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Do you know everything you should about deep conditioning your hair?
As a new naturalista or as someone newly embarking on her hair journey, you have many questions about caring for your hair. Unfortunately, you don’t necessarily get answers to these questions right away. Or sometimes you find the answers through trial and error. One of the many questions I had was bout deep conditioning. I will shed some light for you below.
Deep conditioning is such an easy process, but sometimes we forget one important aspect: how long is too long for a deep conditioning treatment?
This can be a silly question to someone who’s always known how to take care of her hair, but important to one who’s always relied on her hairdresser to do so.
If you’ve been researching, you probably know by now the importance of deep conditioning. Deep conditioning helps prevent damage from heat and helps replace moisture and protein into the hair shaft.
Deep conditioning should be an integral part of your hair care regimen as the deep conditioner reaches deep down in the roots of your hair to give it the necessary strength. The deep conditioner replenishes moisture into your hair and leaves it silky and strong.
There are two types of deep conditioners: Protein deep conditioner and moisturizing deep conditioner. Each type plays a different role in the health of your hair, but we will discuss that in another post.
When I first embarked on my natural hair journey, I was confused about what to do with my hair. I thought it was only a matter of shampooing, conditioning, rinsing and styling. I really didn’t know that I had to use a deep conditioner and allow it to penetrate my hair for a certain amount of time.
Once I learned that fact, I started deep conditioning my hair. And after each treatment, I would sit under the dryer for 45 mins to an hour, sometimes longer. I’ve also spent a whole day deep conditioning and even slept with my deep conditioner. I thought the longer I deep conditioned my hair, the better the results. Little did I know, I was damaging my hair furthermore.
Believe it or not, a lot of you may be damaging your hair without even knowing by deep conditioning for too long.
I researched some more. I then came across an article on one of my favorite websites about the do’s and dont’s of deep conditioning. It peeped my interest. One of the things I learned from that article is that you don’t need to overdo your deep conditioning treatment. It was a total eye opener! The light bulb came on. I was damaging my hair by leaving my deep conditioner on for so long.
If you think that the longer you deep condition your hair, the better the results, you’re wrong. Contrary to belief, deep conditioning longer than the recommended time is harmful to your hair. Let’s find out why.
Whether you’re using a protein deep conditioner or a moisturizing deep conditioner, you should never over do it.
Take a look at your deep conditioner’s instructions. The recommended time for a deep conditioning treatment is 15-30 minutes. Once you go past the 30 minutes mark, your hair is most likely getting over moisturized. The deep conditioner should not take you more than 30 minutes to do the job.
Over moisturized hair is unhealthy hair. Over moisturizing will cause your hair to weaken and become prone to breakage. It is easy to recognize over moisturized hair. Your hair will look limp, and feel mushy. It also becomes elastic and stretchable which easily snaps when wet.
So do yourself a favor and relax on the deep conditioner. Remember you should get the results that you need within 15-30 minutes of application. If not, it is time you invest in a new deep conditioner.
If you feel like your hair is over moisturized, it’s time to do a protein treatment to restore the protein/moisture balance.
My favorite deep conditioners to date are ORS hair mayonnaise for when I need protein in my hair and Hydration Elation from As I am when I need that moisturizing feel.
Update as of 4/13/17
Since writing this post, I have made some changes to my deep conditioning routine. I found out that I had low porosity hair (Read about hair porosity here) and that my hair did not agree with some of the products I was using.
So as of now, I have considerably slowed down on protein usage on my hair. My deep conditioner of choice has since been the TGIN Honey Hair Mask. This deep conditioner is very gentle on low porosity hair and worth every dollar. Read more about hair porosity in this post.
Well, there you have it ladies!
Make sure you are not damaging your hair by deep conditioning too long. And if your hair is over moisturized, try a protein treatment for balance.
I hope you found this article helpful. If so, don’t forget to hit the share buttons to make this post go viral.
What about you, how long do you deep condition your hair? What are your favorite deep conditioners to use? Why? Share below⇓. I’d love to hear from you!
Deep Conditioning – What You Should Know – Miss Coily Hair http://misscoilyhair.com/what-you-should-know-about-deep-conditioning/ via @misscoilyhairDeep Conditioning – What You Should Know http://misscoilyhair.com/what-you-should-know-about-deep-conditioning/ via @misscoilyhair
Hi I just read your article very interesting, as a natural Caribbean hair dresser I do agree you should sit under the dryer for at least 30mins to allow the hair shaft to open and allow the conditioner to penetrate the pores.
