Over conditioning?

[TrapperCreekD]

Have you ever over conditioned your hair? How does it act when you do?

It's the classic do two things and not know which one caused the reaction. Last week I decided to try leaving my conditioner in longer before I rinsed it out - normally I apply it, rinse a little bit out then leave it for a couple minutes before completely rinsing it out - this time I applied it and then finished my shower, at least five minutes or so before rinsing it out. After toweling off my hair and gently running a comb through it, it had a slight sticky pasta feeling. I blamed it on the shampoo, figuring I hadn't lathered/rinsed well enough.

Today was wash day for me and it happened again. I made sure I got a really good lather with the shampoo and then repeated the longer conditioning. Process of elimination = over conditioning?

[Panth]

Maybe you just have build-up (i.e. the wash was "the straw that broke the camel's back"). Clarifying should sort that.

As far as I'm aware, overconditioning usually has symptoms of overly stretchy hair rather than a coated feeling.

[CurlyMopTop]

I can't speak for others but when my hair is over conditioned, I have a lot of extra shedding. I develop Cotten candy like frizz when dry, have more breakage, and my hair feels overly soft when dry. Test a single strand by stretching it. If it seems to stretch more than 50%, it's probable over conditioned. If not it could just be build up or maybe you're not getting all of the conditioner rinsed out. A clarifying wash would help for build up or over conditioned hair. Good luck! :D

[Firefox7275]

I thought my hair was overconditioned once - super soft and limp, not curling properly at all - turned out to be build up from the waxy cetyl esters in the 'new' formula Triple Nutrition conditioner. Lather is not necessary for a shampoo to cleanse, sticky feeling might well indicate build up, IMO try a clarifying rather than a 'conditioning' shampoo.

[TrapperCreekD]

Thanks for all the replies!

CurlyMopTop: I was a super frizz ball after it dried, cotton candy-ish like you described and a little rough when I combed it. I put a little coconut oil on it and it looks/feels better, back to my 'normal' frizz. I just did a stretch test and the strand didn't seem to stretch more than 50%.

Firefox&Panth: I 'poo&condish my hair every ~5 days; the shampoo is "daily clarifying" and I've never had a problem with it. :shrug: I just had a thought - moderate buildup would dry super fizzy and dryish, right? Based on your replies, it sounds like I have more in the buildup/not rinsing well enough category than over doing the conditioner.

[wildkratt]

Yeah, I could totally see the builup in my hair when it's overconditioned. It looks quite waxy/shiny and too...workable (which is odd because my hair is naturally dry and hard, and is not generally obedient). And it could get limp and heavy.