CO question

[MandaMom2Three]

Ok, staying up late makes me stupid :rolleyes:, I can't find the CO thread! I am curious about something. I used to CO using one conditioner to wash and a different one to condition. Right now I just use one. I slather it on, wash with it, let it sit while I finish my shower, add a bit of water and wash again and rinse. This works great I'm just wondering why the 2 conditioner method is used. What are the advantages? Seems it would be more expensive to use 2 different conditioners, so there must be a good reason for doing it that way and I'm wondering if I'm missing it LOL.

[marajade]

I always assumed it was because people can't get over that ' gotta have two products, "shampoo" and "conditioner" ' mentality. But I could be completely off base. :p

[Shorty89]

I think some people used a cone free condish on their scalp and then a heavier conditioner on their length. I only use one myself so perhaps someone who does this could explain better than I could.

[manderly]

I think it's because most use a cheapy condish that doesn't make a lot of slip to "wash" with, and then add a final, richer condish to actually condition with :)

[MandaMom2Three]

but what would be the advantage of washing with a slip free condish? Do the richer ones not clean as well?

[Cinnamon Hair]

but what would be the advantage of washing with a slip free condish? Do the richer ones not clean as well?

Yes, the richer ones usually don't clean as well. Also, they are generally more expensive than something like White Rain (what I use as my scalp CO conditioner) which is bad when you are using a lot. No need to waste a good conditioner on scalp hair. Another problem is that better conditioner tends to leave the scalp looking greasy or stringy so although it may be clean it doesn't look clean.

[Honey39]

I use two stages in that I wash with a cheap cone-free conditioner, and then use a hideously expensive leave-in conditioner!! I need an extra bit of conditioning, and the leave-in gives me that.

I also find that I cannot wash with expensive conditioners - they are just too heavy; ironically, cheap, cone-free conditioners are by far the best for this method, in my opinion.

[SolSara]

Dito, on everything Honey said. :) I also need to use a cheap, light condish for washing the scalp. The richer conditioners just leave my scalp greasy and icky. (Especially since there are practically none of those without parfume..) But my length really need a lot of moisture and a bit of oil too, so I use a second condish for that. (Or sometimes just do a SMT or add AVG and some drops of oil to the wash-condish.) My scalp and hair just can't agree with using only one condish..

[LisaJaney]

Everybody said what I would have said, too (CO washer here for years). The cheap, light ones leave the hair feeling cleaner and not so weighed-down at the scalp, and the heavier ones just add a bit of slip afterwards because the cheap ones may be good for COing, but often aren't that great for conditioning.

I use WHite Rain Extra Body to clean with, and Mastey FreHair as a final creme-rinse. It''s not heavy and doesn't have cones, but it gives my hair just the right amount of slip and static-free-ness taht I need in our dry climate back home. Here in Germany, I use a cheap condish from Real (grocery store, kinda like a Super WalMart) and it's really thick but it works well, and then I pour vinegar on my hair and rinse that out. I've been having good results with that, for some reason.

[MandaMom2Three]

Interesting. I've noticed my scalp looks a little greasy sometimes, but that's only if I didn't quite get all the SMT out (I use oil in mine) or if I oil a little too high during my after washing light oiling.

[Carolyn]

The light runny cheapo conditioners cleanse better than the rich heavy ones for most people. The way I understand it is that the cheapies have surfectants (sp?) that cleanse. I'm not sure if they are in the heavier conditioners. The light cheapie conditioners do not condition and moisturize enough for my hair. I need something really heavy to add moisture and protect my hair. My hair eats conditioner. It can't get enough. That's why I use 2. I sometimes will add a leave in as a 3rd conditioner. I wondered the same thing years ago when I started CO'ing. I found that a single light conditioner might clean my hair but it wasn't enough in the conditioning department. Some people use one and get along just fine. If you are questioning whethe you need 2 or not, you could just use your cleaning conditioner for a few washes and see if your hair feels well conditioned. If it doesn't then you probably need to add a second heavier conditioner.

