the cone debate, which hair type suits which better

[jojo]

OK just wondering if certain hair types suit, certain conditioners as in cone or cone-less. My hair is 2b, most of my hair is fine and of medium thickness and likes cone-less better.

Please join in stating which your hair prefers, it will be interesting to see if using cones or not is a matter of preference or if it is down to the overall texture which decides.

polls just say if you like cones or not, please add information of hair type!
thanks

[mira-chan]

I don't use commertial conditioner anymore (herbs instead). When I did my hair hated cones. Felt like plastic doll hair.

I have coarse thick wavy hair. (2b/C/ii/iii)

[OhioLisa]

My hair is pretty fine. It hates cones simply because they tend to weigh my hair down. I never had a problem with buildup or crunchy ends, just thin, stringy-looking hair.

[Feisty Redhead]

My hair is 2c/3a//m/c//iii and I really do not like using cones. My wurls go totally flat and my hair gets greasy/limp much faster with them than without. If I wanted to shampoo my hair daily and wanted my hair straighter, I'd use cones and wouldn't be bothered by them. But I rather like the unpredictable wurls I've got with no cones, and I prefer to CO wash my hair every 3rd day or so, depending on time of year and how active I've been if my hair really needs cleaned or not.

So for me it's really just a matter of wanting to keep my wurls and hopefully encourage them to curl, and not wanting to have to wash my hair every single day. I used cones all the time (unknowingly) before LHC and never really had any issues with them, but now that I know how my hair can be without them I prefer not to use them.

[Alaia]

My hair likes cones!

1c/F/ii

[CurlyNinja]

My hair does NOT play well with cones at all, and I'm a 3A

[zift]

I'm a 2c wavy and I cannot live without cones( do I make myself clear:lol: ).

[Starr]

My hair HATES cones! Cones=dry, tangly mess.

I'm 3b/M/iii

[girlcat36]

Cones make my 3a/f/i ii hair break off at the ends.

[Guenever]

No regular condish for me, so no cones either =)

[AJoifulNoise]

I am mostly 1c, with a hint of 2a. My hair adores cones. It freaks out when I go coneless for more than a day.

[Accolady]

As long as I have been using cone products on my hair, and will continue to
do so, if it is one thing I've learned, it is not a matter of whether to use, but
how to use cones with my hair type. I repeat. With MY hair type. ;)

Cones. Not too many, not too little, not too harsh of a clarifying shampoo.
For my hair, it is finding the right combination of products. Using both
products in a shampoo and conditioner line do not work well for me.
Instead, I have to experiment until I find the 'just right' bowl of porridge.

At present, believe it or not, my hair is soft, silky and tangle free. I've
been using Dove Daily Moisture Therapy shampoo and Suave Daily
Clarifying Conditioner. I wash every other day.

:) Karen Marie

[marajade]

Alas. . I have a shampoo that has cones in the last of the ingredients list. . and it seems to be okay with that. .but after about three weeks my hair hates it and I have to clarify with BS once or twice a month and then a cone free conditioner SMT. Also, daily I can't have heavy cones or any cones at all in my conditioner-- it make my hair frizzy and crunchy at the ends. LOL-- I guess my hair has multiple personalities.

[rhubarbarin]

My hair is average thickness, medium strands (though with finer and coarser spots) and 2c/3a.. leaning more towards 3a I think. Cone free forever!

I buzzed my hair about 5 years ago, then went CO with dimethicone conditioner, and Frizz-ease serum and more cone conditioner as leave-ins as I was growing it out. Since I went cone free a fw months ago the condition and look of my hair, managability, everything has improved so much. I never thought my hair could be this nice. I have a lot of damage though, most of which I think is cone related.

[Nightshade]

ic/m/ii and my hair is much much happier without cones :) When I used them my hair felt plastic and like doll's hair, which only got a lot worse when I started to henna.

I think that (from what I've read anyway) a lot of hennaheads end up giving up cones.

[Flying Betty]

1b/f/ii and loves them. Or more accurately, I insist on being able to get a comb through my hair. And even though it is insanely slippery, it also manages to be insanely tangly.

[Stagecoach]

I hair neither loves nor hates them! If I go to long without one or the other my hair has a fit.

Sometimes I wonder if going to herb washing would mean I could go without either??? But I don't have the patience or money to do so...

[HappyKarin]

I'm a hennahead and my hair cant live without cones( I have only henna ones mabye it will change). If I not use them I have deal with breakage

[lulabelle]

I went cone free for awhile, but I've found that my hair does better with cones. It's much easier to comb out so I get less damage. I also have less frizz and it just feels softer. My hairtype is 1b and very fine.

[akurah]

My hair's favorite cone appears to be bis-aminopropyl dimethicone. It also likes plain dimethicone. It dislikes a number of other cones, though.

I prefers cones to being cone free. My hair tangles badly due to damaged ends.

[Elle]

My hair is 2a/2b, coarse and iii (thick) and it needs silicones. I unknowingly went w/o them for about a week and couldn't figure out what the heck was wrong with my hair. The mistake came about because of a board rave for a Nexxus Phyto Organics conditioner. I didn't check the ingredients and after a couple of uses my hair was a tangled, dried out mess. Once I realized that I was using a 'cone-free product, I ran back to my tried and true silicone-filled conditioners and all was well again. :smile:

[eadwine]

I have no-cones hair. My hair does much better without the cones.

