Why is conditioner so much harder to rinse out than shampoo?
In: Chemistry
It usually has some sort of oil in it to replace the natural oils that the shampoo washes out. The oil clings to the hair and the soap/shampoo doesn’t.
Shampoo and soap are specifically designed that they are attracted to both dirt/oils and water. Soap forms a kind of chemical chain link that allows water to attatch to a pull things that normally repel water, like oils.
Conditioner doesnt have those, it isnt meant to clean your hair the same way, it is supposed to help replace some of the oils that get washed away. Because just as bad a lot of oil is, no oil at all is also bad, it is something the body naturally makes to protect hair/the scalp.
The job of shampoo is to cleanse, that means dirt but also sebum, which is a type of oil created by your scalp. It’s beneficial in locking in moisture as well as being antimicrobial and antifungal. The job of conditioner is to add hydration back into your hair, however it’s usually meant to be applied to the ends of your hair which are the furthest from your scalp so gets the least amount of sebum. So think of it like using hand soap and then using lotion.
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