What to Look for in a Conditioner

All products do not work the same for every person. It is important to find at least one shampoo that works well for you. Two or three would be wonderful so that you can alternate. Of course there is the option to make your own shampoo. Here are 4 things to look for in a conditioner.

The first item to look for in a conditioner is a fatty acid base. These consist of oils and butters. Some examples of essential fatty acids are avocado, olive, castor and coconut. Some examples of butters are shea and mango.  Look for a conditioner that has a minimum of ingredients. If the ingredients cover the entire back of the bottle or container, that may not be the product for you. The exception is when the product ingredients consist of natural botanicals like aloe vera, comfrey and/or horsetail. Giovanni products have lots of ingredients listed but they are natural.

Look for essential oils in your conditioners. The top ones are sage, rosemary and lavender. Peppermint and meluca or tea tree are some to look for as well. Each of these has different actions and benefits and properties.

If you are not sensitive, try to find products with protein in them. Protein is divided into two types. It is either derived from animals or plants. Some animal proteins are silk proteins, collagen protein or animal protein. Some examples of vegetable protein are wheat protein, soy protein, corn protein, pea protein or vegetable protein. Keratin is a protein as well. Based upon what I know today, my understanding is that keratin is derived from animal sources.  

Lastly, try to find a conditioner that contains some form of amino acids. A quick an easy way to get them is to add them to your product. Many stores that cater to bodybuilders have products that contain amino acids. Try to find a plain one and mix it into your conditioner.

[Source]