[*Elvina*]

I voted for: I don't use conditioner. I do sometimes, when I feel like my hair really needs it, but that doesn't happen that often. I do have some shampoos whith cones and I believe my hair can handle them as long as I don't give it an overdose.

[Lillian]

I've been cone-free for a year and 3 months. My hair is much happier without them - softer, and the ends are in much better shape.

[sapphire-o]

I voted for "no conditioner" as well. :) I use shampoo bars and herbs, so vinegar rinse does the job of conditioning. I'm very happy to give up all the chemical products. My hair is doing great and has been shedding less than before.

Oh, my hair is 2a/M/ii. Slippery and rarely tangles - that's why conditioner is optional even when I was using shampoo.

[Lize]

I sometimes use cones and sometimes I don't. I get different effects though. With cones I get sleek and pretty flat hair and without I get more body and more frizz.

[FrannyG]

I CO and I love the non-cone conditioners. I tried cones for a brief while a few months ago, and my hair quickly seemed dry and crunchy. I'm much happier being cone-free, but I know that for some people they're a lifesaver.

Perhaps it's something to do with having very fine, completely straight hair.

[Cricket]

My hair loves cones, but I'm trying to ease myself off of them. I have 1a/F/i/ii hair, and without cones, it is a mess to comb out. I'm also scared that I'll end up with mechanical damage from being impatient and ripping the comb down the length.

[WavyGal]

My hair, which is 2c/3a loves cones!

[jojo]

How interesting cone-less is in the lead at time of writing and the majority of people with fine hair prefer cone-less, lets keep this poll going!
and thanks to everybody for contributing.

I also think its down to the individual, im not calling cones evil they wouldn't put them in shampoo or conditioner if they were, they just don't suit my hair. My daughter loves dove and her hair looks great with it (her hair is thick and curly) but when i tried it i got rats tails! so its a case of trial and error, my favorites at the moment are Raspberry shine shampoo and smooth as silk by Giovanni,( thanks OhioLisa I saw your recommendation on BB, tried it and im converted-its great!).

Ok i talk too much! keep them coming!! xx

[Accolady]

HAIRPO. Hair Product Overload.

Though each poster has his or her own experiences with cone products,
I have found that over-use of cone products is often at the core of the
cone issue. Years ago, I remember visiting the hair boards reading about
cones. I had no idea what on earth a cone even was.

Interestingly enough, by the time I found the hair boards, I'd already
established which shampoos and conditioners did or did not work well
with MY hair. Sure enough, I was using cone products, then switching
on occasion to other products. It was not that certain products were
'better', it was that I had found what was better for MY hair.

Some use so many hair products that the hair doesn't stand a chance.
Cones can build up quickly if loaded on thick enough. Now while I'm not
trying to convince anyone to use cones, I do think that many of the
cone discussion threads have sent members into a panic, swearing off any
and all cones. Hair sprays, gels, leave-in conditioners, shampoos, conditioners
and more.

I compare cones to sugar. An occasional doughnut is good, but consider
how you would feel after eating a doughnut, a piece of cake, three cookies
and a stack of pancakes with syrup. Then try washing it down with a diet
soda. Uh uh. Same thing for cones. Overload. Too much. Tilt!

There are some who may even benefit from the use of such ingredients,
but unsure how to use them, when to use them, or which ones to steer
clear of, or if steering clear completely is the way to go. If you are a
no cone user, super. If not, super.

Years ago I found myself in a 'crunchy hair' situation as well. My shampoo
had cones, my conditioner had cones, then I would wash with a heavy
sulfate shampoo, strip the heck out of it, and then turn right around and
complain that I could not get a comb through it, so I would soak my head in
Infusium 23 liquid. Bad, bad, bad.

HAIRPO. Hair Product Overload. :) Too much of the wrong stuff.

Karen Marie

[eresh]

My hair loves cones :-)
I'm a 1a/M/ii

[danacc]

My hair (2a/M/ii) hates cones!

[Moondial]

I've only just discovered the cones/no cones discussions. (I'm new to the online world of long hair.) Yesterday I checked the labels of the products I use at the moment, and they have cones. But I believe I must have used cone-free stuff in the past as well. I'm not a faithful buyer, I switch products a lot. So far, I've liked many products and hated some, but never really loved anything.

[Blueneko]

1c, M, ii/iii and my hair hates cones!

My hair is very porous and soaks up cones until it is dry, frizzy and breaking. Boo, cones!

[jojo]

HAIRPO. Hair Product Overload.

Though each poster has his or her own experiences with cone products,
I have found that over-use of cone products is often at the core of the
cone issue. Years ago, I remember visiting the hair boards reading about
cones. I had no idea what on earth a cone even was.

Interestingly enough, by the time I found the hair boards, I'd already
established which shampoos and conditioners did or did not work well
with MY hair. Sure enough, I was using cone products, then switching
on occasion to other products. It was not that certain products were
'better', it was that I had found what was better for MY hair.

Some use so many hair products that the hair doesn't stand a chance.
Cones can build up quickly if loaded on thick enough. Now while I'm not
trying to convince anyone to use cones, I do think that many of the
cone discussion threads have sent members into a panic, swearing off any
and all cones. Hair sprays, gels, leave-in conditioners, shampoos, conditioners
and more.

I compare cones to sugar. An occasional doughnut is good, but consider
how you would feel after eating a doughnut, a piece of cake, three cookies
and a stack of pancakes with syrup. Then try washing it down with a diet
soda. Uh uh. Same thing for cones. Overload. Too much. Tilt!

There are some who may even benefit from the use of such ingredients,
but unsure how to use them, when to use them, or which ones to steer
clear of, or if steering clear completely is the way to go. If you are a
no cone user, super. If not, super.

Years ago I found myself in a 'crunchy hair' situation as well. My shampoo
had cones, my conditioner had cones, then I would wash with a heavy
sulfate shampoo, strip the heck out of it, and then turn right around and
complain that I could not get a comb through it, so I would soak my head in
Infusium 23 liquid. Bad, bad, bad.

HAIRPO. Hair Product Overload. :) Too much of the wrong stuff.

Karen Marie

i totally agree Karen Marie, cones where great when my hair were dyed and they do protect the hair too, whose to say my hair need might change as it grows and therefor i might give cones a try again, like you said its what suits the individual:)

[Miriela]

My hair is okay with cones for one day, but if I don't clarify pretty soon afterward it gets SOOO tangly.

[az_sweetie01]

My hair likes cones even though I'm a finey. It is sleek and soft and has tons of slip. But, I do also like some of the coneless condish speciffically because it doesn't weigh my hair down so much and sometimes fluff is nice. When I'm using coney condish, I make sure to clarify well. That helps tremendously. :)

[Crysania]

I use ''light'' conditionners that I think dont have heavy cones so I chose no cones in the options

vo5
life essentials ..
tressemme

My hair type is 2c/3a M ii

[brok3nwings]

well..for how many time do you have to experiment a product to see if it works or not for your hair?
I used to use any product from the supermarket...mostly loreal elvive and always used a LOT of conditioner at my ends...at that time i didnt seam to care that much so i cant tell how my ends were but i think i liked it. Then when i dyed my hair pretty hard and got a lot of damage (dye over dye over dye...) my hairdresser said i had to use good conditioners so i bought one of the saloon. Since then for about a year i just used salon products and i liked it but then i was always cuting my hair! I stoped using cones since January and i am loving it so far but i dont have long hair...so i dont know. And also, i stoped using sulfates so it might make a diference on my experience with cone-free. Yesterday i used a shampoo with sulfate and even with my herbal conditioner...no effect my hair was a mess i had to give it a lot of leave in to be right. what the hell am i talking about? ...

[Antares]

1a/F/ii/iii here.

I can't manage without cones. I went cone-free for a month because everyone else was doing it, and my hair became such a tangle mess that I ended up tearing knots out of the ends when I tried to detangle. Never again. Heavy cones for me. I don't notice them weighing my hair down.

[Niphredil]

My hair is fine to medium in structure (canopy layer is much finer than the neck layer), and ranges from 2a/b to 2c/3a spirals.

I have been cone-free for almost 4 years I guess, and started using them again about a month ago. My hair loves it! It is definitely smoother, easier to deal with and just sits better!

There is one catch however, when I'm using cones: I have to wash frequently. If I wait more than 2 days, my length is really drying out, tangles a lot and looks horrid.
This proves to me the 'cones keep moisture out' theory. But it can be dealt with by washing more frequent. Sofar, my hair doesn't mind being washed everyday or every other day.

hth

[GlassEyes]

My hair dislikes cones, but doesn't hate them.

I'm 3c/M~C/iii

[LilyMunster]

my hair loves cones. It is 2c/C/iii. That is to say it is thick, wavy to loose/some spiral curl and quite course. I benefit from cones, if I remember to clarify every 2 weeks or so. I make sure to moisturize alot with some oil, shea butter, ojon RT or JessiCurl products. Locking in the moisture with the coney product.

[Shorty89]

I don't like heavy cone conditioners like Pantene, but I'm honestly not sure if my current condish has cones or not. I think I'm better off with fewer cones though. Is anyone able to tell if it's cone free or not?

[Haith]

My hair doesn't hate cones, but I'm cone-free anyways. I don't like the idea of using anything that may cause long term build-up.

[Mahars]

My hair is coarse (2c I think?) and it HATES cones. They suck all the moisture out and leave it glossy but super dry and hard.

[Curlsgirl]

My hair is 2c/3a//m/c//iii and I really do not like using cones. My wurls go totally flat and my hair gets greasy/limp much faster with them than without. If I wanted to shampoo my hair daily and wanted my hair straighter, I'd use cones and wouldn't be bothered by them. But I rather like the unpredictable wurls I've got with no cones, and I prefer to CO wash my hair every 3rd day or so, depending on time of year and how active I've been if my hair really needs cleaned or not.

