This might sound silly but....

[bubblegumdreams]

What does it mean to Deep conditon exactly? erplexed

Is it leaving the conditoner on for a long amount of time? If so, how long?

Is it sitting under a dryer with a plastic cap? If so, what are the benefits?
Cause I don't want ot use heat right now.

Also does it matter what kind of conditioner you use? Does the bottle say made for deep conditioning? ....Know what I mean?

Thanks ladies

 

[lexi84]

I think everyone has their own definition of what they interpret "deep conditioning" to be.

My interpretation is leaving a moisturizing conditioner on your hair that is specifically formulated for "deep conditioning" for a long period of time (30 minutes or more) with or without heat. If I chose not to use heat for whatever reason then I'll leave the conditioner on for a longer period of time (maybe an hour). I always have a plastic cap on over the conditioner. Hope that helps.

 

[lilsparkle825]

it penetrates better with heat. what you want to stay away from is direct heat: blow dryers, curling irons, flat irons. tabletop dryers do a good job of dispersing the heat so you don't get hot spots or heat damage.

most good DCs are just of a thicker consistency. it doesn't have to (and probably doesn't) say deep conditioner on it. a few of my faves are kenra mc, lustrasilk cholesterol, and NTM hair mask. as for time, most people say 20+, but since we are extra here on LHCF most of us prefer 30-45 minutes, an hour, or overnight. if i am DCing with heat i go for 45-60 minutes, if it's without heat i keep that cap on for at least 2 hours.

 

[MA2010]

A agree with all the above. I deep condition (DC) three ways:

1. I saturate dry hair with a moisturizing conditioner, place a plastic cap over my hair, and sleep overnight with a silk scarf over.

2. On wet hair, I add moisturizing conditioner place a plastic cap over it and leave on for 1hr or more.

3. On wet hair I add moisturizing conditioner, place a plasic cap over and sit under a hoohed dryer for 30min- 1 hr.

My favorites are: NTM Daily Deep, Pantene Relaxed and Natural, or Dove Intense Mosituriaing Conditioner.

 

[bubblegumdreams]

Thanks ladies
This info has been very helpful

 

[TLC1020]

I think of deep conditioning as allowing the conditioner to remain on th hair longer than your normal conditioning time.......
I deep condition with a creme conditioner Motions Moisture Plus w/plastic cap and sit under hair dryer for about 20-30 minutes but if I get lazy and not use heat then I leave the conditioner in for about 1-3 hours depending on how I feel that day. I consider deep conditioning w/heat to really be deep conditioning... But I guess it is relative to who you ask..

 

[Noir]

The deep treatment you buy should say DEEP or INTENSIVE on the package.

The way they work has nothing to with leaving them on for a longer amount of time; as most deep/intensive conditioners instruct that you only leave on the hair for 1-3 minutes. Although they do tend to work better if left on for longer amounts of time and/or used with heat.

Leaving a 'thick' regular conditioner on the hair won't work as a deep conditioner, because it is unable to PENETRATE the hair strand and deposit moisture. Regular conditioners simply COAT the hair, no matter how long they are left on for.

So again make sure the treatment you buy clearly states that is a deep/intensive treatment or masque.

Also you shouldn't be afraid of heat. It is direct heat (ie. flat irons) that you should be cautious off.
HTH.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

http://healthytextures.typepad.com/m...ou_h.html#more[/B[/URL]]
Beginning your Hair Journey V - Conditioners 101
Conditioning is extremely important for highly textured hair. Conditioning helps prevent damage from heat styling tools and replaces moisture and vital proteins into the hair shaft. It is particularly important for those with damaged or chemically treated hair. While you can not repair damaged hair, you can restore luster, shine and strength while the damaged hair grows long enough to be replaced.


