Deep Condition with Plastic or Foil?
For textured strands with length and strength, deep conditioning like clockwork is a must.
But with a panoply of headgear to choose from, things can get a little perplexing.
Which one will give you the highest level of conditioning. . .
Plastic or Foil:
Which one, pick one. . .
Foil caps, traditional shower caps, disposable shower caps, plastic bags to cling film, the best way to cover your hair for maximum conditioning seems to be an ever-changing answer. In truth, “the best” method varies, depending on what type of deep-conditioning you are doing, as well as the characteristics of your own hair. Knowing the benefits of each option will help you select the best of these tools for your particular conditioning needs.
Plastic or Foil:
Foil Caps
Foil is great for speeding up the work of ingredients that penetrate the hair, part of why foil wraps are widely used in highlighting. The metal is a great conductor, which works excellently for ingredients which need to be heat-activated to work.
Foil caps are not that great, however, at keeping moisture in the hair – especially if you are using a dryer in place of a steamer, your foil-covered hair can become dehydrated fast. The elastic on these caps tends to fail pretty quickly and foil strips can’t provide full enough coverage under the baking heat. Plus as a good conductor, it’s little surprise that foil is not the best of insulators.
Plastic or Foil:
Plastic Shower Caps
Plastic shower caps come in two varieties, and one tends to outshine the other when it comes to conditioning. The thin, usually see-through disposable variety is the most widely-used conditioning cap by hairdressers and it’s not hard to see why.
Purpose built for steaming, these caps encourage the hot, wet air to build up inside their bilious interior space. They are great insulators, and the elastic band at the hairline keeps the cap on snug. as long as it is not reused too many times. Still, while the material they are made with holds onto moisture well, overuse can allow water to escape at the sides as the elastic gets loose, and the plastic itself can get damaged. So remember to replace them as soon as you notice the slightest hint of loosening.
Where these conditioning caps tend to slip up is on longer or thicker hair. Usually not available in extra large sizes, they are often too small to steam a headful of thick, lengthy tresses while providing good coverage to all of the hair. What’s more, should they slip off the hairline, they can leave vulnerable tresses exposed to drying heat, if a dryer is used as a heat source. An important note: If placed directly on the hairline, the elastic can have an erosive effect on your edges, so always remember to keep them pulled forward and off this delicate area.
A lot less successful in the conditioning stakes is the at-home variety of shower caps. Designed for re-use, these tend to be made from bulkier, heavy-duty material to ensure durability. Given that they are built more for comfort than conditioning efficacy, the bands around the hairline to keep the shower cap in place often do not fit to the head as closely as some of the other options.
Unlike the caps used in the salon, they are principally intended to keep splashes of water off your hair as you shower, so they don’t usually do a good job of keeping moisture locked in.
Plastic or Foil:
Cling film
Also known as plastic wrap, this is the best option for the drippiest of treatments, like infusions or at-home mixes, which would easily flow out of the rims of other options. Its flexible structure allows it to fit perfectly and precisely to your head shape, making it the most secure.
Downsides are typically a case of user error. For instance, not wrapping the cling film on quickly enough can cause it to lose its tackiness, especially as it becomes wet with product. Also, if it’s not wrapped on tightly enough, it can slowly come loose during the conditioning process.
Another common failing is leaving gaps during application. While cling film is usually the most watertight solution going, water will escape away from any gaps left, so be sure to apply it as thoroughly as possible, double wrapping some sections as necessary.
Aside from user error, wrapping hair with cling film can be problematic for those with very thick or long hair, especially if tangle-prone. To get all the hair sealed in, it does require that you pile up, doobie, or randomly compress your hair against your head, processes which many tangle-prone folk are loath to do on wet hair.
The compression required to keep the cling film in place can also work against treatments that perform best with a little bit of space for the warm, wet air to circulate to each and every strand.
Plastic or Foil:
Plastic bags
If you run out of every single one of the other conditioning items, you’ll probably still find one of these lying around. Not only do they have the highest availability and lowest cost of any on the list, plastic bags also have some functional advantages.
For one, they are extremely adjustable – just tie it to fit the size of your head. They fit pretty securely, too (though not as secure as the cling film), so moisture won’t easily escape.
Best of all, they are also roomy, great for long hair or thick hair, since you don’t have to tie it up and risk tangles. This ample space also makes it easier for the humid air to float its way through your stands, unlike with cling film where your hair is compressed.
Plastic or Foil:
Tips for all methods
If you’re using a conventional steamer, water and heat loss from these caps is not a problem as the steamer will simply infuse more vapour back into your hair.
However, leakage can be a problem if you are using only your body heat to deep condition your hair, so be extra-vigilant about water-tightness when conditioning this way. If your heat source of choice is a hair dyer, seepage is a major deal.
Under a dryer, the hot, waterless air can wick away your hair’s moisture very quickly, defeating the purpose of a hydrating DT. For best results with this method, sit under the dryer for no more than 10 minutes. Then, come out and allow the heat that you’ve trapped under your conditioning solution of choice to deep treat your hair the rest of the way.
Need a quick re-cap on the optimal method for your hair? Consult this chart:
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Image credits: CM Mahon Pascal Naraku Chris Plymouth Orana Guy Mayer
7 COMMENTS
SAVI 29/3/2017 06:28:12 PM
WOW…. loved the details/description of each type of hair wrap. Im’ma gonna go with the plastic bag, cheap and excellent for deep conditioning for all types of hair :). Thanks so much for taking the time to put this masterpiece together.
Cheers <3
REPLY
NIKITA KANODIA 11/3/2018 12:24:40 PM
I have low porosity hair which I discovered recently. As I don’t own a steamer I sometimes at night, oil my hair with warm pomegranate oil and wear a disposable shower cap and sleep. The cap stays on for 3-4 hours and comes off on its own due to twisting and turning in the bed. Is this okay to do and would it benefit my hair? I didn’t read this method anywhere. Just trying what came in my head 😅
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BRANDY 17/1/2019 09:51:10 AM
I have used all but foil and after using the plastic bag to me it is the best. You put the plastic bag on your hair after conditioning. Make sure to Pat your hair semi dry with a towel. Do not rub the towel on your hair just Pat to remove extra water so your hair is not dripping then put your conditioner on making sure to pull through your strands with your fingers and then when it’s evenly distributed tie the plastic bag on. In my opinion I push the air out because I don’t like it bully .then after tying it down I put either a shower cap or a satin Bonet. I prefer the bonnet because it feels better. I allow the conditioner to stay on and penetrate. It will itch. I keep it on until my hair stops itching. To me when it stops itching I know my hair is conditioned. If at any time it atasta itching leave it alone and let the conditioner work. If you have low porosity hair it means your hair takes a while to absorb moisture and to release moisture tales a while to. It also means your hair has a high protein content so you are better using products that have no protein in them. Water based are better. This is how I restore my hair. I have thick coarse hair that has a tendency to dry in colder climates. My cuticles close tight with cold but they open and relax with heat. My hair is growing healthy and better after I damaged it with permanent and the wrong oil. I used an oil I shouldn’t have and I brought it back with olive oil. You always use the product that works best on your hair. Don’t deviate because not everything is for you. I learned that the hard way.
ABC 13/11/2019 09:36:44 AM
I am gonna start applying mustard oil to my hair and use home shower cap. My goal is to get smooth and thick hair. i loved this article and the details given in it. It explained every method very thoroughly
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