More than once you may wonder what over-conditioned hair looks like. This may be because you’ve felt that your hair may be over-conditioned too.
It may seem like a silly question but it’s not.
Having an over-conditioned hair is bad because it can cause more complicated problems such as build-up, dandruff or seborrhea if not cared for properly. Also, if the conditioner is not applied correctly, it can saturate the roots and cause a sticky and uncomfortable appearance.
That’s why it’s good to know how to recognise if you have over-conditioned hair.
In this article, I will tell you the easiest ways to do this and the solution to remove it.
Is Over-conditioned hair bad?
This is a question that many people like you ask. It may confuse you a little because we normally think of conditioner as good for the hair. However, when you use more than your hair needs it can cause problems. If you have greasy hair and you over conditioner your hair you will probably develop scalp complications that can affect your health.
Both the amount you apply to your hair and the type of conditioner you use can influence over-conditioned hair.
Having over-conditioned hair can be bad because it will lead to oily hair. Also, the hair is always in contact with the skin and the skin is the one that can be affected the most.
Having oils and excess of products on your skin that you don’t need can damage your skin if not removed frequently.
This can cause clogged pores, dandruff and even hair loss.
Of course, this won’t happen overnight, but you should know what to avoid. That is why having greasy hair is bad for your scalp.
READ MORE >> What causes greasy hair suddenly?
How To Know If I have over conditioned hair?
Maybe you’ve been feeling your hair weighed down, or you are having some other signs that made you thought you might have over-conditioned hair.
The truth is that conditioner is one of the most important steps during shampooing. Applying it correctly and using the right product are ways to take care of your hair.
The clearest ways to detect that your hair is over-conditioned are:
- Sticky feeling in your hair
- Greasy and dirty-looking hair
- Lack of volume
Knowing these three ways I know you’ll be able to quickly tell if there’s something not quite right with what you’re doing.
Don’t worry because if that’s the case I’ll also give you the solution for how to avoid having over-conditioned hair. You will get your hair back to super healthy and with a healthy and beautified appearance!
READ MORE >> How to tell if your hair is greasy
#1 Sticky feeling in your hair
The first way you can notice over-conditioned hair is when you touch it, especially when the hair dries out after the shower is when the first signs appear. If you have sticky hair after washing is one of the main signs that you are over conditioning your hair.
The texture is one of the clearest signs that the conditioner you are using is too much for what your hair needs. Your hair will feel sticky and oily. It will also probably not have a light weight feeling because the accumulation of oils could make it more stiff.
I want to tell you that hair needs different nutrients or ingredients in conditioners. Every hair has different needs depending on how much wear and tear it has and what it is exposed to on a daily basis.
That’s why knowing more about it can help you to take action and feel your hair healthy, light and shiny.
READ MORE >> Is your shampoo causing greasy hair?
#2 Greasy and dirty-look
Another way to know if you have over-conditioned hair is if it looks very different to the way it always does after you wash your hair.
The right thing is that when you wash your hair and it dries it feels lighter, and the skin feels more detoxified and cleaner. It is normal for it to move easily and feel soft.
When that doesn’t happen and you start to see it in the opposite way is a sign that it might be having over conditioned hair. For example dirtier than before, with an oily look and without any volume or natural movement.
The most recognisable appearance is that it looks very shiny but as if the hairs have stuck together, not in a nice way.
Some areas may look as if they are wet even though they are not really wet.
It is also very typical to see about 50 or so hairs together in strips and sections.
Sometimes the way you have styled it can be very pronounced. Especially where it looks wet and shiny like it has been soaked in oil.
READ MORE >> Is hot water bad for your hair?
#3 Itchy Feeling
If your hair is itchy after washing is another sign that your hair is over-conditioned.
The back of the head is an area that can get saturated with oils and grease that become itchy.
Itching actually has an explanation and it is simpler than it seems. Itching is a reaction of our nerve endings in the back of the head.
When there are more oils than we need it starts to stimulate those nerve endings and the result is the itching you feel.
The conditioner is made from an emulsion of water and oils. In addition to this, they add softeners and other essential oils.
This means that if your hair doesn’t need the ingredients in the conditioner it will be overloaded. With this, our body and hair will try to eliminate the excess outwards and this can result in itching.
READ MORE >> Are you washing your hair too much?
How to fix over – conditioned hair?
The best way to get rid of this problem is to take care of the details related to the conditioner.
For example, how do you apply it, what type of conditioner do you use and be sure to remove it properly.
If you do these 3 steps I’m sure you can feel safe that it won’t be too much.
Don’t feel bad if you did not do well any of these steps in the past. The important thing is that you realise about it so you can improve them.
Solution #1: Apply Conditioner Properly
The best solution is to learn how to apply conditioner properly. This will make your life more easier!
After you have washed your hair thoroughly I highly recommend that you gently squeeze your hair to remove excess water. This way the conditioner will penetrate better.
Apply it only to the hair below your ears. Use an acceptable amount (about 1 inche in circumference). Don’t overuse it. It is best if you feel the conditioner spread throughout your hair.
When you have longer or thicker hair and you feel that some parts of your hair were not enough, you can apply a little more.
Not going over these measurements will help you to avoid over-conditioned hair.
READ MORE >> How to fix oily hair without washing
Solution #2: Use A Good Type Of Conditioner
This is another key point to take care of your hair because if you use the wrong conditioner you will almost certainly have over-conditioned hair.
Traditional conditioners can be very heavy because of their heavy oil load. I would like to tell you that there are 3 types of conditioner families.
- Moisturising
- Nourishing
- Repairing
Each one has more or less a pre-determined amount of ingredients that the hair needs to solve the problems of the type of hair for which it is formulated.
Dry hair without any kind of chemical process (dyeing, bleaching, straightening, curly hair) will do very well with moisturising-only conditioners.
For curly hair or hair that is often styled with heat tools such as straighteners and curling irons, nourishing is a good conditioner type to use.
On the other hand, for hair that has already been styled, highlighted or has undergone a change of shape such as straightening, it is better to use repairing products.
It is more common than you think to get this wrong. Many times my clients have told me that they think their hair is damaged just because they feel it is dry and they saw a commercial on TV or the internet.
That’s why I recommend that you go to your hairstylist so they can tell you exactly what conditioner is best for your hair.
Solution #3: Remove The Conditioner Thoroughly
This point may seem a little obvious to you but often this is where we get it wrong. The best way to make sure you’ve removed the conditioner is to rinse it out twice.
A tip that can help is to always rinse your hair with your head facing upwards. This way the water will run downwards and remove the conditioner better.
After letting the water run through your hair for at least 2 minutes remove the excess water by running your hands backwards and downwards.
Then gently squeeze your hair and repeat once more.
I recommend that you do this and you will see that it feels much cleaner.
I hope this information will help you to know if there is something wrong with your conditioner. Especially if you’re not applying it properly or if it’s too much for your hair.
READ MORE >> Can stress cause oily hair?
Bottom Line
If you decide to follow the advice and analyse what you are doing and change it I know you will get good results.
At first, it may seem strange to change the way you apply conditioner. However, you will find that your hair will feel much cleaner and lighter if you do it as I have suggested.
I hope that reading this has given you something useful to solve your problem.
See you next time.
