What is exactly the deal with cones?

[DreamSheep]

Ok, I realise this is probably going to be quite a silly question - though I've tried searching for the answer amongst articles to no avail...

So, it is my perception that LHC recommends not using '-cones' in conditioners, and after washing my hair today - I noticed my conditioner does contain them.
Exactly what do they do and why are they bad, and what do 'cone-less' conditioners have that make them better for hair?

[PrincessBob]

Cones are an artificial lubricant, good to enhance shine and slip. But! They can also build up on the hair, causing the cuticle of the hair to be shut, not allowing nourishing oils in and eventually weakening the strands.

[PrincessBob]

They also mask existing damage making it harder to tell when your hair quality is getting better or worse over time, until it passes a certain threshold of damage. At which point you may hear the phrases "witchy" and "scraggly" used by others to describe your hair. (Not very nice things to say, but I certainly was hearing such things from family and friends)

[Kaelee]

I'm a proud cone head. Cones' get a bad rap because they mask damage (even though they're marketed to "fix" damage)- when you stop using them, you see your hair in its natural state, and oftentimes people think 'cones CAUSED a lot of damage.

Also, as others mentioned, some of them build up.

[DreamSheep]

Ohh, I see - so does that mean they cause drier hair?
What would be a good way of transitioning out of cones, or other alternatives?

I admit I like my conditioner a lot, but I think I know what people mean by it is slightly dry (for instance, I notice my hair, despite being extremely thick, doesn't take that long to dry, which makes me think water isn't penetrating as much as it should) and possibly build up too - so what would be a good way to fix this?

Thank you everybody! >.<

[Kaelee]

They certainly don't make my hair drier, but it depends on which cones you are using, and your hair. I don't know all the details (Firefox, where are you? We need our resident chemist in this thread!) Some people like them, some don't.

[jacqueline101]

I'm a proud cone head. Cones' get a bad rap because they mask damage (even though they're marketed to "fix" damage)- when you stop using them, you see your hair in its natural state, and oftentimes people think 'cones CAUSED a lot of damage.

Also, as others mentioned, some of them build up.

This I approve of I'm also a cone user. My oils have cones in them along with my Aussie 3mm. I love those products.

[PrincessBob]

Absolutely Jacq and Kaelee! Your mileage may vary, as they say. Many people get along with cones quite well. I like my hair better without and I get less grey build-up gunk in my brushes, but that is not to say that cones are evil. I think back when Ktani was around she had lots to say and articles to show, but I just cannot recall. The transition away from cones is often a greasy-looking time and best done when you can wear a scarf or hat to hide it.

[jacqueline101]

Absolutely Jacq and Kaelee! Your mileage may vary, as they say. Many people get along with cones quite well. I like my hair better without and I get less grey build-up gunk in my brushes, but that is not to say that cones are evil. I think back when Ktani was around she had lots to say and articles to show, but I just cannot recall. The transition away from cones is often a greasy-looking time and best done when you can wear a scarf or hat to hide it.

I can't use my cones full strength oil wise due to build up. I use very modest amounts mixed with water misted on my length. Most of my products are cone free. My leave in conditioner is vo5 keep me strong cream it's cone free.

[Entangled]

Many people here switch to no cones upon joining, for two reason, I believe. The first has already been mentioned, the bad reputation for build up and masking damage, but the second one has not. Most conditioners that I've seen have cones in them. Since the odds are that you have been using cones, it's a simple enough step to try going no cone and see of that makes any difference. That being said, many people here love their cones and would not have grown their hair this long without the slip and shine they provide.
Here's an article on cones:http://web.archive.org/web/20120307002937/http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=13
As for drying quickly, I believe that is a matter of porosity, not dryness.

[blue_eyes]

I love cones on my dye-damaged hair only; it's already very damaged and cones are the only thing that make it look decent & manageable. I've got 6 inches of virgin roots that I don't put cones on (I don't put conditioner on them at all, so I can't say what the different is). I have yet to try a cone free conditioner on my virgin hair, but all I know is that my dye-damaged hair hates cone-free conditioner.

