Deep Conditioning

Q: What exactly is deep conditioning? What is the difference with conditioners bought at a supermarket and how do I deep condition my own hair?

A: Deep conditioning really only means that you are giving the hair a chance to absorb as much moisture and protein as possible.

The goal is to have the conditioner penetrate as deeply into the hair as you can. In salons, this means using special products and applying heat via a dryer.

But you can give your hair a deep conditioning at home with things you probably already have available. For instance, mayonnaise is a great deep conditioner as it has egg protein and oil for moisture.

Simply apply the mayo to the hair, wrap with plastic or use a cap and allow it to sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse the hair with warm water and use a gentle shampoo afterward (otherwise, your hair will start to smell like spoiled mayo after a bit). The result will be soft and shiny hair.

You can also use things like olive oil, bananas (mashed to a pulp), avocadoes (mashed), or even your everyday hair conditioner. With the other foodstuffs, you do want to shampoo after rinsing, but you could use the after-shampoo conditioner and simply rinse it out with warm water.

Deep conditioning is best done once a week (or every 5-7 shampoos).

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See also:

Hair conditioners and conditioning treatments

Can you use a hair conditioner as a gel after drying?

Is it possible to wash hair with conditioner only?

Basic hair care