Repair your hair with the right moisture secrets.
What really works
• Adipic acid A conditioning polymer that protects against breakage when you lather up. It works with glycerine, silk amino acids and borage-seed oils to stabilize the internal structure of colour-treated hair, making strands more pliable and smooth.
• Amodimethicone A form of silicone found in serums, conditioning creams and sprays that adds high gloss to damaged hair. It also improves the spreadability of conditioning treatments on wet hair, ensuring that every hair is coated and protected.
• Cationic surfactants Positively charged molecules that condition hair by seeking out negatively charged areas of severe damage, such as dry, ragged ends or strands weakened by colour treatments. They appear in shampoos and conditioners and have names like behenyltrimethylammonium chloride and stearamidopropyl dimethylamine.
• Cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol These fatty emollients -- found mostly in moisturizing products like serums and leave-in sprays -- offer superior moisturization, soaking into the hair and trapping water inside the cuticle. They work best when followed by products that lock in moisture with ingredients like dimethicone.
• Pluronic silicones These waterproofing conditioners seal the hair, fill in gaps and lock in moisture. They are especially good for dry, colour-treated hair. Colouring removes hair's outer lipid (protein) layer, but silicones artificially mimic the cuticle, making hair feel softer and be more light reflective. They also protect hair against future damage.
• Quaterniums "Quats" are lightweight, positively charged polymers that deposit an invisible film on hair without creating buildup. They are great for combatting static. Fly-away hair happens when negatively charged strands repel each other due to friction caused by combs and wool hats. The more damaged the hair, the more negative the charge. Replacing a negative electrical charge with a positive charge allows strands to work together instead of flying in every direction.
