Squish to Condish

[nycelle]

Just want to preface this by saying I do not follow the curly girl method 100%, not even close. I don't use stylers right now, and I'm mostly wash and go. I also stopped using oils, cowashing, and using products with oils and butters recently just to see how long I can go without clarifying.

At the same time, I started doing the "squish to condish" method as a way of getting more moisture and retaining it in my hair between washes. All I can say is "HOLY S**T" this method works!!! I do leave a bit of conditioner in, but my hair stays moisturized and I'm not getting those dry ends in-between washes.

So I was talking to a friend about my latest hair experiment and she wanted to know if she should try the squish to condish method? Hmm.. she has 1b hair and I have no idea if girls with straight hair do this. So I'm wondering if those of you none wavies/curlies use this method to retain moisture, or would it be too heavy?

Here's The Science-y Hair Blog link (https://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2018/08/conditioning-technique-squish-to.html?fbclid=IwAR2cIB1OYbiYBjdUIKqiVQWohVGJ5qk90 4zTeplnEVEeY1z3i43OI7HixpQ) that explains how it works.

[Jesmonster2]

I have 1b hair and if I do the CGM I get s waves when it's damp that mostly fall out when it's dry. I have been doing STC and I have liked it until today. I just noticed tonight after my hair dried that it feels a bit sticky. I did just try a new conditioner tonight, so it could be that.

[nycelle]

I have 1b hair and if I do the CGM I get s waves when it's damp that mostly fall out when it's dry. I have been doing STC and I have liked it until today. I just noticed tonight after my hair dried that it feels a bit sticky. I did just try a new conditioner tonight, so it could be that.

Thank you!

I'm a 2a/2b and my waves fall out by the next day so I get it..lol... Regarding the sticky, are there a lot of oils or butters in your conditioner? Protein? I cut back on all of it because of sticky ends, and clarifying and a whole lot of other crap just to see how my hair does.
Right now I'm alternating between two conditioners. One has no oils or butters at all, the other has oils very low on the ingredient list. So far, so good. But it's only my second week..lol

[littlestarface]

I dont understand why someone with straight hair would want to do this? Straighties can add moisture in their hair without having to do a CG method.

[Alibran]

Lots of people with straight hair follow CG techniques. It's just the product choices that are different. Straighter hair needs lighter styling products, and often lighter conditioners, than curly hair.

[nycelle]

I dont understand why someone with straight hair would want to do this? Straighties can add moisture in their hair without having to do a CG method.

She has dry hair from coloring.

Why would anyone with straight hair use products for natural hair? But at least half the members on this forum seem to, and it works for them, so there must be something to it.

[nycelle]

Lots of people with straight hair follow CG techniques. It's just the product choices that are different. Straighter hair needs lighter styling products, and often lighter conditioners, than curly hair.

This is something I'm learning right now, hence my experiment.

[Jesmonster2]

Thank you!

I'm a 2a/2b and my waves fall out by the next day so I get it..lol... Regarding the sticky, are there a lot of oils or butters in your conditioner? Protein? I cut back on all of it because of sticky ends, and clarifying and a whole lot of other crap just to see how my hair does.
Right now I'm alternating between two conditioners. One has no oils or butters at all, the other has oils very low on the ingredient list. So far, so good. But it's only my second week..lol
I think it's really heavy on oils. I was using Garnier conditioner (the green one with limes on the front) and it didn't leave my hair sticky at all. This new conditioner was just a sample size of drug store brand that I picked up last week. It's definitely got argon oil some other oils.

[Jesmonster2]

I dont understand why someone with straight hair would want to do this? Straighties can add moisture in their hair without having to do a CG method.
I started to do it because it does add more moisture to my hair, and I get more volume and movement in my hair. I could put a lot of cones in my hair and make it silky smooth and pin straight, but I like having more volume.

[Ylva]

I dont understand why someone with straight hair would want to do this? Straighties can add moisture in their hair without having to do a CG method.

I followed a CG-esque haircare routine for a really long time. I just didn't use any gels or such to get curl definition, because I only have slightly wavy hair. I just ended up adopting that haircare routine as most straight hair instructions I found weren't about natural products or adding moisture and taking gentle care of the hair, but rather just using this or that product from the local market and a curling iron blabla, I hope you kind of understand what I am after. The curly/natural hair stuff suited my ideology a lot better than the commercial "straight hair" stuff.