Here in the Caribbean especially Trinidad the biggest problem most clients face both men and women is dry brittle hair 1.because they use the wrong products to hydrate their hair.
2. Our society is very diverse and most of the population has different hair types on one head lol.
Having been in the business for about 7 years, I have experimented with a lot of the store bought products such as the one posted on your page and those products are not 100% natural, therefore I would have to just use them as bases to which honey, coconut, moringa, macadamia nut oil, Shea nut oil or any of the healing moisture locking oils can be added.
In terms of timing that depends on the length and thickness of a clients hair, how damaged or dry their hair is and how often they deep condition.
Author
Being from the caribbean (Haiti) as well and leaving in the US, I’ve seen all the different types of hair in the black community. I think at the end of the day, it’s really a matter of trial and error. We have to experiment to figure out what really works for our hair. Thank you for your feedback. Always great hearing from professionals working with hair on a regular basis.
This is so true! Sometimes we think leaving it in longer will maximize the benefits but the opposite is true. Great post!
Author
Thank you Marsha.
Thank you Marsha!
Thank you Marsha!
I haven’t done a deep conditioner in a very long time. Winter might be a good time for me to get back in the habit!
Author
Oh my! I’m not sure how you do it. Does your hair respond well to not being deep conditioned regularly?
Eva, I don’t know how you do it. Does your hair respond well to not beeing deep conditioned regularly?
LOL! My hair is just up there. I don’t do much of anything to it to be honest.
Hey, I don’t blame you. As long as it works for you.
I’m not a DIY kinda woman with the exception of my deep conditioning. I need protein for my weak tresses so I mix up some mayo and eggs every Sunday.
Hi Leshelle, are you High porosity hair and how long do you usually deep condition for?
I’m not sure if I have high porosity hair. I need to test it. I usually deep condition 15-20 min. Not too long.
This was good info. I don’t deep condition and that is a problem. I’m going to trim my hair and start. I hope to see a difference.
Hi Mimi, thank you! You definitely should. I know I did when I decided to make deep conditioning a part of my routine.
I haven’t given my hair the proper attention it needs. You just gave me an idea for tonight’s hair regimen. My hair is screaming for a deep conditioning. Typically, it takes 15 to 20 minutes. I don’t have patience for anything longer. Lol.
Hi Danika, that should be good enough. I usually start getting antsy within 15 minutes, but I try to make it to 30. Lol!
I don’t deep condition my hair weekly as I should or back when I had a relaxer. I’m working on changing this in 2017.
Good luck with that :-). I know it’s hard to break bad habits
I use to deep condition my relaxed hair all the time and it made my hair feel so amazing and soft but since transitioning to natura hair and cutting off all the relaxed hair those products that one did wonders for my hair do little to nothing now so I’m still on the hunt for a deep conditioner that will give me what I’ve been longing for!
Kayvona, you know natural hair doesn’t behave the same as relaxed hair. I had to give up my favorite products as well when I went fully natural. Do the porosity test, it might help you in finding out the right products for your hair. I recently posted about porosity here: http://misscoilyhair.com/1-thing-every-newly-natural-should-know/
great info. I have been known to deep condition my hair all day long LOL. I’m going to start a new routine after reading this
Thank you LaShawn. No added benefit doing so as you saw here. That should save you some time on wash day as well.
I like to deep condition my hair every once and a while with a protein conditioner but I don’t want to over do it. I really need to figure the whole protein thing out.
Depending on your hair porosity level, protein might be good for your hair. You just don’t want to over do it though. Here’s an article about porosity. You should be able to determine your hair porosity level and buy products based on that. Good luck to you! http://misscoilyhair.com/1-thing-every-newly-natural-should-know/
This article was very helpful, I need to try a deep condition on my hair. thanks for the tips.
Hi Tiffany, thanks for coming by and you’re welcome!
My hair is so much happier when I deep condition regularly. My hair is naturally high porosity so it can easily dry out.
My hair loves it too.
I didn’t know that you could over condition your hair. I know I’ve conditioned my hair an entire day before. LOL
Some people do Sheena. Even deep conditioning the entire day is not healthy.
I actually didn’t know that deep conditioning hair for too long can end up damaging it. Thank you for this post I think I need to try protein treatments for my hair.
Thanks for reading. Certain things we find out about after it’s too late. Remember to always pay attention to what your hair is saying to you.
thanks for the tips. I am new in this natural journey and it’s been rough and confusing and very expensive lol.