Treatment FAQ

when applying a deep conditioning treatment should my hair be dry or wet

by Prof. Brennan McKenzie Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago

To improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your deep conditioning treatment follow these tips: Your hair should be wet and the conditioner that you use should have either coconut oil or olive oil on the ingredients list. However, if the conditioner being used does not have these ingredients, they can be easily added.

Applying a deep condition after you shampoo will help the hair shaft release the barriers of buildup, sebum, and debris and in turn, help the hair shaft absorb the ingredients from your conditioner. So which option is best? For optimal results, deep conditioning on freshly shampooed, wet hair will be best.

Full Answer

Is deep conditioning good for dry hair?

If you have dry hair, deep conditioning may be your ticket to softer, more manageable hair. “Dry hair lacks moisture from external sources and internal sebum, or oil, production,” says Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, FAAD, the president and co-founder of Modern Dermatology and an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Can you deep condition wet hair?

We usually recommend that women start with freshly washed hair, using a process of (1) shampoo, (2) rinse and (3) condition. So, you’re ultimately deep conditioning on wet hair if you follow this method. Although, there are many different ways to deep condition.

Should you wash your hair before deep conditioning?

You should wash your hair before you start your deep conditioning treatment. Your hair contains a slight negative charge and applying shampoo will enhance this negative charge. A conditioner with a positive charge will then be attracted to the hair’s negative charge and absorption will improve.

How to deep condition your hair at home?

How to deep condition at home 1 Shampoo first, only if necessary. “If your scalp isn’t dirty or oily, then you can rinse and skip the shampoo before your deep conditioner,” she says. 2 Apply based on your hair type. ... 3 Comb it out. ... 4 Follow the instructions. ... 5 Rinse with cool water. ...

What is a water based conditioner?

For this article I am referring to a regular water based conditioner (deep, intensive, mask or rinse out) that is coated onto hair with the purpose of repairing damage, softening, cuticle smoothing and/or moisturising .

Can you use oil in conditioner?

Oil for the purpose of conditioning is always applied to dry hair. This is because water repels oil and if your intention is to use oil to penetrate hair then your hair needs to be dry. You can wet your hair first or mix the oil in conditioner if:

Does shampoo have a negative charge?

Hair carries a slight negative charge which is enhanced when you use a shampoo with a negative charge. Hair will adsorb the conditioner better because the positive charge in the conditioner is attracted to the negative charge on the surface of hair. For the purpose of getting the best result from a shampoo, surfactants with a charge are best for example#N#— gentle sulfate shampoo — SLES (sodium lauryl ether sulfate) which is negatively charged#N#— mild sulfate free shampoo — cocamidopropylbetaine/cocobetaine/cocabetaine which is zwitterionic

Can you use shampoo after applying conditioner?

Yes you can but remember the rules about using shampoo afterwards (see the question above). Applying shampoo first and rinsing before applying a conditioner does however give the best result in terms of conditioner adsorption.

Can you remove conditioner from your hair?

Yes you can but you will be removing conditioner that stuck to the surface of the hair from the initial conditioning process. You will need to condition your hair again in order to smooth the cuticle. Your process would look like

Can you buffer shampoo?

Some naturals like to ‘buffer’ their shampoo by directly adding conditioner to it before rinsing it off. Some also like to simply apply the conditioner before rinsing off the shampoo. In both these cases, the negative charge of the shampoo and the fact that it is present in a large amount interferes with the ability of conditioner to stick to the surface. Two outcomes are possible in this case:

What is wet deep conditioning?

The idea behind wet deep conditioning * is the manipulation of the outer layers of the hair strand, meaning you are doing what it takes to raise the cuticles of the hair strand so that your hair will be ready to receive your deep conditioner *. Shampoos containing anionic surfactants does just that. Water alone can do it as well but shampoo raises the cuticles and it gets rid of dirt and gunk so you get a two for one deal.

Why do you deep condition your hair?

Deep conditioning helps with the over all maintenance of your hair, it softens the hair, strengthens it and it lasts longer than just a rinse out conditioner. The idea is you want some of your conditioning agents to be absorbed by your hair for the conditioner to work. What this means is that some of the particles within your formula that have low molecular weight should penetrate through the outer layers of the hair strand strengthening from the inside out.

What happens when you wet your hair?

When you wet your hair with warm water it allows the outside layer of your hair ,the cuticle, to open up and the conditioner is able to get inside of the hair strand and actually moisturize the hair.

Can you dry your hair deep conditioning?

The key is knowing what your hair needs and when! If you don’t use alot of product and you do not sweat alot then your hair may not require a heavy deep treatment, you might be able to get away with a dry deep conditioning. However if you are the opposite of that then you probably would fear better with a good shampoo session first.

Is dry conditioning better than wet conditioning?

2) The effectiveness of dry vs. wet deep conditioning will vary from head to head. While it’s true that dry fibers have more capacity to absorb moisture than do already wet ones – much like a sponge – the success of each method depends largely on porosity. (Personally I think this is the single most important factor in building a hair care regimen and should be the first thing new DIYers, be they natural, relaxed, or color-treated, determine.)

