How Are Conditioners For Damaged Hair Different To Ordinary Deep Conditioners?

10/10/2014

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This slightly more scientific explanation that I discovered a while ago actually opened my eyes to how conditioners work A LOT. Basically, healthy hair's outer surface has a thin layer of fat. Conditioners contain some ingredients that are supposed to coat hair to make it look healthier and more shiny and those ingredients get washed off the next time you shampoo.

Now, when hair gets damaged, this fatty layer gets eroded and the layer that is exposed is water-loving (hydrophilic). In order for shine-boosting ingredients and other hair "goodies" to get latched on to hair they need to be water loving too.

Hair conditioner for damaged hair has more water-loving ingredients and ordinary deep condioner for healthy hair has more fat-loving ingredients.

This is an important distinction because if your hair is healthy a damaged hair conditioner isn't going to do much for you (there are fewer fat-loving ingredients) and if your hair is damaged you're pretty much wasting time with an ordinary conditioner because they don't contain the water-loving ingredients you need.

Water-soluble ingredients (great for damaged hair) include hydrolyzed proteins and panthenol.

To reduce the chances of getting hair damage you not only need to condition hair regularly but you need to condition with the right conditioner!

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Janerose

10/10/2014 08:04:05 am

This is indeed an eye opener and food for thought.
Now Heather I have a question for you. I have very bad hair, always looks dry and dehydrated. Reading your e- book taught me a lot of things. I also regularly watch YouTube clips with good tips. ,y hair is improving but am a long way to go. O have two major problems with it:
1. Despite my efforts of moisturise and hydrating using the LOC system, it is often dry/hard/ brittle, even when it is oily. Some clips recommend sprit zing regularly with water to keep it hydrated. For me this just makes it more dry, harder and even more brittle ( but oily). The products I use are caster oil and Shea butter(Virgin)
2. I suffer from dry itchy scalp. The production the market don't do nothing for me. Can you recommend something?!

leverne

10/10/2014 11:03:49 pm

You may using a protein conditioner too often. This will make your hair dry and brittle no matter how you moisturize afterwards. Use a moisturizing conditioner (I like Nexxus). After that get some capuacu butter. oraje.com has a leave in cream mix that's great. You can also get some and mix with oils and shea butter yourself. Hope this works for you. I was using protein too much once, and as soon as I stopped, I stopped having the dryness in my hair.

Ave'

11/10/2014 12:11:10 am

I had the same problem. I hot oil my hair with a mix of olive oil, Black Castor oil and Cocoanut oil every week before washing. I use Shea Moisture Shea butter moisture retention line. Shampoo, conditioner, set angler and masque. For my dry scalp. I use Mizani cocoanut soufflé hair dress with Jamaican Black Castor oil mixed in. And my leave in is a spray bottle filled with aloe Vera juice, cantu Shea butter, Jamacian Black Castor Oil and he Masque from the Shea moisture line. It took me some time to come up with this, but my hair is now soft and manageable. I have to put the hair dress on my scalp at least twice a week it I get itchy. I also spray my hair two to three times a week. I wash every Saturday. I hope this helps.

Mary

13/10/2014 09:42:12 am

I use Coconut Soufle too. Never saw anyone else who does. I love it! Really softens your hair.

charina

10/10/2014 08:56:59 am

Greetings Janerose, have u tried making a sprtiz of water, aloe Vera and jojoba oil?? This has helped my hair. Also u have to make sure ur hair has a balanced moisture / protein ratio. Do you use protein treatment in your hair?? If not maybe you should start. I hope this helps 😁

denyse

10/10/2014 10:12:58 am

Hi charina. Is the aloe vera in the form of an oil as well?

Riana

10/10/2014 10:38:12 am

Hi, my hair goes through a similar process to Janerose, n now that the weather is even hotter, I can't seem to keep my hair hydrated enough and its breaking. I use peppermint, glycerin,jbco n jojoba oil in my water. I never had issues with the spritzing /breakage before, but the weather seems to be taking a toll on my hair. What am I to do, and suggestions?

Carla

10/10/2014 10:44:48 am

I am so happy to read this. Parts of my hair have become damaged due to heat and improper care and have become very dry. There are so many conditioners and hair masks on the market that it makes it a very tedious activity to pick one. This blog has add a bit more ease in the selection process.

Heather Katsonga-Woodward

19/10/2014 05:09:07 am

Thanks Carla!

H xx

azzy

10/10/2014 02:08:20 pm

What are some water loving ingredients and what are some fat loving ingredients ? How do i tell the difference?

19/10/2014 05:10:39 am

Hi Azzy

The bottle should tell you if it's for damaged hair or normal hair, you wouldn't even need to read the ingredients for this broad distinction. If it does not say for damaged hair, then it is by default for normal hair.

My best
Heather :)

beniansou

10/10/2014 05:03:07 pm

Hi Janerose! I had the same problem as you but i can tell now that my hair is soft, moisturised even in the hot weather! What I did is make at least once a week a deep conditioning (eggs, honey, Mayonnaise, olive oil, peppermint most of the time, but i added some other things sometimes). But before conditionning i prepoo my hair in the morning or the night before with castor oil and coconut oil/olive oil. Then i flat conrow. Before conditioning i shampoo, deep condition, rinse it out and condition my hair. Finish line put a towel to absorb water and when damp, i add my mixture (shea butter,olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil, jojoba and peppermint) then i twist or do something that can last for the next shampooing day. My everyday routine is spray (water and peppermint) and my mixture. Hope it helps.

beniansoungo

10/10/2014 11:25:41 pm

Bridget

11/10/2014 08:56:12 am

Wow never knew this. Maybe thts wat ive bn ding wrong all along. Just bn picking random hair products. Will definitely be on th lookout next time i go shopping for hair products

19/10/2014 05:11:15 am

At least now you know! H x :)

ericka

11/10/2014 09:15:19 am

I have the same question as azzy...what are some examples of fat-loving and water-loving ingredients?

19/10/2014 05:12:21 am

Hi Ericka

The bottle should tell you if it's for damaged hair or normal hair, you wouldn't even need to read the ingredients for this broad distinction. If it does not say for damaged hair, then it is by default for normal hair.

My best
Heather :)

Robbi

11/10/2014 11:55:54 am

This is really an eye opener. I really thought all conditioners were the same and would have the same benefits.

19/10/2014 05:13:17 am

Thanks Robbi, in today's email I share how hair differs by more than just the curl pattern too...

H xx

shirley

12/10/2014 01:45:06 am

Great information to know. But I find that when I do a monthly or bi-monthly Greek Yogurt Deep Conditioner Mix, it does wonders to my hair and she thanks me a lot for it. Has anyone else used something like this and got great results too?

12/10/2014 10:24:46 am

@ Shirley, my hair loves the egg yolk deep conditioner. Its soft, manageable. And shiny. It also promotes the regrowth of my edges 😊.

Fatou

13/10/2014 02:44:41 am

Hi Janerose, my daughter's hair is really dry too and like Charina said I use aloe Vera gel (liquid),water and jojoba oil and seal it with whipped shea butter and avocado oil, not only her hair is moisturised but it easy to manage it ! Keep it simple is the best

Deneise Green

14/10/2014 05:56:23 am

1. My hair was damaged resulting from a scalp condition I had. Now that the scalp condition is remedied my hair is growing back but some parts are longer than some. Am not sure if this is a genetic challenge as my sister and neice has the same challenge or it is solely as a result of the scalp condition. I am using castor oil to remedy the problem can you give another or better suggestion? It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

19/10/2014 05:14:59 am

Hi Deneise

Have you tried trimming to align it? With curly hair you shouldn't really be able to see mismatches in length easily - do you wear it straight often?

My best
Heather

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How Are Conditioners For Damaged Hair Different To Ordinary Deep Conditioners?

By Heather Katsonga-Woodward

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