How do cones...

[queenovnight]

Out of curiosity, how do cones effect YOUR hair? - This is a 'personal experience and opinions' question.


I accidentally bought a conditioner that contains cones. I haven't used a cone conditioner in a good year, so immediately after putting it in my hair... I knew. I personally get wonderful results from cones, and if it wasn't for the whole 'coating' and build-up, I'd still be using cones.*

[foreverKristin]

I've had good results from cones, and it took a while for them to build up for a clarification since I only wash once a week. However, now that I've switched to being cone-free, I don't want to ever go back to cones. My hair feels nourished instead of coated, and I love it.

[Larki]

My hair loves cones. I've never gone cone-free. I even used S&C for over a year that was coney and SLS-free, washing every day, and had zero problems with build-up. :p I do want to try going cone-free just to see what happens, though.

[kpzra]

I'm a bit lucky, my hair doesn't really care one way or the other. I switch back and forth all the time depending on if I get sick of the smell of one.

[Loribelle]

My hair gets really dried out and straw-like with repeated 'cone use...but I'm not sure WHICH 'cones cause it. It always feels really nice at first, and looks nice and shiny...but then it turns on me ;-)

[GetMeToWaist]

My hair gets dry and stiff after about 2 days after ive used a coney conditioner... For some reason coney leave ins are fine, but never conditioners.

[PinkyCat]

They don't do anything too horrible - they definitely lank out my curls a bit, but that's all. Never had a huge problem with cones.

[eadwine]

Cones work fine in my hair, never had an issue. I use the kind with sulfate in the poo as well, so no issues with buildup here :)

[Anje]

I find that my hair gets dry and tangly on about Day 3 after using most silicone products, and doesn't if I keep my routine silicone-free. It's cool to have ultra-silky hair, but I'd rather not deal with the weird dryness. (It's worth pointing out that I don't see many people reporting this. As always, it's about how YOUR hair reacts!)

[lapushka]

They make my hair go "not tangly" and for this length (almost TBL), you need that. They give my hair the slip and smoothness that it needs. I am no longer going cone-free. Tried it once, and it's all good and well if your hair is short, but these lengths? You need the benefits that silicones bring. As for the build-up, I think that's overrated. If once in a while you clarify, I believe it's all good.

[MINAKO]

My hair loves them. There's only so much "build up" it gets, meaning just enough to benefit in a positive way regarding slip and shine, yet not enough to block out other ingredient ans make it dry and crunchy. I often mentionen on here that i never clarify even once and in case i feel my hair is a little coated i simply do an overnight heavy ( i mean dripping heavy) oiling on damp hair and wash it out the next day, and voils im completely fine again. Maybe it has to do with the surface of my hair, or something with the ionic charge i quiet don't understand why it would apply to one but not the other, idk. Too laz to find out because it works for me i guess.
Maybe someone with a deeper rooted chemistry knowledge wants to chime in and explain that you are more likely to get build up that causes problems if.... (???)
In general i think the fine haired fellows are the ones who would notice it more to their disadvantage. EIther way, i don't believe in the theory of hair being completely isolated like literally covered in foil anyways, it's more likely that using too many products with cones as active ingredient only is what makes people forget to pack on the other good stuff. If hair gets wet, we can feel the change inpliability and if it was completely covered with a plastic like layer, not even water would be able to get in.

[arr]

Cones make my hair very slippery to the point that it is difficult to wear my hair up, it just slides out of everything. They also make my hair straighter. I prefer the way my hair feels without cones, silky, not slippery. I keep a few silicone products around just in case i decide to flat iron one day. Before i learned about clarifying and the different types of silicones, i did have problems with buildup and dryness, but since joining LHC i have used cones successfully here and there when i felt like experimenting, with no ill effects.

[Duchess Fuzzy Buns]

My hair doesn't seem to care one way or the other. I went cone-free for a while, and didn't really notice any positive difference. I'm back to using cone-y conditioner now though, mainly just because there's more options for cone-y conditioners readily available. I haven't noticed any kind of build up, but then again the only product I use with cones is my rinse-out condish. Leave-in and any styling products I've been using are all cone-free.

[schnibbles]

I have hard water, which makes my hair very tangle-y. I have tried to go cone-free but I think I do more damage trying to detangle the mess than I get from the cones themselves, so I went back to cones. (I usually WCC - no cones for the first conditioining, cones on the last conditioning) My hair actually does really well with amodimethicone in particular, so I stick with that. I clarify every maybe 6 - 8 weeks or so anyway because of the hard water, so buildup doesn't really become an issue for me.

