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Partner Content JANUARY 10, 2023

18 Best Deep Conditioners for Natural Hair of 2023

Using the right hair care products is absolutely essential for achieving and maintaining healthy, hydrated and manageable hair

18 Best Deep Conditioners for Natural Hair of 2023
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For those with natural hair, using the right hair care products is absolutely essential for achieving and maintaining healthy, hydrated and manageable hair. A deeply moisturizing conditioner can be especially helpful for people with coily, curly and wavy hair that is particularly prone to dryness and breakage, as it will treat their mane and help it look and feel its absolute best. If you’re looking for the perfect conditioner for your hair’s needs, read on to get our recommendations for the year’s best deep conditioners for natural hair.

1. Blu Atlas Conditioner 

This conditioner from top-tier personal care company Blu Atlas is one of the absolute best deep conditioners for natural hair, especially for those looking for an all-natural product. The high-performance formula is packed with nature-derived ingredients that treat dry hair prone to frizz and breakage by nourishing, repairing and deeply moisturizing. It also hydrates and soothes the skin, so you can say goodbye to scalp dryness and irritation.

The Blu Atlas Conditioner contains a variety of humectants, which are ingredients that pull moisture to the skin and hair and lock it in, improving softness, strength and manageability. One of the key humectants in this formula is glycerin, which helps moisturize the skin and hair while minimizing symptoms of dry scalp and dandruff. It also prevents hair breakage, which natural hair is particularly prone to. Additionally, the formula contains hydrolyzed barley protein, which works as a highly effective hair conditioner.

This fully natural formula is made without ingredients that may cause harm to your skin or overall health, including parabens, sulfates and phthalates. It’s also made without synthetic fragrances, which can cause irritation, and instead uses the power of natural fragrances to create the refreshing scent that lingers on your hair after you’ve showered. The Blu Atlas Conditioner is vegan and dermatologically tested to ensure safety and efficacy.

2. Moroccanoil Restorative Hair Mask

Moroccanoil has long been a favorite company for those with natural hair, and the Restorative Hair Mask, which is formulated to be used once a week, is one of the brand’s top products. This deep conditioning hair mask is created for weak and damaged hair that may have been overexposed to heat styling or chemical treatments.

It contains a blend of ingredients that repair damage while strengthening the hair and improving elasticity. This formula also intensely moisturizes and softens the hair so that it looks and feels its absolute best immediately after the mask is rinsed off.

The Moroccanoil Restorative Hair Mask features argan oil, which is rich in fatty acids, vitamin E and antioxidants. This oil has a small molecular size, which means it can deeply penetrate the hair cuticles and skin. It softens and hydrates the hair while strengthening and boosting hair elasticity.

The formula also features anti-inflammatory shea butter, which soothes and intensely moisturizes the hair and scalp. Caryocar brasiliense fruit oil, which is derived from the Brazilian pequi fruit, nourishes and strengthens, while acetamide MEA conditions the hair and improves texture.

3. CURLS Blueberry Bliss Reparative Hair Mask 

If you’re looking for the perfect deep conditioner for your curls, you’ll want to check out this hair mask from CURLS, a company dedicated to creating nature-powered, high-quality haircare products for natural hair. This formula is packed with nourishing plant-derived ingredients and has been clinically proven to protect, repair, restore and promote hair growth. It’s also completely free of sulfates, silicones, parabens and artificial colors.

A key ingredient in this affordable hair mask is certified organic blueberry extract, which is packed with vitamins B and C. This fruit extract increases oxygenation and blood circulation in the scalp, which boosts healthy hair growth. The proanthocyanidins found in blueberries also work in the hair follicles, promoting faster growth and minimizing graying and hair loss.

The CURLS Blueberry Bliss Reparative Hair Mask also features certified organic aloe leaf juice, which soothes the hair and skin while providing lightweight moisturization. Certified organic chamomile flower extract also strengthens and nourishes the hair follicles. Certified organic coconut oil works alongside these ingredients, deeply moisturizing the strands and scalp for softer and more manageable hair.

 4. Wakati Water-Activated Advanced Conditioner

Wakati is dedicated to creating expertly formulated products that allow people with kinky, coily and curly hair to spend less time styling their hair and more time enjoying it. The company’s Water-Activated Advanced Conditioner has a paraben-free and sulfate-free formula that works to hydrate the strands, smooth rough cuticles and quickly detangle for softer and healthier hair that is easier to style and manage. It’s created especially for those with type 3C to 4C hair.

