Do You Over-Condition your Hair? If Yes, This Is How You Should avoid it-

We women love our mane and take a lot of efforts to find the right kind of products that give us luscious and gorgeous locks.

Healthy hair is a sign of good health. The most basic way to look after our hair is the regular Oil- Shampoo-Condition routine. Though any kind of oil does wonders to our hair, the shampoo and conditioner we use should be suitable for our hair type.

We all know that shampooing helps keep our hair and scalp clean. Hair experts stress on the fact that conditioning hair after every wash is very important step that helps hydrate the hair cuticles and adds shine to them. But, sometimes, we tend to overdo this step, resulting in over-conditioned hair.

What Is Over-Conditioning Of Hair?

First, let us guide you through the basic principles of the working of the hair conditioners. Hair conditioners work in two ways. They help moisturize the hair and make them soft and manageable. They also coat the hair cuticles to form a barrier against the elements, protecting it from damage and adding a glossy shine.

If you have frizzy and dry hair, chances are you tend to keep the conditioner for a longer time. Many of us may also tend not want to wash it completely off the hair shaft. Applying too much conditioner and conditioning more often leads to over-conditioning of the hair.

It is basically the condition where too much usage of hair conditioning coats the hair cuticles with many layers of the product, making it difficult for other products to work effectively.

How Does Over-conditioning Of Hair Occur?

Over-conditioning most probably happens due to excess usage of the wrong kind of conditioner for your hair type. It can also due to the following reasons:

- Too much use of hair conditioner at once.
- Using the wrong kind of conditioner for your hair type.
- Keeping the hair conditioner on your hair for longer than two minutes.
- Not rinsing off the conditioner entirely out of the hair.
- Conditioning for more than thrice a week.

How Do I Know That My Hair Is Being Over-Conditioned?

The sure-shot way to tell that your hair has been over-conditioned is when your hair feels too soft and heavy. It might be difficult for you to pin up your hair in a bun, since your hair will just slip out of the pins. Over conditioning of the hair often leads to product build up to such an extent that new products just don't seem to give any satisfying results any more. The hair will become limp and lose volume too.

How Do I Avoid Over-Conditioning My Hair?

There may be a thin line between conditioning and over-conditioning your hair. Keeping this in mind can make a whole lot of difference.

Here are some ways which can help you avoid over-conditioning your hair

1) Do not over-apply a conditioner on your hair. Make sure to use the recommended amount mentioned in the package. Contrary to popular belief, applying too much amount will not make your hair any more manageable.

2) Keeping the conditioner for too long will just make it difficult for you to wash it off later, causing chemical build-up on the hair.

3) If you wash your hair every alternate day, do not follow it up with a conditioner every time. Conditioning too often will just add more layers of the products on your cuticles, weighing your hair down, reducing its volume and making it limp.

4) It is important to completely rinse off the conditioner once improper washing methods is the major cause of product build-up. Also, keep in mind the correct method of using a conditioner. Never apply it on the scalp. It should be applied from the mid-lengths to the ends only.

5) Buy a conditioner which is suitable for your hair type. Using the right kind will not only give you effective results, it will also prove to be economical.

What Do I Do In Order To Reverse The Effects Of Over-Conditioning?

Do you often feel that no matter what product you buy, it just doesn't work on your hair any more? This may indeed be the after-effects of over-conditioning your hair. Too much conditioning already builds so many layers on your hair that other products are just not able to cross the barrier. Therefore, there is an urgent need to clarifying your hair, in order to remove the excess product build-up.

You can do this by using a good clarifying shampoo available in the market, which will help you get rid of all the excess layers and the gunk. It will deep clean your cuticles to the core and cleanse them.

Alternatively, apple cider vinegar and water in the ratio of 1:2 can be used to clarify your hair and scalp.

As for clarifying, remember not to overdo it too. Clarifying your hair once a month is more than enough to get rid of any product build-up. Using it too much will only cause more damage to your beautiful tresses.