Overdoing Hair with Conditioner

Conditioner for hair
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Q: I've been struggling with my hair and could really use some expert advice. My hair is naturally medium brown, but I've been getting highlights to achieve a dirty blonde look for about ten years now. My typical routine involves air-drying my hair at night, then using a curling iron to style it in the morning. I use molding paste and hairspray for hold, and sometimes I'll use a scrunching gel.
 
Since my hair tends to run on the dry side, I've always been pretty diligent about conditioning. I wash and condition with Redken Allsoft products every other day, and on the off days, I just use conditioner without shampooing. I decided to try Sebastian's Potion #9 as a daily leave-in conditioner, applying it after every wash along with a small amount of Redken Align 12 to combat frizz. Once a week, I use Neutrogena's anti-residue shampoo to remove product buildup, followed by Redken Heavy Cream for deep conditioning.
 
Here's where things got confusing: after doing this for several weeks, instead of getting the silky, healthy hair I was hoping for, my hair actually seemed to be getting drier and more brittle. I eventually switched out the Potion #9 for Garnier Fructis leave-in anti-frizz serum, and almost immediately my hair became much softer and shinier. Was I actually overdoing it with the Potion #9? I thought you couldn't use too much conditioner, but now I'm wondering if that's not true.
 
A: You've stumbled upon one of the most common misconceptions in hair care: that more conditioning products always equals better results. The truth is, you absolutely can over-condition your hair, and your experience with Sebastian Potion #9 is a perfect example of how this can happen.
 
When I examined the ingredient list for Sebastian Potion #9, I noticed that glycerin is listed as the second ingredient, which means it makes up a significant portion of the formula. Glycerin is indeed a remarkable moisturizing ingredient that's used in countless beauty products, but it has some unique properties that can work against you under certain circumstances.
 
The key issue with glycerin is that it's what chemists call "hygroscopic," meaning it actively draws moisture from its environment. In ideal conditions with moderate humidity, glycerin can actually pull moisture from the air and deliver it to your hair shaft. However, when the environment is too dry or when there's already sufficient moisture in your hair, glycerin can have the opposite effect. Instead of adding moisture, it can actually draw moisture out of your hair and into the surrounding air, leaving your hair drier than before.
 
This effect becomes even more pronounced when you're using glycerin-heavy products daily, as you were doing with the Potion #9. Your highlighted hair, which is already more porous and vulnerable due to the chemical processing, may have been particularly susceptible to this moisture-robbing effect. The glycerin likely wasn't penetrating deeply into your hair shaft where it could do some good, but instead was sitting on the surface of your hair cuticles, creating a film that interfered with your hair's natural moisture balance.
 
Additionally, your routine of using conditioner-only washes on alternate days, combined with daily leave-in treatments, may have created a situation where your hair was becoming oversaturated with conditioning agents. When hair becomes over-conditioned, the cuticles can actually seal too tightly, preventing moisture from entering the hair shaft effectively. This can create a paradoxical situation where your hair feels dry and brittle despite being loaded with conditioning products.
 
The Garnier Fructis leave-in serum that's working so much better for you takes a completely different approach to hair care. Instead of relying heavily on glycerin, it uses fruit extracts and lightweight oils as its primary moisturizing ingredients. These ingredients work by smoothing down the hair cuticle and creating a protective barrier that locks in existing moisture rather than trying to draw additional moisture from the environment. The oils in the formula also provide slip and shine without the potential moisture-robbing effects of glycerin.
 
This is why your hair immediately felt softer and looked shinier when you made the switch. The Fructis serum was actually allowing your hair's natural moisture balance to restore itself while providing the anti-frizz benefits you were looking for.
 
Consider scaling back on the frequency of your conditioning treatments if you notice your hair starting to feel limp, greasy, or paradoxically dry again. Sometimes less truly is more when it comes to hair care, especially for processed hair that's already been through chemical treatments like highlighting.
 
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See also:
 
Basic hair care
 
Can hair have too much moisture?