One of the star ingredients in this Wakati conditioner is jojoba oil, which is loaded with antioxidants, fatty acids and vitamins A, D and E. This natural oil deeply penetrates the hair and scalp, providing nourishment, moisturization and strength-boosting properties. Another key oil in this formula is shea oil, which is also packed with fatty acids, as well as vitamin E. Shea oil softens and smooths the hair while deeply moisturizing.

 5. Adwoa Beauty Baomint Deep Conditioning Treatment 

Adwoa Beauty is a haircare company offering some of the top nature-powered formulas for textured hair. The company’s Baomint collection includes a variety of products that support scalp health and hair hydration so that the hair can grow fast and strong while looking and feeling incredible. The Baomint Deep Conditioning Treatment is one of the best deep conditioners for natural hair, as it deeply penetrates the strands for maximum moisturization and strength while supporting scalp health for overall hair wellness.

This rich and creamy deep conditioner features baobab oil, which is packed with vitamins A, D and E, as well as omegas 3, 6 and 9. Baobab oil softens and moisturizes the hair while improving elasticity so that it is softer, more manageable and less prone to breakage. Shea butter also helps moisturize the hair and scalp while soothing skin irritation. Prickly pear oil, pumpkin seed oil, sweet almond oil and a variety of other oils rich in fatty acids, vitamins and minerals further strengthen and add shine and softness to the hair.

In addition to this nourishing variety of ingredients, this deep conditioner contains a blend of mint oils (including spearmint, peppermint and wintergreen oils) that invigorate and cool the scalp while fighting bacteria and fungus. This formula is made without sulfates, parabens, phthalates, mineral oils or silicones, and it’s also vegan and cruelty-free.

6. SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Hair Masque 

SheaMoisture has an excellent selection of haircare products that are infused with raw shea butter and other nourishing natural ingredients. The company’s Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Hair Masque is formulated to nourish, repair and intensely condition dry hair, and it is particularly great for those with damaged, color-treated or overprocessed hair. This mask has been made specifically with hair types 4A, 4B and 4C in mind. It’s cruelty-free and made without sulfates, parabens, mineral oil or phthalates.

The SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Hair Masque is powered by manuka honey, a humectant and emollient ingredient that has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Manuka honey softens, moisturizes and conditions your hair while soothing and hydrating the scalp. This formula also features fatty acid-rich mafura oil, which strengthens and deeply moisturizes the hair and skin.

As is expected with most SheaMoisture products, this hair mask also contains shea butter, which seals moisture into strands for smoother and healthier hair. It also hydrates and calms the skin for a healthier scalp. Antioxidant-rich African rock fig extract restores the hair and further locks in moisture, while mango seed butter, avocado oil and a blend of other potent ingredients promote soft, healthy and frizz-free hair.

7. Coco & Eve Like A Virgin Super Nourishing Coconut & Fig Hair Masque 

Coco & Eve’s deeply conditioning hair mask is a multi-award winner that works as a 5-in-1 treatment. In just ten minutes, this potent formula revives, restores, conditions and repairs dry and damaged hair while taming split ends and frizz for a smoother, shinier and softer look and feel.

The vegan and cruelty-free Like A Virgin Super Nourishing Coconut & Fig Hair Masque features the company’s AcquaSeal Coconut, which strengthens and repairs the hair while preventing breakage and split ends. It also deeply hydrates and boosts softness and shine. This sulfate-free formula also contains fig extract, which is packed with fatty acids, as well as vitamins A, B1 and B2, in addition to antioxidants, polyphenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins. The fig extract nourishes and strengthens the hair while fighting against damaging environmental aggressors.

Additionally, this Coco & Eve hair mask contains shea butter, which moisturizes while detangling the hair to make it softer and more manageable. Linseed extract boosts hair texture and gloss so that it looks and feels silky soft, while argan oil tames frizz and repairs split ends. The final key ingredient in this formula is probiotic extract, which strengthens and improves overall hair health.

8. Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Mask

Briogeo has garnered a large fanbase since the company launched in 2013, thanks to its excellent selection of clean haircare products. The award-winning Don’t Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Mask is one of the company’s bestsellers. This vegan and cruelty-free formula contains 97% naturally derived ingredients, which work to deeply condition your hair while reducing breakage.

Briogeo’s formula has even been clinically proven to improve hair strength, silkiness and shine. This formula was made specifically for dry and damaged hair, and it is also safe for relaxed hair, as well as hair that is color-treated, keratin-treated or chemically treated.

The Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Mask features fatty acid-rich rosehip oil, which hydrates the hair while fighting split ends and controlling frizz. Antioxidant-packed algae extract, which also contains nourishing vitamins and minerals, works to protect the hair from damage so that it stays strong and healthy.

