This isn't to say that leave-in conditioners should be obsolete because they're a great way to keep your hair moisturized, but if you want to save a little extra time on wash day, choosing a great deep conditioner is the first step.
What is a Deep Conditioner?
A deep conditioner is usually a thicker substance that is applied to the hair and it's kept in for 20-30 minutes, but most people let it sit longer to see more noticeable results. Time and the heat from your scalp allows the moisture to penetrate your strands. This is usually washed out right after.
What is a Leave In?
A leave in is usually an optional step after you finish washing and deep conditioning your hair. You can use it to detangle or moisturize your hair. The great thing about it is that you don't have to wash it out! It's meant to stay in your hair. There are multiple types of leave in's depending on your hair porosity and what you feel you need.
Which one is better?
The thing is that they're both great options! It's up to you to decide what's best for your hair. If you feel that using a leave-in conditioner after a deep conditioning session works better for you, then that's totally fine. But if you're the type of person who wants to save an extra couple of minutes, then choosing the best deep conditioner will set your hair up for success by building a solid foundation. This means you can spend less time finding the right leave in or putting more products in your hair, because the deep conditioner would've already done that for you. This is why it's so important to find the deep conditioner that will give you all the benefits you need.
What should I look for in a deep conditioner to get the best results?
Protein
This is super important! Without protein, your hair won't grow or rebuild itself. However, you should only use a conditioner with a lot of protein if your hair needs it! It's very easy to overload your hair with too much protein, which isn't beneficial if you're trying to strengthen it and make it grow.
Moisture
Make sure to find a deep conditioner with ingredients that are known for moisturizing your hair. If the conditioner doesn't contain ingredients that can hydrate your hair, then it isn't a good deep conditioner. Moisture is the foundation for everything so without that, your hair won't thrive as it should. This is also important if your hair is breaking off or if you recently colored it.
Emollients and Humectants
If it doesn't contain any lubricants (which is what these are) then throw it away! Emollients and humectants are crucial if you want to retain moisture and eliminate frizz. It does this by adding slip and sealing the cuticle layer.
Penetrating
A good deep conditioner should contain ingredients that actually go deep inside of your hair. If it isn't doing that, then it isn't doing it's job.
Important Ingredients
Penetrating: Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Hydrolyzed Protein, Glycerin, Olive Oil, etc.
Emollients and Humectants (Sealing): Shea Butter, Mango Butter, Fatty Alcohols (i.e. cetyl, cetearyl, lanolin, etc.), Aloe Vera, etc.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know what to look for in a great deep conditioner, what are you going to do with all those leave-in's?
Results matter. We understand there are quite a few options out there to choose from when you are looking for length retention or to target a pain point and provide you with results.
Each case is different and each product is not created equally. It is always a rule of thumb to lean toward products that contain the basic ingredients that you already are familiar with and look for something new and innovative. The percentages also matter and that comes down to formulation.
Hair porosity means how well moisture penetrates the cuticle. There are three different porosity levels your hair can fall into and keep in mind, you can have a combination of the three in different parts of your hair too.
This is also key to help know what types of products you should buy. Hair texture is not the way to figure out your hair needs. Now you have a foundation for how to kick start your hair journey the right way. When you know better you do better!
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