Is is true you can't use conditioner when hair typing?

**Quixii** · November 26th, 2011, 11:17 AM

I did it both ways, as a new LHC member. When I posted that I had clarified my hair and let it dry without conditioner, I received a lot of shocked posts, especially from fellow curlies. My hair still had most of its waves and curls, but so dry and horrible feeling, it was just awful.
After doing that little experiment, I'd think it's safe to say you can use conditioner, because it won't actually affect your end result that much.
However, he combing when wet thing: I'd say that's a no. I used to do that all the time and thought I just had wavy, uncooperative hair. Then one time I didn't brush my wet/damp hair, and I had curls. Now I never brush after a shower and my hair thanks me for it.

**Piyo** · November 26th, 2011, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by vanillabones

Mine would be a tangly gross rat's nest probably with no pattern at all just a big blob of tangles.

>_< Yeah, that's the only hair type I seem to hair when I leave the shower without combing.

**Piyo** · November 26th, 2011, 11:53 AM

I can't wait till I can edit my posts. So many typos!

**Lostsoule77** · November 26th, 2011, 02:21 PM

I used conditioner when I did mine. I can't imagine trying to detangle my hair after only shampooing. I just made sure to rinse it all out while manipulating my hair as little as possible. Then I just let it dry without touching it. I don't think you need to leave out the conditioner, just make sure you don't leave any in your hair.

**jojo** · November 26th, 2011, 02:28 PM

I type without conditioner but to be honest not much difference just looser waves with conditioner

**HintOfMint** · November 26th, 2011, 06:41 PM

This is one of the reasons I've never officially hairtyped. Another is that it is a tremendous time sink to let my hair drip dry without any manipulation. My hair takes long enough to dry as it is, and I don't feel like setting aside 6 hours of my day to stay inside.

**spidermom** · November 26th, 2011, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by vanillabones

I have read you're just supposed to clarify and not condition and not brush or comb while it's drying either. However I don't for deciding my hair type, I shampoo and condition as usual and comb wet as usual and let dry then hair type. What is the point in hair typing any other way when you are never going to do your hair like that so it will never have that 'pattern' anyway unless you want to type your hair from what it looks like dried out with sulphates and uncombed O_o I just don't understand. Mine would be a tangly gross rat's nest probably with no pattern at all just a big blob of tangles.

I think the point is that it takes slightly different handling to bring out the natural best in different hair types. There is no shortage of people complaining about having straight and frizzy hair until they hair type and figure out all the frizz came from combing/brushing out curls.

It's worth trying if you haven't. You may be surprised.

**excentricat** · November 26th, 2011, 07:14 PM

I got confused at first too. What I think I figured out is that most hair typing is done with the usual wash and conditioner, but once you turn off that water, don't touch it. No leave-ins, combing, brushing, toweling, etc. I think the wash and dry without conditioner is for trying to figure out if your hair is breaking and gross from over protein or over moisture.

**CurlyCap** · November 26th, 2011, 11:59 PM

I was afraid of the same thing, too! I don't have someone to take a piccie of the back of my head, and it take hours for my hair to dry. So, the idea of not having conditioner made me shudder. The tangles!

Anyway, I got lots of great advice when I posted my pictures with conditioner+oil. It was nice to get feedback on my hair instead of wondering if I was making the comparisons correctly. This weekend, with the holiday, I let my hair dry without conditioner, knowing I'd have time to rewet, etc. My hair was curlier, but only one "step". And since I had lots of input from my typing thread, I now know exactly what I should type myself.

So I'd say post your hair with conditioners if that's what you think is realisitically going to happen. You can always use the info you get as a good starting base.

**Sundial** · November 27th, 2011, 01:42 AM

If I tried to type my hair without conditioner, my hair type will probably be "tangled mess"

that said, I did try to let it dry by itself after clarifying but my hairs were so grabby after being clarified that it was all just a jumbled mess and wasn't 'type-able' by LHC standards. So I'm just sticking to calling my hair 1a/1b since it looks 1a after combing but seems more unruly than 1a before combing