When Do Men Need Hair Conditioner?

What’s your hair washing routine? If you’ve always been a shampoo-and-go kind of guy, it’s time to add conditioner to your shower line-up. Keep reading to learn why hair conditioner is necessary for men, and how to choose the best conditioner for you.

Is Conditioner Necessary for Men? 

In short: Yes, men should use conditioner. Damage from combing, styling, sun, and pollution can dry out your hair. As a result, hair can look straw-like and dull. And it can even break off! Not a pretty sight. While shampoo is great for cleansing dirt and oil from your hair and scalp, you also need to hydrate your hair to keep it looking its best.

Conditioner works by infusing nutrients and moisture into the outside cuticle of your hair strands, keeping them looking healthy and great. This is an easy step to add to your routine — think of conditioner as another grooming tool you can use to look your best.

And yes, this means you! Unless you shave your head, conditioner is essential for keeping even short hair healthy.

What Conditioner Should I Be Using? 

Fine Hair 

You should be looking for a thickening conditioner as this will help to strengthen your weaker hair by depositing moisture where needed.

Thick Hair 

The last thing you probably want to do to thick hair is to add any more volume, David Luiz comes to mind, so a hydrating conditioner will be much more beneficial. Keeping it nourished will help to mend any split ends, while strengthening and protecting you from further breakage.

Dry Hair 

Dry hair will benefit from using conditioners the most. Adding a vitamin-enriched conditioner into your routine will give your hair the love and care it needs by replenishing your hair cuticles, boosting the shine and locking in moisture. Only use conditioners specific for dry hair if you really do suffer from dry hair, otherwise it will just weigh your hair down.

Oily Hair 

Oily hair is the trickiest to master as you don’t want to overload it and add extra moisture, but you also want to look after it. Conditioners with tea tree oil or menthol will help to remove excess oil without damaging your scalp.

Will Conditioner Help Thinning Hair? 

Noticing your hair is thinning is a quick way to ruin anyone’s day, but there are things you can do to help fight against a receding hairline. Too much shampooing can leave your hair stripped of essential oils so it’s probably a good idea to ditch the shampoo a few times a week and use a cleansing conditioner instead. ‘Why am I suffering from thinning hair?’ I hear you ask; A number of things can contribute. Stress can play a massive part and it’s that age old tale of the vicious circle. Feel stressed = your hair will fall out. Notice your hair is falling out = get stressed about it. The one that no one wants to hear is genetics. Unfortunately, male pattern baldness in your family will usually mean your fate has already been decided.

A quick win when it comes to looking after your hair is to keep check on what you are eating. Foods high in protein, Vitamin C, Zinc, Potassium and Iron are extremely important for strength, growth and keeping those follicles healthy.

How to Use Conditioner 

Shampoo and conditioner, for maximum benefit, should be kept separate. To use, put a small amount into your palm and apply directly to your hair after shampooing. If you naturally have quite greasy hair, you might wanna avoid massaging too much into your scalp and focus on the ends instead.

Instructions on the bottle will recommend leaving the product on for a few minutes. While it is important to follow these instructions as closely as possible and you’ll see the best results by leaving it to work its magic for slightly longer, if you are in a rush, feel free to wash it off as soon as you have massaged it into your scalp. Most good conditioners get to work straight away so it doesn’t have to be as time-consuming.

If you get bored waiting for the two to three minutes to pass while your conditioner works in, time it so you can shave your beard, wash your body or do anything else that is part of your normal routine.