Remember those 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioners from the ’90s? While the hybrid formula was supposed to cut down our suds routine, some used to leave our roots a bit greasy and our ends still lacking moisture. In the past couple of years, a new crop of combination cleansers hit the market promising less steps and healthier hair.
Cleansing conditioners tend to contain less detergents than traditional shampoos and these low-lather versions allow you to rinse away impurities without losing moisture. If you’ve been curious if a cleansing conditioner will work for you, here’s a look at two new versions that could work for fine and thick hair.
For fine hair:
Our tester was worried that her roots would be greasy sans her usual shampoo. “I typically need to wash my hair every day since it tends to get oily fast but this lightweight Matrix formula (Matrix Biolage Cleansing Conditioner for Fine Hair, $35; ulta.com) left my strands clean without any limpness,” one InStyle staffer said.
For thick/course hair:
We like R+Co’s creamy whipped version (Analog Cleansing Foam Conditioner, $29; randco.com) which contains argan oil to soften and hydrate strands and nettle leaf extracts which add shine.
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