This formula also features shine-boosting sweet almond oil, as well as nourishing B vitamins. Avocado oil, argan oil, panthenol, aloe barbadensis leaf juice and a variety of other impactful ingredients further moisturize, strengthen and repair dry and brittle hair. The highly effective mask is made without sulfates, parabens, silicones or phthalates.

9. Creme of Nature Argan Oil Intensive Conditioning Treatment

The Argan Oil Intensive Conditioning Treatment from Creme of Nature is one of the best options for anyone looking for a super affordable deep conditioner. This formula, which is free of sulfates, petrolatum and mineral oil, works to detangle the hair and boost shine while dramatically strengthening the strands and preventing hair breakage.

As the name suggests, the star ingredient in this deep conditioner is argan oil, which is sourced from Morocco. Argan oil is packed with antioxidants, fatty acids and vitamin E, and it deeply penetrates the hair for maximum nourishment. It softens and moisturizes, promoting silky and frizz-free hair. This oil also improves elasticity and strengthens the hair to prevent breakage.

The argan oil is joined by a blend of additional ingredients that improve hair health. This includes panthenol (also known as pro-vitamin B5), which strengthens the hair and improves its ability to retain moisture. Glycerin, olive oil and honey further moisturize the hair and scalp, while aloe barbadensis leaf juice adds soothing benefits.

10. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Deep Conditioner

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Another high-quality but super affordable option is the 3 Minute Miracle Moist Deep Conditioner from Aussie. The rich and creamy formula is packed with deeply moisturizing and nourishing ingredients that are able to promote shiny, silky and hydrated hair in just three minutes.

This paraben-free Aussie deep conditioner is powered in part by anti-inflammatory avocado oil, which is rich in antioxidants, fatty acids, biotin and vitamins A, B5 and E. This oil intensely moisturizes the hair and scalp, while also repairing and strengthening the hair. It tames frizz and promotes shine, and it can soothe any scalp irritation.

Australian jojoba oil is also featured in the formula. This oil is packed with vitamins A, D and E, as well as antioxidants and fatty acids. It moisturizes the hair and scalp, and it joins the avocado oil in strengthening the hair to minimize breakage. As an added bonus, the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Deep Conditioner has a bright and refreshing citrus scent that will leave you feeling energized after showering.

11. Carol’s Daughter Almond Milk Ultra-Nourishing Hair Mask 

If your hair has been damaged by regular heat styling, harsh environmental aggressors or other harmful elements, you’ll want to give this hair mask from Carol’s Daughter a shot. The Almond Milk Ultra-Nourishing Hair Mask is formulated to repair damage while strengthening and restoring softness to the hair. It also contains powerful ingredients that protect the hair from further damage. This fortifying formula is made without parabens, petroleum, mineral oil or artificial colors.

Two of the key ingredients in this mask are fatty acid and vitamin E-rich sweet almond oil and shea oil. These oils soften and boost shine while repairing hair damage. Sweet almond protein further fortifies the hair so that it can be better protected against damaging elements.

The Almond Milk Ultra-Nourishing Hair Mask also features coconut oil, which quickly absorbs into the hair strands to moisturize, tame frizz and prevent breakage. Shea butter further works to seal moisture into the strands to promote softness and silkiness, while aloe butter repairs, moisturizes and conditions. All of these ingredients provide additional scalp health support, ensuring the skin stays hydrated and comfortable.

 12. MoKnowsHair Curl Restoring Treatment

This deep conditioner from MoKnowsHair is the perfect product for anyone looking to give their curls some extra love and attention. The Curl Restoring Treatment works to repair the strands’ cuticles, boost elasticity and deeply hydrate. After using this treatment, you’ll be left with curls that are healthier, softer and more defined.

This highly effective formula is infused with hydrolyzed quinoa protein, which contains all nine essential amino acids. This ingredient strengthens the hair to prevent damage and breakage, while also hydrating the skin for a healthy scalp.

The treatment also features mongongo oil, which is rich in fatty acids. This oil creates a barrier on the hair cuticles, sealing in moisture and preventing moisture loss. It also boosts the hair’s shine and protects it against damaging environmental aggressors. Another key ingredient is fatty acid-packed mango seed butter, which helps provide conditioning benefits while improving the hair’s elasticity.

The MoKnowsHair Curl Restoring Treatment is suitable for all curl types and textures, and it’s safe for hair that is color-treated or chemical-treated. Its cruelty-free formula is free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates and mineral oil.

