3 Best Drugstore Deep Conditioners for Dry Natural Hair
by Team CurlyNikki
Deep conditioning should be a regular part of your routine, not something you save for special occasions because the jar costs too much to scoop generously. Why does anything you wash down the drain need to be $39. I don’t care whose name is associated with it. That’s wild. It makes me think of the expensive face creams I slather all over my neck and upper chest, too, ’cause why wouldn’t they need whatever it is my face needs.
Sometimes it all feels like a scam… once you learn the ingredients that work for you, no matter if it’s marketed as a face and neck cream for $50 or a dry skin cream for $10, or a $39 super-rich deep conditioner or a $10 one, you don’t have to rely on brands or claims. You buy because you know yourself. You know your hair. You know you’re already beautiful. And you know just what helps to maintain it. CurlyNikki.com is dedicated to helping you keep it simple and stick to what works (if it ain’t broke… ) while trying new things that we’ve tested to see if it’s worth switching or adding to your daily routine.
For a deep conditioner, you want a treatment that helps your hair feel softer and easier to handle after shampooing and conditioning. The price, size, and application time all matter. The way your hair feels once you rinse the deep conditioner matters. The way your hair behaves in the time before the next wash matters- did you hold on to more moisture, did you hair stay less tangled, less prone to humidity sensitivity, etc. Keep notes. These three affordable options give us different ways to get that conditioning step done.
| Pick | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist | A quick treatment in a bigger bottle | $6.99 / 16 fl oz at Target |
| Aunt Jackie’s Fix My Hair Intensive Repair Conditioning Masque | A rich butter-and-oil treatment | $10.95 / 15 oz |
| Creme of Nature Pure Honey Intense Hydration Treatment Hair Mask | Trying a smaller treatment first | $3.77 / 3.8 oz |
Aussie: when we need softness without a long appointment
Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist combines conditioning fatty alcohols, avocado oil and a silicone-containing conditioning system. This is the quick option: work it through clean, wet hair, wait three minutes and rinse. You’ll probably wait 10 minutes at least if you apply it before starting your other shower rituals. I do my best to leave even the 3 minute conditioners in for the duration of my shower to extract all the goodness!
Apply in sections so the middle of the head gets treated as thoroughly as the front. Gently pass your head under the shower stream for even more distribution and activation of active ingredients. Gently separate tangles while the hair is coated; start at the ends and work upward without forcing a comb through resistance. Then let the shower stream help you finish detangling as you rinse.
The sixteen-ounce bottle makes sense when small treatments disappear in two washes. Choose the Moist deep conditioner specifically; Aussie’s regular Miracle Moist Conditioner is a separate product.
Aunt Jackie’s: when a richer masque fits the routine
Aunt Jackie’s Fix My Hair Intensive Repair Conditioning Masque contains shea butter, flaxseed, coconut and avocado oils, along with mango butter, silicones and hydrolyzed proteins. It is worth comparing when you want a substantial conditioning formula and are comfy with those ingredients.
Apply to clean, damp hair from roots to ends. For the intensive treatment, cover with a plastic cap and sit under a warm hooded dryer for ten minutes, then rinse thoroughly. The regular rinse-out directions allow five minutes.
Creme of Nature: when we want a smaller purchase
Creme of Nature Pure Honey Intense Hydration Treatment Hair Mask contains shea butter, glycerin, yogurt powder, coconut oil and honey. Its listed formula has no silicones, making it an alternative if you’re avoiding them. Distribute evenly, allowing the water stream from the shower to help you. Let it sit while you bathe, and then detangle gently, allowing the weight and slipperiness of the mask, the power of the water stream, and gravity to help you!
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