February 24, 2012

Characteristics of A Good Conditioner

Ask almost any natural woman about the top concern about their mane and most will tell you moisture retention.  Textured hair has unique challenges in that it craves moisture as if its life depends on it and truth be told, it does.  Conditioners are every curly girl’s answer to combatting dryness but here’s the thing, not all conditioners are created equal.  Here are a few attributes that separate the men from the boys. 
*Keep in mind your hairexperiences  and  your specific needs that need to be addressed.  What is the current state of your hair, what ingredients does your mane respond positively to, are you ingredient conscious?
·         Premium moisture
Really that should be #nuff said but I won’t leave it at that.  The inherent quality that must exist is the conditioner must provide maximum moisture.  It should be super hydrating and restore natural oils removed from hair from daily styling and shampooing.  Emollients and humectants will provide moisture and shine.

·         Slip baby
In addition to moisture, a good conditioner will provide slip and thus have detangling ability.  Slip is imperative to length retention and effective detangling.  Usually silicone laced conditioners provide the ultimate detangling experience, however, they will eventually build up on the hair.  A clarifying shampoo will need to be incorporated into the hair care regimen.

·         Consistency
 I am partial to rich, thick and creamy conditioners.  The conditioner must be able to absorb and protect at a high level, which means it needs to penetrate the hair shaft.  This can be achieved by using a water based conditioner.

·         Good Ingredients
If you are partial to all natural ingredients, reading the ingredients is essential.  Once you identify what your hair responds positively to, this will aid in your selection process.
  
·         Leaves hair feeling uber soft
A conditioner that leaves your hair feeling like cotton has done its job.   If you suddenly have hand in hair syndrome, you can add the conditioner to your hair care rotation.

What do you look for in a good conditioner?
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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

i just found out about your blog via your article "Secrets to good hair day" which i enjoyed reading. I also love this post. However, i find my hair doesn't feel slippery soft and cottony after using a conditioner, and i have tried quite a few conditioner. Also, reconstructive conditioners are meant to repair the hair, so they don't leave my hair soft or moisturized. May be i've just got stubborn hair!

Curly Chic said...

@Curious Kinks-I'm so glad you found the blog and hope you continue reading.I really appreciate your support.As far as conditioners,I have kissed so many frogs before finding my prince of conditioners!I doubt your hair is stubborn,it just hasn't found the right one yet.I'd be happy to offer suggestions.Hit me up via email!

Ariane said...

If it is a deep conditioner I spend a little more for it than a typical conditioner that you leave on for a couple of minutes and rinse out. The ingredient list must be up to par and protein rich. Good ingredients and proteins have to be listed towards the top of the ingredient list.

Curly Chic said...

@Ariane great points! Yes I definitely pay close attention to the top 4 ingredients.