[Gertrude]

One of my friends teaches chemistry in university and she does demonstrations of simple chemistry in the school our children attend Because she knows I am eager to learn more about hair product cosmetic formulations she showed me two dimethicones from two different manufacturers. One dissolved very clearly and rinsed out of the glass container cleanly , the other went cloudy and clung to the walls of the vial.

Which answered my question as to why the deep conditioner I occasionally use does not build up but other conditioners I tried did. it's in the cone itself to some extent.

She also showed why my all mild SLS free shampoo at the time which left my hair really dry was actually strong soap and she demonstrated a child hair and body wash which had sodium laureth sulphate and lots of other surfactants was actually really mild. It's the micelles that are formed that matter. Sadly I have no background whatever in chemistry and can't explain but I now no longer just think SLS free is nice and cones build up horribly on my build up prone hair so avoiding solves all problems. The hair products that have guar derived conditioners in build up much worse. Like glue.

Sorry, probably all off topic.............

[schnibbles]

^^^ No! Super interesting. Thanks :D

[Duchess Fuzzy Buns]

One of my friends teaches chemistry in university and she does demonstrations of simple chemistry in the school our children attend Because she knows I am eager to learn more about hair product cosmetic formulations she showed me two dimethicones from two different manufacturers. One dissolved very clearly and rinsed out of the glass container cleanly , the other went cloudy and clung to the walls of the vial.

Which answered my question as to why the deep conditioner I occasionally use does not build up but other conditioners I tried did. it's in the cone itself to some extent.

She also showed why my all mild SLS free shampoo at the time which left my hair really dry was actually strong soap and she demonstrated a child hair and body wash which had sodium laureth sulphate and lots of other surfactants was actually really mild. It's the micelles that are formed that matter. Sadly I have no background whatever in chemistry and can't explain but I now no longer just think SLS free is nice and cones build up horribly on my build up prone hair so avoiding solves all problems. The hair products that have guar derived conditioners in build up much worse. Like glue.

Sorry, probably all off topic.............

Wow, that is really interesting. :)

[Johannah]

Cones or no cones doesn't make such of a difference on my hair. I went SLS- and conefree, but I didn't notice the difference. Now I went back to using cones because it's much easier to find products.

[MINAKO]

Oh, Gertrude, thank you for sharing this. Very interesting. I have a tendency to just buy a product by intuition, although i'm reading the ingredients, i often notice that some of the stuff i do not expect to like so much actually turns out to be amazing (and vice versa). Also i hate how companies always change the formula of a product that works... why they do that??? Grrr. :eek:

[battles]

Amodimethicone is the only one I can get away with using regularly. Anything else will make my hair crunchy after one use.

[spidermom]

I love the fact that they make my hair so much easier to untangle and add shine, too. Buildup isn't a problem. Even using a coney serum about once per week, I only need to clarify every other month or so, give or take a week or 2.

[molljo]

I don't like cones, and that's not for a lack of giving them a chance. I first tried cone-free about 9 years ago (way before I'd even hear of LHC) and it was awesome. Since then, I learned about different kinds, and would give various kinds a shot, but they always made my hair the same: like old doll hair. People talk about the wonderful slip cones give, but that is not experience at all. I get just as many tangles with cones as without, but with them I also have coated, plastic-y strands and limp waves. I wish they worked for me, honestly. I really dislike having so few options, especially given my various allergies to several oils, so being at the mercy of companies who are always changing up their formulas means I have to be super vigilant in terms of buying products.

[Platzhalter]

As mentioned before, it clearly depends on what kind of hair you have. Tried cone-free for while and it was okay. But it's still okay with cones and doesn't make too much difference... besides my hair looking and feeling slightly better if I consciously use cones or at least don't mind them.
From my experience, even something natural like honey, syrup or treacle (heard about people using those) is worse than cones could ever be. It's one thing to realise you're better of with or without something... and another to just use or use something because someone told you it's better that way.

[blue_eyes]

My dye-damaged ends love cones, my virgin hair not so much.

My natural hair is very flat & fine, and perfectly straight. Cones weigh it down way too much. But on my ends that are horribly damaged, cones work total magic. They make them soft and manageable. I think I would've chopped my hair ages ago if it weren't for cones, haha.

