Deep conditioning is key to keeping curls hydrated and fortified with moisture and protein. When your hair feels dry and brittle, or you experience breakage or split ends, a deep conditioning treatment will go a long way to remedying the damage and quenching curl thirst. And incorporating deep conditioning into your regular hair care routine works as a preemptive strike to guard against future damage.
Here are some helpful tips to getting the most out of your next deep conditioning treatment:
- Read the labels. . When you go shopping, look for products labeled 'treatment', 'masque', 'deep', 'penetrating', 'hydrating', 'strengthening', 'restorative'.
- Don't over-saturate your hair with moisture or protein. Not all deep conditioners are alike. Look for those that are specific to curly hair, such as Deep Treatment Curl Restoration Therapy, which contains nutrients that nourish and strengthen weak curls, restoring them to their optimal, fully-nourished condition.
- Too much moisture can make locks feel soft and mushy, and too much protein can make them feel stiff and hard. Strike a fine balance.
- Read the ingredients. The first ingredient should be water, because it's the number one hair moisturizer. Look for additional hydrating ingredients like Mafura Butter, Kalahari Melon Seed Oil, Natural Coconut and Avocado Oils. To breathe life back into dry, damaged curls in just three minutes, use Curl Recovery Melt Down Extreme Repair Mask. Its proprietary, nutrient-rich CR-4 Complex and unique melt-down technology combine to wrap each hair strand in a cushiony coating of fatty acids and actives that rebuild the compromised protective lipid barrier, to nourish and protect hair.
For protein conditioning treatments, look for keratin, placenta, wheat and collagen - ingredients that are critical to rehabbing damaged and chemically-treated hair and will help restore curl health.
- Check the consistency. The creamier the better! Deep conditioners are ideal for detangling hair because they provide a lot of slip, which in turn minimizes breakage. Enhance deep conditioning by using the Double Detangler.
- Prior to applying a deep conditioning treatment, remove excess moisture from your hair by blotting it with a towel or t-shirt.
- Follow directions. If your treatment is designed to be used with heat, then carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions to get optimal results. Simply apply a shower cap and gently heat with a blow dryer on low air, medium to high heat. Giving hair gentle blasts of heat is also helpful for driving the treatment.
- Thoroughly rinse the treatment from your curls, because any residue left behind will make styling your hair difficult and could cause it to look dull and lifeless once it dries.
- Your treatment may require you to use a conditioner after you've rinsed out the initial treatment. This means that you are sealing in the treatment and closing the cuticle so your curls get the maximum benefit from being treated.