What is the best deep conditioner for dry damaged hair

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Richard Bord

Not to be dramatic, but deep conditioners are the best thing that’ll ever happen to your hair. Unlike your typical conditioner, a deep conditioning treatment is usually a heavier, more intense formula that works overtime to improve the overall health of the hair.

Deep conditioning treatments work best on freshly shampooed hair, especially when they’re packed with essential oils and free of alcohol and silicone. You can DIY your way through the damage, or cut costs by purchasing one of the many hair pick-me-ups in the sprawling haircare aisles of your favorite stores, just waiting for their new home. We polled celebrity hairstylist Alexander Armand (clients include Quinta Brunson, Serena Williams, and Marsai Martin) to learn all about the benefits of deep conditioners. Ahead, 16 of the best deep conditioning treatments to bring your hair back to life.

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For Dry Ends

Maui Moisture

Maui Moisture Heal & Hydrate + Shea Butter Hair Mask

• Super moisturizing formula

• Can be too thick for fine hair

Maui Moisture’s hair mask is basically paradise bottled up in a 12-ounce jar. Its version of “paradise” feels like an intensely moisturizing cocktail of coconut oil, shea butter, and macadamia oil that work together to smooth, soothe, and restore your hair.

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For Dry or Damaged Hair

KÉRASTASE

Le Masque Hair Mask

• Strengthens weak strands

So, your at-home hair bleaching session took a left turn? Kérastase is here to make things right. The buttery texture fights to build up brittle, weak hair and restore elasticity and moisture.

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For Chemically-Treated Hair

It’s a 10 Haircare

Miracle Deep Conditioner Plus Keratin

• Restores life to over-processed hair

• Little product for the price

If you can’t retain length due to constant breakage, this “miracle” mask is just the fix for your hair needs. The mask is formulated with keratin, which reinforces protein back in the hair to strengthen for a frizz-free, shiny finish. It also helps protect against heat damage and humidity.

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For a Quick Fix

Aussie

Miracle Moist 3 Minute Miracle with Avocado

• Great for thick hair

• Not for severe damage

Healthy, strong, frizz-free hair is just three minutes away. With Aussie’s nourishing blend of aloe and Australian sea kelp, you can combat humidity and stubborn flyaways.

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For Fine Hair

Living Proof

Perfect Hair Day Night Cap Overnight Perfector

• Softens hair

• Not great for thick hair

Living Proof’s Overnight Perfector mask does all the work while you catch up on your beauty sleep. The pillow-safe treatment can be used once a week for visibly healthier and shiner hair that lasts between washes.

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For Curls

Curl Dynasty

Pumpkin Mint Deep Treatment Deep Conditioning Masque

• Softens hair

• Small jar

Yes, this restorative treatment works wonders on its own, but when paired with heat for deep steam, it turns your head into a bed of pillow-soft strands, making it easier for your follow-up products to penetrate seamlessly.

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For Moisture

Design Essentials

Natural Almond & Avocado Wash Day Deep Moisture Masque

• Softens hair

• May be too thick for fine hair

Many deep conditioners are branded as treatments or hair masks, and this masque from Design Essentials lives up to its name. The highly penetrating moisture treatment is infused with the nourishing properties of almond and avocado to strengthen and soften hair.

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For Detangling

Wakati

Paraben & Sulfate Free Water-Activated Detangling Conditioner

• Great slip for detangling

• Strong scent

Finding a product that deep conditions and helps with detangling is basically like hitting the jackpot. Even better, this patented formula is activated by water, helping to lock in moisture for kinks, curls, and coils of all types.

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For Severe Damage

Olaplex

No. 5 Bond Maintenance™ Conditioner

• Restores hair health

• Pricey

Olaplex has quickly become reputable for repairing damaged hair. This highly moisturizing, reparative conditioner protects and repairs damaged hair, split ends, and breakage by re-linking broken bonds and strengthening your strands.