So for me it's really just a matter of wanting to keep my wurls and hopefully encourage them to curl, and not wanting to have to wash my hair every single day. I used cones all the time (unknowingly) before LHC and never really had any issues with them, but now that I know how my hair can be without them I prefer not to use them.

DITTO! Are we twins? :D

[psvzum]

OK just wondering if certain hair types suit, certain conditioners as in cone or cone-less. My hair is 2b, most of my hair is fine and of medium thickness and likes cone-less better.

Please join in stating which your hair prefers, it will be interesting to see if using cones or not is a matter of preference or if it is down to the overall texture which decides.

polls just say if you like cones or not, please add information of hair type!
thanks
I try not to use cones even though my 2C wavy coarse hair seems to like them :o

[addikted]

My hair loves Cones, I use a lot of Kerastase and Alfaparf products which are basically Cone Central. I use Redken Cleansing Cream whenever I start feeling product buildup.

[hrimfaxi]

I voted "my hair hates cones", but that isn't strictly true. My hair likes cones just fine, but I don't like cones. They make my hair too soft and too slippery--kind of plasticky-feeling, to me. It feels soft in a much nicer way without cones, and behaves much better--much less static, hangs more the way I want it, and so on, so I prefer oils.

I've never tried to go more than a couple of days between washes with coney conditioners, though, so this may affect my judgement (I am currently washing my hair about once a week).

2c/3a/F/M/ii here.

[Nat242]

I have an oily scalp, dry ends, 1c/2a M ii/iii hair, and my hair doesn't 'hate' cones, but dislikes them somewhat, and do better without. It's easier to get moisture into my hair - when I was using cones I could deep-treat until the cows came home, but it didn't do much. Without cones, I get results from deep treatments and oiling.

-- Natalie

[Meezer]

My hair doesn't mind silicones, but "love" is a strong word (although it's the answer that I chose).

I actually use a silicone free conditioner, but my styling gel contains two silicones near the bottom of the ingredient list. I do have to use a chelating shampoo 2-3x per week (b/c I swim), so I suppose that offsets any build-up that I would get from silicone use.

My hair definitely DOES NOT like the type of regimine where I would be using a silicone based shampoo AND conditioner AND styler. That seems to be too much for my loose curls to handle.

[Anlbe]

I said my hair hates cones, but that's a little strong. I can only use silicone products very occasionally or it will sulk. My hair is dry and brittle and if I uses cones twice more than once in a two month period I get more breakage and the ends get drier whilst the roots get greasier. However I have found several products with certain cones (not silicone) in very small quantities that my hair actually likes

[squiggyflop]

1c-2a/f-m/ii here and my hair loooves cones

[Madam Librarian]

2b/F/iii, hair likes cones. I am overwhelmed by tangles when I don't use cones.

[cassie_g]

My hair is 1c/2a - mix of fine, medium and coarse hairs but mostly medium - iii

I'm not sure if my condish has cones or not so I have not idea if my hair likes them or not.

[DMARTINEZ]

I have so many conditioners and a quite a few shampoos and styling products that have
cones and no cones that I cant tell which is which sometimes. I use cones when I want
my coarse wavy hair to be smooth. No cones for wavier,frizzier, crazy hair. Its all good.;)

Deb

[Elyce]

HAIRPO.

Hair Product Overload. :) Too much of the wrong stuff.

Karen Marie

Karen Marie, OMGosh!!!!! Haven't seen you around here in ages! What a treat to hear from you! You are one of my long-time hair idols! Glad you are still here! And great advice, too, I love the doughnuts comparison :)

[redcelticcurls]

3b/C/iii No cones, mostly because my hair hates the things needed to remove most of them.

[Furiana]

Silicone makes my hair feel plasticy and very, very gross. Cone-free for me!

2b/c fine/medium hair, average thickness (ii).

[harpgal]

I don't think a compatibility with 'cones has anything to do with hair type. It has everything to do with water type. Hard water makes it very tough to use anything with 'cones in it. With soft water, one can get away with it. Anyway, that has been my experience.

[harley mama]

My hair hates cones. I CO with a no cone conditioner. :)

[AJoifulNoise]

I don't think a compatibility with 'cones has anything to do with hair type. It has everything to do with water type. Hard water makes it very tough to use anything with 'cones in it. With soft water, one can get away with it. Anyway, that has been my experience.

Huh, I've found the opposite. I have very hard water and I have to use -cones or my hair is a mess.

[vindo]

I didnt vote..

MY HAIR does not really care whether I use cones or not :lol: Its pretty much the same.

But I do and I chose Cone Free ;)

[Tapioca]

I'm a 2b/M/iii, and my hair loves cones, as long as I clarify every sixth or seventh washing.

[Elenna]

Hair is 2a/f/ii, I don't use cones. I have to be careful about overloading fine & wurly hair.

Cones weight down my hair. So I wouldn't be able to put oils on my hair which makes my hair soft and so much nicer. Still, I have to clarify the build-up which is probably due to the hard water.

Elenna

[Unnamed]

Hmm. Both work (to some degree), but for me it's a question of which one's more troublesome--as they both work, but need used differently.