[MandaMom2Three]

I use really thick rich conditioners for both. However, I was at the store next door and I kept seeing this really cheap bottle of conditioner (less than $2) and I thought hey why not try it. It is not cone free but it's much lighter on the cones than my usual stuff. I thought I would hate it, especially when I poured it out and it was so thin. But my hair liked it! (Alberto Balsom Free Me Freesia if I remember correctly, too tired to get up and go look at the bottle :p ) I really like the simplicity of a one product wash (could NEVER pull that off with a shampoo or 2 in 1 !!) but maybe I'll add the 2 conditioner wash to my list of things to experiment with :D

[aisling]

I use really thick rich conditioners for both. However, I was at the store next door and I kept seeing this really cheap bottle of conditioner (less than $2) and I thought hey why not try it. It is not cone free but it's much lighter on the cones than my usual stuff. I thought I would hate it, especially when I poured it out and it was so thin. But my hair liked it! (Alberto Balsom Free Me Freesia if I remember correctly, too tired to get up and go look at the bottle :p ) I really like the simplicity of a one product wash (could NEVER pull that off with a shampoo or 2 in 1 !!) but maybe I'll add the 2 conditioner wash to my list of things to experiment with :D

No wonder you have to clarify every 2 weeks, as you posted in another thread! Try some lighter and cone free conditioner and maybe you won't have to clarify that often.

To the original question, I think people have already addressed the answer here, I agree with them completely!

[MandaMom2Three]

I don't think that's an option for me. It seems that cone free conditioners are cheap and plentiful in some places but here in Canada MANY of the conditioners that are cheap and cone free in the states have cones here :(. All the cone free conditioners here are VERY expensive, and they leave my hair dry and dull. I really don't mind clarifying every couple of weeks in exchange for nice looking hair ;) .

[Deborah]

I never use a second conditioner. Once or twice a week I just wash with a cheap, light conditioner, do an acv or citric acid rinse, which I leave in, and that's it. My hair is very fine, medium thickness and straight. I think my kind of hair doesn't need oils or conditioner. I have used both, but my hair does better without them. Maybe your hair doesn't need them either. :shrug: Good luck with whatever you try!

[boomygrrl]

Most of the time, when I CO wash, I just use one conditioner. I have a lot of hair and it's dry, but it's also fine in texture and can get over-conditioned. I just use VO5 conditioner on scalp and hair.
But the idea behind two conditioners is what was already said in this thread. If you need something more than what the "cleaning" conditioner can give you, then it's good to have a more moisturizing one to follow up.

[Faepirate]

I mostly use two (because I fear my hair drying out!) but I'm going to try experimenting with just using one to see what the results are like. It may be that I can get away with only one... we shall see. ;)

[~GypsyCurls~]

I'm really having trouble finding a cone-free condish that's also budget friendly...I currently use V05 to wash and condition with, but it really doesn't have enough slip, and I use so much of it that I go through one bottle about every 4 or 5 days. Any suggestions? It seems like every other thing in the drugstore has cones...

[Cinnamon Hair]

I'm really having trouble finding a cone-free condish that's also budget friendly...I currently use V05 to wash and condition with, but it really doesn't have enough slip, and I use so much of it that I go through one bottle about every 4 or 5 days. Any suggestions? It seems like every other thing in the drugstore has cones...

The White Rain line is cone free, so are most if not all of the Suave Naturals. White Rain can be found at Dollar Tree and some drug stores.

[MandaMom2Three]

Ok tonight I tried washing with my Alberto Free me freesia (which I just discovered IS cone free!!) but found (just like all cone free conditioners I've tried) is that my hair dried a big poof of frizz. I think next time I'll try using it to wash and follow with my usual thick coney conditioner on the length and see if that works better than the thick stuff alone.

[MandaMom2Three]

I think I've figured it out! I sat down and did some research. I have noticed that all the frizz happens where all the old black dye is and not on the little that is virgin or henna. What I'm reading on the topic is sometimes it's the damaged parts of the hair that will not tolerate cone free products. What I am going to do it start COing with the two product method. Washing the hair with the cone free conditioner (now that I've found one that I can afford) and then applying the thick coney stuff only to the colored/damaged length. Eventually all the damaged/colored stuff will be cut out and cone free might work for me fine then. I can't wait, all my virgin and hennaed hair feels like pure silk tonight after no cones, it was just the length that turned to straw!

