Best Deep Conditioner For Curly Hair [Review] in 2022

Anyone with curly hair knows the struggle of keeping curls hydrated and moisturized. Sadly curly hair is the driest hair type because the natural oils have a hard time reaching from the scalp to the ends; keeping up a deep conditioning routine is key to luscious curls.

Doing a weekly deep conditioning mask is the key to healthy curls.

A deep conditioning treatment that is specific to curly hair provides the nourishment and hydration needed. To revive curls. They also have active ingredients which can actually define and shape the curl– not to mention the detangling properties.

When looking for a deep conditioning treatment, there are some ingredients you need to avoid and specific ingredients like argan oil, coconut oil, shea butter, etc., to look for as these are key hydrating ingredients.

I’m here to go through everything you need to know when buying a deep conditioner for curly hair, along with how long you should deep condition your curls. Let’s jump in with all the nitty-gritty details!

A deep conditioner is a hair mask or intense hair treatment which is formulated with conditioning agents designed to restore your hair’s moisture levels, reduce hair breakage and improve elasticity and strengthen curls.

Deep conditioners tend to be a much thicker liquid or paste; they are massaged into the hair and tend to be left on from 10-30 minutes. Deep conditioners require time and sometimes heat to penetrate through each strand of hair for more noticeable results.

A deep conditioning treatment can do anything from hydrating healthy hair and nourishing curls to repairing damaged hair and repairing broken bonds within the hair to strengthen. There are key ingredients used in a deep conditioner for curly hair.

When it comes to buying a deep conditioner for curly hair, you need to avoid a few ingredients such as sulfates, silicones, waxes, certain oils. For those doing the Curly Girl Method, all silicones should be avoided, but some silicones can be good for curls.

For example, amodimethicone is a non-soluble silicone, but it can help improve the manageability, texture, and appearance of curly and textured hair. It tends to be lightweight and forms a durable film around the hair to protect hair from damage.

Water-soluble silicones are also good for curly hair as they help aid in hydration and moisture retention. This is why I included Olaplex in this guide as a deep conditioning treatment for curly hair, as it helps to hydrate and promote the natural curl.

Using a deep conditioning treatment once every week or two is highly recommended for those with curly and coily hair.

So we know that a deep conditioner is a hair mask we leave on for a few minutes to half an hour and then wash off, but what exactly does a deep conditioner do for curly hair, and is it worth including in your hair care routine?

Deep conditioners have some serious benefits for all hair types but especially curly hair. Since curly hair is the driest hair type, all deep conditioners rejuvenate curls and give them the hydration kick they need.

Deep conditioners are an intense hair mask or hair treatment formulated with key conditioning agents designed to restore your hair’s moisture levels, reduce hair breakage, and improve hair elasticity.

That last two benefits are crucial, especially for curly hair, as curly hair can only be brushed while wet, so it will tend to lose elasticity and can cause a storm of breakage if you brush your curls the wrong way. Learning to brush your curls and using the right products will make a world of difference for your curls.

Deep conditioners contain humectants, emollients, and occlusives. Humectants draw in moisture to the hair shaft while also retaining moisture and preventing loss of moisture. Emollients help soften and smooth the cuticle, which forms a film over the hair. Occlusives can also provide a barrier over the cuticle to prevent loss of water.

If these three work together, they provide the most hydration, protection, and moisture retention possible for your hair.

So fast forward to hair washing day; this is the day I would recommend you do your deep condition. If you have dehydrated hair, I recommend you should deep condition weekly on wash day, but if not, every other week will be fine.

The first thing you’ll want to do is wash your hair, I would recommend you do this on the days you use your sulfate-free shampoo or low-poo shampoo, but you can still do it when you co-wash your hair.

Once you’ve washed your hair twice and massaged your scalp for a good minute or two, you should apply a generous amount of your conditioning treatment mask. You can apply to the root of your scalp is dry but mainly focus on the mid-lengths and ends.

This is where your curls are driest and need the most hydration.

Starting at the tips of your hair, grab yourself a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush and start combing through your hair; this will help the hair mask penetrate more deeply and ensure even coverage. Then scrunch the ends so the moisture enters the cuticle.

If you have some time on your hands, you can wrap your hair up in a microfibre towel or cotton t-shirt and leave the treatment on your hair for 30 minutes; this will help the goodness penetrate your hair.

If you have low porosity hair, you can also use a heated cap to help open the cuticle so as much moisture is absorbed as possible, and none is left sitting on the surface.

For high porosity hair, you should rinse with cool water to help seal the cuticle and retain moisture. Once you’ve rinsed, apply your leave-in conditioner and sealing styling products, this should help retain moisture.

When looking for deep conditioning treatment maks, some ingredients are really nourishing for your hair if they’re naturally derived. If not, you can make your own DIY hair mask using these ingredients here.

Here are the top ingredients for hydrating, nourishing, repairing, and strengthening curls.

Coconut Oil:

Coconut oil has some brilliant benefits as a hair mask or leave-in treatment. It can help moisturize and provide a protective coating to seal the hair.

It also helps seal split ends and strengthens hair to prevent breakage. The high vitamins and essential fatty acids penetrate deep into the hair strands to moisturize the hair.

When applied to curly hair, coconut oil helps heal protein loss, add moisture and strengthen the hair strands over time. Using this treatment regularly can also help increase shine, softness, manageability and help reduce frizz. 

It is found in most curly girl products because of its major emollient qualities; it can help smooths and soften the cuticle creating a barrier to seal in moisture and protect curls from damage.

Coconut milk:

Coconut milk has a high-fat content, high protein content and is packed with vitamin C, E, and B vitamins to nourish hair from roots to ends. Coconut milk is brilliant for restoring thinning hair, split ends, and dry, damaged hair.

