Hair care can be easy, but only when you have all the right answers. Supporting and maintaining the health of your hair is a challenge if you are not sure what you are doing. We often believe that we do have a good understanding of how to care for our hair when, in reality, we have been making crucial, though minor, mistakes for years. 

Washing and moisturizing are two of the most important parts of keeping your hair looking great. The latter comes in the form of conditioning. Conditioning your hair may seem simple enough. However, when done correctly, a conditioner can completely transform your hair for the better.

A few simple adjustments to how you are currently applying your conditioner can make a world of difference. Today we will unpack all things conditioner, including which product to use and how much of it to use.

Table of Contents:

• How Does Conditioner Work?
• How Can I Choose the Right Conditioner?
• How Much Conditioner Should I Use?
• What Are Some Additional Tips for Using Conditioner?

How Does Conditioner Work?

To understand how conditioner works, you first need to understand your hair. The outermost layer of your hair is called the cuticle. The cuticle is made of flattened cells that form a protective layer around the strand. 

Since they are the outermost layer of your hair, the quality of your cuticles is visible. The shine and moisture of your cuticles, or the lack thereof, are on full display.

This is where conditioner comes into play. 

A hair conditioner delivers conditioning agents to help seal the cuticle. This means that the cuticles are encouraged to lay tightly against each other. Your hair will be smoother, softer, and shinier. Without conditioning, the bonds that hold the cuticle cells weaken, your cuticles will no longer lay flat, and your hair will start to appear frizzy. 

Though hair conditioners can contain various ingredients, cationic surfactants usually pull the most weight. There are positive charges located at the end of each cationic surfactant molecule. Each positive charge binds to the negative charge on a wet lock of hair, creating a static bond that is powerful enough for the surfactants to surround the cuticles. 

The acidity then prompts the cuticle layers to lay tightly against one another. Cetyl alcohol is one of the most commonly used cationic surfactants in hair conditioners. This is in large part due to its moisturizing properties. 

Simple alcohols like methanol and ethanol have notably drying effects and are used in products like hairspray. Cetyl alcohol, however, is a fatty alcohol. Dissimilar to simple alcohols, fatty alcohols hydrate and are smooth, making them great for moisturizing products like conditioners. 

How Can I Choose the Right Conditioner?

The right conditioner for you can depend on your hair type, hair goals, and current hair condition, as different products have different ingredients and benefits.

Here are our top suggestions: 

• Our Coconut & Avocado Natural Hair Conditioner. We pride ourselves on offering our customers one of the top holistic conditioners on the market, suitable for all hair types. The natural product is infused with botanical extracts to soften and rebuild your hair's health without using harsh chemicals like parabens or silicone. In addition to maintaining the quality of your hair, you can also use our Coconut & Avocado Hair Conditioner to revive damaged hair.

• For curly hair, we suggest our Coconut Milk Conditioner. This product is packed with hydrolyzed keratin that strengthens and mends hair fibers back to health. Curly hair can sometimes struggle to retain moisture, especially compared to straight and wavy hair types. Therefore, additional moisture is essential for avoiding dryness and frizz, and our conditioner can offer that by nourishing your hair with hydration.
• For those with dry skin conditions on your scalp, we recommend our Green Tea And Tea Tree Conditioner. Our carefully formulated blend of ingredients is specifically designed to offer you fast relief. The various botanicals work together to soothe itchy irritation, combat pesky flakes, control excess oils, and nourish your hair back to health. Even those with sensitive skin and hair can safely use our holistic, 100% vegan conditioner.
• For hair needing rejuvenation, we suggest our Himalayan Rose Conditioner. Aside from providing your hair with a naturally delightful scent, our product is also tailored to bring limp locks back to life. This floral formula is infused with nourishing plant oils and 100% vegan bioactives designed to condition dehydrated locks, taming frizz, boosting volume, and sealing split ends. In short, our Himalayan Rose Conditioner uses popular floral ingredients to rejuvenate your dry, frizzy hair.

• We recommend our Red Onion Black Seed Oil Conditioner for those dealing with hair loss or thinning. This product uses natural ingredients that support hair growth and reduce hair fall. It works by locking moisture on your hair strands, strengthening hair follicles, repairing frizzy hair, and protecting damaged hair. It comes enriched with onion black seed oil that nourishes locks, enhances your shine, and transforms your hair texture. The conditioner is suitable for all hair types.

How Much Conditioner Should I Use?

Conditioner may seem like a self-explanatory hair care product. Nevertheless, people make little mistakes with their conditioner all the time. These mistakes can add up and prevent you from achieving the healthy-looking locks you long for. One of the most common application mistakes is the amount of conditioner people use when washing their hair. 

Using too little conditioner or not enough can take a toll. Applying too much conditioner means over-moisturizing and adding unnecessary weight to your hair. Visually, this will cause it to lose volume and look limp or thin. Avoiding over-conditioning is especially important if your hair naturally falls on the finer side.

On the other side, it is also important to use enough conditioner. Your shampoo works to remove build-up from your scalp, but it also removes some natural moisture and oil. This means you need to use a conditioner to restore hydration to your locks.

So, what is the right amount of conditioner? Generally speaking, one to two quarter-sized conditioner pumps should be sufficient for moisturizing your hair. The exact amount can vary based on your hair's length, thickness, and texture. Your safest bet is to follow the suggested amount listed on the label of your conditioner. 

What Are Some Additional Tips for Using Conditioner?

In addition to using the right amount of conditioner, there are other adjustments that you can consider making to the way you moisturize your hair.

One simple tip is to remove the excess water from your hair before slathering conditioner all over your precious locks. You should not apply conditioners to dripping wet hair because this can prevent the product from being absorbed properly. If the excess water is not removed beforehand, the product might slide right off your hair, rendering it useless. 

Prevent this by gently squeezing the water out of your hair with your hands. If you have curly or wavy hair, scrunch your hair upwards instead of squeezing it downwards. Repeat this draining process twice before you proceed to apply your conditioner.

If one of your main hair care concerns is split ends, there are ways for you to protect the bottom of your locks when in the shower. Protect the ends of your hair by conditioning them before applying your shampoo to reduce dryness and the potential for breakage. 

The ends are the part of your hair that requires the most moisture. Therefore, when you condition them first, you create a protective layer that will prevent shampoo from stripping your hair's natural oils. As a result, the ends of your hair will stay hydrated and nourished, helping you reduce split ends. 

Just soak your hair, squeeze some water out of the bottom half of your strands, and apply conditioner to cover your entire ends. Without rinsing the conditioner from your hair, begin your normal hair wash routine and shampoo and condition your hair as you usually do.

Applying your conditioner in sections rather than all at once may also enhance your conditioning experience and make your hair more manageable. 

Start by applying a thin layer of conditioner from the middle to the end without sectioning. Coat as much of your hair as well as you can. Then, proceed to divide your hair into sections. Start massaging the conditioner from the inside and work your way through to the outside strands.

Conditioning your hair is an extremely important part of keeping it fresh. Well-maintained hair can save you and your wallet from extra trips to the hair salon. If you take the time to select the right conditioner for your hair and are sure to apply it correctly, you will soon find yourself reaping major benefits and receiving lots of compliments.