The beauty industry has a huge crush on guys right now. For a while it was all about the ladies, but with the popularity of beards and high-maintenance haircuts at an all time high, and new startups creating new demand for products, men are getting all of the attention right now.

As a consumer, it helps to know what's going to make you look better and what's just going to clutter up your shower. Conditioner, for example, is one of those take-or-leave products that really depends on your hair type and length. To give some clarity around who needs it and who doesn't, we asked Dove Men+Care Expert Jason Schneidman—a long-haired dude in charge of Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ famous coifs—to lay down some ground rules. (For more on what's worth your time and money, check out our 2015 Grooming Award winners.)

Jason Schneidman

Let length be the deciding factor.

“If you have short hair and you’re getting it cut every 3 or 4 weeks, it’s not as important that you condition your hair. Guys with longer hair need to condition because because as the hair gets longer, it gets easier for the ends to become damaged. My hair gets super tangled when I don’t condition it and gets fried at the ends.”

Do not fear doll hair.

“Conditioning does sometimes leave hair flat and lifeless, but there are so many products like dry shampoo, thickening sprays, pomades, gels, waxes and pastes that can build the hair back up and give it life. Don’t skip it because of that.”

Conditioner does more than you think.

“Just like you moisturize your face; you need to moisturize your scalp too. Conditioning your hair also makes it smell good, which people will appreciate. If you have short hair and you want to condition your hair for those reasons, just make sure you wash it all out so your scalp doesn’t get greasy.”

There are still ways to save time.

“Do not wash your hair every day and use a 2-in-1 shampoo if you’re worried about saving time in the shower. The 2-in-1 is great because it has just enough cleaning power and just enough moisture to keep the hair full of life. Unless you have long or coarse hair, you don’t need much more than that.”

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