Deep conditioners are a staple in any hair lover’s beauty regimen. Their benefits in terms of moisturizing, strengthening, and adding shine to the hair are incomparable.
Deep conditioning is definitely a non-negotiable in my routine, and should be one for you as well!
But what if I told you that there was a better way to deep condition your locks – a way that encourages your treatment to penetrate deeper into your hair strands to strengthen and hydrate them from the core? Well, let me introduce you to heat caps.
Heat caps are awesome for maximizing your deep conditioners. They help boost the effects of any conditioner tenfold, leaving your hair super soft, shiny, and bouncy.
In this post, I’ll be taking you through the ins and outs of heat caps, and some suggestions for the best heat cap for deep conditioning.
Table of Contents
What Are The Benefits Of Deep Conditioning?
Your hair reaps several benefits when you deep condition it. Let’s have a quick look:
Infuse Moisture
The biggest advantage deep conditioning treatments give your hair is a boost in moisture levels.
Many deep conditioners contain ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, aloe vera, and other insanely hydrating and nourishing ingredients to keep your hair soft and smooth.
Add Luster
In line with moisturizing your hair intensively, deep conditioners also add luster and shine to your locks.
This is incredibly important because when hair is dehydrated, it often looks extremely dull and straw-like, too.
Flaunting a glossy shine to your tresses is another side effect of having properly moisturized hair.
Your deep conditioning treatment will lay your hair shafts flat, making it smoother and shinier from the outside.
Repairing Damage
Deep conditioners are also excellent at repairing and preventing damage.
Those who have bleached or dyed their hair before will know that chemical damage can leave your hair porous, parched, and extremely brittle.
But with a good deep conditioner, your hair can be nursed back to health.
When hair is moisturized, it’s less likely to break or shed.
Moisture strengthens the hair, which is exactly what processed hair needs.
Giving your hair a weekly deep conditioning treatment can repair damaged hair, while preventing split ends and breakage.
Why Is It Good To Use A Heat Cap When Deep Conditioning?
For your deep conditioning treatment to work on your hair well, it needs to penetrate as deeply as possible into your hair shaft.
That’s how it feeds your hair nourishment, making your hair smooth, shiny, and frizz-free from the inside out.
But most times, your deep conditioner really just sits on the surface of your hair.
There’s nothing that forces it to absorb into your hair fibers.
It’s even worse when you leave it in your hair for five minutes or less – your treatment will have virtually no time to enter your strands properly.
Enter heat caps.
With the help of these handy, easy-to-use thermal caps, your hair can be heated up while you have your deep conditioning treatment in.
The heat from the cap opens your hair cuticles, giving your deep conditioner a chance to penetrate into your locks easily.
Then, your deep conditioner achieves its full potential.
Best Heat Cap For Deep Conditioning
Ready to get a heat cap of your own for those weekly deep conditioning treatments?
Here are some of the best ones I can recommend:
Vicarko Hair Steamer Thermal Heat Cap Deep Conditioning
Unlike most caps that you have to pop in the microwave, heating this thermal cap by Vicarko only requires the push of a button.
Hitting the “on” switch on the cap will heat it up in just one minute.
You can adjust the temperature anywhere between 45 and 65 °C.
This range is very gentle on the hair and distributes heat evenly, so you don’t have to worry about damaging your strands.
The temperature is adjustable, so you can set it to whatever heat setting you’re comfy with.
The best part is that the cap comes in multiple designs, each one with colorful prints and stylish patterns.
You get to give your hair a treat and look cute doing it!
Pros
- Heats up by itself, no microwave needed
- Has a healthy temperature range for zero hair damage
- Comes in unique and trendy designs
Cons
- Switches off and on whenever the temperature drops, which can be annoying
Boloye’s Flaxseed Deep Conditioning Heat Cap
This cap is designed in a very unique, innovative way – the cap is filled with flaxseed to help with the even distribution of heat across the cap.
That means you won’t have to deal with a cap that’s only hot on one side, helping to condition just one area of your hair.
The cap itself is made with microfiber material, which is known to be gentle on the hair vs cotton.
It won’t tug on your hair as much or cause friction and frizz.
It’s reversible too, so you can use the cap multiple times before it requires washing.
You’ll also find an elastic band around the cap, making the fit universal for all head shapes.
One cool bonus about this heat cap is that it comes with ten free disposable plastic shower caps.
Pros
- Flaxseed helps with even distribution of heat
- Made with microfiber to be gentle on hair
- Reversible, so you can reuse it many times before washing
- Comes with ten disposable shower caps
- Universal fit for all head sizes
Cons
- Seams come apart easily when left in the microwave for too long
Glow By Daye’s Deep Conditioning Thermal Heat Cap
Like the previous cap, this one by Glow by Daye’s uses flaxseed to promote even heat distribution across your hair while you do your deep conditioning treatment.
It’s also designed with microfiber for gentleness and nylon to help the cap fit more comfortably on anyone.
The thing I love about this cap is that it’s super lightweight.
It feels very comfy on the head, even if you use it for longer than half an hour.
Since it’s cordless as well, it’s portable and easy to travel with.
This cap is recommended for those with naturally thick, curly hair that needs extra moisture to stay smooth and defined.
Pros
- Made of flaxseed for even heat distribution
- Lightweight, so it’s easy to bring wherever
- Made with microfiber and nylon for comfortable wear
- Works for naturally thick, curly, long hair types
Cons
- Doesn’t stay hot for that long, needs constant reheating
Gold-N-Hot Professional Conditioning Heat Cap
If you want as much control as possible when deep conditioning and don’t mind a heat cap that isn’t cordless, this one by Gold-N-Hot might be perfect for you.
