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Hair conditioner

Hair conditioner is a hair care cosmetic product used to improve the feel, texture, appearance and manageability of hair. Its main purpose is to reduce friction between strands of hair to allow smoother brushing or combing, which might otherwise cause damage to the scalp.[1] Various other benefits are often advertised, such as hair repair, strengthening, or a reduction in split ends.

Not to be confused with Air conditioner.

Conditioners are available in a wide range of forms, including viscous liquids, gels and creams, as well as thinner lotions and sprays. Hair conditioner is usually used after the hair has been washed with shampoo. It is applied and worked into the hair and may either be rinsed out a short time later or left in.

Mechanism of action[edit]

The outermost layer of a hair follicle is called the cuticle and is composed largely of keratin.[6] This is rich in cysteine groups which are mildly acidic.[7][8] When the hair is washed these groups can deprotonate, giving the hair a negative charge.


The ingredients in conditioner, especially positively charged quaternary ammonium species, such as behentrimonium chloride or polymers that are known as Polyquaternium-XX, where XX is an arbitrary number, can then become attached to the hair via electrostatic interactions. Once attached these compounds have several effects. Their long hydrocarbon backbone helps to lubricate the surface of each hair follicle, reducing the sensation of roughness and assisting combing. The surface coating of cationic groups means that hairs are repelled from each other electrostatically, which reduces clumping. The compounds can also act as antistatic agents, which helps to reduce frizzing.

Conditioners, also called deep conditioners or hair masks, are heavy and thick, with a high content of that are able to bind to the hair structure and "glue" the hair surface scales together. This type of conditioner is designed to restore hair's moisture levels and reduce breakage. These are usually applied to the hair for a longer time (30–45 minutes).

cationic surfactants

Leave-in conditioners are thinner and have different surfactants, which add only a little material to the hair to avoid weighing down the hair or causing greasiness. They are based on unsaturated fatty acid chains, which are bent, not straight. Leave-in conditioner is designed to be used in a similar way to hair oil, preventing the tangling of hair and keeping it smooth. Its use is particularly prevalent among those with naturally curly or kinky hair.

Rinse-out/rinse-through conditioners are the most common or generic on the market. Ordinary conditioners are generally applied directly after using shampoo, and manufacturers usually produce a conditioner counterpart for different types of shampoo for this purpose.

Hold conditioners, based on polyelectrolyte polymers, hold the hair in a desired shape. These have a function and composition similar to diluted hair gels.

cationic

Cleansing conditioners are a newer category, typically based on a combination of and cationic surfactants that can be used either in place of shampoo or as a pretreatment before shampooing for hair that is damaged or very curly.[9]

amphoteric

are acidity regulators that maintain the conditioner's pH at about 3.5. In contact with an acidic environment, the hair's somewhat scaly surface tightens up as the hydrogen bonds between the keratin molecules are strengthened.[10]

Acidifiers

which bind to the hair and reduce the static, can include cationic polymers such as Polyquaternium-10 and Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride.

Antistatic agents

Detanglers modify the hair surface pH as acidifiers or coat it with as glossers.

polymers

Glossers are light-reflecting chemicals that bind to the hair surface and are usually polymers, usually (e.g., Dimethicone or Cyclopentasiloxane).

silicones

such as fatty alcohols, Panthenol, Dimethicone, etc.

Lubricants

whose role is to hold moisture in the hair, usually contain high proportions of humectants. These could also be provided by natural oils such as Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (sweet almond) oil.[11]

Moisturizers

(EFAs – essential fatty acids) can help dry/porous hair become more soft and pliable. The scalp produces a natural oil called sebum. EFAs are the closest thing to natural sebum (sebum contains EFAs).

Oils

protect the product from spoilage by microorganisms during the product's shelf life.

Preservatives

Reconstructors, usually containing , supposedly penetrate the hair and strengthen its structure through polymer cross-linking.

hydrolyzed protein

improve function in hard water.

Sequestrants

provides protection against protein degradation and color loss. Currently, Benzophenone-4 and Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate are the two sunscreens most commonly used in hair products. Cinnamidopyltrimonium Chloride and a few others are used to a much lesser degree. The common sunscreens used on the skin are rarely used for hair products due to their texture and weight effects.

Sunscreen

– approximately 97% of hair consists of a protein called keratin. The surface of keratin contains negatively charged amino acids. Hair conditioners therefore usually contain cationic surfactants, which don't wash out completely, because their hydrophilic ends strongly bind to keratin. The hydrophobic ends of the surfactant molecules then act as the new hair surface.[12] Examples are Behentrimonium Chloride and Cetrimonium Chloride.

Surfactants

Thermal protectors, usually heat-absorbing polymers, shield the hair against excessive heat caused by , curling irons, hot rollers, etc.

blow-drying

Anointing

Brilliantine

Brylcreem

Pomade

Shampoo

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How Hair Conditioner Works

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How to Apply Hair Conditioner