13. Design Essentials Natural Almond & Avocado Wash Day Deep Moisture Masque

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This thoughtfully formulated deep conditioner is concentrated with potent ingredients that strengthen, detangle and moisturize the hair, leaving it feeling soft, healthy and super manageable. It’s a particularly excellent choice for those with dry hair in need of some serious breakage protection.

Two of the key ingredients in this hair mask are nourishing avocado seed oil and sweet almond oil. Avocado oil is packed with vitamins, fatty acids and antioxidants. It deeply moisturizes the hair and skin, as well as works to strengthen and repair the strands to reduce breakage. This oil also boosts shine and minimizes scalp irritation. Sweet almond oil is rich in vitamin E and fatty acids. It moisturizes and softens the hair, and it joins the avocado oil in repairing any damage.

While the avocado and sweet almond oils are the stars of this deep conditioning mask, a variety of other ingredients improve the effectiveness of the formula. This includes sunflower seed oil, which is also loaded with fatty acids and vitamin E. Sunflower seed oil joins the other two oils in quenching the hair and skin with moisture. It softens and boosts shine while protecting the hair against environmental damage. The Design Essentials Natural Almond & Avocado Wash Day Deep Moisture Masque is made without parabens, silicones or phthalates.

14. Camille Rose Naturals Algae Renew Deep Conditioning Mask

The Algae Renew Deep Conditioning Mask is packed with vitamin-rich ingredients that strengthen and condition the hair. For those worried about breakage, thinning or shedding, this mask will give your hair the nourishment that it needs to stay healthy and strong.

One of the most unique ingredients you’ll find in this Camille Rose Naturals deep conditioner is blue-green algae, which is loaded with vitamins, minerals and proteins. This marine-derived ingredient strengthens the hair to minimize thinning and breakage, while also improving the hair’s ability to retain moisture. Another key ingredient in this formula is mango seed butter, which is packed with fatty acids. Mango seed butter seals in moisture and intensely conditions the hair, boosting softness and improving manageability.

In addition to the algae and mango seed butter, the Algae Renew Deep Conditioning Mask contains a potent blend of other powerful ingredients known to improve hair health. A wide variety of oils, including coconut, jojoba seed, evening primrose and hemp seed oils, further moisturize and nourish the hair and skin. Panthenol strengthens while improving the hair’s moisture retention, while honey and cocoa seed butter condition and soothe.

15. Mielle Organics Babassu Oil Mint Deep Conditioner

The Babassu Oil Mint Deep Conditioner from Mielle Organics is packed with a blend of certified organic ingredients that revive dry and damaged hair, leaving it stronger, softer and healthier. The all-natural formula is not tested on animals, and it is safe for all hair types, including color-treated hair.

This deep conditioner is powered by babassu oil, which is derived from the Amazonian palm fruit. It’s packed with fatty acids, vitamin E and other antioxidants, and it also has potent anti-inflammatory properties. This natural oil repairs hair damage and protects the hair and scalp. It intensely moisturizes and can even help soothe scalp inflammation. The deep conditioner also features a complex of amino acids, which restore and hydrate the hair while strengthening to prevent damage and breakage.

The Babassu Oil Mint Deep Conditioner is also formulated with sunflower seed oil, which nourishes and softens the hair while deeply moisturizing. Fatty acid-rich acai oil provides additional moisturization. The formula is rounded out by peppermint and spearmint oils, which provide a cooling sensation that refreshes the scalp.

16. Eden Bodyworks Jojoba Monoi Deep Conditioner 

The budget-friendly Eden Bodyworks Jojoba Monoi Deep Conditioner is loaded with oils and other ingredients that restore the hair’s moisture levels and boost hair strength. It works for all hair textures but is a particularly well-formulated choice for damaged or overprocessed hair.

This vegan-friendly deep conditioner has a thick, creamy formula that features monoi oil, which is a blend of coconut oil and Tahitian tiare flower. This oil moisturizes while boosting the hair’s elasticity. Another noteworthy ingredient is jojoba oil, which is rich in fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins. Jojoba oil joins the monoi oil in moisturizing the hair and skin, and it further nourishes the hair to promote strength and elasticity.

In addition to these oils, a blend of other ingredients continues to increase the hair and skin’s moisture levels and strengthen the strands. This includes sweet almond oil, castor oil, glycerin, carrot seed oil and vitamin E. Tea tree oil also works to soothe inflammation while refreshing and revitalizing the hair and skin. The Eden Bodyworks Jojoba Monoi Deep Conditioner is made without silicones, mineral oils or dyes, and it’s also cruelty-free.

