Our hair suffers from the abuses rendered by the city environment-the air is polluted, the water we drink and wash our hair with is laden with chemicals. That's not all; the suffering is worsened by the harsh and strong hair-care with chemical cosmetics, emotional crisis, hormonal problems and adverse weather conditions. All these cause the problems of split ends, dryness or oiliness, limpness, or frizzy unmanageability. This is when a conditioner comes to your rescue.



A conditioner is a beauty preparation that improves the texture of the hair and makes them easily manageable. It comes in as many different kinds as there are hair problems and is applied mostly after shampoo.

Why is conditioning your hair important?

Conditioning is a very important aspect of the hair-care routine, almost all kinds of hair need conditioning to some extent or the other. It is carried out to rejuvenate our hair which is usually robbed of its vitality by the abuse it is exposed to. Conditioning is in fact a restorative routine, and falls in the category of preventive hair-care as explained.

Conditioning Restores Body and Bounce to limp Hair

There are two kinds of body-building conditioners--the ones you rinse out and the ones you leave in. Both work at adding bulk to the hair by leaving some material on the hair shaft. These materials include polymer fibers and protein.

Conditioning Restores the Acid Mantle and Removes Snarls from the Hair

The special cream rinse conditioners are designed to untangle the frizz in the hair. Many also add the welcome beauty benefit of high gloss to the locks. The cream rinse coats the hair to help minimize the stress on the hair from brushing, combing, setting and keeps breakage and split ends under control. Cream rinses do not add body but only soften the hair.

Conditioning Restores the Damaged Hair into Full-bodied Hair

We use Deep Conditioners to help restore the dry, damaged hair, plus hair that is brittle excessively and broken in anyway. The deep conditioners contain large amounts of protein. In order that these proteins are absorbed, the deep conditioner should be applied for a longer time. The protein works by repairing hair damage at the area that is badly in need of help.

Conditioning Helps Restore the Loss of Moisture in Hair

Conditioners also help in reducing friction and adding compatibility to hair. In addition, they help in removing dryness and moisturizing it.

Home remedy for conditioning your hair

There are several effective and simple-to-make conditioner recipes. The recipes made at home are not as harsh as the chemical conditioners, and are pure and with good results.

The All-purpose Conditioner Rinse

Mix the following to prepare the magic rinse:

1. 1 Teaspoon of castor oil.

2. 1 Teaspoon of Amla or Brahmi oil.

2. 1 Teaspoon of Malt Vinegar.

3. 1 Teaspoon of Glycerine.

4. 1 Teaspoon of Shampoo.

The castor oil gives body to hair; the herbal oil acts like a hair tonic, vinegar; restores the acid mantle, glycerin moisturizes the hair and shampoo is the medium that blends the ingredients. Before washing the hair, apply this mixture to the hair gently and leave it on for about twenty minutes. Shampoo it out with clear water and feel the marvelous change in your hair texture.

Conditioner for Shine and Sheen

Grate few onions and some cabbage together and leave in a copper utensil overnight. In the morning, add few drops of eau-de cologne to remove the onion smell. Add few drops of a herbal oil like Amla or Brahmi and then apply. Shampoo after 20 minutes. Your hair will gain a superb gloss and color. You may follow this routine once a week.

Henna Conditioners

(a) For oily hair-Mix Henna with 2 tablespoons of yogurt and a pinch of sugar to a light paste. Add a bit of water if the paste is thick. Apply on hair and leave it on for twenty minutes. Rinse it out with clear water.

(b) For dry hair-Mix Henna in a tablespoon of oil and enough warm milk to make a paste. Apply and leave on for twenty minutes. Rinse it out later.

The Henna conditioners give color sheen and body to the hair.

A Hair-Setting Conditioner

Mix one teaspoon of gelatin, available in the market, in a mug of water. Rinse your hair with it. Finger-dry your hair and set them as you desire. Because there are different kinds of conditioners, you can be very specific in your choice and use the one that best suits your needs. Use herbal or home-made conditioners preferably.