I've always had such great success with conditioning certain areas of my hair separately, specifically my ends or my edges. Mid 2010 was the first time I started applying conditioner only to the last couple of inches of my hair as it was in such a terrible state that I hoped it might curb the breakage. It became a great pick-me-up for my strands, and targeting problem areas in this way really helped with overcoming some serious hair damage.
I recently spent a week skiing in the snowy French Alps and one day it was -14! My ends suffered so much from the cold even with daily moisturising whilst the rest of my hair stayed relatively hydrated. I was only able to fully condition my hair once whilst on holiday (due to having limited product) and eventually I had a lightbulb moment. I could have focused the conditioner where it was needed most - my porous, dry ends.
Since I've been back home (in a marginally warmer climate) deep conditioning my ends more than I would do my whole head has really injected some life back into them. It's so much quicker than having to deep condition my whole mass of hair just to keep my pesky ends in shape. My ends dry quickly too so I'm not always having to go to bed with a wet mop of curls post-wash. I'm definitely going to continue this method in between wash days for the rest of the winter.
Key things to remember when spot conditioning...
- Identify the most damaged or dry areas of your hair (if any). This method is not intended to replace regular conditioning but add extra attention to areas which are weaker than the rest of your hair.
- Rinsing areas with water first helps remove some product build-up but be sure to let it dry a little before application to maximise conditioning.
- You can spot condition with a regular conditioner, deep conditioner, heated oils and even henna.
- Apply a generous amount of product and leave on for at least 15-30 minutes. You can do this overnight if you prefer.
- Covering the hair after application helps it stay warm during the process for better conditioning.
- How often you condition depends on your personal hair needs and lifestyle.
- Consistency and patience are key so you may have to try this a few times before you see results!
Have you tried spot conditioning?