A beautiful hair is a healthy hair. No matter how we choose to care for it, one step is crucial: applying conditioner. It will nourish the hair and protect it from the harsh environmental elements we expose ourselves every day. Before we get into more details let’s first see some of the best tricks that you need to keep in mind for looking beautiful without too much effort:

1. We recommend you not to play with your hair or pass your fingers through the hair; the more you play with it, the faster it will get oily and entangled.
2. Do not dry your hair with the towel. The procedure opens the cuticles of the hair and can damage it. Better use napkins to remove excess water from your hair.
3. Try not to wash your hair every day; the more you wash it, the faster it will become fragile and oily.
4. Use professional hair products suitable for your type of hair (and scalp type). Using the correct products will give the promised results you always read

   

   on the labels.

5. Massage for the scalp can do wonders. Massage your scalp for two minutes each day to improve blood circulation.
6. Use the blow dryer as rare as possible and only when necessary. Apply the hot-cold technique so you do not burn your hair.
7. If you want your hair to be always healthy and beautiful, cut the ends (2 centimetres or more) once every 6-8 weeks.
8. Pay great attention to combing. Use a rare tooth hairbrush. Start from the ends and continues slowly, gradually to the roots.
9. Take great care of the haircut you choose – make sure it is the right one for your face and body shape. Not everything that is fashionable suits you too.

And this brings us to number 10: Do not skip on conditioner.

Keep in mind:

Conditioners are used after shampoos to improve the texture of the hair and to make it more manageable. Its function is to close the cuticle and retain sebum, moisture, acid and protein. Hair is about 97% keratin. Keratin has on its surface amino acids, which are negatively-charged. Hair conditioners therefore often contain cationic (positive charged) surfactants. These do not wash out completely because their hydrophilic (water loving) ends strongly bind to keratin. The hydrophobic (water repelling) ends of the surfactant molecules then act as the new hair surface.

There are several types of hair conditioners. They have different compositions and main functions:

• Moisturises. They hold moisture in the hair. Usually, contain a higher proportion of humectants( absorb water from the air so give moisture to the hair).
• Reconstructors. These usually contain proteins.Their role is to penetrate the hair and strengthen its structure.
• Acidifiers keep the conditioner’s pH about 2.5 – 3.5. In contact with an acidic environment, the hair’s scaly surface tighten up. (The hydrogen bonds between the keratin molecules get stronger.)

  

• Detanglers modifying the hair surface.
• Thermal protectors usually absorb heat. They protect the hair against excessive heat caused by blow-drying, curling tongs or hot rollers.
• Glossers are light-reflecting chemicals that bind to the hair surface. They are usually polymers, usually silicones such as dimethicone or Cyclomethicone.
• Oils (E.F.A.’s – essential fatty acids). If you have dry hair, adding oil to your hair can help. The scalp produces a natural oil called sebum. EFA’s are the closest substance to natural sebum. Sebum contains EFA’S. EFA’s can help make dry hair softer and more pliable.

Conditioners can be described as a pack or as leave-in types.

Pack conditioners are heavy, thick and have a high content of surfactants. These are able to bind to the hair structure and cement the hair surface scales together. They are usually applied to the hair for a longer period of time. They tend to form thicker layers on the hair surface.

Leave-in conditioners are thinner and contain different surfactants. They add only a little volume to the hair. They give a lighter, thinner layer on the hair. The difference between leave-in and pack conditioners is almost like the difference between fats and oils.

Ordinary conditioners are usually a combination of both the pack and leave-in ones.

The functions of conditioners are:

1. Retain moisture and enhances the texture and appearance of hair
2. Keep the pH of the hair between 4.5 and 5.5
3. Conditioners contain keratin. This protein makes hair fibres strong and fuller
4. They are anti-static. They reduce hair going frizzy
5. They protect the hair
6. They give back the natural oil that shampoos may have taken away
7. They work on the Sebaceous gland so they do not make an excess of oil
8. They help keep hair manageable

The ideal Formulations of Shampoos and Conditioners

The formulation we recommend to use for hair that is thinning and fragile is in Nutrigro® Conditioner. It contains a natural emollient and hair building substances, an anti-fungal and bactericidal with our Nutrigro® complex – a herbal mixture to strengthen hair.

You can use it alongside Nutrigro® Shampoo. It contains a non-Sodium Lauryl Sulphate SLS base, a palm tree derivative as a foaming agent, an antiseptic (for seborrhoea- accumulation on the skin of the nor

mal sebaceous secretion mixed with dirt forming scales), along with Tea Tree Oil (antibacterial and antifungal), Panthenol (Vitamin B5 – moisturizes), Nutrigro® complex (containing a herbal extract including Fenugreek herbal extract to strengthen hair – Phytokeratin (moisturises and a hair building block), Saw Palmetto (slows hair loss),) and Vitamin E in the base.

Need To Know

The hair conditioner should not be applied to the roots because hair at the root is already nourished by the scalp’s natural oils. When applying the conditioner, start with the ends of your hair, trying to apply it to every strand that you’re able. Your conditioner should be applied first to the ends of your hair, as this is the part that is damaged.

Pour a bit of conditioner into the palm of your hand; the amount you need will vary depending on the length of your hair. A dime-sized amount is usually recommended for professional conditioners, while drug store brands may require more because they can be diluted.Let it act for at least three to five minutes before rinsing.