Cone Free Adjustment Period??

[MoonRabbit]

Is there an adjustment period when going cone free?

My hair gets build up very quickly, so I tried going cone free again yesterday and my hair just feels off. It feels a little more coarse and rough. Am I just missing that silky slip from cones and need to give my hair time to adjust to this new routine?

[pili]

Yes, your hair is going to feel different. It won't have the same slip. I used cones for a long time to get the silky feel on my otherwise very coarse hair. Eventually, I played around with oils and found they can do the same if you find the ones that work best with your hair.

[MusicalSpoons]

It probably is just missing the slip from cones. I experimented with oils after I stopped using cones, and after a while settled on the rinse-out oil method, with occasional pre-poo deep oiling. Depending on what your hair likes, cone-free deep conditioners might have a good effect too.

[sarahthegemini]

My hair was dry for a little while when I went cone free. After a short time, my hair was back to being moisturised, silky and slippy. Haven't used cones in years and my hair is still slippy (irritatingly so!)

[Joules]

I don't remember an adjustment period. Honestly. If anything, it felt a lot better pretty much instantly. Probably because first of all, my hair was so dry that even with cones there was not much slip, and secondly, back then the only cone-free brand available where I lived was also sulfate-free and pretty natural, so it made me switch from whatever horrendous s*** I was using to more gentle and overall nicer products.

[lapushka]

I switch between silicone-free and silicones off and on, the effect is immediate for me. I don't notice that much of a difference since switching to a different detangler (Wet brush instead of WT comb).

[MoonRabbit]

I might have to find an oil my hair likes if I can stick with cone free. I really don't like the way my hair feels right now. I still have tangles and even when I brush the tangles out I still have some resistance getting the brush through my hair. It just feels like all my hair wants to stick together.

[Beeboo123]

I didn’t have an adjustment period. My hair doesn’t really like cones, some cones make my hair stick together even when I rinse it really really really really well. No idea why. I used conditioners with amodimethicone, that wasn’t too bad. My hair immediately felt loads better after I started using cone-free conditioners, no tangles.

[ursaV]

I had about a month of adjustment just because I did not add anything into my routine, I just stopped using conditioner one day. My ends were dryer and stuck together, so I added some jojoba or sweet almond oil when detangling and that added the slip I needed. I definitely do not regret dropping cones because I shed much less and I don't have limp looking hair anymore, I wish I would've figured it out sooner. So I agree that finding an oil you like could be a good route to take, I experienced that resistance you describe when brushing but I don't get that anymore with the oils and they don't build up like cones do.

[MoonRabbit]

I had about a month of adjustment just because I did not add anything into my routine, I just stopped using conditioner one day. My ends were dryer and stuck together, so I added some jojoba or sweet almond oil when detangling and that added the slip I needed. I definitely do not regret dropping cones because I shed much less and I don't have limp looking hair anymore, I wish I would've figured it out sooner. So I agree that finding an oil you like could be a good route to take, I experienced that resistance you describe when brushing but I don't get that anymore with the oils and they don't build up like cones do.

I might go back to cones until I find an oil. My hair hates most oils but I haven't tried jojoba yet so I'll give that a shot.

[TreesOfEternity]

I might go back to cones until I find an oil. My hair hates most oils but I haven't tried jojoba yet so I'll give that a shot.

I use a leave in cream that helps detangling and jojoba oil once hair is 95% dry. Once it’s completely dry and settles down it’s slippery and soft. Did you try argan oil already?

[MoonRabbit]

I use a leave in cream that helps detangling and jojoba oil once hair is 95% dry. Once it’s completely dry and settles down it’s slippery and soft. Did you try argan oil already?

I've tried argan, coconut, olive and grape seed. They all leave my hair crunchy and really dry.

[nycelle]

I've been off of cones for over two months now and I don't think I had any adjustment period. I just liked the products I used and didn't even realize they were cone free initially.

I do use a leave-in conditioner though (I didn't use one when I used cones), and when my ends feel extra dry, sweet almond or argan oil.

[TreesOfEternity]

I still know little about hair but maybe you need extra moisture to compensate the lack of cones? At least to expect the same slip.
I guess oil making hair crunchy can happen because of some sort of product build up or because it was quite dehidrated already.
I would give it a couple of weeks or washes to adjust, you can always go back to cones :flower: hope the experimentation goes well.

[Glitch]

I've tried argan, coconut, olive and grape seed. They all leave my hair crunchy and really dry.

Same, though they used to work for me once upon a time :(


I still know little about hair but maybe you need extra moisture to compensate the lack of cones? At least to expect the same slip.
I guess oil making hair crunchy can happen because of some sort of product build up or because it was quite dehidrated already.
I would give it a couple of weeks or washes to adjust, you can always go back to cones :flower: hope the experimentation goes well.

