|
A conditioner is simply any substance that improves the way your hair looks and feels. There are many ways to condition hair, and most people simply use commercially available products. These are considered by many people to be inferior to home made conditioners, but this is not necessarily the case. If you use a good quality product that is mild, and if you use it correctly, there is no reason why it should harm your hair. In fact, commercially available conditioners are often differentiated and categorized very conveniently, so that you can choose a product that suits your specific needs. Apart from the basic categories of dry, normal, oily, and damaged hair, there are many other types of conditioners. For example, some conditioners help to detangle hair, and are meant for long hair that tends to get badly tangled and knotted. There are also protein conditioners that penetrate hair and strengthen its structure, which are quite useful for thin, delicate hair that is prone to breakage. If your hair tends to get damaged by wind and pollution, you can also use a surfactant conditioner, which gives hair an artificial protective surface.
These conditioners are usually meant to be used just after shampooing your hair. After rinsing out the shampoo thoroughly, you should apply a suitable amount of conditioner, ensuring that it coats your hair thoroughly. Unlike shampoo, conditioner is to be applied only on the hair, and not on the scalp. Leave the conditioner in your hair for three or four minutes, and then rinse it out thoroughly. Some conditioners are meant to be applied after you finish washing your hair. These are known as leave-in conditioners - they are applied to dry hair, or while the hair is still drying, and are left in the hair. The instructions on the container will tell you how to apply the conditioner.
Some home made conditioners are also quite useful and can be used instead of commercial products or even in addition to them. Oil, although not strictly a "home made" conditioner, is extremely effective, and should be applied at least a couple of times a month. In addition, you can prepare paste of yogurt and banana or papaya, and apply this on your hair. Mayonnaise is also an excellent conditioner, and can be applied either by itself, or after adding fruits such as banana. Egg yolk is also good for the hair, and this too can be either applied by itself, or in combination with olive oil or fruits.
|
