Best Conditioner for Men
Many men don’t use conditioner for their hair, yet it provides many essential nutrients and promotes strong and full hair.
If you use a hair styling product to mold your hair into shape, then you should be using a conditioner too.
It should be one of the first hair products you invest in for your daily grooming routine, since it provides the foundations for a full head of healthy hair.
Let’s dive into our top picks for men’s conditioner. Here they are…
👑 Our Pick for Best Overall
⭐ Our Other Picks for Best Conditioner for Men
- Best of the Best: Baxter of California Moisturizing Conditioner
- Runner Up: American Crew Daily Conditioner
- Best on a Budget: Woody’s Daily Conditioner
Best Men’s Conditioner Reviews
Baxter of California Moisturizing Conditioner (👑 Best of the Best)
We believe that the best conditioner for men is by top hair care brand Baxter of California, in the form of the moisturizing conditioner.
This daily fortifying conditioner for men is ideal for all hair types, and will both moisturize and detangle. It has an invigorating mint scent too, which keeps your hair smelling fresh throughout the day. This is always a great aroma for haircare or skincare products since it’s one of those smells that can act as a breath of fresh air and give you an energy boost. The conditioner is full of great natural ingredients such as wheat protein, coconut extract, and vitamin E, which all help to ensure your hair is as healthy as it can be.
If you struggle with dry or tangled hair, then this conditioner can be just the elixir you need to get it back to its best. This is because the moisturizing ingredients in the conditioner hydrate the hair, while also helping prevent tangling. It will also work to strengthen and fortify your hair, by providing it with the nourishment it needs to thrive.
Features:
- 8 oz
- Mint scent
- Includes wheat protein, coconut extract, and vitamin E
- Suitable for all hair types
American Crew Daily Conditioner (🥈 Runner Up)
American Crew, much like Baxter of California, is one of the most well-respected and highly-praised men’s hair care brands out there. That’s why it should come as no surprise that its daily conditioner is one of the best options for men looking to keep their hair healthy and hydrated.
This conditioner is designed specifically for oily hair, and it will stimulate the scalp and work to give your hair a healthy glow. Among the ingredients you’ll find a healthy dose of natural ones which can do wonders for your hair, such as peppermint oil, thyme extract, and rosemary. These natural elements also contribute to a rich and intoxicating scent, which should keep you wanting to use the conditioner day after day.
The daily conditioner from American Crew won’t leave your hair looking greasy like some, and can make the hair a lot softer and less oily. It is also easy to rinse out at the end of the day.
Features:
- 8.4 fl oz
- Includes ingredients such as peppermint oil, rosemary, and thyme extract
- Suitable for fine hair
Woody’s Daily Conditioner (💸 Best on a Budget)
If you’re looking for an affordable conditioner that you can use on a daily basis, then you can’t go wrong with Woody’s daily conditioner.
This reasonably-priced daily conditioner has a pleasant menthol scent, which can enliven the senses upon application. Your scalp will benefit from the soothing effect of the tea tree leaf oil, while the variety of oils like jojoba and hemp seed oil ensure that your hair stays hydrated. This conditioner, when used on a daily basis, helps keep your hair especially soft and smooth. All you have to do to get the most out of this haircare product is leave it in for 30 seconds to work its magic before rinsing it out.
Customers seem to enjoy the enlivening ingredients of this conditioner, such as the tea tree extract, since it feels pleasant on the scalp. Many are also enamoured with the smell of this haircare product, as several natural ingredients combine for an irresistible aroma.
Features:
- 12 fl oz
- Menthol scent
- Suitable for dry hair
- Rinse out conditioner
- Includes ingredients like tea tree oil and ginger
Ultimate Guide
If you haven’t used or bought a conditioner for men’s hair before, then it’s worth considering the following factors as they can help you differentiate a good product from a great one.
Some of the most important factors include what type of hair you have, what type of conditioner you would prefer to use, and what ingredients are best for a men’s conditioner.
Before that though, we’re going to go into some of the most important reasons you should consider using a conditioner if you don’t already.
Why Use a Conditioner?
There are several strong arguments for using a conditioner for men’s hair, and not a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t at least give it a go.
Of course, if you don’t care if your hair is healthy and well-hydrated, then a conditioner likely isn’t going to be on your list of priorities.
But since you’re reading this, chances are you are at least a little curious in how you can improve the quality of your hair so that it can grow strong and remain nourished.
Benefits
The number one reason to use a conditioner for men’s hair is to provide it with the nutrition and hydration it needs to thrive.
