Many of us suffer from damaged hair - breaking, split-ends, and hard to manage hair that just seems to fight our requests for style and body. The best conditioner for breaking or damaged hair rebuilds proteins adding enhanced strength while improving moisture and shine - reducing snapping and split-ends and adding volume and body.
Damaged hair can come from many sources. More often than not, heat damage caused by styling tools (flat irons, curlers and dryers) depletes hair of moisture and breaks down protein bonds that allow your hair to hold its style and prevents splitting. Chemical treatments, coloring, perms and relaxers also restructure molecular connections built by amino acids leaving hair weak and susceptible to lost hydration, brittleness and color fade.
The best conditioner for breaking hair targets two primary functions and benefits: One, enhancing tensile strength of the follicle shaft, and two, improving moisture content and shine.
Though many conditioners can address one or the other, those that are formulated specifically to repair and heal damage are best for improved strength. Active ingredients that we have seen most successful contain natural, topically applied proteins. Soy, wheat, corn and rice are the most effective. Each of these in a hydrolyzed form offer multiple benefits due to their molecular size and weight.
Rice protein for instance has a low molecular weight and is able to penetrate the follicle shaft penetrating the cuticle and root. Rice protein strengthens the follicle bonds and has been shown to substantially increase tensile strength - the point at which a hair breaks or snaps.
Corn protein on the other hand has a larger (or greater molecular weight) and bonds readily to the outside of the shaft increasing making hair more smooth and shiny. Other ingredients such as Panthenol, Soy or Aloe plump the hair shaft, add moisture and increase elasticity - allow for improved styling without damage. Combined with UVA /UVB protection, you gain added benefits of repair and protection.
Many effective conditioners also include a complex of amino acids. Betaine, Sorbitol, Glycine, Arginine, and Lysine are all formulated and researched to provide enhanced amino acids delivery to the shaft and bulb. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and further increase shine and strength.
If you're one of millions who are frustrated with weak, breaking hair, look for hair products and conditioners specifically developed to reduce breaking, improve resilience and strength, and shine and body.
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