Trends in hair care are constantly changing and evolving, and if you’re not in the beauty or hair care industries, it might be difficult for you to keep up with the latest tips and recommendations from the experts.
For example, the way we use conditioner and the extent to which we rely on it has changed over the years. You might even wonder if conditioner is even relevant any more, or necessary to use in Greensboro, NC. Here’s an overview of what you should know.
Purpose of conditioner
To understand the changing trends in conditioner, it’s important to understand what exactly conditioner does in the first place. Conditioner is almost always used in conjunction with shampoo, which features molecules called “surfactants.” One end of the molecule is attracted to water, while the other is repelled by water and attracted to oil. The end of the molecule that loves oil attaches on to the grease in your hair, and the other end attaches itself to the water, so that when you rinse yourself with water, it washes out the grease.
Conditioner, then, is used to smooth out the outer layer after a pass with shampoo to make sure the cuticle layers stay flat.
There are some people who say shampoo with sulfate (a common surfactant) is too harsh and can remove a lot of the natural oil in your hair and skin. This results in the body producing more than necessary to make up for it being stripped away.
The use of cleansing conditioners
This is where “cleansing conditioners” come in. Regardless of how much stock you put into the “shampoo with sulfates is bad” notion, you can still use cleansing conditioners as a sort of halfway point between using regular shampoo and not using shampoo at all.
A cleansing conditioner is sort of like a two-in-one in that it cleans and conditions, but it contains more conditioner than shampoo. There are some surfactants in the cleanser, but most of the ingredients are those you’d find in a standard conditioner.
The rise of these cleansing conditioners is one of the reasons why you might hear people say standard conditioners are no longer relevant. With more and more people abandoning straight shampoos (or at the very least, shampoos with sulfates), that’s led to more people using these cleansing conditioners rather than standard conditioners. It’s inaccurate to say that the use of conditioners is no longer “relevant.” Instead, it would be more accurate to say the use of conditioners is evolving, as are conditioners themselves.
There are still plenty of options for conditioners on the market, and if you ask stylists for recommendations, you’ll probably hear a lot of different opinions about what does and doesn’t work, and what is or isn’t good for your hair. Ultimately, we encourage you to experiment and select hair products that give you the best results and the best hair health.
So, is conditioner used anymore in Greensboro, NC? Yes, it absolutely is. But is it necessary to use conditioner? Talk to your stylist. For more information about hair care or to schedule an appointment, contact Raveen Hair Replacement today.