Deep Conditioning Tips

Deep Conditioners are used to help retain and restore moisture to dry, and sometimes brittle hair. Be careful while deep conditioning because there is such a thing of "over conditioning" your hair. Two major signs of over conditioned hair is the hair feeling weak and very limp, which can lead to breakage. In this case, too much of a good thing can definitely be a bad thing.

An important thing to note is that not all conditioners are not created equally. Some may think if you put any conditioner on your hair and leave it on for an hour that you are deep conditioning. This is incorrect because those "instant" conditioner only coat the top layer of the hair strand. They do not contain ingredients that penetrate into the hair to help minimize damage.

So you ask "how do I know a conditioner is indeed a deep conditioner". When choosing a deep conditioner, look for these hints:

• If the instructions says to leave the product on your hair for 15-20 minutes and to use heat or a plastic cap, chances are it is a deep conditioner. The length of time and using a little heat helps to penetrate into the hair better. If it stays on less than 5 minutes, it's probably not a deep conditioner. Look for the keyword "moisturizing" in the name of the product or on the bottle/jar

How often should you use a deep conditioner?
The frequency will depend on your lifestyle and if you use heat and chemicals on your hair. I would recommend at least one a month. Try it on your hair to see how it reacts.

How long should you deep condition my hair?
Many deep conditioning instructions suggest at least 15 minutes. This is to ensure the product get penetrated deep within the hair shaft. If you can go longer like for an hour or so, that would be great! I personally deep condition my hair while I can cleaning my house with a shower cap.

What should I use to deep condition with?
Please refer to the extensive list above. I love Elasta QP DRP-11 and it has been my staple for years now. You can also mix olive oil, honey and even molasses with your deep conditioner.

Here is a list of deep conditioners you could use:

• Crème of Nature Nourishing Conditioner
• Elasta QP DPR-11
• Herbal Essences Replenishing Conditioner
• Nexxus Humectress
• Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner
• Dove Intense Moisture
• Neutrogena Triple Moisture Daily Conditioner
• Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner
• Mizani Moisturefuse

Reconstructors

are usually used on damaged hair or after chemical services. When properly used, they help repair and restore the hair into a healthier state. Some reconstructors are strong than others. You have to experiment and to find the tolerance of your hair because it will vary from person to person. I strongly recommend doing a patch test before using a treatment just to make sure you won't have an allergic reaction.

Tips:

• Every time you use a reconstruction treatment you should follow it up with a moisturizing or deep conditioner. This is very important to bring the "balance" back to your hair.

• Try to clarify before using a treatment so that the hair is clean of any buildup. Also the product has a better chance to actually work on the hair as well.

• Since these are treatments, some items can be pricey.

• Read the instructions. If it says to the leave the product on for 5 minutes - don't leave it on for an hour.

• Make sure you rinse the treatment out your hair THROUGHLY.

Here is a list of Reconstructors/Treatments:

• Nexxus Emergencee
• Elucence Extended Moisture Repair
• Aphogee 2 Min Keratin Reconstructor
• Aphogee Treatment for Damaged Hair
• LeKair Cholesterol
• Dudley’s DRC
• Motions CPR
• ORS Mayo
• KeraCare 5-n-1
• Joico K-Pac
• Dudley's DRC 28,
• Joico K-Pak (or Sally's generic formula),
• ION Reconstructor (at Sally's),
• Affirm 5 in 1 Reconstructor
• Aveda Deep Penetrating Hair Revitalizer
• Nexxus Emergencee
• Tigi Chocolate head
• Vitale INTENSE Treatment
• Sebastian Ion Reconstructor