[lilin]

Out of curiosity, how do cones effect YOUR hair? - This is a 'personal experience and opinions' question.

I accidentally bought a conditioner that contains cones. I haven't used a cone conditioner in a good year, so immediately after putting it in my hair... I knew. I personally get wonderful results from cones, and if it wasn't for the whole 'coating' and build-up, I'd still be using cones.*

When used with sulphate shampoos, it does make my hair reasonably soft, but it tends to take out my waves. I do like the feel of it though.

I can't really use cones without sulphates. I stopped sulphates because they dry out my hair and give me acne -- and then cones quickly followed, because without sulphates, cones are just way overkill for me. I get greasy no matter what. And, without sulfates, I don't find cones necessary to get my hair soft or shiny.

[ARG]

I was completely cone and sulfate-free until a month or so ago. My hair never had a problem with cones or sulfates, but I stopped using them because I felt that I could see the damage easier, and since I could do with the less harsh cleansers, why not? It'd be better for my hair in the long run.

Well, my hair grew, and it grew, and I found I couldn't go without using my comb or tangle teezer on my hair, and obviously more manipulation of the hair results in mechanical damage, which is something I'm trying to avoid. I had several other reasons for changing to cones, but long story short, I'm back on the coney wagon and not looking to get off any time soon. My hair is much happier with cones, in a way I never noticed before. Less mechanical damage because I'm finger combing, its shinier, much more pliable (but not super slippy, just slippy enough), and its feels so good.

I'm not sure if this is relevant, but it seems that once past BSL a lot of members tend to go for cones. When I hit MBL my tangles were just enough to make me reconsider.

[Firefox7275]

I didn't use any silicones for around three years: they didn't give me healthy or attractive hair (just build up and faux shine) plus I conditioner-only wash. Now started using silicones that resist building up (amine functionalised such as amodimethicone or water soluble/ PEG-). Can't really tell much difference from not using them TBH I just wanted other ingredients in the formulations.

[Marika]

I go back and forth but I prefer using cones because my hair is fine, damage-prone and tangles easily. I've never had any build up issues but I use mainly salon products which often have these water-soluble/PEG-cones. I also use sulfate shampoos but not every time I wash. Cone-free makes my hair look thicker but I'd rather have healthy looking hair which doesn't tangle like crazy.

At the moment I'm about 70 % cone-free and I'm planning to get some coney conditioners because I like my hair better with them. I'm trying to keep my shampoos cone-free but it's no big deal if they have water-soluble cones.

[lapushka]

I have hard water, which makes my hair very tangle-y. I have tried to go cone-free but I think I do more damage trying to detangle the mess than I get from the cones themselves, so I went back to cones. (I usually WCC - no cones for the first conditioining, cones on the last conditioning) My hair actually does really well with amodimethicone in particular, so I stick with that. I clarify every maybe 6 - 8 weeks or so anyway because of the hard water, so buildup doesn't really become an issue for me.

Hard water here too. Clarifying/washing is done weekly. I just don't like to take chances with that. Besides the double CC in WCC takes care of the harshness of the shampoo.

[maborosi]

Depends on the cones. I don't like the super heavy ones (the -xane ones) and cannot do dimethicone at all.

Others are totally fine with me- I think mine likes bis-aminopropyl dimethicone and amodimethicone.

I really only use cones now when I want to wear my hair down, in a ponytail, or non-protective style since otherwise they make my hair so slippery that it won't hold a braid. But they work wonderfully for keeping my hair smooth and tangle-free.

[metztlie]

I have hard water, which makes my hair very tangle-y. I have tried to go cone-free but I think I do more damage trying to detangle the mess than I get from the cones themselves, so I went back to cones.

Pretty much this.
I love cones, I'll get one giant fuzzball om my head without them.
I never really had a problem with build-up either.
I have to admit though, hubby came home with 2 trashbag filled with matrix conditioner last month and I'm still on the fence on this particular brand.
We'll see

[Freija]

I went back to using them recently, after years without. I hoped they would help my hair not snag on itself when detangling, which is becoming a huge problem for me, the longer it grows. I wasn't convinced by the results. I didn't get super-smooth, super-slippy hair, OR reduced frizz. I also found my ends got even drier than usual (and they have a definite tendency towards roughness if I'm not ultra-careful).

I clarified, did an SMT, and called it a day on them. It's just going to have to be finger-combing only from here on.

