You've Been Deep Conditioning All Wrong This Whole Time

If you don't already use a deep conditioner on your hair, you absolutely need to. Praised by celebrities, hair experts, and beauty editors alike, they are suitable for all hair types and are believed to give you healthier, stronger, smoother, and shinier hair when used weekly — and not using one is a good way to wreck your hair. 

Lizzie Carter, Director of Only Curls, tells Cosmopolitan, "They work like a facial mask — a targeted treatment that addresses various need states and areas where you need extra TLC." Ideal for damaged and color-treated hair, they are quickly becoming a hair necessity. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to apply a deep conditioner, and it's important that you apply deep conditioner correctly if you want to see actual results.

"Washing your hair rids [it] of unwanted dirt and oils the from scalp and shaft," celebrity hairstylist Chuck Amos told Refinery29. "When you deep condition, you restore the moisture and essential oils back to your hair after the cleansing process."

Generally, those who use a deep conditioner apply it to wet hair, just as you would a regular conditioner. However, Dr. Mona Gohara, M.D., a dermatologist at Yale University, believes this method is incorrect. "You don't want water and conditioner to compete for space in your hair cuticle," Gohara told Marie Claire. "That's why I prefer deep conditioning on dry hair, since it's a no-compete zone, in terms of hydrators penetrating the cuticle," she continued. 

In other words, when you apply a deep conditioner to wet hair, it's not as likely to absorb as much product and moisture as it would if your hair was dry. "It's a really simple change, but it can make a huge difference," Gohara added. Give it a go and see if you notice a difference.