Not necessarily - I use zero products besides shampoo and conditioner, and have even had moisture overload problems :p Oils that make my hair crispy, crunchy and dry aren't related to that. I think it's because not everyone needs oils? I'm not sure. I know my hair is finally healthy, has been for quite a few months now, and just can't take oil anymore. Ironically, my hair is softer and shinier without it lol :confused:

[TreesOfEternity]

Same, though they used to work for me once upon a time :(



Not necessarily - I use zero products besides shampoo and conditioner, and have even had moisture overload problems :p Oils that make my hair crispy, crunchy and dry aren't related to that. I think it's because not everyone needs oils? I'm not sure. I know my hair is finally healthy, has been for quite a few months now, and just can't take oil anymore. Ironically, my hair is softer and shinier without it lol :confused:

Go figure! Having to change routines because something stops working must be frustrating, it happens to everyone sooner or later I guess.
Best example of YMMV, wish I could only use two products my hair is too spoiled hmm :demon:

[Glitch]

Go figure! Having to change routines because something stops working must be frustrating, it happens to everyone sooner or later I guess.
Best example of YMMV, wish I could only use two products my hair is too spoiled hmm :demon:

Totally agreed! It's been a nightmare dealing with the random betrayal from my best oil buddies :laugh:...
I suggest to keep spoiling it then, as it's clearly paying off ;) I wish I could use my old favorites without my hair freaking out at me :mad:

[MoonRabbit]

I still know little about hair but maybe you need extra moisture to compensate the lack of cones? At least to expect the same slip.
I guess oil making hair crunchy can happen because of some sort of product build up or because it was quite dehidrated already.
I would give it a couple of weeks or washes to adjust, you can always go back to cones :flower: hope the experimentation goes well.

Possibly. I do suffer from dry hair and cones make my hair manageable for the first wash but then after that the build up gets bad.

But the problem I see with oils is I would have to use them all the way to my roots because right now I can't even get my fingers in my hair to push it back because the cone free has caused this weird resistance, it's like a strange stiffness from root to tip. I really don't want to use oil on my scalp. Which is strange because I don't even use conditioner on my scalp to begin with so I don't know why cone free conditioner would cause this reaction.

[TreesOfEternity]

Yep that’s strange indeed. Did you ditch coney shampoo as well? Or are you still using the same one and the only change was the conditioner?

[MoonRabbit]

Yep that’s strange indeed. Did you ditch coney shampoo as well? Or are you still using the same one and the only change was the conditioner?

Yeah, I clarified to get all the cones off my hair, then used a cone free deep conditioner.

[Flowerness]

My hair reacted differently both times I've gone off of cones. The first time, I did have an adjustment period. My hair did feel different, so I tried to baby it a bit. I expected crazy tangles this time, but I found that using a lot of the conditioner that I have now (Suave Coconut) made my hair crazy soft- even softer than with cones! When in doubt, clarify and SMT, followed by S& D or microtrimming. That usually works for me. I find that working out what products work for you is like trying to find the perfect headache medicine, you know? Some rock, others just don't really help that much...

Good luck!!! And have fun with your new hair routine!

[TreesOfEternity]

Yeah, I clarified to get all the cones off my hair, then used a cone free deep conditioner.

Maybe it was because of the clarifying shampoo stripping your hair, and at the same time losing the slip cones give... Although if you clarify regularly and it doesn’t happen to this degree maybe your hair just doesn’t like that cone free conditioner :/ wish I could be of more help. My hair needs two or three DTs to overcome being clarified that’s all I know.

[toastmouse]

Yeah, I clarified to get all the cones off my hair, then used a cone free deep conditioner.

Maybe your hair doesn't like the deep conditioner? I used to think my hair hated going cone free, but now I think it was more that it hated the cone free conditioners I was using instead and/or the product overload it got from experimenting with replacements. I recently tried going cone free again with a conditioner my hair actually likes and it seems to be fine this time, and didn't notice an adjustment period.
Good luck with your experimentation! Hope your hair feels better soon and you find something that works for it

[MoonRabbit]

Thank you. I will try to experiment with other types of conditioners but right now I am just going to use up the cones I have then I will start the daunting task....

[nycelle]

Maybe your hair doesn't like the deep conditioner? I used to think my hair hated going cone free, but now I think it was more that it hated the cone free conditioners I was using instead and/or the product overload it got from experimenting with replacements. I recently tried going cone free again with a conditioner my hair actually likes and it seems to be fine this time, and didn't notice an adjustment period.
Good luck with your experimentation! Hope your hair feels better soon and you find something that works for it

This is very true.

Years ago I tried two conditioners (from aveda and phyto) without cones that left my hair in horrible shape. I couldn't get the tangles out, and my hair felt like dry hay, just terrible. Was a complete waste of money.
But I recently found some work really great for me, and after being cone free for over two months, my hair is softer than it's ever been on cones.

BUT, there's also a downside. The slip just isn't the same. Since I don't have the tangle problem the way I used to, I can get away with it. Still though, I do miss the slip a little.