[kitana97]

They give my hair extra slip. I recently was given a coney serum from my hairstylist and I've been using it. I haven't used cones regularly in over a year as well, but I have much less shedding now that my hair isn't tangling as much, so I think I may keep using the product.

[Beborani]

I use cones liberally in both serum form and in conditioners and cowash without ever 'clarifying'.

[StellaKatherine]

Honestly. I never had any issues with cones, never even heard of the buildup of the products and clarifying were things that I heard for the first time here on LHC. I am using a cone free shampoo and conditioner right now. I would say that cones do make my hair less tangle and fluffy, but not so much that it would really be a huge difference. I tried to use the leave in cone product for the hemline. It worked nicely, but I hate the weird heavy feeling on my ends...

[Sparklylady82]

I go back and forth but I prefer using cones because my hair is fine, damage-prone and tangles easily. I've never had any build up issues but I use mainly salon products which often have these water-soluble/PEG-cones. I also use sulfate shampoos but not every time I wash. Cone-free makes my hair look thicker but I'd rather have healthy looking hair which doesn't tangle like crazy.

At the moment I'm about 70 % cone-free and I'm planning to get some coney conditioners because I like my hair better with them. I'm trying to keep my shampoos cone-free but it's no big deal if they have water-soluble cones.
I didn't realize that about salon products

[Sparklylady82]

I use cones in my conditioner and styling creme. My hair gets dry the second day after washing if I don't use them. I also am split end prone and have bleached and heat damaged hair so cones seem to seal the splits until I can trim the damage off. I'm hoping to try cone and sulphate free once I reach my goal of virgin hair. I don't notice any buildup and my waves are just as formed with cones! I also have almost no tangles.

[MINAKO]

I use cones liberally in both serum form and in conditioners and cowash without ever 'clarifying'.

Ahaha, :hifive: , that's how i like it! ;)

[Sparklylady82]

I use cones liberally in both serum form and in conditioners and cowash without ever 'clarifying'.
What cowash do you use?

[queenovnight]

Those of you who can get away with co-washing and cones.. I envy you! I actually tried it after purchasing these conditioners (I always buy two) and it just didn't work out. My hair seemed fine at first, but I ended up getting more knots and it had a 'waxy' feel. So, back to cone-free for this gal!

[Aurum]

I've used cones pretty much my entire life not knowing the difference, and it was quite common for people to tell me how silky was hair felt. The only time I've ever gotten weird build up from a cone product was a recent shampoo I tried that was "formulated to coat the hair and strengthen each strand." Well, whatever was in it, it was coating for sure, and also making my hair super crunchy. Glad I'm done with that one.

[Beborani]

What cowash do you use?

I use Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle for scalp area and Noursh Spa for length--somehow this combination works best for me--noursh spa has dimethicone. I also use a second conditioner from Loreal which has one or more cones--never checked. Immediately after wash I use liberal amounts of Sally's Proclaim serum follwed by Kinky Curly Knot Today and coconut/ safflower oil mix. I must also add that I alway preoil my hair heavily which I presume helps to 'dissolve' the cones which are also oil--just synthetic.

Minako :)

[MandyBeth]

I get very tight tangles without the cone slip. So I use them. I do use SLS shampoo as my scalp is a grouch and riots with anything else long term.

However, as long as I avoid guar based anything, product doesn't build up at all. From an experiment, even using a ton of cones and no SLS, if I wash my hair strictly in distilled water, nothing builds up in a month. Without distilled water, I have to clarify weekly and cheated every third week. So it's mineral build up from water.

My youngest, the extreme curly one, needs cones on her ends. No shampoo ever, and as long as we use club soda every other week, there's not any major build up. She needs her hair trimmed every 8 weeks, but if pulled straight, her hair is near her ankles. So I think the fluffy ends are just too old to have kept enough cuticle to hold in moisture.

[PrincessPhoebe]

I love cones, use lots of them, and have never had any build up problems. Cone and sulphate free makes my hair look blonder and thicker, but after about a week the tangles get too much, and I get weird greasy, waxy patches at the roots. My ends have some heat and dye damage, and definitely like cones, but as far as I can tell the fresh new hair seems to prefer them too. We have a water softener as our tap water is liquid rock - I wonder if that helps prevent build up?

[Jennwith4]

My hair was ok with cones. But I didn't want ok I wanted great. So I switched to no cones. Now my hair is great! ;)

[Larki]

Jennwith4, you have princess hair. :queen: