Demystifying Cholesterol Conditioner: What, Why and How?

Hello, Hello Ladies!

Today I want to demystify a popular conditioner of choice, that has a lot of us puzzled as to what it's function really is. I'm talking about cholesterol. Now depending on what blog  or forum you would go to, cholesterol has been classified as a protein or moisturising conditioner which is really confusing for the rest of us. 

So I decided to conduct some research and get down to the nitty-gritty of what cholesterol really is.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is basically a lipoprotein which is a mixture rich in lipids (fats) and contains a bit of protein. In short cholesterol is a fat. Majority of cholesterol products on the markets are rich in fat.

Why is cholesterol necessary for your hair?

Your hair is composed majorly of protein (keratin), but also consists of water, hair pigments and lipids. Lipids consist mainly of cholesterol esters, free fatty acids, cholesterol, ceramides, and cholesterol sulphate. These lipids maintain the shine, luster and softness of your hair. So if these are lacking in your hair, it will result in dry, brittle and hard tresses. A cholesterol treatment thus functions to restore these lipids,  and repair dry and damaged hair, making it soft, shiny, and lustrous. 

So when do I need to use cholesterol?

You need cholesterol: 

-when you suffer from dry, brittle hair; 

-after heat styling;

-when you have colour treated hair;

-and when you want to restore the shine and lustre to your tresses

In short cholesterol acts as a moisturising conditioner for your mane and repairs damage.

Are all cholesterols on the market strictly moisturising?

In general cholesterol treatments are supposed to be moisturising. However some brand manufacturers may add protein ingredients to their cholesterol treatments in order to enhance the product. My advice is to check the ingredients list. If you see keratin, collagen, silk amino acids, and other protein ingredients, that cholesterol is not moisturising, but may be a balanced conditioner. However there are two strictly moisturising cholesterols out there on the market that I know of. These are Queen Helene Cholesterol and Dark 'n Lovely Ultra Cholesterol.  The Dark 'n Lovely has become a staple in my current 2015 products arsenal for moisturising conditioners. Ladies using the Queen Helene also attest to its moisturising properties.

 

How do I use it?

Well you can follow the instructions on the container. Nonetheless, keeping it in for 30 minutes to an hour would be ideal for optimum absorption. Using heat to condition with it will also greatly enhance its effects.

Do you incorporate cholesterol in your regimen?