Hair Masque as an After-Shampoo Conditioner

With summer coming to an end, my hair has been feeling dry and damaged after days at the pool and the beach.  Chlorine, salt water and the sun have taken its toll on my hair too.  I decided to try using a hair masque (Kerastase’s Masquintense for Thick Hair) after shampooing, instead of my regular conditioner – I do this twice a week.  It works! My hair feels a lot softer and looks a lot healthier.  It gets a larger doze of the nutrients and conditioning elements it desperately needs.  To keep the noutrients sealed in, I use a leave-in conditioner.  I spray Joico’s K-Pak Leave-in Protectant while my hair is damp, and I just let it dry naturally, avoiding damaging it further by blow-drying or ironing.  The K-Pak Leave-in Conditioner leaves my hair looking styled “au naturel”.

Hair Care: Store-bought vs. Salon products

The purpose of shampoo is to clean the hair, and conditioner to place a thin layer on each hair, locking in the moisture and leaving it protected. Shampoos strip hair of the dirt and oils – or the sebum, which is what makes it look dirty. The main difference is that store-bought shampoos use mostly chemicals to stip those oils – acids which also strip the hair of it’s nutrients and vitality.  The same goes for other hair care products.  On the other hand, the percentage of natural extracts in salon products is much higher – thus the better results.  In the long-run, using salon products may lead to the prevention of hairloss.

My personal favorite – Bumble and Bumble Creme de Coco.