Are the Conditioners That Come in Hair-Dye Kits the Secret to Perfect Hair?

Last week, Into the Gloss writer Trace Barnhill waxed poetic about how moisturizing those little tubes of conditioner that come in Clairol Nice 'N Easy Hair Color Kits are. Barnhill writes, "This particular formula [leaves hair] sumptuous, full-bodied, and ecstatically scented. Effects are astounding. Frizzy hair is mollified. Straight, dryish, boring hair (mine) is saturated into a Bacall end-curl. It's like beer goggles for hair—it all looks better and sexier for a blessed, ebullient hot minute." She wishes the company would sell the conditioner as its own product since she likes to use it on her undyed hair and deplores the quality of the individual versions Clairol sold at one time (they had a slightly different formula). But are these little tubes really doing your hair any good?

I did some research, and it looks like Barnhill isn't alone in her love for the conditioners. In a recent interview with The Cut, Christina Hendricks, a spokeswoman for Clairol, says she loves them, too. "I save them for as long as I can after I color my hair because they are the best and really nourishing," says Hendricks. And on this Reddit thread, people are begging to know exactly what is in these mysterious conditioners that makes them so damn good. "I use box dye on my hair and every time I use the little packet of conditioner, I LOVE the way my hair feels," writes one user. "What is different? I need it." Nobody seemed to have an answer.

So what's in these conditioners that makes people go bonkers for them? Cosmetic chemist Randy Schueller says the magic ingredient is bis-isobutyl amodimethicone, a silicone.

"The 'bis' version of this silicone is rated as a more intensive conditioning agent by the manufacturer," says Schueller. "And it looks like Clairol is using it in the recommended range of 1 to 3 percent—or maybe higher—given that it's the first ingredient after water and before stearyl alcohol on the ingredient list. Most conditioners don't use such an intensive conditioning agent at such a high level. That's probably what makes this product so special."

Is this high level of this silicone OK to use with every shampoo? Worst-case scenario, it'd cause buildup: "It depends on the condition of your hair, how you wash it, and how much you use," he says. "But if you don't have color-treated hair, this product won't hurt you."

Even if it may not be the best idea to use conditioner-on-steroids all the time, why hasn't Clairol gotten the hint and started selling normal-size bottles of it, Olaplex-style? The closest thing I could find to an individually sold bottle was Clairiol ColorSeal Conditioners, but they have slightly different ingredients than the coveted ones that come in the coloring kits (just as Barnhill says). If that won't cut it for you, take Barnhill's advice and start keeping your eye out for when those Clairol boxes go on sale at your local Walgreens.

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