If hair is left to dry or is exposed to damage from the sun or artificial chemicals in many haircare products then it can begin to tangle and look far from healthy.
By using a conditioner, you can smoothen and soften the hair, which will help lock in vital nutrients provided by the product as well as keeping out the bad stuff.
This dual function of conditioner is vital if you want your hair to look its best.
While using hair style products can give you the look you desire, most of the time they are only aesthetic fixes, and these types of products won’t go to the root of the problem.
So if you’re looking to grow healthy hair and allow it to truly flourish, then first and foremost you’re going to want to use a good conditioner.
Where Does Shampoo Fit In?
It’s easy to think that shampoo and conditioner are interchangeable; you use one and the other one becomes redundant.
Or at least this is what people who are unfamiliar with what exactly both products do tend to think.
The reality of the situation is that both shampoo and conditioner bring something different to the table, and ideally you should be using both.
This isn’t to say you need to be using both shampoo and conditioner every day though. Some kind of balance can be achieved in which you use one product for a few days out of the week and the other for the remaining days.
The main difference between the 2 hair care products is that shampoo is a cleansing agent, while conditioner is a nourishing hair softener.
That means while shampoo gets to work with its surfactants and detergents to help rid your hair of dirt, sweat and other undesirable environmental pollutants, the conditioner’s main role is to provide your hair with nutrients and keep it soft and smooth.
How to Use Conditioner
It’s also important that you’re aware of how best to use conditioner in order to get the most benefits out of it.
The best way to apply conditioner to your hair will depend on what type of conditioner you use, so we’ll cover the different types here.
Rinse-off Conditioner
The most common conditioner for hair is the rinse-off type.
This conditioner is fairly self-explanatory, although you should always check the bottle to ensure you leave it in your hair for the right amount of time before you wash it out.
First you want to wash your hair in the shower and rinse out any shampoo you may have used, as you want the conditioner to be the only thing in your hair so it can work its magic.
Squeeze a small amount of conditioner into the palm of your hand – you’ll usually find a specified amount written on the bottle’s label.
Then, make an effort to ensure the conditioner is spread evenly across your hands before running it through the ends of your hair.
Remember, it isn’t intended for the scalp, so do your best to only apply the conditioner to your hair.
You can use a comb to help you do this.
Now it’s time to leave it in for the specified amount of time, which will usually be anywhere from 30 seconds up to a minute.
Finally, rinse out the conditioner thoroughly, and you’re good to go.
Deep Conditioner
For a deep conditioner, the process will be a little different, and the frequency with which you use it will be far less than an ordinary conditioner.
Typically you wouldn’t use a deep conditioner more than once a week, but double check the label of the bottle to make sure that this is the case.
A deep conditioner is intended mostly for damaged hair, as a result of anything from the sun to coloring, bleaching, or styling with hot tools.
To get the most out of this strong type of conditioner, you should first ascertain whether your hair needs to be dry or wet before you apply it. You can find this information on the product label.
Then, like you would with any conditioner, apply it to the ends of your hair avoiding the scalp as much as possible.
The amount of time you leave a deep conditioner in will be much longer than a rinse-off conditioner, but shorter than a leave-in conditioner.
This tends to be around 15 minutes but it can be anywhere from 10-30, depending on the instructions on the product label.
Once you’ve left your deep conditioner in for the specified amount of time, you should thoroughly rinse it out of your hair.
Leave-in Conditioner
The last main type of conditioner is the leave-in conditioner.
This is a haircare product that is intended to be left in your hair for an extended period of time after application.
It’s possible to use this type of conditioner in combination with another type of conditioner, but in the beginning it’s best to stick to just one type.
The moisturizing effects of a leave-in conditioner ensures your hair stays looking healthy throughout the day, and it can also keep your hair smelling great.
To use it, first ensure that your hair is dry.
You don’t want to apply leave-in conditioner to wet hair, so if you’ve just showered, you’ll first want to towel dry your hair before you worry about conditioning it.
Then, gently rub the conditioner into the ends of your hair, taking care to follow the instructions on the bottle’s label.
Again, if you want to, you can use a comb to assist you if you want to ensure you get even coverage with the conditioner.
Now you’re free to do with your hair as you wish, or if you use this type of conditioner at nighttime you can go to bed and wake up the next morning with a head of healthy hair.
Ingredients
With any skincare or hair care product, it’s a good idea to get to know what the best and worst ingredients are to find on the label.