[Deborah]

I'm really having trouble finding a cone-free condish that's also budget friendly...I currently use V05 to wash and condition with, but it really doesn't have enough slip, and I use so much of it that I go through one bottle about every 4 or 5 days. Any suggestions? It seems like every other thing in the drugstore has cones...


Cure Care Conditioner from Sally's is pretty cheap. I've just used it a few times, but I find that I definitely don't need as much of it as I do when I use the various VO5 conditioners. Maybe you would like it to. It is unscented (which I like) and cone free.

I hope you find something that you like soon! :)

[boomygrrl]

MandaMom, if you use a coney conditioner to condition your hair, I'm not sure CO washing will thoroughly wash your hair. If you continue doing that though, I would recommend an occasional shampooing to make sure you don't get a lot of build up.

[MandaMom2Three]

MandaMom, if you use a coney conditioner to condition your hair, I'm not sure CO washing will thoroughly wash your hair. If you continue doing that though, I would recommend an occasional shampooing to make sure you don't get a lot of build up.

I already do ;)

[~GypsyCurls~]

The White Rain line is cone free, so are most if not all of the Suave Naturals. White Rain can be found at Dollar Tree and some drug stores.

I've looked at all the Suave Naturals and thought they had cones...are most ingredients that end in "-one" not the same as comes? If not, then I'll probably switch to this line instead since it's easy to find, cheap, and thicker. Thanks!


Cure Care Conditioner from Sally's is pretty cheap. I've just used it a few times, but I find that I definitely don't need as much of it as I do when I use the various VO5 conditioners. Maybe you would like it to. It is unscented (which I like) and cone free.

I hope you find something that you like soon! :)

There is a Sally's right by my house so I will check it out...I actually liked their Beyond the Zone Hemp condish, it worked well for me but the bottle is too small. Thanks!

[rhosyn_du]

I've looked at all the Suave Naturals and thought they had cones...are most ingredients that end in "-one" not the same as comes? If not, then I'll probably switch to this line instead since it's easy to find, cheap, and thicker. Thanks!

Cones end in "-cone," "-conol," or "-xane." There are a couple of very common preservatives ending in "-none," which I think is what you're seeing on the Suave bottles, but those are not cones.

[MandaMom2Three]

Cones end in "-cone," "-conol," or "-xane." There are a couple of very common preservatives ending in "-none," which I think is what you're seeing on the Suave bottles, but those are not cones.

I'm going to write this on a card and put it in my purse!! Now that I know my crown likes no cones, I want to try more :D

[CaityBear]

I just find the cheap conditioner doesn't do a well enough job of actually conditioning my hair. I like to be able to use really good quality, thick conditioners for my ends. As well, some conditioners just work better for my length than my scalp (kind of like how some people can't use cone conditioners on their scalp).

[~GypsyCurls~]

rhosyn_du wrote:Cones end in "-cone," "-conol," or "-xane." There are a couple of very common preservatives ending in "-none," which I think is what you're seeing on the Suave bottles, but those are not cones

*Smacks forehead* Aw I feel like such a ditz...well I can definitely try the Suave and see if it does any better. I think The Hello Hydration by HE has the same so I can re-try that, I love the thickness and consistency plus it's available in huge bottles.

Thanks for the info!

[MandaMom2Three]

HE Hello Hydration has cones. Dimethecone (or however you spell that :rolleyes: ) But it IS one of my all time favourite conditioners!!

[~GypsyCurls~]

Oh must have missed it when I was reading the ingredients list o_0

[MandaMom2Three]

Oh must have missed it when I was reading the ingredients list o_0

Oh wouldn't that be nice if it WAS cone free!!! I used to find those commercials annoying (they may have changed, I havn't watched TV in about 6 years now :o ) but I tell you my hair sure thinks that stuff IS a total "organic" experience :D