Article: As time passes after your initial dye application, you'll notice that the dye in your hair will get washed away by your showers. To keep the color vibrant for as long as possible, you'll want to choose an appropriate conditioner.  It's the water, not the conditioner, that washes the dye from your hair when you shower. However, color-safe conditioners seal hair cuticles, allowing your hair to hold onto the dye for a longer period of time.  Look for packaging that advertises products as “color safe,” “color extend,” “color care,” or “sulfate-free.” Color-depositing conditioners actually deposits a small amount of color each time it's applied in the shower, not only maintaining the richness of the original color, but also hiding the roots that emerge as your hair grows out for a period of time. Make sure to choose a shade of color-depositing conditioner that matches your dyed color. If your hair is oily, then adding moisture back into your strands after shampooing isn't really your concern. However, if skipping conditioner altogether makes you uncomfortable, stay away from products advertised as “hydrating” or “moisturizing,” as they will only make your hair greasier and flatter. Look for products styled as “volumizing,” “light,” “strengthening,” or “balancing.” If your hair isn't severely brittle or damaged, but feels a little on the dry side, switch to a product that advertises as “hydrating,” “moisturizing,” “balancing,” or, if you have wavy or curly hair, “curly.” For this kind of hair, you'll need to use more intensive formulas. Hair often becomes “damaged” and dried out by prolonged exposure to heat from regular styling, but heat damage is not the only reason for extremely dry hair. Your hair may be unhealthily dry simply your scalp has trouble producing enough oil to distribute throughout the strands. Either way, conditioners that advertise themselves as treatments for “damaged” hair will be effective on hair that's dry both because of heat exposure and natural causes.  In addition to your daily conditioner, you should also purchase a deep conditioning mask and use it at least once a week. Coconut oil is also an effective weekly treatment for extremely dry hair. Many African American women choose to have their hair “relaxed,” or chemically straightened. While the process may yield the smooth results you want, it can also dry out your hair. To fight that problem, you should avoid over-washing your hair — no more than twice a week. When you do wash your hair, you should use either a deep-conditioning leave-in mask instead of regular daily-use shampoo, or conditioners specially formulated for relaxed hair.  Relaxed conditioners can be found in the “African American” section of the beauty aisle or online.  When using leave-in masks, remember to let the product soak into your hair for at least 10-15 minutes before rinsing it out, or else it won't have time to hydrate your hair effectively. Dandruff is a scalp issue, not a hair issue; the skin on your scalp grows and dies at a faster rate than in people without dandruff, leaving an embarrassing flaky white residue in your hair and on your shoulders. The shampoo you choose will have more of an effect on your dandruff than your conditioner, but there are still many products on the market geared toward treating this condition.  Look for lighter conditioners rather than high-moisturizing or oil-heavy ones that can contribute to the problem on your scalp.  Hair products with heavy fragrances often irritate the scalp, which leads to more itching, and more evidence of your dandruff on your clothes. Avoid heavily perfumed conditioners.

What is a summary?
Use color-safe or color-depositing conditioner if you dye your hair. Skip conditioner altogether or use volumizing products on oily, limp hair. Use hydrating conditioner on slightly-to-moderately dry hair. Use “damage repair” conditioner if your hair is extremely dry and frizzy. Look for “relaxed” conditioners or leave-in masks for relaxed hair. Treat dandruff with light, fragrance-free conditioners.