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Best for Damage

Almond Milk Daily Damage Repair Ultra-Nourishing Hair Mask - 12.0 oz

• Deeply nourishing ingredients

• Strong scent

Just like the name suggests, this Carol’s Daughter hair mask repairs damaged hair with nourishing almond milk, aloe butter, and shea oil. Formulated without parabens, this deep conditioner is perfect for all curl types from 4c coils to 1c waves.

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For Breakage

Naturall Club

Strengthening Ice Cream Treatment Deep Conditioner

• Natural ingredients

• Perishable (needs to be refrigerated)

You’re probably not used to putting your hair products in the freezer, but this Ice Cream Treatment provides a cooling sensation for your scalp while avocado and moringa seed oil repair dry, damaged, and over-processed hair for healthy hair growth.

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For Hydration

SheaMoisture

Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Hair Masque

• Hydrating ingredients

• Strong smell

Hydrated hair is healthy hair, and this intensive hydration masque provides hair with a healthy dose of nutrients. The healing properties of manuka honey and mafura oil work together to replenish and hydrate dry hair, reducing frizz for an overall healthier look and feel.

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For Strength

Briogeo

Don’t Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Mask

• Strengthens brittle strands

• Pricey

If you’re looking to give your curls that soft, bouncy feel while boosting strength and shine, this antioxidant deep conditioner is your new go-to. The formula is made from 97 percent naturally-derived ingredients including algae extract to enhance the hair’s natural moisture and hydrate dry strands.

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For Softness

Fekkai

Shea Butter Intense Mask

• Super moisturizing

• Pricey

You can never go wrong with a shea butter-based deep conditioner. This one from Fekkai has a blend of natural shea butter, monoi oil, and botanical extracts to tackle dry hair and frizz and help hair retain lasting hydration.

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For All Hair Types

Mielle Organics

Babassu & Mint Deep Conditioner

• Super moisturizing

• Small jar

The smell alone is enough to make this deep conditioner a winner. This paraben- and sulfate-free formula is gentle enough for all curl types, providing moisture and strength as well as enough slip to make detangling a breeze.

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For Curly Hair

Bread Beauty Supply

Hair Mask Creamy Deep Conditioner

Come for the packaging, stay for the results. After just a few uses of this creamy deep conditioner, your hair will be left feeling softer and stronger than ever. Borage oil helps to strengthen the hair follicles to prevent breakage while the lack of parabens and sulfates makes this gentle, clean formula the perfect choice for color-treated locks.

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What is a deep conditioner?

Deep conditioners are basically conditioners used as a mask for your hair. Like skincare masks, deep conditioners have moisturizing and strengthening ingredients to restore weak hair. “Deep conditioners take regular conditioning routines up a notch by staying in the hair for a longer period of time and promise to remedy hair issues. So it’s important to select one that caters to your hair type,” Armand explains. “If your hair has been over-manipulated and is dry, dull, breaking, or unmanageable, it has a protein deficiency. A deep conditioner that promises a protein boost is best.”

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How often should you deep-condition your hair?

“The frequency of deep conditioning depends on the health of the hair,” Armand says. But those with damaged hair need to increase their deep conditioning sessions to more than once a month. “Healthy hair requires monthly maintenance versus damaged hair which requires, at minimum, two deep conditions a month. When hair is damaged, dry, brittle, and lacks elasticity (curls don’t pop or snap back), it requires more attention and multiple cycles of conditioning to create moisture retention, elasticity, and restore vital proteins and nutrients,” he adds.

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Do deep conditioners really work?

Yes, especially when you adopt a consistent routine. While deep conditioning is typically associated with curlier textures, it works for all hair types. “All hair—no matter the texture, health, or vitality—deserves deep conditioning and can benefit tremendously from a routine that restores, replenishes, and renews,” Armand says.

Can deep conditioner fix damaged hair?

What is the best treatment for dry and damaged hair?

What is a good deep conditioner for dry frizzy hair?

Does deep conditioning help with dry hair?