Whatever you want from your hair – be it curl definition or added volume – there’s one common wish at the top of our lists: softness. It’s especially sought-after as we get older, as the scalp slows down its production of natural oils, resulting in more brittle strands. Masks, serums and oils can work wonders for turning straw to silk, but there’s one simple change you can make to increase softness, and it all comes down to your conditioning routine.
We know that the best conditioners smooth the texture of your hair, detangle and add shine, but the way that you apply it can affect how well it works. Post-shampoo, many of us slap conditioner on to our hair and quickly wash it out – but doing this doesn’t allow it to perform properly.
“The more water present, the more the formula is diluted – it’s as simple as that!” says top hairstylist Tom Smith. “When lengths are only lightly damp, this helps the cuticle of the hair to ‘drink up’ the nourishing ingredients in a conditioner, but very wet hair prevents the ingredients getting where they need to go,” he explains.
Essentially, while your hair is saturated with water, there isn’t any room for your strands to absorb anything else. And while it might seem obvious, excess water in your hair prevents the conditioner from penetrating the hair shaft, which is necessary in order for your hair to absorb all the moisture it can.
To make your conditioner go the extra mile, towel-dry your hair after shampooing and before applying conditioner; the drier your hair, the more it’ll reap the rewards of your conditioner. Don’t forget to leave it on for a few minutes to really soak in and soften your ends.
Easy! You can shop our edit of the softening conditioners beloved by our beauty team and the pros below.
For lengths like Demi Moore, look no further than this smoothing conditioner. Demi credits it with nourishing her iconic mane so that it’s “full, healthy and balanced; never greasy or dry”, according to an interview with InStyle. Think of it as the Goldilocks of conditioners – softening without making hair look too slick. Evening primrose and sunflower oils detangle and add gloss, while vitamin C-rich Kakadu plum (a big hit in skincare) gives hair an antioxidant hit to help to shield it from UV damage during the day. It also only needs to be left on for a few minutes to reap Demi-level swish.
Founder of the beauty brand Dizziak (of which Dua Lipa is an investor), Loretta De Feo had grown frustrated by the lacklustre conditioners on the market (“they were either too weak or too heavy”), and so Dizziak originally launched with this Deep Conditioner. It hits the spot when it comes to softening hair of all textures, but especially for those with thick, curly or afro hair. The potent blend of shea butter, coconut and argan oils bathes hair in hydration. Leave on for five minutes if your hair’s on the fine side, or kick back for half an hour or so if you can spare it to give curls their spring back.
Silicone is often added to conditioners in particular to give hair extra “slip” and softness, but this balm-textured conditioner goes big on fermented rose oil instead, which aims for silkiness minus any heavy feel – plus an incredible, iconic scent that wafts around you with every head turn. GH senior beauty editor Lynne Hyland is a big fan, declaring it “magnifique!”
“Prep is everything when it comes to getting soft, swingy hair,” says Nicola Clarke, creative colour director at John Frieda Salons and founder of Nicola Clarke Salon. “Getting a red-carpet worthy finish on celebrity clients is so much harder when they’ve just used a really basic hotel conditioner,” she adds. Hence why she always travels with this cuticle-smoothing conditioner “to create the building blocks of a beautiful hair look, plus it only takes three minutes to work, and ultimately styling is much less effort afterwards.” Its smoothing prowess is partly down to the use of a patented keratin protein that binds to damaged hair to repair it and spot-treat rough, broken ends.
If colouring your hair has made it look and feel more brittle, this clever conditioner will quite literally soften the blow. GH beauty editor Anna Lao-Kaim has been a convert ever since it launched for its ability to make even the most over-balayaged lengths feel bunny-paw soft and look noticeably shinier. Apparently, its incredible efficacy is down to the “sweet spot” acidic pH of 4.5-5.5, which helps to seal the hair cuticle, hence the gloss promise. Hairbrushes and combs practically glide through ends post-wash and it takes the legwork out of styling, too; Anna’s found she’s less reliant on her heated tools after consistent use thanks to this conditioner’s smoothing effects.
Speaking of making hair more manageable, this lightweight conditioner adds softness and sheen to fine hair, eliminating knots and smoothing over split ends without overloading lengths. If you’re aiming for soft, floaty hair, it fits the bill, sourcing its power from light yet extremely emollient Japanese camellia oil. Beauty editor Anna has fine hair but lots of it, and it helps to work out any snags.
If frizz is getting in the way of your soft-hair ambitions, this cult conditioner from GH favourite Living Proof gets to work to smooth things over. Hemisqualane – a fast-absorbing form of the hydrating molecule squalane – moisturises and smoothes hair to lay down frizz in the washing process for softer, sleeker hair that lasts in the face of humidity and rainy commutes.
Want even softer curls and coils? Celebrity hair stylist Jennie Roberts recommends following up your regular conditioner with a leave-in option (also applied to damp, not wet hair) “for a smoother finish”. “It acts like a primer does for makeup; it restores even more hydration and enhances the results of any stylers you apply afterwards,” she says. Jennie loves this detangling milk for its “nutrient-rich formula that not only boosts the condition of ultra-dehydrated strands but also helps to define curls and tames flyaways.” It’s also genius if you don’t have much time to let your in-shower conditioner sink in; consider it your soft-hair insurance policy until your next wash.
