Deep Conditioning

Save time on your weekends and late nights by cutting back on your deep conditioning time. Over night conditioning isn't necessary and or more effective than a quick 30 minute conditioning. The most important aspect is the conditioner that you use and it's ingredients.

My deep conditioning regimen: every Saturday or Sunday depending on my schedule. I section my hair in four or more and dampen with water then apply the conditioner mix on each section. I cover my hair with a shower cap, then my Turbie Twist and finally a (winter) hat.

Conditioner Mix Recipe- 
Treseme Nautrals (or any conditioner I have on hand- ex Giovanni's)
Aloe Vera Juice
Honey (or Glycerin or other humectant- absorb moisture) 
Coconut Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Optional:
Castor Oil
Almond Oil
Avocado (just the green part blended)

The oils are interchangeable, but EVOO and coconut oil are some of the best ones to use.
I don't use any particular measurements, just whatever looks right, but the majority of it is Conditioner.



Check out the whole post on Deep Conditioning here at BGLH

22 October 2012

Do Heat and Time Really Make Deep Conditioning More Effective?

From The Natural Haven Bloom‘s series on Deep Conditioning

For the past couple of weeks we have been talking deep conditioning. Today is the turn of two factors that are really key namely temperature (should you use heat when conditioning?)  and time (should you leave a conditioner on for hours?).

Now for the purpose of this post, I will again define a conditioner as a water based conditioner (deep, intensive, mask or rinse out). If you are using oil, this is completely different and its own rules apply.

So will heat and time affect conditioning? The quick answer
Increased time and temperature do increase the amount of conditioner adsorbed to the surface of hair. The maximum time is 20-30 minutes and the maximum temperature is around 35°C.

The long answer
I am being very general in this post because the fact is that every single ingredient that can adsorb and/or penetrate into hair (e.g surfactant or protein) actually has its own unique behaviour when added to a conditioner. This is also affected by other ingredients in the conditioner.  However there are common similarities in behaviour and these are the ones I wish to emphasise.

1.  Increasing the time you leave conditioner on hair allows more of it to adsorb with a maximum adsorption at 20- 30 minutes.
The key ingredients that can stick to hair (surfactants, hydrolysed protein, silicones, polyquats etc) will do so within seconds of applying the conditioner. If left on hair for longer, the amount will in general double within 10 minutes. If left on for another 10-20 minutes, the amount will increase by another 60-100% of the mark set at 10 minutes.
However after 30 minutes from initial application, there are no more increases in conditioner adsorbing to hair. The reason for this is that the hair conditioner simply has no more places on the hair where it can stick to…….all gaps which it can plug and all surfaces where it can attach are occupied.

2. Increasing the temperature of a conditioner to surface body temperature (around 35°C) increases adsorption of a conditioner 
Temperature increases the adsorption of conditioner such that slightly more can stick to the surface.  Generally tests are not performed much higher than 35-40°C in order to not burn the skin. 

More on Deep Conditioning
Curly Nikki- 6 Tips for Deep Conditioning Natural Hair
BGLH- 3 Easy-To-Make Homemade Deep Conditioners for Natural Hair

Whats your regimen like?

AF