I’m in my early 40s—and determined to keep my long hair. Though anybody who isn’t a teen or twenty-something knows, it’s not easy as hair begins to lose density and strength as you age. But in my determination to get a super-mane (no extensions allowed), I discovered an at-home method that made it actually possible, called the ACA Method.
“The ACA method simply consists of using your conditioner as a pre-shampoo treatment on the mid-lengths and ends before shampooing your hair,” says hair expert and salon owner Berta Martín Sainz. “Here’s how it works: the conditioner fills any cracks or holes in the hair fiber, keeping water from entering those spaces and further stripping them, making the strand more fragile.”
Pharmacist Clara Fernández backs up Martín Sainz: “When the hair is wet, the cuticle lifts and exposes the cortex, making each strand more fragile. This also makes the hair frizzier.”
How to practice the ACA method
Since the trend was founded in Spain, that’s where it gets the name: acondicionador (condition)—champú (shampoo)—acondicionador (condition).
As indicated by the acronym “ACA,” there are three steps in this method: conditioner, shampoo, and conditioner. “First, apply the conditioner to dry hair from mid-lengths to ends, leave it on for 20 or 30 minutes,” instructs Martín Sainz. “Then, wash it off with your normal shampoo and reapply the conditioner as normal after the rinse.” She recommends selecting a conditioner that contains hydrolyzed protein to create that filling effect that also protects the hair fiber.
How often should you do the ACA method?
While I initially wanted to do this method daily to hydrate my hair on demand (and get the best growth possible), Martín Sainz advises that once a week is enough (and if your hair is healthy, perhaps once every two weeks).