With so many different conditioners on the market, how do you know which one is good for your hair? You may only need some extra moisture, or maybe you need to strengthen your strands. Maintaining a proper balance between having moisture and strength in your hair is necessary for the healthiest hair growth possible.

Protein conditioners helps to make the hair stronger. There are different levels of protein conditioners ranging from "instant" conditioners such as Suave, to total protein based treatments such as Aphogee Treatment For Damaged Hair. You normally need to follow up treatments up with a moisturizing conditioner. If you use too much protein on your hair, it will feel hard and brittle, and could eventually break off.

Moisturizing conditioners are water-based and essential for natural hair in restoring softness and moisture. They help to make the hair soft and retain elasticity, which aids in decreasing hair breakage. These types of conditioners can be in the form of a quick rinse out application, or a one-hour deep conditioning treatment. There is such a thing as "over conditioning". Using moisturing conditioners to often can cause the hair to feel weak and limp.

Remember that oils do not moisturize, so make sure you read ingredients and avoid products that contain petroleum, mineral oil, or lanolin etc. at the top of the list. These ingredients are simply fillers and will not moisturize the hair.

Here is a great diagram that shows you the differences between rinse out conditioners, hair treatments, and leave-in conditioners and the effects on a hair strand:

photo courtesy of hairfinder.com

This is a basic list of conditioners I have complied based specifically on type. If there is a conditioner you would like me to list, please feel free to contact me with the information.

Protein Conditioners

Protein Moisturizers

How often should you use these types of conditioners?

Everyone's hair and lifestyles are different, so I always recommend trying different products to see how they will react on your hair. Personally, I have had success with using moisturizing conditioners once a week or every other week, during the fall and winter months. In the spring and summer months, I cut back to using these conditioners only once a month. Since I don't use heat or hair color on my hair, I rarely use protein-based conditioners. However, I may use protein every couple of months because I wear my hair up often.

You should evaluate your routine and plan accordingly. If you use heat and/or hair color often, I would suggest using a treatment such as Aphogee 2 Min Keratin Reconstruction at least once a month.

Visit MotownGirl.com next month and read about importance of leave-in conditioners and hair treatments!