Having a solid hair care routine is key to maintaining a healthy head of hair and deep conditioning is a powerful tool to introduce the right amount of moisture into your hair. It is important to know how to deep condition effectively in order for your hair to get the most out of it. Here are three deep conditioning tips to help you find that perfect routine balance.
1. Deep conditioning before or after shampooing?
Many people confuse a pre-poo (pre-shampoo) routine with a deep conditioning routine. It is very useful to oil your scalp and hair strands before using shampoo to counteract the stripping effect some shampoos may have.
However, whilst coating your hair with a product or oil can be beneficial, this is not the time to deep condition. The hair is dirty, probably has product build-up and excess sebum on the scalp.
Therefore, it is not able to absorb any more products. So deep conditioning before washing the hair will end up wasting the product. You won't see the benefits that you desire for your hair.
It is better to wait until after your shampoo and make sure you rinse the shampoo out with warm water so that the cuticles stay open in order to receive the vitamins and moisturising agents of your deep conditioner.
2. Deep conditioning overnight?
Does protecting the pillow with towels, sleeping in plastic wraps and waking up with your deep conditioner all over your pajamas sound familiar?
If you have ever deep conditioned overnight, you know it’s not all fun and games. The products end up getting everywhere. So, what’s the hype and is it really necessary?
When it comes to products and their absorption, hair behaves like a sponge. If you put a sponge in a pool of water, it can only absorb so much. Once the sponge has absorbed the water to its capacity, it can’t absorb even a drop more.
Hair behaves in a similar manner when it comes to products. Once it has absorbed the amount of product to its full capacity, it cannot take any more.
That’s also why, after a night of deep conditioning, you can see the product still sitting on your hair. If our hair was able to absorb all of it, it would be dry in the morning.
So as a rule of thumb, deep conditioning for an hour and a half is enough for your hair to absorb all the needed nutrients.
3. DIY or store-bought products?
This is really a question of preference and it depends on how much time you have. DIY is great because it’s an easy way to take what you already have in your home and mix it together to get great results.
Using a conditioner, like our Comb-out Cowash and adding 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of honey, can make a good deep conditioner. It will give your hair that extra moisture, boost, and shine.
However, if you don’t have the time to search for what ingredients will work best, using a deep conditioner, like our Triple Protein Strengthening Mask is superb. It's hassle free and focuses specifically on strengthening your strands.
All in all, deep conditioning will help you take your black hair care journey to the next level. We hope these deep conditioning tips help you deep condition with ease.
Our NEW tutorial on moisturising low porosity afro kid’s hair: