How to Deep Condition Hair for Healthy, Luscious Locks

If your hair is damaged and dry, you may be interested in ways to rejuvenate it. Deep conditioning works to repair your hair’s health by replenishing necessary moisture and leaving your hair with a newfound shine. 

Best of all, it’s relatively easy to deep condition from the comfort of your own home, meaning you don’t have to make the trek to the salon to put some bounce back into your damaged locks. Keep reading to find how to deep condition your hair for silky smooth locks.

There are a lot of great deep-conditioning products on the market, each with a different advantage. Whether your hair is fine and straight or thick and curly, there’s an ideal conditioner for you out there.

Before we dive into the steps on deep conditioning, we suggest learning more about what product may be best for you to restore damaged, dry hair. Different hair shows varying results for different products, so this might require some trial and error.

RELATED: 14 Best Conditioners for Dry Hair to Restore Damaged Locks

Benefits of Deep Conditioning Hair

The most obvious reason to deep condition your hair is to restore moisture and shine, and to make it feel healthier overall.

However, deep conditioning is something everyone should be doing, even if you don’t think your hair is that dry. Deep conditioning your hair will not only make it softer, stronger, and healthier, but it also prevents breakage and protects your hair from everyday damage such as using heat to style your hair or coloring and/or bleaching it. 

For the best results, you should deep condition your hair at least once a month. If you have especially dry or damaged hair, once a week is even better. 

How to Deep Condition Hair

Step 1: Shampoo First

Before you start the conditioning process, use your favorite shampoo first to make sure excess oils and hair products are washed away.

This will make it easier for your hair to absorb conditioner as well.

Step 2: Apply Conditioner

Apply your chosen conditioner, making sure to avoid rubbing into your roots as this may result in greasiness. It’s best to start at your ends and work your way up.

Make sure you massage your conditioner extra deeply into your ends, as these are often the most damaged part of your hair. 

Step 3: Let It Sit

This step should take approximately half an hour, but it really depends on the product. Make sure you read the label to determine how long you should let it sit for. 

Not washing it out right away will allow your hair to more deeply absorb the healthy nutrients and moisture provided by the product. 

If you’re serious about deep conditioning your hair, try sleeping with the product in your hair overnight. Just make sure to put your hair in a hair wrap or cap to keep from making a mess, and to allow your hair to absorb the product better.

Step 4: Rinse

Once the conditioner has had time to work its magic, rinse it out with cold water. 

Step 5: Air Dry

Once you’re done, let your hair air dry and enjoy your new, healthy locks! This will give your hair a break from heat damage and really allow your deep conditioner to settle in. 

Bonus: Use a Hair Mask

While we don’t recommend doing this daily, incorporating a hair mask into your routine at least once a week can help keep your hair soft and moisturized. If your hair is extra dry and damaged, you can do a deep conditioner mask two or three times a week.

You can purchase a hair mask product (we love LUSH hair masks) or create a DIY option using ingredients in your kitchen! For example, coconut oil makes an excellent deep conditioner.

Typically, you’ll want to apply your hair mask before showering and let it sit for 30 minutes – 1 hour before rinsing.

The Bottom Line

Fortunately, if you’re struggling with dry and damaged hair, learning how to deep condition hair can help  

A lot of us use chemicals and heat to style our hair, both of which can result in frizzy, broken follicles. However, now that you know how to deep condition hair, you can restore your shine in no time.