Have you tried every possible shampoo that's supposed to be good for dry and damaged hair but still haven't found the right one? For you, the very best shampoo might be no shampoo at all if your hair is very damaged and worn. Then the conditioner method might be something to try. With the conditioner method, you clean your hair with just conditioner.
5 Benefits of the Conditioner Method
With the conditioner method, you can wash your hair every day without compromising hair quality. The conditioner method:
Makes dry hair shiny.
Makes colored hair last longer.
Repairs damaged hair.
Enhances curls.
Makes the scalp produce less oil. Generally, both hair and scalp become healthy with the conditioner method, and it's a simple way to save damaged hair.
Step 1: Deep cleanse with a "final shampoo" before you begin
A so-called "final shampoo" is needed to wash away buildup from silicones, mineral oils, and other hard-to-dissolve chemicals from hair and scalp before you start with the conditioner method. If you already use natural and organic hair products, no final shampoo is needed. Any of these shampoos work as a "final shampoo":
– Shampoo No. 4 from Bruns – Repair Shampoo from Eco Cosmetics
Your final shampoo should have clean, natural ingredients and be strong cleansing. Usually a shampoo with sulfates is recommended, but it works just as well if the shampoo contains gentler cleansing agents like these.
Do this:
Massage the shampoo into all of your hair.
Rinse out.
Repeat the washing step until your hair becomes "squeaky clean". Your hair may get a tangled and rough feeling (no worries!).
Detangle your hair with a natural conditioner (see conditioner further down).
Wash your hair this way for 1-3 sessions or until your hair feels really clean, shinier and more manageable.
The reason your shampoo and conditioner should have clean ingredients is so they don't add more of the substances you want to wash away. They give your hair a good and fresh start so that the transition to the conditioner method becomes easy.
Tip!
It's good to occasionally reset your hair again with your final shampoo. This is because air pollutants and minerals in our water can attach firmly to the hair strands and become difficult to wash away with conditioner alone.
Step 2: Start washing your hair with conditioner
Since oil dissolves oil, it works excellently to get your hair clean with just conditioner. But this places more demands on your conditioner. Further down you'll find our 3 favorite conditioners for the conditioner method. Keep in mind that conditioner doesn't lather, which requires a bit more time and effort to distribute through your hair and to dissolve dirt. With the conditioner method, you may initially need to wash your hair a bit more often. In that case, continue washing with conditioner until your scalp adjusts. Be patient and persevere!
Do this:
Wet your hair with water.
Distribute your conditioner on your scalp and massage thoroughly for a while so that dead skin cells and oil dissolve.
Rinse the conditioner thoroughly with water. Be careful to rinse away all conditioner. Otherwise your hair may feel flat and greasy after washing.
Finish if needed with a more nourishing conditioner as a hair mask for ends and lengths that protects your hair, makes it easier to detangle, and repairs dry and damaged hair.
Rinse with water.
Conditioners for the Conditioner Method
The conditioners you use for the conditioner method must be free from sulfates, silicones, mineral oils, hard-to-dissolve chemicals, and drying alcohols.
They shouldn't weigh down your hair and should be lighter in consistency while still being able to clean hair and scalp without leaving a greasy feeling.
These organic conditioners are suitable for the conditioner method:
– Eco Cosmetics Conditioner with Jojoba & Green Tea
– Dr Sannas Volume Conditioner
– Bruns Conditioner No 04 Magic Citrus
Remember that a healthy scalp is the most direct path to healthy hair!
Learn more about how you can take care of your scalp to detoxify hair and scalp and to counteract itchy scalp.