1a F i/ii, emphasis on the fine part. The 1a doesn't change, and the thinness is more influenced by how well the conditioner rinsed, rather than cone/no cone (I've had both cone and no cone not rinse out well--for the first it's usually heavy cones, and for the second I figure has to do with hard water).

Cones: Light cones worked fine when I was a daily washer. But ends get dry between washes and need reconditioned on between days. Heavy cones just didn't work/too much for the fine part--stringy and...ick.

No-cones: No need for reconditioning between washes, and I don't have to let shampoo rinse through the length, either. I do have to really watch out for protein in the ingredients, though; but that's just my hair's dislike, and I don't think tied to my hair type.

[MadHatter]

I'm a conehead, and my type is 1a/1b. Cone-y conditioner helps eliminate some static for me.

[Remke]

My hair loves cones I'm 1a/m/ii

[Smokie]

3b/c - F/M - ii checking in. My hair hates cones.

Cones = tons of frizz, tons of buildup, super-dry hair, need to use tons of product to make it appear decent but always felt dry and awful.

No cones = next to no frizz, soft hair, SHINY hair, fewer tangles, etc etc etc. Soooo glad I dropped 'em.

What's strange is when I was much younger my mother would buy me V05 conditioners and I always hated them. But I was stripping my hair constantly with harsh conditioners at the time and not using oils or products at all. I was a frizzball. It was horrifying.

[Mahars]

Coarse curly hair here - cones dry it out like nothing else. I can sometimes use them as a leave-in, but none in my S or C.

[intothemist1999]

I've been coneless for several months. I can't say one way or another. My hair isn't anything to get excited about now, nor was while on cones. However, I have such a terrible problem with frizz I'm tempted to go back on them and see what happens. When I do (which will probably be sooner than later), I'll be sure to add my vote!

26": 1b; F/M; ii/iii

ETA: to change my length. Wishful thinking, I guess...I originally put my GOAL length!! LOL

[Phalaenopsis]

I have been coneless for a year now and just two days ago I bought a shampoo and conditioner with cones. Why? Because I am tired of the tangles. And my hair has never hated cones. I never had any problems with it. I like that I can easily comb through my hair.
My hair is 1b F iii. I've noticed just now, reading the posts, that lot of F's like cones because they hate the tangliness.

[Leisha]

My hair does a lot better now that i have stopped using cones (I stopped a few years ago, when I found longhair forums, as an experiment really. I have only used cones once or twice since then, and never had good results.).

My hair type is... I think... 1c/2a M ii/iii
(I might start a hairtyping thread because I'm still not sure what type I am :o )

With cones, my hair was just weird. Straight but very frizzy and poofy, felt dry and coarse, dull, static-y, ...
Without cones (and with oils etc) it's wavier and less frizzy, feels much better/softer, supple, healthier. I'm sure it's not just because I stopped using cones, but also the oils, aloe, and general taking better care of my hair.

[Sophrosyne]

I'm a 2a/F/ii, and I don't use cones anymore. My hair definitely prefers products without them. I started deliberately using products without cones when I discovered LHC, just to see what would happen - but I didn't really notice how much better my hair was without them until I went back to cones a few months later (my hair got very dry and tangly). Also, my waves are more pronounced now that I don't use cones.

[Loops]

I love cones. I tried for over a year to go coneless and was never happy with the texture or appearance of my hair. I recently discovered bis-aminopropyl dimethicone which my hair adores and also serums and my hair has been improving no end. No dryness - my ends feel much better and my hair now has swing instead of crunch and poof. I can't use some cones though - dimethicone produces too much build-up for example. I have 1b/F hair.

[kimberlily]

I use cones (sometimes in conditioner, but usually just leave-in). My hair is 2a/2b M/C iii :)

[Patrycja]

my hair loves cones...in moderation.I use a heavy cone conditioner(like Sauve Humectant)one every month or so.Its got awesome slip and feel,its just that if I use cones too much I get the ol frizzies.Hate those. btw-I'm 1c/2a ii M

[Bloodflower]

My hair likes cones, if used once in a while. Too often, and I quickly get buildup. Also, I have to watch which cones I use. I have found out that my hair really likes amodimethicone. It doesn't weigh down and is gone after one wash.

My hair: 1a F/M ii.

[intothemist1999]

...However, I have such a terrible problem with frizz I'm tempted to go back on them and see what happens. When I do (which will probably be sooner than later), I'll be sure to add my vote!

28": 1b; F/M; ii/iii



Well, it was sooner! I did a S&C yesterday with a cone conditioner I had hung onto. If one try is anything to go by, I'd say my hair likes it! It seemed much better behaved and hung nicely.

I used it only on the length and I will have to try some on my crown to see if it will help the frizzies. I had avoided conditioner on the scalp because it would often result in 'owies'. Any tricks to avoiding that? Maybe applying (and rinsing) with the head upside down?

[chrissy-b]

It's not so much that my hair hates it, but I hate it. When my hair was really long (before I decided to shave my head), I used cones all the time and my hair was healthy. It wasn't until I found LHC and tried the cone-free route did I realize how much body my hair has.

My hair is on the straight/fine/thin side and after going a few months w/o cones and then trying them again, while my hair felt soft and strong, it did seem stringy and straight whereas w/o cones my hair is bouncy.