[Firefox7275]

Various threads on the silicone debate if you run an advanced search. Also a number of balanced science based articles om different silicone 'families' by curl chemist Tonya McKay (http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/authors/tonyamckay/) on the Naturally Curly main site. I am not a chemist I am a biologist so certainly don't trump TM's opinion..

I'm not aware of any scientific evidence that normal use of silicones damages, dries out hair in any way or blocks the penetration of other ingredients. If hair is still able to be wetted down then clearly water molecules CAN penetrate. Certainly silicones give slip and faux shine which can lead some to believe their hair is far healthier than it is. When many quit silicones they do not replace them with other functional ingredients, and in some cases the true condition of the hair can be a shock.

Also the ends of ultra long hair are inevitably more damaged through normal 'weathering' than the roots and upper lengths so some people 'need' silicones to hold onto fragile or grabby ends. I follow the Curly Girl method so gave up silicones for three years, but did replace them with other ingredients (esp. penetrating oils and hydrolysed protein). I now sometimes use amine functionalised silicones (eg. amodimethicone) and water soluble silicones (prefix PEG-) which resist building up. This was purely because it was easier to be flexible when looking for products containing less common functional ingredients (ceramides, 18-MEA). At bra strap length I don't feel my dye damaged hair 'needs' silicones.

[butter52]

They are not bad and dont damage and dont dry hair, those are miths. They are actually conditioners that coat the hair to give it slip, shine and keep split end closed. Just like any other film forming product (non penetrating oils, humectants, etc).

But they can buildup and some are hard to wash off, and the washing off might be damaging.

[GetMeToWaist]

I just cannot use cones in any way shape or form, they make my hair all dry and stringy and cause too much buildup. My hair is bouncier, lighter and softer without. In fact im having to throw away all my coney leave ins... Gah

[Johannah]

Guess you already got a lot of information, especially from Firefox (:bowtome:).

To make a long story short: if you like your coney conditioner, use it. But if you want to see your hairs actual state - like I did a year ago - it can be interesting to go without cones for a while. For me, it helped to learn more about my hair.

[lazuliblue]

I don't use cones because I'm doing the Curly Girl method. If you don't use sulphates (as per CG) then any cones you use will build up in your hair (because normally the sulphates would remove them.)

[ExpectoPatronum]

I love cones, but the only reason I don't use them is they prevent my hair from curling up as much. If I'm going to embrace my wurls, I want them as wurly as they can be!

That said, on the rare occasion I flat iron my hair, I do love using a coney serum after to make my hair shine.

As others have said, with cones, YMMV :)

[sourgrl]

Cones weigh down my waves so I use them as needed, heat styling and in the winter for added protection.

[molljo]

Echoing everyone who said that 'cones affect different people differently. For me, they give my hair a very unpleasant texture/feel so I stay away from them, although I wish they did work for me, because it would be much, much easier to find products.

I don't think this has been mentioned, but if you want to go off 'cones to see how your hair reacts, make sure to clarify just to get all the coney buildup that might be hiding on your strands. If you search the forum, there should be several threads that come up on this topic that will tell you how to do it.

[lapushka]

Ok, I realise this is probably going to be quite a silly question - though I've tried searching for the answer amongst articles to no avail...

So, it is my perception that LHC recommends not using '-cones' in conditioners, and after washing my hair today - I noticed my conditioner does contain them.
Exactly what do they do and why are they bad, and what do 'cone-less' conditioners have that make them better for hair?

LHC doesn't recommend not using them. LHC recommends to do what is best in *your* case. Not everyone here dislikes cones, and that is just as well, because they are an awesome detangler, especially at longer lengths, when you need it.

[memeow]

I think this has been covered pretty thoroughly, but I just wanted to add that I don't think the faster drying hair necessarily means that the cones are preventing your hair from really getting wet. I notice a huge difference in drying time when I use cones, but I think that's because some of them are water-soluble and cause the water to have a higher vapor pressure. It's like how adding alcohol to water makes it evaporate faster.

I've been trying to be cone-free for the last few months but I think I need to return to cones. My ends are pretty damaged and cones minimize tangling.

[DreamSheep]

Wow, thanks everybody for the indepth responses! :) It really clarifies a lot (no pun intended :p!!)

