Do Men Need Hair Conditioner?

Do Men Need Hair Conditioner?
Many men go through life without ever buying men's hair conditioner, and for good reason. No one sits a man down when growing up and tells him why he even needs to buy it. Sure, we all know shampoo cleans your hair, but what exactly does a hair conditioner do for men? If you’ve always been a shampoo-and-go kind of guy, it’s time to add conditioner to your shower line-up.

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.

Your hair’s outer layer is covered in microscopic cells that look like fish scales. These cells, when damaged, push out, causing hair to look rough and out of condition. Conditioners work by smoothing down the scales by infusing nutrients and moisture into your hair strands, keeping them looking healthy and great. Hair conditioner is really just a fancy way of saying hair moisturiser.

Choosing the Best Hair Conditioner for Men
The best hair conditioner for men is sulfate free. Sulfates create lather within shampoo and conditioner, but also over dry the hair, causing extreme damage. Drying out the hair defeats the purpose of using a conditioner, so make sure your men’s hair conditioner is sulfate free. The best men’s hair conditioners will also have highly moisturising natural ingredients such as aloe and vitamin E. You’ll also want your men’s hair conditioner to have a scalp stimulating ingredient such as tea tree and peppermint oil. These ingredients stimulate the scalp, supporting hair growth and minimising dandruff.

Not all conditioners are created equally. Most conditioners can be divided into three types:

Rinse-Out Conditioner
This is the most common type of hair conditioner. Just apply after shampooing your hair and then rinse it out with cool water. 

Deep Conditioner
Deep conditioner is an ultra-moisturising treatment for your hair. You leave deep conditioners on your hair longer than traditional rinse-out conditioners – usually somewhere between 5-20 minutes. Most hair experts recommend using deep conditioner treatments once or twice a week to keep hair healthy and hydrated. However, if you colour your hair, you’ll want to use deep conditioning treatments more often.

Leave-In Conditioner
Leave-in conditioners often have a more watery formula and usually are packaged in spray bottles. You apply leave-in conditioner to wet hair after you get out of the shower. And as the name implies, you don’t rinse it out. Leave-in conditioner helps to detangle hair, which makes it a particularly helpful product for men with longer hair. You can purchase ready-made leave-in conditioner. Or make your own by mixing equal parts rinse-out conditioner and water in a spray bottle.

The Best Conditioners for Men by Hair Type
Choose the right hair conditioner for you based on your hair type. Find your hair type below to discover which hair conditioner will work for you.

Fine or Thinning Hair
Men with fine or thinning hair should avoid heavy conditioners that weigh down hair. However, that’s no excuse to skip conditioner altogether! After all, without that hydration, hair can become brittle and break off. And that’s the last thing you want when your hair is thinning. 

Dry Hair
Dry hair is brittle and especially prone to breakage. Dry hair can be genetic or caused by excessive processing. Either way, dry hair can benefit from more frequent deep conditioning treatments.

Oily Hair
Even if your hair is oily, you still need hydration after shampooing. Use a conditioner, which uses lightweight hydrating ingredients to moisturise hair without contributing to extra oiliness.