
Aqua is highly beneficial for the hair and is considered an essential solvent as it readily dissolves the active ingredients needed for the formulation of the products required to revitalize your hair.
Your strands will become softer, smoother, glossier, and more bouncy with regular usage of aqua.
Cetearyl Alcohol
You’ve probably heard that you should stay away from alcohol-based products because they are drying agents, which is the opposite of what we want for our curly hair.
But, since Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, it can retain moisture by producing an oily film that seals it in.
Smoothing, moisturizing, and hydration are the three benefits of Cetearyl alcohol.
Cetearyl alcohol adds slip to make detangling hair easier and also, helps to soften the hair.
Glycerin
The most efficient humectant is known to be glycerin or glycerol. It pulls in moisture to the hair and scalp.
It also aids in forming a barrier to stop moisture from escaping from the hair follicles.
By keeping moisture in the hair shaft, humectants prevent breakage and damage to the hair.
The general health of the scalp benefits greatly from glycerin’s capacity to draw and hold moisture. Numerous problems, including dandruff and excessive oil production, can be avoided by keeping the scalp adequately hydrated.
Scalp health is crucial for managing hair issues since healthy hair begins at the scalp.
Your hair is strengthened by glycerin, which helps shield it from breakage and other forms of damage. It preserves the integrity of your shaft and stops split ends from forming.
Oils
Because oil molecules are small enough to pass through the outer cuticle and can replenish protective oil in the hair, oils help keep the hair moisturized and act as a barrier against hair breakage and damage.
Oils are essential for preserving hair from harm. The oil can lubricate the hair shaft better and aid in preventing hair breakage. It can also serve as a barrier against harmful and aggressive substances.
Castor oil, shea butter, almond, coconut, olive, argan, and jojoba oils are all excellent choices.
The primary reason coconut oil is utilized for most hair care products is that it works without affecting the protein content of the hair.
The Best Way to Deep Condition Curly Hair
To get the best result do not apply a deep conditioner to dry hair.
Wetting your hair opens up the hair cuticle and allows the deep conditioner to penetrate easily.
After shampooing, apply your deep conditioner to your hair shaft and work your way up from tips to roots.
Because the hair scalp doesn’t necessarily lack moisture, conditioners shouldn’t be used at the roots. But always make sure to concentrate on the roots when shampooing. This helps in removing dirt and product build-up.
Next, use a wide-tooth comb to spread the conditioner evenly throughout the hair ends.
Put your hair up in a bun and cover it with a shower cap. Depending on the product’s instructions, keep the deep conditioner in your hair for 30 minutes or longer.
Rinse off the deep conditioner from your hair and air dry.
You can test out these deep conditioners:
Damage Remedy Intensive Masque by Aveda
Is there anything like over-moisturizing?
The terms hygral fatigue and over-moisturizing can be said to mean the same thing.
Hygral fatigue occurs when excessive moisture penetrates the outer layer of your hair and reaches the inner cortex.
Simply put, your hair is over-flooded with moisture and the protein moisture ratio content has been disrupted.
Proteins are responsible for the strength, structure, and hardness of the hair. Moisture gives the hair softness, flexibility, and shine but, too much of that the hair becomes limp, too soft, and lacks structure.
Using too many moisturizing products like deep conditioners or oils can lead to repeated swelling and unswelling of the hair follicles and over time, results in frizziness, brittleness, and dullness.
Bleached, colored, heat-styled, or treated hair is susceptible to hygral fatigue because the protective cuticle layer becomes more porous.
High porosity hair easily absorbs moisture and styling products but also quickly loses them. This results in hair breakage, dryness, and hair damage.
You must abstain from the frequent usage of moisturizing products and use them only as your hair dictates.