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Thread: One product routine?

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    Default One product routine?

    I wasn't quite sure what to search for, and couldn't get any decent results, so I decided to start a new thread. Please point me in the right direction if this is unnecessary!

    I'm looking for all sorts of suggestions! Is it possible to have a one product routine? Or, at least, one shower product and a leave-in?

    I was inspired by the L'Oréal Low Shampoo thread, since I've been trying to find an "all-in-one" cleanser and conditioner for awhile now, to use at the gym. Co-washing only lasts me a day or two before grease-central is real (compared to shampooing and conditioning, which lasts me a good few days longer) and I never managed to stretch washes while co-washing. I've read a fair few reviews indicating that the Low Shampoo may work similarly, but over in the LHC thread, someone said it's more cleansing than conditioners, so that's hopeful. I've also seen that Uniq One has a low shampoo on the market over here, as well as Sachajuan, but they're both about twice the price.

    2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner products are all too drying for me in the long run, even if I condition at least weekly. I've also had some success with oil based body washes (usually called "shower oil") but they work much the same as 2-in-1's unfortunately. I haven't been able to get my hands on a sulphate free 2-in-1 yet, but I'm thinking I won't even bother.

    I haven't tried a specifically marketed "cleansing conditioner" yet, as they're quite difficult to get a hold of too, but I don't see how they would be any different than the conditioners I use as co-wash first conditioners. Any ideas?
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    Member akurah's Avatar
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    Default Re: One product routine?

    It's possible, but it depends on a combination of factors:
    • Scalp health
    • General overall oiliness/dryness
    • Overall thickness
    • And most importantly: What you are willing to tolerate


    I go a week between washes, sometimes two. I have three shampoos, Nizoral, Head and Shoulders 2-in-1 fragrance free shampoo, and Head and Shoulders fragrance free shampoo.. When the Nizoral and 2-in-1 are used up, I do not intend to replace them. I am probably one of the few people here who does shampoo only, I am unsure how other hair would fare on that. I'm probably one of the chattier people who does shampoo only, the rest are more likely lurking or not talking about it.

    My scalp is healthy (no SD, etc), but I sometimes accidentally injure it from scratching (dermatographia). That is part of why I use Head and Shoulders fragrance free. The absence of fragrance reduces the risk of itching from the fragrance, and the presence of pyrithione zinc soothes the itching. I even sometimes use it as a body wash because I have not yet purchased zinc bars (I am waiting for my health care flexible spending account to kick in for next year so that I can purchase it with tax-free cash because it is for dermatographia).

    My hair is neither especially dry nor especially oily overall. The ends are a bit on the dryer side and could probably benefit from more moisture, but they're not so dry that I am concerned as it's not a damage risk in my opinion. After a week, my hair is visibly oily, but it is not especially dirty. You can easily tell I haven't washed it in at least a day after the third or so day, but unless you're familiar with wash stretching I don't think you could accurately guess how many days. Nobody has ever commented on it, not even my very picky mother. I personally think it looks fine--I think slightly oily hair looks nicer than freshly shampooed hair anyway.

    As for overall thickness, this is probably more relevant based on how your roots/scalp hair behave when oily from sebum. I can get my scalp hair to sort of "fluff up" in a sort of weird way using the sebum, so someone with thin hair whose sebum is similar could get away with it fine, otherwise you would likely want thicker hair to avoid the appearance of it being glued to your head.

    If the oily appearance bothers you, the sebum can usually be distributed with your hands (I find hands more effective than boar bristle brushes or horn combs). I usually wear my hair up or in a braid. I will take it down periodically throughout the day and put it back up because I am prone to fidgeting.

    Overall, I'm ok with the look of it, but not everyone would be if it were their hair, and that is what I mean by "what you are willing to tolerate". It's easier for me because I don't like washing my hair (plus showering daily is bad for condition anyway because it increases risk of itch irritants), so I am willing to tolerate a lot more than most people would.

    On very rare occasion I will apply coconut oil rather lightly to the length and ends (from about shoulders down, sometimes chin down) or aloe vera to all of it (including scalp area). This is rather rare, probably close to 6 times a year for the coconut oil and maybe every month for the aloe vera (the frequency of the latter depends on if I'm concerned about frizz, I usually am not). I mean to oil more frequently but I usually forget.
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    Literary Guru;) Nini's Avatar
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    Default Re: One product routine?