[Jeep Girl]

I voted "hates cones" but that's not strictly true. It's more of a love/hate relationship. My hair loves them for the detangling abilities, but I have to shampoo more often which increases my shedding so I hate them for that. I will 'fess up that I do take a bottle of Aussie Knot Forgotten with me when we travel, because it seems like just changing the water hitting my head makes it knot up something fierce!

[Firefly]

I voted that my hair hates cones, though that's not entirely true... it just isn't what works best for my hair. I find that if I use cones, they tend to really build up and leave my hair feeling crispy. Clarifying works but I worry about stripping/drying the natural oils in my hair, so, I just play it safe and avoid the cones!

[jojo]

I don't think a compatibility with 'cones has anything to do with hair type. It has everything to do with water type. Hard water makes it very tough to use anything with 'cones in it. With soft water, one can get away with it. Anyway, that has been my experience.
that makes perfect sense to me, but how do you tell what kind of water you have?

[Leisha]

Hmm I never thought of that Harpgal, interesting...
Maybe we could do a poll about the correlation between hard/soft water and cones?


that makes perfect sense to me, but how do you tell what kind of water you have?
If you know the name of the company that provides the water in your area you can probably look it up on their website.

[Alaskanheart]

I never knew my hair hated cones until I stopped using them. I always thought my hair was just thin, lank, bone straight, and straggely. Once I went off cones I figured out that I actually have some wave and my hair dosent look flat on my head anymore and it looks thicker. I usually CO with natures gate henna, once and awhile I use Natures gate rainwater clarifying, and my hair looks 10 times better than when I was using expensive cone filled salon S&C.

[Carina]

I love cones to.Right now I'm dating DOVE.Amoretti is such a good ad for dove:D.Thanks Amoretti:applause:wethree::lol::waving:.Fructis is another favorite especially their "long and strong" line.

[Neon Gloss]

It's a double edged sword for me.

With cones, my hair is limp and oily... But soft and shiny.
Without cones, my hair is frizzy and dry... But happy and can go without being washed for days!

I like not using cones. It seems like my hair has been much stronger and healthier since I've stopped using them. And not having to wash my hair for a while is an added bonus! And plus, I've never EVER had a conditioner that smells like REAL apples (and the scent stays in my hair forever). =P

[intothemist1999]

Well, it was sooner! I did a S&C yesterday with a cone conditioner I had hung onto. If one try is anything to go by, I'd say my hair likes it! It seemed much better behaved and hung nicely.

I used it only on the length and I will have to try some on my crown to see if it will help the frizzies....



Well it didn't help the crown frizzies. You should have SEEN the insane hair I had this morning, on the crown and around the face! I couldn't get my hairs to stand up like that if I WANTED them too! :(

For the first couple of days I noticed a marked difference in my hair, using the 'cone cond. I really liked it! It was shiny and hung nicely. However, tonight is the third or fourth wash and it doesn't look so good. Perhaps even MORE dried out looking since doing this little experiment back on 'cones. I'm hoping it will look better in the morning.

I think it must tanlge my hair a bit, since I always put coconut oil on my damp length and it makes it virtually tangle-free (finger combing), but with 'cones I couldn't get my fingers through. It seems easier now that it's dry.

It hasn't made a difference regarding how frequently I have to wash, as the hair on the top/front scalp area still gets oily really fast.

[missy60]

My hair is pretty easy to go from straight to curly. If I wear my hair straight I have to use cones because I have to comb it some to keep it looking good. The cones also make it smooth and shinier looking when its straight. If I wear my hair curly I dont use cones at all because they flatten out the curls. I dont brush it when its curly so I dont really have to worry about detangling until wash time with it loaded with conditioner.

I mostly am cone free simply because my hair doesnt like sulfates very often. When I just let my hair curl I mostly just condition the ends and shampoo once every week or two with diluted shampoo.

[Vegas Girl]

I must have my cones!!! My hair is fine and highlighted. It's a mess if I don't use cones. I tried to go without for a while when I first joined LHC. I was COing with VO5 conditioners. My hair endied up looking greasy on the 2nd day. Washing every day is too time consuming

[xrosiex]

My hair loves cones, as long as I clairfy about once a month.

[tiny_teesha]

I'm not on cones , because they sound scarey.....
Not even sure if my hair hates them or not....

[Accolady]

Hi Teesha,

For yourself and others who are not sure what cones are,
but have fear of them, please let me assure you they are
not instantaneous death, as seems to be the rumor. You
do have to determine whether they work for your hair based
on results, not rumors. Get the facts and go from there, so
to speak. :)

There are different product contents which fit into the
category of 'cones'. There are even water soluble cones.

There are those who use so many cone-laden products that
their hair doesn't stand a chance. Then they post on the internet
that cones ruined their hair and suddenly you have a widespread
fear of an ingredient that many of us, including myself, use on
a regular basis to maintain healthy hair.

Hair types, water types, state of health, many things are all factors
in cone use. For some it is good, for some it is bad, but only your
hair can determine, not rumors on the internet.

