According to hair stylists, washing your hair may seem simple, but not knowing how to apply conditioner correctly is one of the most common hair care mistakes you can make.
Isn’t conditioner self-explanatory? Apparently not, considering that many top stylists across the country call improper conditioning the biggest hair care no-no their clients are guilty of. First things first: Yes, you should really be conditioning your hair regularly, so make sure not to skip it after shampooing.
Says, “I will never skip applying conditioner while shampooing my hair.” jenna spinohair stylist in chicago Maxine Salon. “Many people think conditioner will make their hair fall flat, but people with thin hair also need a little deep conditioning, even if it’s just at the ends.”
In fact, conditioner helps restore your hair after cleansing it. “Shampoo removes oil and dirt, but it also strips the hair of the natural oils that keep it moisturized,” says Spino.
Just be sure to read the label before you start: “Some conditioners are just for your lengths, but a lot of the new conditioners are made to go from the scalp to the ends,” she says. sunny brookA Biolage global ambassador and celebrity stylist.
Read on to learn how (and where) to apply conditioner while you shower.
First, wring out wet hair before conditioning.
A big conditioning mistake is using product on hair that is still too wet. “The first step in hair care is to apply conditioner to the length of the hair without squeezing out water,” says the hair stylist and global ambassador for L’Oréal Professionnel. min kim. “Hair is a fiber; squeezing out excess water before applying rinse-out conditioner allows it to penetrate the hair instead of removing it from water-soaked hair.”
Translation? Just like with a sponge or beauty blender, your hair won’t be able to absorb the product properly if it’s still wet.
Then apply conditioner to the mid-lengths and ends.
Now, onto the technique: After pre-pressing your hair, make sure you don’t apply any conditioner to your roots, but instead focus on your mid-lengths and ends. “It’s unnecessary to apply at the roots because it’s new hair that doesn’t need conditioning, unless you’re naturally curly; it can make the hair feel flat, especially if you’re on the fine side,” says Kim.
celebrity hair stylist mark maina Agree, having said that built-up conditioner is not good for direct contact with skin. “It makes your hair and scalp greasy. And let’s say you’re using a conditioner that has silicone in it; it starts to seep into your skin, clog your pores, and can cause rashes on your back and skin,” he says. “And after a while, using too much conditioner on the scalp increases hair build-up, clogs your pores, and can lead to hair loss.”