    I only use Urtekram shampoo, and I wash every two or three days. Works well for me


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    Default Re: One product routine?

    Quote Originally Posted by akurah View Post

    [...]

    I go a week between washes, sometimes two.

    [...]

    the sebum can usually be distributed with your hands (I find hands more effective than boar bristle brushes or horn combs).

    [...]


    I am probably one of the few people here who does shampoo only, I am unsure how other hair would fare on that. I'm probably one of the chattier people who does shampoo only, the rest are more likely lurking or not talking about it.
    Would you say that your sebum helps "moisturise" your hair so that you don't have much need of a conditioner for slip, detangling, etc.?

    Let's hope more people speak up here, I'm interested to know how it works for y'all

    Quote Originally Posted by Nini View Post
    I only use Urtekram shampoo, and I wash every two or three days. Works well for me
    Which one do you use? I've seen that Urtekram has a rhassoul one. I heard rhassoul clay is supposed to be cleansing and moisturising, and I have a rhassoul shampoo with coco betain from MacUrth that I find a bit inconvenient to use (I can't get it out of the darn bottle, and it's so slippy I can't get it to stay in my hands!!).
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    Default Re: One product routine?

    I used to use shampoo only. I didn't know better and it didn't yield good result. Now I wash my hair with plain water. And use just one thick conditioner ( now I am using Pantene) to detangle and style my curly hair. And some times I put some oil (any oil can do even from the kitchen, except coconut oil). I don't know if that answers your question, but this is my current routine as minimal as it can be.
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    Member akurah's Avatar
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    Default Re: One product routine?

    Quote Originally Posted by Siv View Post
    Would you say that your sebum helps "moisturise" your hair so that you don't have much need of a conditioner for slip, detangling, etc.?

    Let's hope more people speak up here, I'm interested to know how it works for y'all
    Not really, no. I've been on this routine awhile, but if I'm remembering right, my hair has had the same amount of slip no matter the product combo so long as I steer clear of the stuff that makes my hair waxy (most of the "natural" stuff does, such as Burts Bees, etc, hate that stuff in my hair). I just have naturally slippery hair. (it's rather annoying and segues into why I am constantly putting my hair up and down) Additionally, head and shoulders, even the shampoo only version, has dimethecone in it.

    As for what keeps my hair moisturized? To be quite frank, it's the absence of washing. Washing is incredibly drying, and that's why conditioners, etc., exist imo.
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    Default Re: One product routine?

    Quote Originally Posted by akurah View Post
    As for what keeps my hair moisturized? To be quite frank, it's the absence of washing. Washing is incredibly drying, and that's why conditioners, etc., exist imo.
    That makes sense, considering how little people used to wash their hair just a few decades ago!

    On another note, I used only OGX macadamia shampoo the other day, and my Velcro ends were particularly Velcro ish after that, but my hair was otherwise fine. Honestly the ends were even worse after washing with SLS and cone free conditioner. Hmm.
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    LHC FairyGodMum lapushka's Avatar
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    Default Re: One product routine?

    Quote Originally Posted by Salwety View Post
    I used to use shampoo only. I didn't know better and it didn't yield good result. Now I wash my hair with plain water. And use just one thick conditioner ( now I am using Pantene) to detangle and style my curly hair. And some times I put some oil (any oil can do even from the kitchen, except coconut oil). I don't know if that answers your question, but this is my current routine as minimal as it can be.
    Back when I was young & a teen, that's all we had. Conditioner wasn't even on the market then. Maybe an obscure brand, but not in regular lines like Garnier Fructis or so. That was just all starting, I think in the 90s.
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    Member LadyCelestina's Avatar
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    Default Re: One product routine?

    Quote Originally Posted by akurah View Post
    As for what keeps my hair moisturized? To be quite frank, it's the absence of washing. Washing is incredibly drying, and that's why conditioners, etc., exist imo.
    Depends on your hairtype, most curlies find their hair gets drier and drier the further they go from washday. Especially if you don't add anything on the days you don't wash.

    However, I really love the feeling of freshly shampooed hair that has little to no conditioner in it! :cloudnine: It's so light and smooth and fresh. Until day 2 when the tangles begin

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