To help explain a bit about cones, let's pretend for a moment that
we never heard of the word. Do you find yourself leaning toward certain
products more than others, and occasionally another brand? Do you
steer clear of certain types? Oddly enough, you may very well be selecting
or avoiding them because of their product content, and it does not
always have to do with cones.

My hair, for example, feels as though I've washed with dish soap when
I use a product with lauryl. Sulfate / sulphates. Dish soap. For someone
like myself with a dry hair type, washing with these products means not
being able to get a comb through my hair. Too many times, and I once did
it myself, take that already stripped hair and try to save it with a product
with slip, which cones are often good for. Add hair spray on top of that, add
a deep conditioner, change shampoos and pretty soon your hair is like
straw. It is overload after stripping.

I want to say, I'm not encouraging anyone to rush out and use cones.
But I am hoping that those who do not know about and truly understand
cones take the time to learn. Look at your ingredients, by all means, but
please don't dismiss a product ingredient based on internet chat.

Explore, test, record if you wish. It's a learning process in growing long
hair. By all means, check your ingredients.

Look at the ingredient label on your shampoo. Does it have Ammonium
Lauryl Sulfate? How about Ammonium Laureth Sulfate? Both?

Now look at your conditioner. Dimethiconol?

...to be continued. Must get something to eat. :)

Karen Marie

[peachy.pudding]

My hair type is next to my avatar and i hate cones

[birdiefu]

When I came to LHC, I immediately went cone-free with CO washing. After some initial dryness, my hair loved it and was shiny, soft, and tangle-free. A few months ago, I decided to try cones again to see how my hair reacted. I used them only as final conditioner- not in poos or leave-ins.

With 'heavy-duty' cones, my hair did feel very nice after a wash- tangle-free and soft, but very limp and stringy looking. After a few washes (3 or so, which would be about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks in time), my ends would have a strange crunchiness to them and would not get moisturized with treatments no matter what I did. Gentle shampoos (coco betaine only) and even 'regular' sulfate poos didn't seem to remove the cone residue from my hair, only a deep clarifying one did. It took some time to get some moisture back in my ends. So while initially my hair is okay with cones, the frequency of having to use a harsh shampoo to get them off to let moisture in doesn't fit with how I want to treat my hair.

With water-soluble cones, my ends just get tangly and hard right off the bat. So I just stick with my non-cone products and oils and so on. I found that when I used the heavy cones, oils didn't work well at all even though my hair usually loves them. Even SMTs didn't work for my ends while on cones.

Oh, and I'm 2a/M/ii.

[CurlyOne]

My hair is bit like birdiefus hair. I switched to cone free when I first joined and my shedding and breaking virtually stopped. A little while ago I tried my old conditioner and shampoo again and my hair reacted violently to it. I suddenly had tons of breaks and splits and my hair was very limp (and dry, and it is supposed to be for curly hair).

But don't totally throw out cones all together, some people have hair that likes them some don't. I was pretty amazed though to learn that all my breaking and shedding was stemming from this conditioner/shampoo.

Currently I am not using conditioner and a mild natural shampoo on my scalp. I am trying to work down the production of oil and it seems to be working.

[cuddledumplin]

My hair adores cones.

[HappyHaley]

My hair loves cones. I have 1a/M/ii/iii hair.

~Haley

[Dacia]

With them I have less frizz, less damage and, unfortunately, less volume. I switch between cones and no-cones, but I do prefer the first ones.

[Green_Ghost]

I never really knew what cones were up until now, but it seems like my hair likes them! Without it my hair ends go dry easily and just discolor into a red brown hue overtime.

[Alaskanheart]

Hi Teesha,

There are those who use so many cone-laden products that
their hair doesn't stand a chance. Then they post on the internet
that cones ruined their hair and suddenly you have a widespread
fear of an ingredient that many of us, including myself, use on
a regular basis to maintain healthy hair.

Hair types, water types, state of health, many things are all factors
in cone use. For some it is good, for some it is bad, but only your
hair can determine, not rumors on the internet.

Karen Marie

Hi accolady, You bring up a fine point! Too much cones are overload for even the thickest strongest hair.However there are some of us, me included who never used much product but cone conditioners and shampoo, and that was enough to determine wheather cones were for us or not.

I think hair type and personal preference on how the individual wants their hair to look are the biggest factors.For example I have f/i-ii , even a small amount of cone will weigh my hair down and it will have no body. I personally dont think I look good with flat to my head hair, but others pull it off just fine. I like body and since ive gone cone free /poo/cond. is the first time Ive ever had body and noticed waves, I thought my hair was straight. Ive always used, pantene, herbal essence and similar brands, no leave ins , no smoothing serums etc.

As for the build-up, I think its also personal preference on how much and how often someone wants to use a clarifying shampoo to get the cones out, and how strong/thick/porus the individuals hair is that determines if and how often one needs to clarify.

The occassional cone isnt instant death for hair, but for some os us it means a bad hair day or even a few bad hair days depending on how often we wash.Oh and I havent even mentioned the oily hair factor.For my hair, cones equal 2nd day greasy hair, which means everyday washing, and for my puny strands means more mechanical damage and less protective oils .

