Depending on its richness and consistency, a conditioner is also known as a conditioner, hair treatment or hair cream. A wash-out conditioner is intended to make the hair supple, shiny and easier to comb after washing. It is intended to smooth the roughened cuticle layer of the hair fiber, prevent hair breakage and split ends, and protect against damaging external influences such as heat or dry heating air.
A leave-in conditioner does not wash out. It can be used on wet or dry hair. In addition to its intensive nourishing effect, a leave-in conditioner is also very suitable for hair styling, for example to define waves or beautifully bundle curls.
Don'ts - 4 particularly harmful conditioner ingredients
In addition to care ingredients such as oils and proteins, almost all conditioners also contain chemicals that damage hair and scalp, endanger health or pollute the environment. This primarily applies to silicones, quaternary ammonium compounds (polyquats), hormonally active preservatives such as parabens, environmentally harmful microplastics, drying alcohol or harmful fragrances and dyes with increased allergy potential.
- ✖ Silicones
Most conditioners still contain silicones. Silicones give the hair shine, smooth the damaged hair surface and make the hair easier to comb. However, silicones seal the hair surface and make the hairline look greasy and flat when used for a long time (build-up effect). Most silicones are difficult to remove, even with aggressive shampoos. Silicones are of synthetic origin, i.e. a petroleum derivative. Silicones are hardly biodegradable. They are increasingly polluting our rivers, lakes and seas.
You can recognize silicones in your conditioner in the ingredients list (INCI) by the endings "-cone", "-xane" or "-conol". Examples are dimethicone, dimethiconol, cyclomethicone or cyclopentasiloxane.
- ✖ Quats / QAVs / Polyquaternium
Quats (quaternary/quaternary ammonium compounds or QAVs or polyquaternium function primarily as synthetic film formers in shampoos and conditioners that are advertised as “silicone-free”. QAVs are easier to wash out than silicones. They make the hair easy to comb, soft and reduce static electricity Hair. Similar to silicones, there can be a build-up effect.
Quats irritate the scalp and mucous membranes and have an allergenic and drying effect. They accumulate in the cell membranes of living organisms and can influence the cell membrane. They are therefore also used as a biocide in disinfectants. QACs are hardly biodegradable. Conditioners with QAVs make the hair greasy more quickly. Due to the build-up effect, they flatten the hairline and destroy any volume of a hairstyle. Moisturizers or oils added later do not change the problem. After discontinuing conditioners containing QAC, straw-like, stubborn and damaged hair usually appears.
You can recognize quaternary ammonium compounds in the ingredients list of your cosmetics by the endings "-onium chloride" (e.g. Cetrimonium chloride, behentrimonium chloride) or "-quaternium-(number)" (e.g. polyquaternium-7, quaternium-80). There are other QACs such as Guar Hydroxypropyl Trimonium Chloride and Distearyl Dimethyl Ammonium Methosulfate, which are not quite as irritating to the skin as the ones mentioned above, but have the same problem in a weaker form.
- ✖ Microplastics
Microplastic is used as a cheap filling material in conditioners, which also gives the hair a silky feel, makes it easier to comb and is intended to protect against the heat of hairdryers. In contrast to silicones and polyquats, microplastics are easy to wash out and do not damage hair or scalp.
Microplastic is used as a cheap filling material in conditioners, which also gives the hair a silky feel, makes it easier to comb and is intended to protect against the heat of hairdryers. In contrast to silicones and polyquats, microplastics are easy to wash out and do not damage hair or scalp.
However, plastic is biopersistent and hardly degradable in the environment. It enters lakes, rivers and seas via wastewater, where the plastic enters the food cycle. Animals can die painfully from it; in the human body, for example, it promotes inflammation in the intestines and liver and the development of cancer. Plastics are extremely durable in the environment, can last for hundreds of years and are one of the biggest environmental problems of our time.
For example, microplastics can hide behind these INCI names: Acrylates Copolymer / Acrylates Crosspolymer, Nylon (number), Polyacrylates, Polyethylene (PE), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polymethylmetharcylate, Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS).
- ✖ Sulfates
Sulfates are the most commonly used surfactants - including in conditioners. These aggressive detergent substances, synthetically made from petroleum, dry out the scalp severely. They cause numerous scalp problems such as burning, itching or redness. Increased greasing is often a compensatory reaction of the scalp to the strong degreasing effect of hair care products containing sulfates. Sulfates can trigger allergic reactions and are also suspected of having a carcinogenic effect. Sulfates on the ingredients list include Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Myreth Sulfate.
