By BR Kelllie
Many, many, maaaaaany moons ago, back when my face was free of wrinkles and full of pimples, back when homework stressed me out and I had no idea of what real work would do, back when my beauty knowledge was at zero and my desire to learn was at maximum I struggled with greasy hair. It didn’t matter how much I washed it, it felt oily and looked stringy and I hated it.
Then one day my mother took me to a new hairdresser to get a trim and I had a good old teenage moan about the state of my oily mop and the woman asked me a simple question. ‘Where are you putting your conditioner?’ ‘Um, on my head?’. Bingo. Case solved. Explanation found. From that day on I ensured conditioner was used only on my lengths and suddenly my hair was a heck of a lot less rancid looking.
It has to make you wonder, is that the only conditioning mistake we make? Are there others? Well I wouldn’t be writing this article if the answer weren’t a resounding ‘yes!’.
So what’s the next worse thing next to using too much conditioner? Not using it at all, especially if your hair has any length to it. While not all of your hair might love conditioner (as I found out as a teenager), a good portion of it will, as a good conditioner will help smooth and protect your hair whilst detangling and making it a whole lot more manageable. Not sure where to apply it? Think from the bottom of your ears downwards.
How you’re applying your conditioner matters too. Smooshing it on any old spot is nowhere near as effective as applying it evenly. Grab a wide-tooth comb and work it through so you can ensure each strand is getting the full moisturising effect. The only exception? If your ends are extra dry you can add a little more for a bigger boost of hydration, keep in mind though that hair can only take so much conditioner, so there’s no point slapping on half a bottle.
So how long should you be leaving it on for? A good couple of minutes. A quick condition is nowhere near as effective as a proper condition. It’s like anything, good things take time and a little patience will go a long way.
Of course it’s not just how you use conditioner, it’s what kind of conditioner you use as well. Much like skincare, the wrong conditioner can cause havoc with your tresses, so make sure that if your skin is dry, you use a conditioner designed for dry hair, if it’s coloured, ditto. Oily? You get the picture. Not sure what kind of hair you have? Ask your hairdresser or pop into a specialist store and talk to a consultant.
The last big no-no? Not rinsing properly. A build up of conditioner will leave your hair lank and lacklustre instead of smooth and shiny, so be sure when you rinse you get it all out. One extra tip – when rinsing out conditioner do so in lukewarm to cool water to help seal the cuticles and lock in moisture.
So do you commit any conditioner crimes? Or are you shining that halo right about now? Chat away!
Some of these I was guilty of in my younger years (before I knew better) now I am mostly not-guilty of them, but I do need to see a hairdresser and see if there is anything else I could/should be doing with my hair now that I have been lightening and colouring it for a while.