[nycelle]

The reason that I think it can work for straight haired people (provided they use the right conditioner), is because of the article I linked above. The way the conditioner is distributed by the squish to condish method is amazing for hair that requires a lot of moisture. Not really about the curls or waves aspect of it.

eta: told my friend to try it but with a lighter conditioner, nothing too heavy.

[lapushka]

There's 3 more threads on this method! :)

2014:
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=125625

2016:
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=137561

2017:
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=143596


You might want to check those out also. I found them easily by searching "titles only" in the advanced search. ;)

HTH! :flower:

[nycelle]

Yep, I know how it works. :)
What I wanted to know was if anyone currently on the forum, with straight hair, has used this method and their thoughts. Thanks for the links though. :)

[SallySue]

Hmm, does straight hair "scrunch"? It seems to me if there's not some natural spring to the hairs, lifting the ends up into the rest of the hair might result in unwanted tangles. But maybe not.

[Arciela]

My sister has straight hair does CG method..with squish to condish since she has extremely dry hair! She uses a light cowash..As I am cowash and Suave Clairfying Conditioner. It's helped her hair retain more moisture and length as well.

I do it too but my hair is more thick/wavey/wurly and it works wonders! :D

[TreesOfEternity]

I squish my hair to distribute conditioner evenly (not scrunching it bottom to top but gently pressing/massaging the length while keeping it straight as it is), but again I can’t tell if it makes a difference as this is the only way I’ve ever applied conditioner.

After that I make a cinnabun with a stick and let the conditioner marinate while I wash my body or something. My length has past dye and heat damage and this seems to work well keeping my length moisturized.

Cones do help as I feel dye damaged hair tends to lose moisture between washes, so sometimes it’s not about putting much moisture in there but locking it in properly.

[Lady Stardust]

Straight hair can often need a lot of moisture (and when it gets more moisture it sometimes turns out that our hair is not as straight as we thought :))

There’s a method of pressing in conditioner for 300 seconds that seems similar to squish to condish but without the scrunching, and that might be more suitable for 1b hair. Same principle really as the conditioner gets worked into the hair, but without encouraging a curl pattern. Here’s the thread
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=67634

[Wendyclaire]

What is it?

[nycelle]

I squish my hair to distribute conditioner evenly (not scrunching it bottom to top but gently pressing/massaging the length while keeping it straight as it is), but again I can’t tell if it makes a difference as this is the only way I’ve ever applied conditioner.

After that I make a cinnabun with a stick and let the conditioner marinate while I wash my body or something. My length has past dye and heat damage and this seems to work well keeping my length moisturized.

Cones do help as I feel dye damaged hair tends to lose moisture between washes, so sometimes it’s not about putting much moisture in there but locking it in properly.


Straight hair can often need a lot of moisture (and when it gets more moisture it sometimes turns out that our hair is not as straight as we thought :))

There’s a method of pressing in conditioner for 300 seconds that seems similar to squish to condish but without the scrunching, and that might be more suitable for 1b hair. Same principle really as the conditioner gets worked into the hair, but without encouraging a curl pattern. Here’s the thread
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=67634

Yes, similar method, thanks for the link. Gonna send it to her.

I think the one difference (aside from gliding vs squishing) is the adding water method. With squish to condish, you keep adding water while squishing to almost replace the conditioner, but you don't rinse it out. So in essence, a bit of the conditioner stays in your hair. I do it until I no longer see the creamy color of the conditioner, and it looks like I'm mostly just squishing water. I suppose the same thing can be done while gliding it through your hair.

[MusicalSpoons]

I don't exactly do this method, but I've been 'squidging' the conditioner a bit for a while anyway, and after reading the SHB article a few months ago I started to add a bit of water in order to help, when I feel it needs it. Tbh by the time it's sat in my hair for 5+mins water has run down from the scalp into the lengths (loosely bunned) anyway which I think probably helps it along, then I tend to squidge a bit more when starting to rinse it out. I do double condition (CWC) and use oil in the rinse-out method too, but my lengths have never been happier :D or indeed wavier, for that matter.

[Lady Stardust]

Yes, similar method, thanks for the link. Gonna send it to her.