17. Fekkai Shea Butter Intense Mask

This super creamy Fekkai deep conditioner works to support healthier, softer and frizz-free curls. It has an intoxicating scent, with notes of toffee, musk, coconut and citrus. The formula is vegan and cruelty-free, and it’s made without silicones, sulfates, parabens or phthalates.

The Shea Butter Intense Mask uses the power of shea butter to seal moisture into the strands, helping to fight tangles and minimize frizz and split ends. Monoi oil works alongside shea butter, further moisturizing and boosting softness while strengthening the hair. This creamy conditioner also contains ceramide, which powerfully strengthens and protects the hair’s barrier, as well as phospholipids, which repairs damage and restores the hair. Fatty acid-rich murumuru seed butter dives deep into hair strands, improving flexibility.

This Fekkai mask is powered in part by the company’s Environmental Protection Complex. The complex includes pro-vitamin B5, specialty rice protein and edelweiss flower extract. These ingredients work together to protect the hair and scalp against heat, UV rays, pollution and other environmental aggressors.

18. Pattern Heavy Conditioner for Coilies

Our final deep conditioner recommendation is the Heavy Conditioner for Coilies from Pattern. This super-rich conditioner is expertly formulated to give coily and tight textured hair types the serious hydration and nourishment that they need for optimal hair health. It has a light floral scent, with notes of rose, neroli and patchouli.

The Pattern Heavy Conditioner for Coilies contains safflower seed oil, a fatty acid-packed ingredient that’s great for moisturizing the hair and skin. It’s also formulated with jojoba oil, which is a rich source of vitamins, fatty acids and antioxidants. Jojoba oil joins the safflower seed oil in moisturizing the hair and scalp, while also boosting hair strength and providing nourishment for overall hair health.

Shea butter works to seal in moisture for a softer and frizz-free look and feel, while avocado oil provides additional moisturization and strengthening benefits for strong and healthy hair. This formula is cruelty-free and made without sulfates, parabens or phthalates.

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Studio S OCTOBER 22, 2026

Milan Design + Build Helps San Diegans Remodel With Confidence

The San Diego home remodeling company works on full homes, kitchens, bathrooms, home additions, ADUs, garages, landscapes, and hardscapes.

Milan Design + Build Helps San Diegans Remodel With Confidence
Courtesy of Milan Design

Most homeowners want two things before they commit to a remodel: a realistic sense of cost and a clear picture of what the finished space will look like. Milan Design + Build helps deliver both through its online remodeling estimator and personalized design consultations, supported by a showroom experience and 3D renderings.

“The online estimate gives homeowners a starting number in about a minute, and the showroom and 3D renderings let them see materials and layouts before anything is built,” says David Noriani, CEO of Milan Design + Build. “Keeping design, permits, and construction with one team helps us manage expectations and keep everyone working toward the same vision.”

Courtesy of Milan Design

Modern design is a particular focus for Milan, with an emphasis on clean lines, natural light, functional layouts, and carefully selected materials. The team adapts each design to the homeowner’s lifestyle and the character of the property. Milan Design + Build combines thoughtful design with construction expertise, creating spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful.

The online estimator covers kitchen remodels, bathroom renovations, full-home remodels, and ADU construction. At Milan’s showroom on Carroll Road, visitors can review real materials, finishes, and design options, meet the design-build team, and discuss project scope, budget, and timing. Consultations can also be held virtually for homeowners who prefer to start remotely.

At Milan Design + Build, one integrated team works on the entire project. Design and construction aren’t divided between separate firms. The process begins with a consultation and feasibility review, followed by design, space planning, and 3D renderings developed from detailed measurements and digital scans. The team also coordinates architectural plans, structural engineering, city approvals, and material selection, with construction overseen by a dedicated project manager.

Homeowners can explore their remodeling options, get an initial estimate, or request a design consultation at MilanBuild.com.

Courtesy of Milan Design

Partner Content
Partner Content NOVEMBER 10, 2026

La Jolla Institute for Immunology Announces $55 Million Fundraising Campaign

The Campaign for La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) will fuel scientific innovation and medical advances

La Jolla Institute for Immunology Announces $55 Million Fundraising Campaign
Courtesy of La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Philanthropists and Scientists Join Forces for a Bold $55 Million Campaign

La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) is going public with a bold bet: a $55 million campaign to propel medical research into a new era. The Campaign for LJI will fuel discovery, empower scientific innovation, and expand the impact of immunology on human health. 

The Institute quietly kicked things off in 2023, guided by its Board, campaign volunteers, and early believers. Nearly 80% of the $55 million goal is already in hand. Now LJI is opening the doors and inviting the whole community to carry their visions across the finish line and back discoveries that change how LJI researchers understand, treat, and prevent disease. 