How Conditioners Work

Our hair is comprised of three layers: the medulla, the cortex and the cuticle. The medulla is the innermost layer of the hair shaft and is merely a hollow canal of protein. All of the other layers are formed around the medulla. The cortex is the second layer. The color forming pigments that determine your hair color as well as the bonds that determine the shape of your hair are located in this layer. The cuticle, or outermost layer, shields the cortex by forming a protective barrier of overlapping scales, sort of like shingles on a house. When the cuticles lay flat, they reflect light and make the hair appear shiny and healthy. Conditioners try to artificially re-create the appearance of healthy hair by using special chemical agents to penetrate the cortex and seal the cuticle.


Instant Conditioners

There are three main conditioners; instant, deep penetrating and leave-in. Instant Conditioners are applied to the hair and then rinsed out after a few minutes. They attempt to smooth the cuticles and coat the hair shaft to make the hair look shiny and healthy. They work by coating the cuticle with a microfilm coating, usually a wax, that fills in or lays down the cuticle to make it shine and/or easier to detangle.

However, artificially laying down the cuticle will only provide a temporary fix. If you really want results, you need to deep condition with a penetrating conditioner. Deep conditioners use natural body heat or artificial heat from a hood dryer to lift the cuticle and penetrate the cortex.


Deep Penetrating Conditioners

There are two main types of deep or penetrating conditioners; moisture and protein.

Protein based conditioners are designed to increase the diameter of the hair with a coating action. This will strengthen the hair and add body.
Hair that is severely damaged will need a concentrated protein conditioner. These conditioners are designed to pass through the cuticle, penetrate the cortex and replace keratin lost during chemical services. They are designed to equalize porosity, increase elasticity and improve overall appearance. Because the hair is filled with new keratin, it will feel hard after use and should be followed with a moisturizing conditioner to soften and lubricate the hair shaft. Concentrated protein are NOT recommended for use after a chemical treatment like a relaxer, color or perm. These conditioners will disrupt the desired rearrangement of protein bonds formed by these chemical services.

In addition, to protein based conditioners, there are moisturizing deep penetrating conditioners. These conditioners contain humectants that attract moisture and are absorbed into the hair cortex.

The difference between instant and deep moisturizing conditioner is that deep treatments contain a quaternary ammonium component included in the chemical formulation of moisturizers so they are able to attach themselves to the hair fiber and provide longer lasting moisture.


Which Conditioner to Use

An excellent deep conditioning treatment will be a little bit of both. High quality deep conditioners usually contain a concentrated protein in a heavy cream based moisturizer. This will provide deposit moisture and strength into the hair shaft. When used consistently, this deep conditioning treatment will reduce cuticle roughness, strengthen the strands and make the hair more manageable and shiny. This is why it is important to deep condition once a week every week.

As a general rule of thumb, deep penetrating conditioners will instruct you (on the back of the bottle) to leave the product on for 10-20 minutes.


Leave-In Conditioners

Leave-in conditioners are designed to protect the hair from styling and day to day handling. Leave-in conditioners work by placing a positive buildup on the hair shaft which will add elasticity and act as a band-aid on damaged parts of the hair strands.

 

[Solitude]

Thanks, ladies. I have a question...I have been using the Garnier Fructis 3-minute deep conditioning mask for 3 minutes as directed for my mid-week wash. Then I read an article that said there is no way it can work in 3 minutes & it must be left on for 30-40 with heat and to use the whole tub. So, I was wondering what you guys think?

Ingredients

Aqua Water , Cetearyl Alcohol , Behentrimonium Chloride , PEG-180 , Amodimethicone , Cetyl Esters , Niacinamide , Saccharum Officinarum Sugar Cane Extract , Hydroxyethylcellulose , Trideceth-12 , Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride , Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract , Pyrus Malus Apple Fruit Extract , Persea Gratissima Avocado Oil , Pyridoxine HCL , Methylparaben , Citric Acid , Cetrimonium Chloride , Citrus Limonum Lemon Peel Extract , Prunus Armeniaca Apricot Kernel Oil , Hexyl Cinnamal , Parfum Fragrance