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Tuesday, October 13, 2009

GUIDELINES ON CHOOSING A GOOD CONDITIONER...


Go into any shampoo and conditioner aisle at your local drug store and you are bound to be overwhelmed and shocked at all of the options. Women with dry and/or extremely curly hair need to use conditioning treatments because it adds much-needed hydration to dry, brittle hair. Conditioners cannot make severely damaged hair healthy again, but it can be used as a protection against further damage from heating appliances and other abuse we inflict on our hair.

Here are tips on choosing the right conditioner:




Read Labels

Reading labels will make sure you're getting what you paid for. Oftentimes, more expensive conditioners will have the same ingredients as less expensive conditioners, which makes you wonder what you're paying for. Always read compare labels.

Also avoid the use of the following ingredients or make sure they are at the end of the list of often-unpronounceable products:

Isopropyl Alcohol



Methyl, Propyl, Butyl, and Ethyl Paraben


Petrolatum and Mineral Oil


Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Sodium Laureth Sulfate

The aforementioned products may cause allergic reactions. They are not harmful in smaller doses and are controversial in terms of if they are truly harmful. Just use caution.





Look for conditioners infused with these natural oils.







rosemary



coconut


jojoba


olive

The ingredients are great for natural hair conditioners. Luckily, many products on the market are infused with these ingredients. Always look for these ingredients to be near the top of the label on the back of the conditioner bottle.

Use a Creamy Conditioner

Clear, gel-based conditoners tend to dry out curly hair.

Other helpful advice for conditioning black hair:

Minimize the Use of Heat


Heat damages your hair. Reducing the amount of heat will make the need for conditioning your hair less urgent.

Concentrate on the ends of your hair

The ends of your hair are the driest because it takes your hair’s natural oils the longest time to reach them. Likewise, don't put all the conditioner on your roots because your scalp produces oils naturally and the need for conditioner there is less important than the ends.

Remember to Use a Leave-in Conditioner After You Wash and Condition Your Hair





Some would argue that you can throw away your wash-out conditioner altogether if you use an excellent shampoo and an excellent leave-in conditioner. No matter what you decide, always use a leave-in conditioner. Leave-in conditioner acts as protection from heat and normal wear and tear.
Use these tips on choosing the right conditioner and you will find your hair healthier and more manageable. As always, these are just tips and suggestions on how to care for your hair. Of course everyone's hair is different and what you feel may be the best option can be different from the advice suggested here. Remember that the best hair is healthy hair.







By Adrienne Christina Miles

3 comments:

Samina said...

As Salaamu Alaikum,
This is the best post I've read on hair conditioners yet. It was precise, well informed and to the point (not too drawn out). I just started using a conditioner from the fructis line for co's in between washing and it's pretty good so far and good ingredients. Also excellent tip on concentrating on the ends. I often forget about how our roots already get the natural oils. Thanks for this post and plz keep'em coming.

Unknown said...

I agree! I LOVE the way you present information! Can you give some tips on picking natural leave-in conditioners or a recipe for a homemade one?

Unknown said...

Wa alaikum salaam slipstitches : I have read the ingredients on the fructis conditioner line , the ingredients were great. I plan to try it also,glad you enjoyed the post. Visit often ( smiles)


Hello Wigleyaf : I am so glad to have you here at Au Naturale, glad to see you found benefit in the post. Sure, I will do a post on leave - in conditioners, and recipes for them , very soon. Stay tuned. And visit often, take care (smiles)