Should I put conditioner on before washing my hair?

Yeah. I put the conditioner on before I wash my hair. Sit under the dryer sometimes, let it penetrate the strands. One of the hairstylists I used to go to swore by it. She said if you wash the hair first, the pores are full of shampoo residue and water. So the conditioner would basically have nowhere to go.

Is YM good for high porosity hair?

YM, of course, MV; forcing products to compete with preexisting water in the hair strand may not be worthwhile for high porosity hair, and that’s fine too. The great thing about this journey is that we don’t all have to do the same things.

Why is conditioner good for damaged hair?

Conditioner works better on damaged hair because it gets stuck in the flaws and cracks of damaged hair.

How does conditioner work?

Most ordinary conditioners work on the outside of the hair shaft by softening the hair, smoothing the cuticles, minimizing static, and in some cases helping water stay in the cortex. When conditioners are rinsed away, some conditioning agents are left behind which keeps hair soft.

What Will Open the Hair’s Cuticle?

Shampoo is typically mildly acidic to neutral on the pH scale (usually in the neighborhood of 6-7, however, 8 is also acceptable).

What are the ingredients in a hair conditioner?

If you have natural hair, you will want to look for the following ingredients within your hair conditioner: water, coconut oil, hydrolyzed wheat protein, caffeine, cetrimonium bromide, and panthenol. In the upcoming sections, we’ve provided details about how each ingredient interacts with your hair.

What is the best way to repair hair?

Using a Water-based Conditioner . When using water-based conditioners (i.e. masks, deep conditioners, or rinse outs), these conditioners coat the hair to repair damage, smooth the cuticle, soften and moisturize the hair.

How to tell if you're leaving conditioner on too long?

A good way to tell if you are leaving the conditioner on too long is if your hair gets overly soft, or curls don’t hold well after conditioning.

What opens up the cuticle of hair?

Things that open up the hair cuticle include chemical processing of the hair such as coloring, bleaching or relaxing the hair (i.e., creamy crack ). So, if you have natural hair, it’s likely that your hair cuticles are closed; water and some oils are able to get in, but that’s all.

Does conditioner stick to shampoo?

1. Conditioner does not stick to the surface and is washed off along with the shampoo

Can you use oil in conditioner?

Oil for the purpose of conditioning is always applied to dry hair. This is because water repels oil and if your intention is to use oil to penetrate hair then your hair needs to be dry. You can wet your hair first or mix the oil in conditioner if:

Does shampoo have a negative charge?

Hair carries a slight negative charge which is enhanced when you use a shampoo with a negative charge. Hair will adsorb the conditioner better because the positive charge in the conditioner is attracted to the negative charge on the surface of hair. For the purpose of getting the best result from a shampoo, surfactants with a charge are best for example

Can you remove conditioner from your hair?

Yes you can but you will be removing conditioner that stuck to the surface of the hair from the initial conditioning process. You will need to condition your hair again in order to smooth the cuticle. Your process would look like

Can you use shampoo after applying conditioner?

Yes you can but remember the rules about using shampoo afterwards (see the question above). Applying shampoo first and rinsing before applying a conditioner does however give the best result in terms of conditioner adsorption.

Can you buffer shampoo?

Some naturals like to 'buffer' their shampoo by directly adding conditioner to it before rinsing it off. Some also like to simply apply the conditioner before rinsing off the shampoo. In both these cases, the negative charge of the shampoo and the fact that it is present in a large amount interferes with the ability of conditioner to stick to the surface. Two outcomes are possible in this case:

How to deep condition hair at home?

How to deep condition at home. Mraz Robinson suggests the following steps: Shampoo first, only if necessary. “If your scalp isn’t dirty or oily, then you can rinse and skip the shampoo before your deep conditioner,” she says. Apply based on your hair type.

How long does a deep conditioner last?

They’re also left in the hair for much longer: 20 to 30 minutes instead of just 2 or 3 minutes. “Deep conditioners will have a thicker, heavier concentration,” Mraz Robinson says.

Why do people with tight curls need to deep condition?

Since sebum travels most easily down the hair to lubricate straight and loose curled strands , people with tight curls may find they need to deep condition more often.

Why does my hair feel drier after bleaching?

Your hair may also feel drier if you lighten it, since the bleaching process opens up strands to destroy melanin (pigment). “This can leave strands dry, porous, and brittle,” Mraz Robinson says.

What is the source of moisture in hair?

Your hair’s moisture levels depend on how much sebum is produced by the sebaceous glands located in your hair follicles. Sebum is an oil that lubricates the skin, scalp, and hair.

What are some good deep conditioning recipes?

DIY deep conditioning recipes. Avocado, egg, and olive oil are the ideal ingredients for a homemade conditioner, because they’re “rich in omega-3 fatty acids to repair and strengthen strands,” Mraz Robinson says. These recipes use some of her favorite ingredients.

How long should I leave a sanitizer on?

Follow the instructions. They vary, so read the packaging. “On average, I’d say [to leave it on for] about 20 to 30 minutes ,” she says.

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