And there’s a bonus. To mark the public launch, LJI Board member and Campaign Honorary Chair Anthony R. Carr is offering a special matching gift so new donors can double their impact. Full details are here. 

The Promise of Immunology

Immunology has already rewritten human history. Advances in immune science helped wipe out smallpox, pushed polio to the brink of elimination, and revolutionized how we prevent and treat infectious disease. Today, immune-based therapies are opening doors for patients with cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other serious illnesses once considered untreatable. 

For nearly four decades, LJI scientists have stood on the front lines, driven by one insight: the immune system shapes disease in virtually every organ in the body. By decoding how the immune system works and how to harness it to prevent and treat disease, LJI researchers are chasing the Institute’s ultimate mission: Life Without Disease®. 

To make that mission real, the Institute pairs world-class scientists with cutting-edge technology, speeding up breakthroughs and turning discoveries into transformative new therapies that ease suffering worldwide. 

The Campaign for LJI supercharges that momentum, uniting the vision of the Institute’s scientists with a community that believes in research. Focused on advancing LJI’s most promising areas of study, the campaign aims to help build a future free from the burden of disease, a goal that demands bold ideas, lasting partnerships, and generous philanthropic support.

The Campaign for LJI will advance research across three critical pillars: 

1. President’s Priority Fund. Flexible, unrestricted dollars let big ideas move now, not later. Scientists can launch high-risk, high-reward projects, bring experts together across disciplines, build transformative technologies, and train tomorrow’s scientific leaders. 

2. Center for Sex-Based Differences in the Immune System. Male and female immune systems don’t respond the same way, and LJI researchers are tracing the fundamental differences down to individual cells and molecular pathways. The Campaign will speed up this pioneering work, revealing hidden drivers of disease and paving the way for more precise, biologically informed therapies for autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, cancer, and beyond. 

3. Center for Vaccine Innovation. Immunologists, bioengineers, and vaccine experts are teaming up to design the next generation of vaccines and immune-based therapies. With donor support, LJI scientists can engineer longer-lasting and more personalized vaccines, pinpoint the cellular mechanisms driving protective immunity, and refine delivery methods to prevent autoimmune disease and treat cancer. 

A Lasting Impact

As the campaign enters its public phase, LJI welcomes new partners and supporters to join this landmark initiative. Community support is essential to accelerating scientific discovery, and there are many meaningful ways to help shape the future of immunology. Donors may direct their gifts to any campaign priority or other area of interest. As a comprehensive campaign, all gifts to LJI count toward the campaign goal, regardless of designation. Join the campaign, and multiply your impact with our limited-time matching opportunity. 

To explore the campaign, visit imagine.lji.org.

Partner Content
Partner Content NOVEMBER 9, 2026

Paving the Way for New Knee Treatments

Scripps orthopedic surgeons are investigating stem cells as an alternative to joint replacement

Paving the Way for New Knee Treatments
Courtesy of Scripps Health

Shiley Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education at Scripps Clinic recently received a $12.7 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to investigate whether they can transform stem cells into tissue that can repair some types of knee injuries. Currently, if a patient has lost most, if not all, of the cartilage in their knee, then their doctor will recommend a total joint replacement. Joint replacement is safe and effective, but patients who’ve only lost part of their cartilage often don’t qualify. A stem cell-based treatment would provide these patients an option that doesn’t involve donor tissue. Click here for more on the preclinical trial process. 

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.

Partner Content
Partner Content NOVEMBER 9, 2026

Healing by Design

Artwork throughout the Lusardi Tower at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas promotes hope and healing

Healing by Design
Courtesy of Scripps Health

The recently opened Lusardi Tower at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas is a state-of-the-art addition to the hospital staffed by dedicated team members who’ve helped make Scripps one of the nation’s leading healthcare systems. Complementary to that medical excellence, the Lusardi Tower also represents the latest expansion of the Scripps Arts for Healing Program. The philanthropic initiative strategically places nature- and community-based artwork throughout the hospital to support health and well-being. Both Scripps Encinitas and Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla have healing arts programs as part of new building projects and growth on the campuses. Click here to read more about the Healing Arts Program and how residents from a nearby retirement community showed their support. 

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.

Partner Content
Partner Content NOVEMBER 4, 2026

A Guide to South Park

From century-old Craftsman homes to vegan fantasy bars, dive bars, and a tiki room built for exactly two people, this is one of San Diego’s great little neighborhoods

You may not realize it, but Balboa Park is bigger than Central Park (in fact, 1.5 times larger). Pressed right up against its southeastern edge is a little architecture farm built on old trolley bones, where houses look like someone was collecting architectural styles and local businesses are still run by people who seem personally invested in keeping this place interesting.

