Conditioning Hair Every Day

African girl wearing a turtleneck
Photo: Hugo Felix/Shutterstock
Q: I was reading one of your topics about taking care of ethnic hair and it stated that the hair has to be conditioned every day even if you do not shampoo every day. How do I go about doing that and do you know any good hair products that would help?
 
A: Well, daily conditioning can take a variety of forms: You can use your favorite rinse-through conditioner as you would after (or in this case instead of) shampoo. Apply the conditioner to wet hair leave in for 3 minutes and rinse clear with cool water.
 
Many people find that the use of a rinse through conditioner can replace shampoo in cases where the individual doesn't face a lot of soil or daily exposure to grime.
 
However, for some people, having to dry AND style their hair every day can be far too time-consuming. This could be because the hair is very long or very thick. If having to dry the hair every day isn't reasonable for you, you can use leave-in conditioners, such as spray-on liquid formulas and smoothing balms or anti-frizz serums.
 
For ethnic hair, you should especially look for products made from or containing light fruit oils. These will help to seal the cuticle and assist the hair in retaining moisture.
 
Selecting the right kinds of hair products really and truly is a mix of your hair's needs and your personal preferences regarding brands and the results you want. You will need different products for relaxed and processed hair than you need for natural hair.
 
My best advice is to choose brands that you are at least familiar with and try them. Buy the smallest available size of product until you know what to expect.
 
©Hairfinder.com
 
See also:
 
How often can you wash African hair?
 
The special needs of African-American hair