Conditioner and hair treatments

[Sookie]

Some people say(including my cousin who is a hairdresser) that after shampooing you should use your hair treatment e.g. a hair mask(or SMT in our occassion) and when rinsing using conditioner so the pores of the hair will close. Based on your experiences what is your opinion?

[Siiri]

Depends on the treatment you are using, I mostly do SMT's so I don't need it. SMT has conditioner in it, so you wouldn't need a conditioner afterwards to close the cuticles. I think most commercial treatments are acidic, so you don't need a separate conditioner. When I do a heavy oiling, I do it before I wash my hair with conditioner, and then use a more conditioning conditioner :) Some people like to do a vinegar or lemon rinse after deep treatments, they are acidic so they close the cuticles.

[Kathie]

I agree with Siiri, it’s all about the acidity. Shampoo is slightly basic so you need an acid to close the cuticles after using it.

[Sookie]

Oh i see, i understand now. So how can i know if the treatments,shampoo and conditioners are acid or basic?

[Cainwen]

Anything with soap (like shampoo) is most likely basic. If you really wanted to be sure/were sufficiently geeky, you could get ph testing strips (they sell them on amazon and lots of scientific supply places), and know that way.

[Madora]

I apply diluted conditioner right after shampooing and give my hair a final rinse of water as cold as I can take it. The cold water closes the cuticles.

[Sookie]

Oh how awesome, ph testing strips! Do i have to dilute the product in water or do the test directly?

Thanks for the tip Madora...i always rinse my hair with cold water too! I just love the feeling :D

[Siiri]

Oh how awesome, ph testing strips! Do i have to dilute the product in water or do the test directly?


I think you'd do it directly, water would change the pH of the product.

I've read that the pH of hair is naturally between 4.5 and 5.5, so probably a product needs the same pH to close the cuticles. I've always wondered why cold water closes the cuticles, since tap water is more basic than hair..

[meeta]

I agree with your cousin, shampoo first.

[Cassie 123]

I actually geeked out just yesterday and pH-tested everything in my bathroom. The results: everything except real soap and lemon rinse came out to be about a pH of 6. Everything: regular shampoo, baby shampoo, conditioner, even bright orange antibacterial hand wash - all nicely pH-balanced at around 6. Actual soap was quite alkaline, of course, and the lemon rinse (1/2 lemon juiced into 1/2 gallon distilled water; I use it as a final rinse when I wash) was pH 4.

[Melisande]

Shampoo is NOT soap (except for some special brand). Soap is a traditional cleaning agent and it's alkaline. Modern shampoo is made with synthetic detergents invented in the 20th century and is not alkaline. Most shampoo contain citric acid or some other agent to make it as close to the pH of the skin as possible.

While old fashioned soap is alkaline, healthy skin seems to get along with it well. Soap is less stripping, detergents work better in cool water. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

[Panth]

This:


Anything with soap (like shampoo) is most likely basic. If you really wanted to be sure/were sufficiently geeky, you could get ph testing strips (they sell them on amazon and lots of scientific supply places), and know that way.

is not 100% correct. This is:


Shampoo is NOT soap (except for some special brand). Soap is a traditional cleaning agent and it's alkaline. Modern shampoo is made with synthetic detergents invented in the 20th century and is not alkaline. Most shampoo contain citric acid or some other agent to make it as close to the pH of the skin as possible.

While old fashioned soap is alkaline, healthy skin seems to get along with it well. Soap is less stripping, detergents work better in cool water. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

This is also why most of the products Cassie 123 tested were pH 6. Most all toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, liquid soaps) are balanced to a slightly acidic pH, specifically to be more like the pH of skin.

[Sookie]

Oh i understand :) Thanks a lot for the replies!