Are "SLS" shampoos (...like the one I use.. Pantene Soft & Silky) clarifying shampoos, or are those a special brand altogether?
I might give coneless a try just to see what happens at some point although I agree the detangling and glossiness are definite plusses. :)

[memeow]

Most SLS shampoos will work to remove cones, but some of them also contain cones or other things that could cause build up. I use Neutrogena's Anti-Reside shampoo for clarifying but there are a number of others. Just look for something that says "clarifying" and is cone-free and you should be fine. I don't know about Pantene Soft & Silky specifically. Even though I don't think I'll continue, I do think going cone-free is a good experiment--if nothing else you get a better sense of what your natural hair is like!

[lapushka]

Are "SLS" shampoos (...like the one I use.. Pantene Soft & Silky) clarifying shampoos, or are those a special brand altogether?

Any SL(E)S shampoo without cones can be a clarifier.

[spidermom]

I have found cones to be very protective for things like swimming. I used to think it was oil, but last year I took oil with me to Mexico and discovered that it was rancid. So I used my coney serum to coat my hair before braiding, and my hair did much better in the sun, sea, and pool than it ever had with oil.

Right now I am cone free to see if using coney serum is why I no longer have curls. I used to be a solid 2C and loved my curly bits! no more

[RainbowBowser]

I love how everyone is so quick to give thorough information :)
Personally I like cones if I know I'm going to do something damaging such as using heat tools or go in a pool.

Plus I find my hair slightly straighter with cones likely because it weighs down the faint waves.
It makes me go from 1c-2a to 1b-1c, so I switch out between cones and oils+cone-free conditioners.

[animetor7]

I don't know about others, but I am cone-free except for a few weeks before a trim. But this is mainly because I also use shampoo bars and they cannot clean off cones so I get bad build-up with them. Others though use cones to great effect, torrinpaige comes to mind. I'd say try both ways and see what works best for you. :)

[LauraLongLocks]

I want to echo what Lapushka says about LHC recommendations. There is no one right way to care for everyone's hair. I am happy with my cones, and I shampoo often enough that build-up isn't a problem. For others it's quite the opposite. Each person needs to figure out what works best for them and do it.

[Firefox7275]

Wow, thanks everybody for the indepth responses! :) It really clarifies a lot (no pun intended :p!!)

Are "SLS" shampoos (...like the one I use.. Pantene Soft & Silky) clarifying shampoos, or are those a special brand altogether?
I might give coneless a try just to see what happens at some point although I agree the detangling and glossiness are definite plusses. :)

Most shampoos containing any sulphate, olefin sulfonate or cocoamidopropyl betaine will work to prevent build up. To remove build up you need a clarifying shampoo, that would be rich in one of the above surfactants AND be non conditioning (so little to no natural oils, butters, waxes, polyquats, silicones, protein).

[BellCat]

I've been off cones/sulpahtes for the past week since and have been using this http://www.bodyshop.com/hair/shampoo/rainforest-balance-shampoo.aspx shampoo and this http://www.bodyshop.com/hair/conditioner/rainforest-moisture-conditioner.aspx conditioner - are they completely free of cones/sulphates?

Shampoo ingredients - Aqua, Sucrose, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Lauryl Betaine, Laureth-5 Carboxylic Acid, Mel, PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Parfum, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Sodium Benzoate, Sucrose Laurate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-6, Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Pentaclethra Macroloba Seed Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol.

Conditioner ingredients - Aqua, Cetearyl Alcohol, Distearoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Cetyl Esters, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Salicylic Acid, Mel, Pentaclethra Macroloba Seed Oil, Tocopherol.

Although I didn't clarify before quitting cones - best way to clarify? use clarifying shampoo then condition or ??

[Tenaya]

Coney conditioners make my hair soo shiny and silky, but if I use them more than once every couple weeks they definitely build up asap and make my hair limp and greasy feeling. (I condition-only, and use suave naturals for regular cleaning and fructis three minute undo every now and then for deep conditioning. I just did my once-or-twice monthly cone wash with herbal essences the sleeker the butter and it feels pretty buttery :).) My hair is smoother with cones but fluffier without -I like both looks.