What makes a good organic conditioner?
Instead of silicones, polyquats, microplastics or sulfates, high-quality organic conditioners contain only natural and skin-friendly ingredients such as cold-pressed oils, vegetable proteins and antioxidant plant extracts for an optimal care effect.
- Organic shea butter instead of industrially produced palm oil consistency giver
Almost every conditioner contains significant amounts of cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol or cetearyl alcohol. These cheap, industrially produced consistency agents made from ecologically controversial palm oil tend to make fine hair appear stringy and weigh down the hairline. Instead of such fillers, good organic conditioners contain high proportions of pure organic shea butter and cold-pressed vegetable oils. - Emulsifier-free formulation
A high-quality conditioner should be free of aggressive surfactants and emulsifiers. Why? Emulsifiers combine watery and oily substances. As a side effect, however, common emulsifiers also react with the protective and hair-smoothing lipids (fats) on the hair fiber and dissolve them (washing out effect). The roughened, porous surface of the hair fiber promotes drying out and the penetration of environmental pollutants into the hair.
In contrast to usual conditioners with denatured fillers, organic conditioners without emulsifiers are rich in natural organic vegetable oils with their unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins in a natural composition. They provide natural shine, smooth and regenerate the damaged, roughened hair fiber, and define curls and waves. They strengthen the hair structure sustainably and prevent split ends. - Hydrating, protective & regenerating natural ingredients
Natural moisturizers such as the micronutrient betaine, aloe vera or beta-glucan from oats are essential components of high-quality organic conditioners and hair treatments. Vegetable lecithins, whose electrically positive charge attaches to the negatively charged surface of damaged hair structures, naturally counteract frizzy, “flying hair” and frizz. An innovative plant-based repair substance made from rapeseed oil sustainably smoothes porous areas of damaged hair structures. Squalane from the unsaponifiable substance of the olive protects the hair from moisture loss and makes it easier to comb. - Wheat germ proteins for stronger hair
Wheat germ proteins (Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein) are also known as vegetable or phyto-keratin. The grain fiber protein is very similar to the protein that is found as an essential component in human hair or our skin. Wheat germ proteins ensure that the hair remains elastic, flexible and at the same time resilient.
Which leave-in conditioner is right for your hair?
For fine hair that lacks natural fullness and hold, we recommend our Volume Bio Conditioner. This strengthening hair cream for fine hair is based on aloe vera juice. The care complex with olive squalane, wheat proteins and white clay gives your hair natural body, hold, elasticity and protects against moisture loss. Also suitable for anyone who wants to show off and style their natural waves.
For damaged or chemically treated hair, we recommend the Hemp Bio Repair Conditioner. The regenerating leave-in hair cream provides the stressed, dry hair lengths and ends with additional moisture, smoothing and revitalizing natural ingredients such as organic hemp seed oil, shea butter and coconut oil. The repair conditioner helps to sustainably strengthen the hair structure. It prevents hair breakage, frizz and split ends.
The organic pomegranate hair mask is a richly nourishing leave-in hair cream. It is particularly recommended for damaged, colored, dry or frizzy hair. The deeply effective hair treatment prevents hair breakage, frizz and split ends. Also suitable for anyone who wants to show off and style their natural curls and waves.
Switching to organic conditioner
If you have previously used a conventional conditioner with harmful chemicals or controversial ingredients, your hair may initially need to be freed from the sealing silicone layer with a deep-cleansing organic shampoo in order to be ready for the sustainably nourishing care of an organic conditioner be. Sometimes the change can take 3 - 6 months for the scalp and hair to regenerate. Your patience will be rewarded because after the adjustment phase you can look forward to healthy hair with more body and significantly less care required.
Application tips
Since the myrto organic conditioners and the organic hair mask are leave-in products, you can easily and economically simply knead them into wet or dry hair. Leave the hairline about a hand's width away. The amount of one pump is initially completely sufficient.
If necessary, you can always re-dose and refresh your styling the next day. Gradually work your way towards the right amount of conditioner for your hair until you finally achieve your desired care and styling result. The myrto leave-in conditioners are particularly suitable for naturally defining and gently bundling curls or waves.
A conditioner is not an absolute must in hair care - especially if you are just switching to natural hair care. At the beginning of your transition phase, you can first focus on your new myrto organic shampoo and achieve very good results with that alone. However, if you have longer or very dry, damaged hair, a high-quality organic conditioner is highly recommended.