Coconut milk can also work as a conditioner and detangler while promoting hair growth. Coconut milk is even high in lauric acid, which penetrates the hair deeply and helps to strengthen the cuticle.

This makes it another brilliant ingredient for deep conditioning your hair as it penetrates the hair deeply and restores and nourishes the cuticle.

Jojoba Oil:

Jojoba oil can moisturize the scalp and can be used as a dandruff remedy. Jojoba oil is rich in vitamins and minerals which nourish hair. These vitamins include vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin E, copper, and zinc.

It provides a protective coating over each strand which helps reduce frizz, lock in moisture and leave hair feeling soft, shiny, and tangle-free. It promotes curly elasticity, allowing curls to bounce back and prevent breakage during wet brushing.

It also promotes hair growth by stimulating the scalp; it is a natural emollient known the smooth the cuticle and strengthen hair strands, which helps promote healthy hair growth.

Jamaican black castor oil:

Jamaican black castor oil has some serious benefits on curly hair; it can promote hair growth, moisturize dry hair and strengthen thin hair. This prevents hair breakage and helps heal split ends. 

It is mainly used to help thin curls as it helps strengthen the hair strand and promote healthy hair growth, so curls look thicker and much more defined. It even has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties making it ideal for problematic scalps. 

Honey:

Honey is another brilliant ingredient to look out for, especially for curly hair. Honey has both emollient and humectant properties, making it an excellent hair moisturizer.

Emollients help smooth the hair follicle and add shine to full hair, while humectants bond with water to add moisture and seal in moisture. Honey helps replenish moisture and helps fuse vitamins and minerals into our hair strands.

It also improves natural hair conditions by softening the hair cuticle, reducing frizz, and promoting the natural curl shape.

Aloe Vera Gel:

Aloe vera is especially beneficial for curly hair as it helps strengthen and protect the hair strand. Aloe vera is a natural humectant that works with the environment to draw moisture and keep hair hydrated.

It is known as the plant with many surprises.

Aloe vera has many active ingredients that work to strengthen your strands. It can even promote hair growth by stimulating the scalp and strengthening the ends. It penetrates deep into the hand strand to nourish and moisturize the cuticle.

It can also protect your hair from UV damage; aloe vera gel forms a seal over the cuticle, which can help protect it from UV and heat damage.

How often should you deep condition your hair?

How often you should deep condition your hair is really down to you and your hair type. If you have particularly dry, brittle, and damaged hair, you should try to deep condition once a week.

If you have quite normal hair and it is in fairly good condition, maybe a little dry at times (as expected with curls), but all in all in good condition, you can then get away with using deep conditioners every two weeks.

What ingredients should you avoid in deep conditioners for curly hair?

When it comes to caring for curls, we all know by now that there are some ingredients that we should definitely avoid as they can damage the natural curl shape and texture along with being very stripping for the hair or not coming out with co-wash.

Here are the top ingredients you should avoid:

• Sulfates
• Silicones
• Parabens
• Phthalates
• Mineral oil
• Waxes
• Harsh chemicals

What is the difference between a hair mask and a deep conditioner?

Your regular conditioner is typically done in the shower with a thinner conditioning shampoo; it tends to soften the cuticle and has some benefits for hydrating your hair.

On the other hand, deep conditioners penetrate more deeply and offer more hydrating qualities and benefits for your hair. They can help provide a seal over your hair to protect and strengthen hair. They can even promote hair growth.

Deep conditioners are often applied for a longer period, too. Rather than just being washed off straight away, they act as a mask over your hair and can repair damaged and brittle hair.

Can you make your own deep conditioning hair mask?

Absolutely! It’s quite straightforward too, all you need is a couple of ingredients from your local store and a glass jar to mix them all in. It allows you complete control of the ingredients you put in and the benefits.

Check out the full guide of my top DIY hair mask recipes here.

How do you deep condition curly hair with regular conditioner?

You can absolutely use a normal conditioner to deep condition curly hair, but a normal conditioner lacks crucial ingredients that a deep conditioner has, so you might want to add a few additional ingredients so it acts more like a deep conditioner rather than a regular one.

You can add honey, olive oil, yogurt, or coconut oil to your regular conditioner to make a deep conditioner. Honey is a personal favorite of mine as it is a humectant, so it helps with moisture and water retention for curls. Honey also helps promote the natural curl pattern, so it has some serious benefits on your hair.

Coconut oil can help heal protein loss, add moisture and strengthen hair over time. It can increase shine, softness, and manageability as well as help with detangling and frizz. Olive oil is also beneficial for curls as it helps create a seal over the cuticle.

Looking for a deep detangling conditioner is ideal if you have stubborn hair knots within your curls.

How long should you leave a deep conditioner in curly hair?

You should leave a deep conditioner on your curls for around 20-30 minutes. For some treatments, you can leave it on for an hour or two. You can leave it overnight if the manufacturer states you can do so. If not, it can reverse the effects of the treatment!

For Olaplex No. 8, it is best to leave it on for at least 10 minutes, but the longer you leave it on, the better. Olaplex states it is only effective up 30-45 minutes after applying as when the hair dries, it does not have any more effect on the hair.

So it is always good to keep in mind when is the best time to use the deep conditioner.

Keeping up a regular deep conditioning routine will TRANSFORM your curls; if you have slightly dry, lifeless, or damaged curls, then something as simple as a regular deep conditioning routine will make a world of difference for your curls.

Whether you choose one of the deep conditioners I have selected for you off this list or if you decide to use one of my recipes, make sure you choose one that works for your curl type and hair porosity.

This will seriously up your curl game.