This is South Park. 

To understand why it feels the way it does today—less like one commercial strip and more like a handful of tiny villages—you have to go back to the trolley.

How the Trolley Built South Park

The land that became the original South Park Addition (the subdivision’s original name) was surveyed in 1870 and officially filed in 1890, but the neighborhood really started becoming a neighborhood in the early 1900s. The Bartlett Estate Company began developing and marketing the tract in earnest around 1906, pairing lots and new homes with something extremely useful if you lived outside Downtown in the horse-and-buggy era: an electric streetcar.

On May 1, 1906, the South Park and East Side Railway made its first trip. Developers didn’t just build near transportation; they helped pay for the transportation, then used it to sell the dream. Downtown had industry, noise, and congestion. Out here were palms, sidewalks, utilities, room to breathe and a four-cent ride back to the city.

It worked. Homes began filling in around the streetcar route, and little commercial clusters grew around the places where people got on and off. That transportation pattern is still written into South Park’s geography. Some of the neighborhood’s odd street geometry is also due in part to the trolley—the old line cut across parcels instead of politely obeying the grid, leaving behind pieces of land that later businesses learned to build around. Places like Station Tavern sit on the former easement and station site of San Diego’s No. 2 trolley line.

Then San Diego went big for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in neighboring Balboa Park. The exposition transformed much of the park and helped push the city through another burst of building and growth. South Park was right there to absorb some of that momentum.

And the people building houses here had taste.

Walk the residential streets now and it can feel like somebody planted an architectural sample garden: Craftsman, Prairie, Mission Revival, Tudor Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival. Creedence Clearwater Revival. All the revivals. The neighborhood includes work by Irving Gill, one of the defining architects of early modern California; Gill-designed Prairie homes still stand along Granada Avenue.

The city formally designated the South Park Historic District in 2017, recognizing roughly 400 properties and a period of significance stretching from 1906 through 1949. In other words, a lot of what makes the place feel old is actually old.

South Park Today

While the trolley eventually disappeared, the basic idea behind it didn’t. South Park is still a neighborhood organized around little pockets of human activity: a couple blocks where you can buy a record, drink a beer, find a 60-year-old lamp, eat a vegan burger beneath gothic beasts, browse a bookstore, and walk home past a century-old Craftsman.

The 30th-and-Fern area may be the clearest example. Several surviving buildings there date to South Park’s early development, including the old Fire Station No. 9, Rose Grocery building, and Burlingame Garage. What began as infrastructure for a young streetcar suburb became the neighborhood’s commercial heart.

That history is also partly why buying a house here can be competitive. There isn’t some endless supply of vacant land waiting around the corner for another subdivision. Much of the neighborhood filled in generations ago, and the architecture itself is part of the appeal.

San Diego Mag’s been documenting the city for 78 years. And we’ve been looking for a partner who loved the city enough to help us tell its stories. Redfin is that partner. They’re helping us tell the story of some of the city’s most unique neighborhoods. They launched Redfin Early Access this year to get their people in first and to see certain coming-soon and exclusive listings on Redfin before they appear on other major real-estate sites.

First up: South Park.

Here are some of the people and places worth knowing here:

Whistle Stop Bar

Big Kitchen Cafe

Start with Judy “the Beauty” Forman, because it’s difficult to explain South Park without her. The former social worker bought Big Kitchen in 1980 and turned a neighborhood breakfast joint into a gathering place for artists, musicians, activists, politicians, eccentrics, and pretty much anyone who needed somewhere to belong. As Judy puts it, “I built this for people who others passed over.”

One of those people was a young single mom named Whoopi Goldberg, who worked as a dishwasher here before the Whoopi Goldberg part of her career happened. Today Big Kitchen still serves breakfast and lunch Thursday through Monday.

3003 Grape Street

Whistle Stop Bar

Whistle Stop reopened in 2001, right as South Park’s little independent-business ecosystem was finding a new generation. Owner Sam Chammas—also connected to Live Wire and, later, Station Tavern—helped turn it into the kind of neighborhood bar where the calendar can jump from a DJ night to live bands to some strange communal event nobody at a normal sports bar would propose.

The room still has that laid-back, slightly sweaty house-party quality. Check what’s happening before you go, because Whistle Stop changes personality depending on the night: sometimes neighborhood beer, sometimes everyone dancing beneath the disco ball like work tomorrow was canceled.