Spidermom, I am going to try the coney serum for swimming! I have a bottle I virtually never use. I normally coconut oil my hair before I swim, which protects it wonderfully but is really hard to get out.

[DreamSheep]

I've been off cones/sulpahtes for the past week since and have been using this http://www.bodyshop.com/hair/shampoo/rainforest-balance-shampoo.aspx shampoo and this http://www.bodyshop.com/hair/conditioner/rainforest-moisture-conditioner.aspx conditioner - are they completely free of cones/sulphates?

Shampoo ingredients - Aqua, Sucrose, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Lauryl Betaine, Laureth-5 Carboxylic Acid, Mel, PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Parfum, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Sodium Benzoate, Sucrose Laurate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-6, Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Pentaclethra Macroloba Seed Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol.

Conditioner ingredients - Aqua, Cetearyl Alcohol, Distearoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Cetyl Esters, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Salicylic Acid, Mel, Pentaclethra Macroloba Seed Oil, Tocopherol.

Although I didn't clarify before quitting cones - best way to clarify? use clarifying shampoo then condition or ??

Oh my God! I have actually used those products :p

Last year (at precisely this time in fact!) I went to the Amazon Jungle for a month, and as the water we drank and the water from the showers all came from rainwater and went back into the earth, we were required to use biodegradable washing products, and I remember Bodyshop's rainforests left my hair tanglier than usual. Ironically, I probably actually took better care of my hair there because:
1) The water was cold, always cold
2) So I stretched washes so as not to submit my body to that freezing water for too long
3) I also used less product but distributed it well, so as not to spend so long rinsing out
4) I always had my hair wrapped up in a scarf to protect it from sun/twigs/tangles and anything that would put me under that freezing shower any longer

Anyway, I go off on a tangent. I may give those products another try at some point as I am curious to see what my natural hair is like. I just need to break the association between them and the freezing cold water! :p

[Sparklylady82]

I follow the Curly Girl method so gave up silicones for three years, but did replace them with other ingredients (esp. penetrating oils and hydrolysed protein). I now sometimes use amine functionalised silicones (eg. amodimethicone) and water soluble silicones (prefix PEG-) which resist building up. This was purely because it was easier to be flexible when looking for products containing less common functional ingredients (ceramides, 18-MEA). At bra strap length I don't feel my dye damaged hair 'needs' silicones.

This is exactly what I do! I have damaged hair and the condition of my hair has actually IMPROVED without silicones and sulphates. I had tons of splits and breaks that I had been masking with hair straightening, curling irons and silicones so It was a bit of a shock for the first month or two...I went back once or twice but ultimately decided to not use cones for now. I have added ALOT of other things though like Firefox said: pre-poo oiling overnight with coconut oil, low-poo, hydrating conditioner, protein deep treatments and hydrating treatments once a week, leave in co, oil to seal on damp hair and no heat styling except an occasional diffusing on low heat. Its been about 3 months now and I can even style my hair wavy without any products and it looks healthy and shiny BUT I do have wavy/curly hair so it may be different for different hair types?

[Teazel]

Although I didn't clarify before quitting cones - best way to clarify? use clarifying shampoo then condition or ??

Yes, use a clarifying shampoo and oh goodness me yes, do use a conditioner! :agree:

I quit 'cones soon after joining LHC, which would be... yikes, that's almost 10 years ago now! I'd been using Pantene for yeeeeaaars with no idea that it might be building up, and when I got rid of the 'cones it was pretty shocking to see the damage they'd been concealing. It took some time and experimentation to find products that put some shine back in my hair, and longer for the general condition of my hair to improve (as damage was grown out): now it's as soft and shiny as it's ever been.

I've used 'cones occasionally when I knew I was going to be wearing my hair loose more than usual, but when they weren't needed anymore I'd strip them away. They're not bad, you just have to be aware of what they do. :)

[lapushka]

They're not bad, you just have to be aware of what they do. :)

Probably the best advice *ever*. If you clarify once in a while they're perfectly okay to use on the hair. They give it smoothness, slip, and they provide lots and lots of detangling properties!