A Guide to Intermittent Conditioning Products

Unless you live under a rock - and your subterranean schools don’t teach the importance of personal hygiene - you know what Conditioner is. If you happen to be a salon blonde, it’s even more likely that you understand the importance of daily (or however often you wash your hair) post-shampoo conditioning. 

But did you know that there’s a whole other community of conditioners out there?!

Unlike the in-shower and leave-in, serum-style conditioners that we all know and love, there’s a category of products - that we here at GBG affectionately refer to as “intermittent conditioning products” - that are used less frequently, yet offer deeper nourishment and conditioning benefits, more adeptly maintain hair health, and - bonus! - even extend salon color. 

As lovers of all hairs blonde, we simply cannot in good conscience keep these gems to ourselves...so we decided to share them with you via this Top 5 Guide, to help you discover new ways to nourish your blonde - and treat ‘yoself! 

#1: Deep Conditioners

The easiest and most cost-effective option on our list are at-home deep conditioning treatments. Generally recommended for weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly use, these babes are available in a wide array of options, in any drugstore or superstore you can imagine, and in a plethora of delicious scents. While such products may not be an ideal solution for badly damaged locks, the average head of hair will be well-served by a weekly deep conditioning treatment, reaping immediately apparent improvements like supple softness and enhanced shine. 

It’s good to note here that ingredients matter...beyond price point and pretty packaging, try to choose a product that’s mostly natural - and of course, stick to brands that source sustainably and utilize cruelty-free manufacturing methods. If you have fine hair, be especially careful to select a lightweight formula...save the oil-heavy versions for thicker, more unruly strands. With a quality product, you can get all the effectiveness of a good deep-conditioning without the weight!

#2: Hair Masques

Another ever-popular at-home intermittent conditioning option? Hair Masques! (AKA Hair Masks, for us basic blondies!) While there are many different types of Masques that offer a wide array of benefits, the 2 main options for at-home use are Protein Masques and Toning Masques. 

Protein Masques support strand strength, a silky smooth exterior, and a sensationally shiny finish, whereas Toning Masques nourish locks and improve overall hair health while working to eliminate unwanted warmth and brassy undertones in your blonde.

Both will not only enhance hair health and maximize manageability, they’ll also help to extend the life of salon color - which means few color services per year. That’s good for your hair and your wallet! 

#3: Keratin Treatments

Keratin is the protein on which our hair is built, so it only makes sense that a Keratin Treatment would be a powerful way to instantly enhance hair health. 

While a touch more on the expensive side and slightly more inconvenient - as they’re not performed in-home - these highly effective salon services quench dry locks and restructure hair texture for a frizz-free finish, while deeply repairing damage for softer, smoother, sleeker locks that are less susceptible to breakage and split ends. 

As they’re colorless, you’ll need a separate service to change up your shade, and experts generally recommend waiting at least 2-3 weeks after a Keratin Service to color your hair. But when it comes time for your color, having a Keratin Treatment on board can help to drastically prevent much of the damage blonding can cause - truly a huge benefit, because as we all know, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! 

#4: Glosses

If a Keratin Treatment and Hair Color had a baby, it would be a Gloss! 

Color Glosses will alter your color - just like traditional hair dye, but with a glossier finish (obviously) - while Clear Glosses are a great way to recondition locks between blonding sessions to revitalize and prolong your results. 

Both Color and Clear Glosses do their work deep underneath the cuticle, are infused with keratin (protein) for strength and a spectacularly smooth finish, and boast unparalleled shine that lasts a month or more. 

#5: Glazes

While Glazes are much like Glosses in that they are considered a nourishing color service, they garner results more superficially, staying on top of the cuticle. 

While you may need to Glaze locks after you’ve reached the desired shade with a separate color service - as their colorant capabilities are not as comprehensive as traditional hair color - they do a beautiful job of intensifying hair color without affecting depth or tone. 

Also, as they don’t furrow the cuticle, the conditioning effect tends to be much more noticeable with a Glaze versus a Gloss.