I think the one difference (aside from gliding vs squishing) is the adding water method. With squish to condish, you keep adding water while squishing to almost replace the conditioner, but you don't rinse it out. So in essence, a bit of the conditioner stays in your hair. I do it until I no longer see the creamy color of the conditioner, and it looks like I'm mostly just squishing water. I suppose the same thing can be done while gliding it through your hair.

Yes you’re right, there is a difference, I hadn’t thought about the water.

[nycelle]

I don't exactly do this method, but I've been 'squidging' the conditioner a bit for a while anyway, and after reading the SHB article a few months ago I started to add a bit of water in order to help, when I feel it needs it. Tbh by the time it's sat in my hair for 5+mins water has run down from the scalp into the lengths (loosely bunned) anyway which I think probably helps it along, then I tend to squidge a bit more when starting to rinse it out. I do double condition (CWC) and use oil in the rinse-out method too, but my lengths have never been happier :D or indeed wavier, for that matter.

Yeah.. hey.. whatever works for us! Glad you found it.
But she's not gonna do all that. Have mentioned CWC in the past and I got an eye roll... too many steps..lol..

[MusicalSpoons]

Yeah.. hey.. whatever works for us! Glad you found it.
But she's not gonna do all that. Have mentioned CWC in the past and I got an eye roll... too many steps..lol..

:laugh: fair enough! It sure beats trying to add moisture in the week between full washes, for me anyway :wink: (and I'm still quicker in the shower than I ever used to be!)

[enfys]

I think I do the opposite! I apply a bit of conditioner, massage it in well to change the water on my hair from water to a sort of milky texture, then gradually add more conditioner and thoroughly massage it in. Without doing this, the conditioner slides off as soon as I blob it on before I have chance to distribute it. I also rinse very thoroughly. I have 1b fine hair.

[Alibran]

Hmm, does straight hair "scrunch"? It seems to me if there's not some natural spring to the hairs, lifting the ends up into the rest of the hair might result in unwanted tangles. But maybe not.

It's squish, not scrunch. There's a difference. Squish to condish (STC) doesn't mean lifting up the ends. It can be done that way, but it tends to be less effective at getting conditioner into the hair than just squeezing the strands together, while they're hanging down. Personally, I don't scrunch my curly hair because I find it breaks up the clumps, which encourages frizz. I just STC with my hair hanging down.

[elsiedeluxe]

I have straight hair and I think I use a version of this method, although I came upon it myself, not because I read about STC.

I wet my hair thoroughly in the shower. I have low-porosity hair so this takes some time. I can't just step under the spray and instantly have hair wet all through. So I stand under the shower, lifting sections to get it all thoroughly wet. Then I add a big blob of conditioner (no cones, lots of mineral oil: currently Garnier olive oil) and work it through. It won't go all the way through without adding a little bit more water, because the water slides off my hair so easily. So after the C is in my hair, I duck quickly under the water again, to just add some water into the mixture that's on my head. That seems to allow the C to distribute more evenly. I twist it up on top of my head and rinse the rest of my skin (I have dry skin so I rarely if ever "wash" all over with soap. My apologies if that's TMI). Then when I'm ready to rinse the C out, I pay attention and monitor carefully, because I don't want to rinse too much. There's a sweet spot where my roots feel clean but my lengths still have lots of slip.

Anyway, today I'm going to try squishing it into my hair a bit more to see what happens. My guess is that there won't be any difference (it's remarkably difficult to get my hair to do anything other than what it always does. Straight hair, that's the blessing and the curse) but if it makes any kind of difference, I'll update the thread.

[elsiedeluxe]

I'll update the thread.

I think this works! It's cold and dry here, and I drove about an hour for an appointment, and stopped in a shop on my way. Usually these factors taken together would mean that my hair was a staticky, floaty, irritating web around my face. Yesterday my hair behaved, which in this case means that it hung straight down and stayed together. It could be too heavy for summer, but for dry cold winters, this seems to be a good way to get some additional moisture into my hair.

[nycelle]

I think this works! It's cold and dry here, and I drove about an hour for an appointment, and stopped in a shop on my way. Usually these factors taken together would mean that my hair was a staticky, floaty, irritating web around my face. Yesterday my hair behaved, which in this case means that it hung straight down and stayed together. It could be too heavy for summer, but for dry cold winters, this seems to be a good way to get some additional moisture into my hair.

ooh nice!
there's another method that many here like called ROO- there's a thread about it now. you may wanna check that out too.

gonna let me my friend know. wonder if she tried it yet..