It appears to be part of the human condition: We will never stop looking for a way to get shinier, stronger, healthier hair. And social media seems to always have a theory: hair tonics, rosemary oil, and water temperature… The latest theory? It’s called “dry conditioning.”
“Dry conditioning is when you apply conditioning treatment on last-day hair right before you wash it,” says hairstylist Xavier Velasquez, cofounder of the Manhattan salon Franklin’s. Yes, dry conditioning is a step you do before you hop in the shower when hair is still dry—leave it in for however long the mask says—then shower like you normally would. “It will create a barrier on your strands so you don’t over tangle in the shower.” He adds that this is meant to protect and hydrate the parts of hair that oil doesn’t typically reach, so you should focus on the mid-shaft to ends when trying the trend.
Dousing hair in conditioner before washing isn’t exactly a new technique. British trichologist Philip Kingsley actually developed a pre-shampoo conditioning mask called Elasticizer in 1974 for his client Audrey Hepburn. But social media loves to rebrand things with catchier names (case in point: ferritin face or the facelift manicure).
Online, the reviews for the dry-conditioning technique are glowing: Stephanie Mendoza included it as a vital step in her conditioning tutorial, while Tina Prokas chose to add heat to her treatment and credits it with glass hair.
Velasquez says that he’s a fan of the technique—it can help maintain color for dyed hair and cause less frizz!—but adds that it’s not for everybody. “If your hair is prone to getting flat or oily quickly, dry conditioning isn’t for you,” he says. “But if you still want to try the trend, only do the before conditioning and skip it after you’ve shampooed.”
Shop Vogue’s Favorite Conditioners
Oribe
Gold Lust Repair & Restore Conditioner
Pureology
