Oils*
8. Macadamia Oil (Macadamia Ternifoli)
Macadamia oil is a very rich oil that contains natural lipids that are great for reducing dryness and helping with damaged hair. This ingredient can easily be placed in the moisture category because it helps to soften the hair making it feel moisturized and healthy.
9. Sweet Almond Oil* (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis)
If you have fine strands and you are looking for a product that does not weigh your hair down then sweet almond oil* is the ingredient for you. It helps to moisturize hair without leaving a greasy residue behind. Perfect for those of us with fine or low porosity hair.
10. Olive Oil* (Olea europea)
The scientific name is so sexy, but we are all very familiar with olive oil* and the great benefits it has when it is added to our hair as a single ingredient or among many ingredients.
It is hands down one of the best oils* for your hair so if you see this oil in your conditioner’s ingredient list and your hair likes it, the product might be the one for you.
Other Additives
Silicones (e.g. Dimethicone)
Silicones get a very bad rap in the hair community because they are known to cause buildup that can only be removed using a sulfate shampoo. However there are some ‘cones’ that are water soluble or some for which buildup is less frequent.
The purpose of cones are to add slip to a conditioner helping you to detangle your hair easily; it also gives your hair a lustrous look that might be more difficult to bring out if you don’t have naturally shiny hair.
The use of cones is a personal choice, some women love them some don’t. The point is they are easily identifiable on the label because usually the ingredient ends in ‘cone’.
Conclusion
There are a ton of other ingredients we could add to this list however we would probably bore you to death. The point behind this exercise is not to burden you with knowledge about every single thing that goes into making a conditioner but to give you a general idea of what you are putting on your hair and how it works to your benefit.
That way you will not driven so much by brands but by the stuff that goes into making the products you love so much.
Pamela says
Since I have been natural for a few years now, in the beginning it was growing looking well. Now it’s falling out and breaking off especially the back middle part of my hair………..I have a pic at church attached…….HELP I am 52…..Thanks
Sussa says
I was under the impression to never buy anything that had a hydrolysed protein in it because it was too strong for natural hair. Is this on a case by case basis?