A hair conditioner moisturizes your hair. It should be used after shampooing one’s hair. Hair conditioners are usually made up of ingredients like silicones, emollients, and oils.

Shampoo is a cleaning agent that removes dirt, grease, and oil from the scalp and hair. Hence, using a conditioner is necessary to replenish the moisture that has been lost by shampooing.

A hair conditioner additionally helps detangle the hair, making it soft and shiny. It also helps in managing dryness and frizz. Conditioners come in many variants and choosing the right one depends on the hair type.

Types of conditioners
Hair conditioners come in four different types:

• Deep/regular conditioners
  These act as hair masks and should be applied immediately after washing off the shampoo. Regular conditioners can be left on for about 2 minutes, whereas it is best to leave deep conditioners for about 5 minutes.
• Cleansing conditioners
  This is a combination of shampoo and conditioner which simultaneously cleans and conditions the hair.
• Leave-in conditioners
  This conditioner should be applied post-shower. This need not be rinsed off.
• Dry conditioners
  This comes in the form of a spray that can be spritzed onto your hair to leave it shiny, soft, and smooth.

How to use a conditioner?
Hair conditioners should be applied from the mid-lengths to the tips. Excess water should be squeezed out from the hair after washing off the shampoo, otherwise, the conditioner can get diluted. This could diminish its efficiency. You should not apply conditioner on/near the scalp as it can cause build-up and lead to oily and greasy hair.

After application, you should leave it in for 2-4 minutes depending on whether its a regular or deep conditioner, and then thoroughly rinse it off with lukewarm water. Leaving the conditioner in for a few minutes lets the hair soak up all the moisturizing ingredients.

Conditioners should be used every time you shampoo your hair as it strengthens and smoothens the hair cuticle, thereby making the hair less prone to breakage and damage. It also makes hair easier to detangle and style.

The general objective of a conditioner is to smoothen and soften hair while reducing dryness and frizz. So any conditioner from a good hair care brand will do the trick. But those folks with especially oily or dry hair can use conditioners that suit their hair type.

A person with oily hair person should use a lightweight, slightly moisturizing conditioner, while a person with dry hair can use an extra-moisturizing or deeply hydrating conditioner. Deep conditioners usually contain more oils and emollients than regular conditioners.

Adverse effects
Negative effects from usage of a hair conditioner are quite rare. Some people can have an allergic reaction to some of the chemicals in conditioners.

People who are prone to acne have to take care and rinse the conditioner out thoroughly, or else it might cause breakouts on the areas of skin that come in contact with the hair. Over-usage of conditioners or using more than the recommended quantity can result in limp hair.