Should Conditioner Be Used On Roots?

In the world of hair care, there seem to human wavy hair be contradicting statements regarding just about every aspect of your strands. One of the more debated elements of hair care is the matter of should conditioner be used on roots or avoided at all costs. Some say using conditioner on roots will lead to weighed down, flat hair that is extra oily. Others say not using conditioner on your roots will leave your strands dry, brittle, and thirsty for moisture. So, which one is right?

Should Conditioner Be Used on Roots?The reason there are so many contradicting answers on this subject is because there is no right or wrong answer! Whether or not you should condition your roots depends on your hair and preferences. For example, if you have a naturally oily scalp, conditioning there might not be the best move for you personally since it will add to oiliness. However, if you have a harder time producing natural oils at the root level, using a conditioner at the roots can help get rid of some of the dryness and may even help with oil production by ensuring the scalp is moisturized and healthy. The bottom line is to do what feels best for your hair. You can also experiment until you find the right solution. Maybe your hair looks better when you skip the roots. Maybe your scalp feels less dry when you condition your roots. Maybe conditioning your roots works best for you when you do it only once a week. Again, this is one of those hair debates that depends more on the individual and preference than any set of hard, fast rules in the world of hair care.


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Why Shouldn't You Condition Your Roots? There are several reasons to skip conditioning your roots. While these reasons all make solid sense, you should also pay attention to your hair to find the right option for your strands. Here are a few reasons not to condition your roots.

1.) As previously mentioned, if your scalp is naturally oilier, you may want to focus more on the ends than the roots. This will only lead to flat hair weighed down by an overabundance of oils.

2.) If you have thin or fine hair, you may want to skip the roots. Your hair is naturally more fragile and root conditioning may lead to hygral fatigue or other damage.

3.) The roots are the youngest hairs on your head. It makes sense to focus more on the ends of your hair instead of the roots. The ends are older and need more moisture than the roots for this reason alone. The ends also need more moisture than the roots because the oils produced at the scalp have a harder time traveling down to the ends.

Another Method? There is a newer method taking over the beauty world where you condition first, also called the Reverse Shampoo method. You would condition root to tip before washing. Then wash your hair with your regular shampoo. Unlike co-washing where you only use conditioner, this method allows you to get the benefits of shampoo without sacrificing on conditioning and because you are going to wash after, your roots can get some conditioning, too! According to hair care expert, Nina Dimachki, artistic director for Kérastase, in an article for Refinery29, “You will be cleansing it after, so your hair won’t be weighed down or oily.” If you want to keep conditioning your roots without worry, this reverse method might be best for you!

Remember, your hair isn’t like everyone else’s hair. Find the method and timeline of care that works best for your strands!