What makes a DC a good DC to you?

[Chromia]

What makes a DC good:
-It leaves my hair feeling moisturized and pliable.
-I can detangle quickly and it has good slip while I'm rinsing it out.

My favorites:
Silk Elements Megasilk Olive Moisturizing Treatment

Pantene R&N Mask

Pantene Time Renewal Mask

I DC for 30 min. under my hard hat dryer.

 

[MissMusic]

I just made a blog post on the subject last week:

http://www.fromshorttolong.com/2010/02/what-to-look-for-in-deep-conditioner.html

 

[Vashti]

If my hair feels soft and moisturized 1-2 days after my DC'ing then I consider that to be a good deep conditioner.

 

[beans4reezy]

After my hair dries, this determines everything for me. I need soft, moist hair. When a DC does that for me- that's a winner. Here are my top three:

WEN mask (THE BESSSSSTUS! But SUPER expensive $$$)
Silicon Mix
ORS Replenishing
WEN as a DC

 

[leigh.hill]

I read the blog and here is (another) question from your question #3
Your Question 3. Do you like the product ingredients?
I have found many products that work, but have mineral oil, sulfates or cones. Those three ingredients are often not good for your hair in the long term. If you do choose to use a deep conditioner with these ingredients, what steps are you going to take to counteract their effect on your hair? - What is the answer to this question?

 

[MissMusic]

I read the blog and here is (another) question from your question #3
Your Question 3. Do you like the product ingredients?
I have found many products that work, but have mineral oil, sulfates or cones. Those three ingredients are often not good for your hair in the long term. If you do choose to use a deep conditioner with these ingredients, what steps are you going to take to counteract their effect on your hair? - What is the answer to this question?

For example silicone: If you use silicone's that are not water soluble, you have to use a clarifying shampoo more frequently than you would without.

Mineral oil: be sure to pay close attention to the feel of your hair. If it begins to feel heavy, greasy and not very soft, then you need to co-wash, shampoo or something to get the mineral oil off to allow more moisture or strength to penetrate the hair shaft.

If you use sulfates, you have to pre-poo, use a very gentle cleanser, and follow your deep conditioner with a good moisturizing rinse out conditioner to be sure moisture is not lost.

It really depends on the ingredient, but know what that ingredient does to negatively affect your hair and use other products or techniques to correct those affects.

HTH!!!

 

[CenteredGirl]

A good DC is not frequent -- for me it's about every 6 weeks.

A good DC is not about saturation, a quater size dollop will do an APL head just fine.

 

[bellebebe]

To me, a good conditioner is never runny when you get up from the dryer. I always add coconut oil to my DC's and if my hair is soft, that lets me know it went well.

 

[belldandy]

bump! tee hee hee

 

[JulietWhiskey]

Basically, for me, if it doesn't feel or look like it is just sitting on my hair, it's good. But, more importantly, my hair has to feel soft and moisturized once it dries.

Exactly.

For me, the real test is when my hair has dried. If it feels soft, moisturized and smooth then I know the DC has done its job. The runner up to knowing if a DC is working is if I can detangle with ease while still in the shower. But I've been duped and dissed before by conditioners that detangled my hair easily in the shower but left my hair dry and rough when it dried (I'm looking at you, Pantene.)

 

[mikimix]

When there is little to no breakage and my hair feels like silk.
There is only one DC that has done that for me and it's Neutrogena Triple Moisture deep recover mask.
And they dont sell it in stores in the UK

 

[belldandy]

my hair feels like butter yet strong...that's a good dc.

ors and/or ntm after an oil rinse

 

[virtuenow]

this may sound weird, but after taking off my shower cap, i want my hair to feel HEAVY...like the moisture has sunk into my hair. i have used DCs like motions moisture plus that have done nothing for me...i mean, there is no worse feeling than standing under the shower head rinsing it out and my hair feeling dry UNDER THE RUNNING WATER! if it is rinsed out and my hair feels moisturized instead of just wet, i know we have a winner. kenra mc, gvp conditioning balm, and ION effective care intensive therapy treatment all do this for me.

This is exactly what I'm talking about. I found it after years of searching in the deep conditioner that is Aubrey Organics GPB. My hair felt heavy for the first time the combination of oil rinses; and then Aubrey Organics cond'r added to the effect. Before this, my hair never really got wet. It would always look and feeel dry under water. The water would bead up right on top of it; and my hair would air dry in 5min b/c it ws never wet in the first place. The DC should draw the water/moisture into your strands and lock it in. Your hair should feel moist for days w/o any extras. This!

 

[divachyk]

virtuenow - do you have low porosity? I do and haven't tried AO GPB but am curious to try it. I love the AO WC.

 

[virtuenow]

@virtuenow - do you have low porosity? I do and haven't tried AO GPB but am curious to try it. I love the AO WC.

@divachyk I recently started asking myself the same question before I found this awesome product. I actually have perfect characteristics for low porosity and high porosity.

Low porosity: products and water don't easily penetrate my hair. It looks like products just lay on top of my hair. My hair would never get "wet" and would appear very dry under water. My hair also doesn't take well to chemicals. Relaxers never got my hair straight like the relaxer doesn't penetrate-- it would still look kinky natural even on 25-30min lye app. My hair flots in water test.

High Porosity: when I run my finger up and down a strand, my hair feels rough going up the strand as if the cuticle isn't laying down. Products & water seem to pass right through my hair like there are holes in it. And get this, my hair also sinks in the water test .

How do you know you have low porosity? I am almost equally matched on both tests as far as the major characteristics erplexed. But I know the AO GPB is a moisture & protein balancing DC

 

[divachyk]

Great question @virtuenow. You have a dueling dragon on your hand. Seems to be both low and high porosity. My hair never floated when I did the strand test. That joker floated for days! Water has a hard time penetrating my hair also. My strands don't feel all that rough when going up the strand though. This porosity thing is no joke to figure out. I'll give the AO GPB a try when my stash reduces. Thx for input.

 

[virtuenow]

Tell me about it divachyk. I may have the most unique hair on board (both high and low at the same time-- it makes me question the whole porosity thing). Yeah, if your strand feels smooth going up the strand then its supposed to mean you have normal porosity or low porosity