L’Oreal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Protein & Ceramide Conditioner

Haircare requires multiple products, each serving its own purpose in keeping hair clean and healthy. Although consumers have expressed concerns about hair products in recent years, experts still recommend a regime that includes regularly shampooing and conditioning the hair.

But there are a few things to know before you start shopping for a new conditioner. Although plenty of products promise to soften and strengthen the hair without stripping it, not all conditioners have ingredients that can handle the task. Complicating matters is the fact that different conditioners work well with different hair types, so the conditioner your friends use might not be give you the same results.

Almost every conditioner these days promises to “strengthen” your hair. There’s a reason for that. Conditioner works to protect the hair shaft which, in effect, prevents it from breaking off. Lauric acid is one product that penetrates into each strand to provide strengthening power. You’ll also find essential vitamins—namely C, E and B—that will battle free radicals to serve as a barrier between your hair and your surroundings.

The biggest reason you use conditioner, though, is to achieve a smooth, shiny texture. For that purpose, you’ll find most conditioners pack in natural products like Moroccan argan oil, shea butter, castor oil and olive oil. You wouldn’t want to use these products on their own because they might weigh your hair down and create a less-than-desirable scent, but when formulated as part of a conditioner, these products can take the place of chemicals while giving great results.

There are some chemicals to avoid in a conditioner. Sulfates are perhaps the most important, particularly if you have color-treated hair. Sulfates strip some of the natural oils and moisturizers, as well, so even for those without color treatments, they can be bad. You’ll also see some conditioners labeled as free of parabens. Parabens are used to extend the shelf life of hair products, but they can disrupt your hair’s natural balance. If you can find hair products that are sulfate and paraben free, you’ll likely get better results.

• You can find conditioner in a variety of bottle sizes, and it might seem that you’re saving money by opting for a larger size. In some cases, though, smaller formats require less conditioner to get the same results, so you might be able to go with a smaller bottle in a higher-quality conditioner.
• Human hair has natural oils that can be stripped away with the wrong products. Look for a conditioner that works with those oils rather than against them. Pay close attention to the chemicals in the ingredient list and make sure each one is necessary.
• In many cases, conditioners are sold as part of a shampoo-conditioner set, with ingredients designed to complement each other as part of a full beauty regime. However, it isn’t always necessary to match your conditioner and shampoo. If you have a shampoo you’re set on, try it with the conditioner and see how it works before switching your shampoo.
• If you choose an oversized bottle of conditioner, a pump can come in handy. This allows you to dispense your hair product with one hand rather than having to lift a heavy bottle of conditioner.
• For traveling, you might want to look for a smaller bottle of conditioner. However, you can always purchase travel bottles that you can fill from your larger conditioner bottle.
• Most conditioners are scented, so if you’re sensitive to smells, look for conditioners that are unscented or have a light, delicate scent. Keep in mind that your conditioner will have to battle your other hair products, cosmetics, lotions and any perfumes you wear.