2236 Fern Street

Station Tavern

Station Tavern may be the most literal example of old South Park becoming new South Park. It opened in 2009 on land once crossed diagonally by the No. 2 trolley line, and architect Lloyd Russell incorporated that history into the design rather than pretending the weirdly shaped lot wasn’t weirdly shaped. The project won the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s Grand Orchid Award the same year it opened.

Sam Chammas built the place as an open-air burger-and-beer spot with big communal tables, a backyard, room for kids, and room for dogs. It still works exactly that way: get a burger, get the tots, let everybody spread out, stay awhile.

2204 Fern Street

Kindred + Throne Room

Kindred arrived in late 2015 looking nothing like the beige-and-leafy vegan restaurant stereotype. The place went full gothic fever dream—heavy music, wild cocktails, decadent plant-based food—and eventually collected national vegan accolades plus local Restaurant of the Year and design honors.

And in 2026, it got even weirder. Hidden behind a chain-mail passage inside Kindred is Throne Room, a medieval-fantasy cocktail chamber whose mythology grew out of a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired map the Kindred team created for a 2017 Coachella pop-up. The 90-minute experience has scroll menus, plant-based mezze, cocktails and zero interest in pretending restaurants need to behave normally.

1503 30th Street

Bad Madge & Co.

Vinyl Junkies Record Shack

Vinyl Junkies has good music-scene DNA. Founder Eric Howarth previously ran indie label Hi-Speed Soul, whose roster included acts like Nada Surf and Swervedriver, then teamed with Casbah owner Tim Mays after the pair had spent years putting on Vinyl Junkies record swaps.

They opened the South Park brick-and-mortar shop in 2017, and it remains a buy-sell-trade temple for people who understand that owning music on a physical object is irrational in exactly the right way. Go flip through the new arrivals. Leave holding something you had absolutely no intention of buying.

2235 Fern Street

Bad Madge & Co.

Bad Madge is what happens when “vintage store” doesn’t quite explain the situation. Owner Tanya McAnear and her team fill the shop with furniture, clothing, barware, records, art, jewelry, collectibles, and various objects that seem like they may know things about their previous owners. The shop opened in 2011 and has made reuse and upcycling part of its identity ever since. Go in without looking for anything specific—specificity will only slow you down.

2205 Fern Street

Thread + Seed

Across the neighborhood’s vintage-and-vinyl universe sits Thread + Seed, a local boutique built around clothing, denim, gifts, and personal styling. Its South Park shop has an especially deep denim program—petite, tall, wide-leg, straight, flare—and the store also offers one-on-one styling built around color and body type. In other words, this is where you go after deciding the jeans currently on your body have betrayed you. South Park understands that sometimes personal renewal begins with pants.

2220 Fern Street

The Book Catapult

Seth Marko started The Book Catapult as a book blog in 2006. In 2017, he and his wife, Jennifer Powell, turned it into an actual bookstore in South Park, specializing loosely in fiction, local interest, and children’s books while maintaining the more important bookseller skill: putting something into your hands that you didn’t know you needed.

There are staff picks, author events, signed books, and the dangerous possibility of walking in for one title and emerging with four. Because no one ever died thinking, “I shoulda read less.”

3010-B Juniper Street

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Partner Content NOVEMBER 3, 2026

Tastemakers Fall 2026: Valle

Chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers, and craft mixers - meet our 2026 Tastemakers, the minds behind the magic.

Tastemakers Fall 2026: Valle
E-SDM—Valle-2026—Tastemakers_WEB

Roberto Alcocer, Chef

Chef Roberto Alcocer showcases all that Mexican cuisine and culture has to offer at Oceanside’s Valle. The Michelin-guide recommended restaurant takes inspiration and techniques from all over Mexico—with a heavy Baja influence—and blends them with local San Diego ingredients to create original and delectable contemporary Mexican cuisine. The seasonal tasting menu allows Chef Alcocer to experiment with the freshest available ingredients, creating dishes that defy guests’ expectations, while the wine list features more than 100 labels from Mexican artisans. Even the restaurant’s walls are a celebration of Mexican culture, all decorated with work from artists of Baja.

“My favorite part of being a chef of Valle is being able to showcase the Mexico that I know to everyone who visits,” Chef Alococer says. “Not only through the food, but with the design, culture, and welcoming service.”  

Try This!

Lobster Taco: Flour sourdough tortilla with lobster shell bisque and local red spiny lobster

Valle

222 North Pacific Street, Oceanside, California 92054
866-723-8906  | valleoceanside.com

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