The best ingredients in a conditioner will add nutrients to your hair, keep it soft and smooth, and provide moisture to keep it hydrated.
The worst ingredients on the other hand can cause havoc on your hair, drying it out or worse.
Best
- Carrier Oils
Carrier oils, also commonly known as natural oils, are what provides hair with the nourishment it needs.
They can soften the hair, provide valuable nutrients, and do so much more.
Some of the most popular and effective natural oils include hazelnut, jojoba, and argan oil.
- Essential Oils
Essential oils are the kind of oils you put in an aroma diffuser to make your home smell amazing.
Oils such as tea tree, peppermint, and others can provide invigorating scents for a conditioner which is like an added bonus to using this type of hair care product.
- Humectants
Humectants is another way of referring to any ingredient which moisturizes.
Aloe is a great example of a humectant.
This ingredient and others are great for adding moisture to the hair and helping it to retain this hydration, which is exactly what those with dry hair need.
- Emollients
An emollient is another technical term, which refers to any ingredient which softens the hair, which is one of the main purposes of any conditioner.
Emollients commonly take the form of oils, fats, and butters.
You might have seen ingredients like shea butter in conditioners before, and this is good because it will help your hair really shine.
Worst
- Sulfates
As you can imagine, something that sounds as artificial as a sulfate isn’t going to do your hair many favors.
Sulfates are chemicals which are commonly used as cleansing agents, which makes them popular in both shampoos and conditioners.
The 2 most common culprits are called sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, so do your best to steer clear of both if at all possible.
- Parabens
Parabens are controversial in the hair care and skincare industries, since they are seen by many as damaging but harmless by others.
Some say these chemicals will dry out hair and irritate the scalp, so if you can help it, do your best to avoid them.
Hair Type
The type of hair you have can and should influence what type of conditioner you invest in.
If you get the wrong type of conditioner for your hair, you can actually make things worse rather than better.
To avoid wasting your time and money, work out which type of hair you have and then consult our brief guides for each hair type.
Oily
It’s easy to know whether or not you have naturally oily hair, but if you aren’t 100% sure, then simply run your fingers through your hair.
If your hair feels slick without any special product in it, or leaves your fingers slightly shiny, then you can safely assume that you have oily hair.
In this case, make sure you look for a conditioner that can balance out the oil in your hair and one which explicitly states that it’s suitable for use in oily hair.
Normal
If you have neither dry nor oily hair, then you probably have normal hair.
If this is the case, congratulations. You’re one of the lucky few.
Since you’ve won the hair lottery you’re pretty much free to pick and choose whichever conditioner sounds best to you.
Dry
Dry hair is the hair type which can stand to benefit most from using conditioner.
If you have dry hair that feels more like straw than healthy hair, then try to find a conditioner that focuses on moisturization.
A humectant-heavy conditioner is your best bet if you want to restore a healthy level of hydration to your hair.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Conditioners for Men
What is the best conditioner?
In our view the best conditioner for men is the Baxter of California moisturizing conditioner.
Baxter of California is a big name in the hair care industry, and its moisturizing conditioner doesn’t disappoint.
The conditioner is full of healthy, natural ingredients such as coconut extract which can provide vital nutrients for your hair.
Is conditioner necessary for men’s hair?
If you’re looking to do right by your hair, then yes, conditioner is absolutely necessary for men’s hair.
While it isn’t the end of the world if you don’t use a conditioner, you really should, since it can protect your hair from damage coming from various sources.
By adding essential nutrients and hydrating your hair, a conditioner can also ensure it stays healthy all day long.
What is the best conditioner for frizzy hair?
If you struggle with frizzy hair, then conditioner can be a valuable addition to your daily grooming routine.
What conditioner does for frizzy hair is add the moisture that it sorely needs.
The best conditioner is one with many natural oils that can be absorbed into the hair, as this should produce the best results.
What is the best conditioner for extremely dry hair?
It’s most common to use a deep conditioner for dry hair, since it can really get to work into the roots of the hair follicles and hydrate it thoroughly.
By applying a deep conditioner, dry hair becomes better able to absorb the nutrients provided by the conditioner.
However, it’s also possible to use a rinse-out or leave-in conditioner too, if you want something that you can use on a more regular basis to keep your hair moisturized.
A Final Word From The Trending Man
Conditioner is a great product for men’s hair as it can keep it healthy and protect it from damage from the sun and other sources.
If you haven’t tried using it before, then now is as good a time as any to give it a go, since you’ve got nothing to lose and plenty to gain.
