By now you may have learned a thing or two about shampoo formulation. You have heard of the co-wash technique and I’m sure you’ve studied a bit on deep conditioning. The more we learn the more our thirst for knowledge and understanding increases. For that reason, there are more products that perform differently on our hair. For example, have you tried a co-wash conditioner? Or do you use your daily conditioner as your co-wash? Let’s take a look at the differences between the two formulations to see how to best incorporate them into our regimen.
Before we begin we must understand the nature of our hair, which holds a negative charge. Shampoos typically contain negative charged detergents making them effective at removing dirt and oil. Conditioners hold a positive cationic charge that attracts to the hair and does not completely rinse off. These conditioners replace the healthy oils and moisturizing lipids that are removed by the shampoo process. The remnants of the conditioner add a smidgen of weight and make the hair easier to comb through.
Why use daily conditioner?
The purpose of your daily conditioner is to bring your hair back into a healthy strength and moisture balance after cleansing with its accompanying shampoo. The daily conditioner will contain ingredients that will moisturize your hair and prepare it for styling. Daily conditioners will not create a long-term buildup on your hair when used according to its instructions. They are typically gentle enough to use daily without strong risks of breakage or damage. For this reason many naturals who are looking for a gentler approach to hair care use the daily conditioner, which some is also known as a cream rinse or regular conditioner.
Daily Conditioner Formulation
Here is a sneak peek at the ingredients within the Ouidad Whipped Curls Daily Conditioner and Styling Primer (the first five ingredients have agent indicators”>:
Water/Aqua/Eau, Cetearyl Alcohol (conditioning agent“>, Glycerin (conditioning agent“>, Behentrimonium Chloride (conditioning agent“>, Cetyl Esters (thickening agent“>, Polyquaternium-37 (conditioning agent“>, Lanolin, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive”> Fruit Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea”> Butter, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive”> Oil Unsaponifiables, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Panthenyl Hydroxypropyl Steardimonium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ceteareth-20, Lauryl Glucoside, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Benzophenone-4, Trideceth-12, Cetrimonium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, DMDM Hydantoin, Triethanolamine, Benzyl Salicylate, Fragrance/Parfum