It makes adjusting heat settings a breeze, thanks to its handheld heat control switch.
You can choose between low, medium, and high heat settings, depending on what your hair needs.
As for the fit of the cap itself, you can use the adjustable chin straps at the bottom of the cap to make sure it fits your face snugly and comfortably.
Pros
- Handheld heat control switch for easy adjustments
- Has low, medium, and high heat settings
- With adjustable straps by the chin for a comfier fit
- Suitable for multicultural hair types
Cons
- Quite thick, so takes a while to heat up on the highest setting
- Is not cordless
Tyche Pro Conditioner Heat Cap by Red
Like the previous cap, this one by Tyche has three heat settings – low, medium, and high – to give you full power as to how hot you want the temperature to be.
More heat means a better chance of opening up your cuticles to absorb moisture, so play around with the settings to see which will be most effective for you.
Unlike other electric thermal caps out there, this one doesn’t make any whirring noise.
It’s completely silent – you don’t hear a thing when you wear it!
Plus, it’s extra comfortable because it’s weightless and never feels too heavy on your head.
Pros
- Has three heat settings for better control
- Weightless, never heavy on the head
- Comes with a one-year warranty from the manufacturer
- Doesn’t make any noise, unlike other heat caps
Cons
- Uneven distribution of heat across the cap
Mangold 110V Hair Care Hat, Hair SPA Cap
Some people’s main concern when it comes to using thermal caps is that it might be too hazardous, especially if you’re looking at electric ones.
If that sounds like you, let this heat cap by Mangold quell your worries.
It’s made with flame-retardant materials that prevent it from heating up so much that it causes smoke or fire, so you can rest assured that you’ll be safe using it as you moisturize your hair.
And it’s not just safe and functional – it’s aesthetically appealing too!
It comes in a charming pastel pink hue.
It also opens and closes with a zipper, allowing it to double as a pouch where you can keep all the related accessories, like shower caps and wires.
Pros
- Flame-retardant for your safety
- Comes in a cute light pink color
- You can zip the cap open and close, so it doubles as a pouch
- Includes a free shower cap
Cons
- Offers only two temperature levels – low and high
- Not cordless; wires can be distracting as you wear the cap
Oulvnuo Electric Hair Cap Thermal Cap
Capping off the list, we have this Oulvnuo thermal cap.
Like most if not all of the caps on this list, it works to ensure that heat is distributed efficiently so that every section of hair is moisturized deeply.
What’s great about this cap is that the inner portion is lined with a plastic film to keep the cap’s cloth mess-free and waterproof.
That means you won’t make a mess even if you’re using thick conditioners and oils for your treatment.
This cap is also flame-retardant, so you don’t have to worry about accidents and injuries even if you’re using the cap while it’s plugged into an outlet.
Pros
- Helps distribute heat for even conditioning across your tresses
- Has a detachable plastic film to make the cap waterproof
- Flame-retardant for extra safety
How To Use A Heat Cap
Already eyeing one of the heat caps above?
Don’t get too excited about shopping for a deep-conditioning cap just yet!
Even if you have a high-quality heat cap, it won’t work properly on your hair unless you know the right way to use it.
Here’s how:
Wash Your Hair
Wash your hair with your regular shampoo.
Your hair needs to be clean before you apply your deep conditioning treatment.
Otherwise, dirt, oils, and gunk will block the conditioner from entering your strands, even if you apply heat to it with the cap.
Dry your hair with a microfiber towel.
Scrunch your hair to dry it, never rub vigorously on a cotton towel.
This will end up damaging your hair and creating frizz and tangles later on.
Apply The Deep Conditioner
Apply your favorite deep conditioning treatment to your hair.
To distribute the conditioner throughout your hair evenly, use your fingers or a wide-tooth comb to work it into your tresses.
Make sure every strand is coated with the deep conditioner.
Use A Plastic Wrap
Gather all your hair on top of your head, kind of like a bun.
Then, cover your head with a plastic shower cap.
This will protect your hair from direct contact with heat when you wear the cap.
It also keeps your cap mess-free, since it acts as a barrier between the conditioner and the cap.
Put Heat Cap In The Microwave
Electric caps are easy – just switch them on and put them over your head.
But for traditional caps, the instructions from here on out will be different.
Pop your heat cap in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Then, flip it over and do another 30 seconds to make sure the heat is evenly distributed in the cap.
If you need a little more heat, you can pop it in the microwave again for about 15 seconds at a time.
Put On The Heat Cap
When your cap is nice and hot, put it over your plastic-covered head.
Leave it on for 15-45 minutes, or however long is recommended by either your deep conditioning treatment or the heat cap itself.
Rinse Your Hair
Take off the heat cap and plastic wrap.
Rinse your hair with cold water to seal all that moisture in your cuticles.
Conclusion
Using a heat cap may sound a little too extra.
Deep conditioners work on your hair regardless of whether heat is applied anyway.
But the way a heat cap boosts every benefit your deep conditioning treatment provides your hair makes it so worth the extra effort.
The best part is that you have numerous options to choose from when picking out a deep conditioning heat cap.
If you’ve been looking for the best heat cap for deep conditioning, you landed on the right page.
The truth is that you can’t go wrong with any of the ones listed above.
They’re all great in their own way, yet have the same effect of opening up your cuticles for better conditioning.
Choose one or more of these caps and experience the magic of deep conditioning with heat today.