Defining Different Haircare Products: Conditioner

After talking about how shampoos are defined, ​let's talk about conditioners. Conditioners are formulated to reduce the static clinging to the hair. Untreated hair has a negative charge from the “Carboxyl groups of glutamine and aspartic acid and sulfonic acid groups in the hair are responsible for this property.” (Source)  So using something positive (cationic) charged will reduce the static on the hair. Conditioners work by neutralizing the negative charge on the hair that occurs on dry or damaged hair. The antistatic properties make the hair feel softer and easier to comb out and control flyaways.