Do We Really Need Hair Conditioner?

Having a fabulous hairstyle can dramatically alter your appearance and create a boost of confidence in your life. All around, you can find advertisements for people having healthy and fuller looking hair. Often, we find ourselves thinking that the advertisements do not represent real people and real hair. However, that should not stop us from taking the best care of our hair. We can always start with the basics – the proper use of shampoo and conditioner.

Is conditioning good for our hair?

When we wash our hair, we are sure to use shampoo to clean out the dirt and oil in our hair. Most people use conditioners as well, usually after rinsing away the shampoo. However, many of us are unsure of the significance of the conditioner. We know that it is said to be good for our hair and many of our friends and family use it, but we do not know the actual use and benefits of hair conditioner and how exactly is works! Without knowing what it is, it is extremely difficult for us to make full use of the amazing advantages of hair conditioners.

Hair conditioners work in conjunction with shampoos. This is because most hair conditioners contain positively charged molecules called cationic surfactants while our hair and shampoos are negatively charged. Shampoos are very effective at cleaning and removing dirt from our hair but they also remove natural oils and positive charges. Hair conditioner is useful as the positively charged surfactants in it will be attracted to the negative charges in the hair and will not rinse out completely with water. So, when your hair dries, it will be coated with a thin film which will make the hair easier to comb and prevent static electricity from building up and ‘frizzing’ the hair. Hence even though the shampoo removes the positive charges, the hair conditioner replaces it.

As you can see, hair conditioners and shampoos work very well together and would be incomplete without one another. Conditioners also have other benefits as well. Conditioners play an important role in keeping hair smooth, shiny and healthy by keeping it moisturised. Through this, conditioner can also be used to detangle your hair, especially when they are dry and unmanageable!

Does everyone need to condition?

There are many different kinds of hair that require different methods of maintenance. Conditioner and shampoo do not work the same way for everyone. Many of you may have naturally moist hair, and it is not necessary to use conditioner every day. Sometimes, excessive use of conditioner for those with naturally moist hair may actually cause the scalps to be dry and the hair look greasy.

For those of you who have very dry hair, it is an excellent idea to use conditioner on a regular basis, possibly three times a week, to keep it looking moist and feeling smooth. Giving them a break from conditioning once in a while is also a good idea to allow them to breathe and relax.

Hair conditioner is extremely beneficial to keep our hair healthy and smooth and works best when used together with shampoos. But remember, it does not produce the same effect for everyone and you need to know how much and often to apply it on your hair depending on the type of hair you have!