I do think that most people have used cones at some point of their life wheather they knew what cones were or not, and can determine quite easily if cones are for them or not.Cones are in the majority of commercial hair care products.

Also , last year I lived in a home with hard water, this year I live in a home with a water softening system. I have used cone condish a few times in the new home and I couldnt tell any difference in how my hair reacted to the same cone product in both situations. Just my personal experience.

I do agree that trial and error is the only way to know what will work for you, because we are all different. :)

[Amoretti]

Posted by Carina:


I love cones to.Right now I'm dating DOVE.Amoretti is such a good ad for dove.Thanks Amoretti

Awww, thank you very much, Carina!!

[Sapphire'sWings]

I've switched to cones and there really isn't a huge difference in my hair whether I use cones or not. However, my hair feels nice and slick with cones, and it's way easier to detangle. My hair is shinier with cones too. I think I'm sticking with them.

I don't really have a cone problem because I have cones in my shampoo and conditioner only. My shampoo is also a stronger dandruff shampoo, so that helps with buildup issues. I don't use other coney hair products besides those. I just oil my hair once it dries.

My hair doesn't like cone leave ins because they feel too greasy, sticky, and attract more dust to my hair. Yuck!

[Eirinn]

One thing intrigues me - if cones are said to lock out moisture than how can it stands *for* moisture??

[Forever_Sophie]

2c/M/ii - my hair loves cones; needs them! And I love that those of us who use them aren't getting attacked here :)

[Elfling]

I don't think a compatibility with 'cones has anything to do with hair type. It has everything to do with water type. Hard water makes it very tough to use anything with 'cones in it. With soft water, one can get away with it. Anyway, that has been my experience.

I think that definitely affects it. I *love* the slip and shiny I get with cones. I have extreeeemely hard water however- turns my shower pink with scale and it has to be scrubbed hard every week. They just don't wash out the same way and after a few days my hair gets really weighed down.

[GlassEyes]

My hair has a tendency to go either way with cones, but they build up quickly on my hair, so I have the clarify often. I'm currentlyl one free, and that seems to work too.

I do miss the slip from cone products. MY hair seems to like Dimethicone especially. I'm debating getting some dove conditioner and just seeing how it works. xD

[orangeeyecrayon]

i have 3a/3b/f/ i hair and my hair loves cones...
i think that my hairs love for cones comes more from over processing of my hair long ago that i am still trying to grow out and i need those cones to hold my hair togehter

[Kallisti]

I'm a 1b/m/iii, my hair doesn't like cones. I've used them on occasion since switching to cone free stuff, and my hair doesn't have a terrible, lock ruining, reaction to them but I kind of have a bad hair day whenever I use them. I get more tangles, and the hair looks and feels weighted down and not as soft.

[Wind Dragon]

1c/2a F/M i/ii, and my hair seems to like cones. There was a time when I identified cyclopentasiloxane as a no-no for me, but I'll be trying it again in a few weeks. After four years of fooling around with my hair, I'm not sure of anything any more. :rolleyes:

[Nynaeve]

I voted cupboard because I don't really know.
It has been so long since I used cones that I don't remember how my hair was then.

[Aromatic]

Well, my hair was happy with cones but I wasn't. I only use natural cosmetic stuff and it works very well. More work, but better for the environment and my conscience.

It's just the feeling, that it's my hair that shines and not some synthetic stuff, that I love.

[DMARTINEZ]

1c/2a F/M i/ii, and my hair seems to like cones. There was a time when I identified cyclopentasiloxane as a no-no for me, but I'll be trying it again in a few weeks. After four years of fooling around with my hair, I'm not sure of anything any more. :rolleyes:

I hear ya there. The cyclo cone seems to work especially well on my hair. I dont
have buildup either. Im a very coarse haired person,and it takes alot of whatever
I use (oils,cones,etc) to tame it. One thing I havent tried is coconut milk. I think
I want to try that one!

Deb

[Adrienne]

I am a 3c/4a mix.my hair is corse. it loves cones. love love loves cones.

[Riot Crrl]

I don't know if the cones are the true problem for me, it's the shampoo I would have to use to get them out. I've been avoiding them entirely for now, but I would still use water- or conditioner-soluble ones.

Also, when I used to use sulfate shampoo and heavy cone conditioner, I still did the long-hair-wash thing where I just sudsed the roots and relied on "runoff" to clean the length. I don't think this action was sufficient to get those off, so I just had years of buildup.

[DrkAngel]

cone-free here. With cones, my 3a/3b hair gets crunchy, dry and looses part of the curl.

[chloeishere]

I said my hair hates cones, but that's not the case. My hair prefers no cones, and so do I. I'm a not-very-wavy with some spirals. I think 2A/2C would be the best descriptor, but that's not an option.

[cobblersmaid]

I voted hate, but that is an oversimplification. If I use cones once, my hair is very shiny, has slip, but feels a bit "fake" to me. The next time I wash my hair (whether I use cones again or a non-cone product) it will be nasty, straw like, and matted. I should add, I don't use sulphates, so my 'poo can't strip out the cones. I would have to clarify every wash to use cones, and that would be a bad idea.

So generally, I avoid them, but I keep some around for detangling a matted hair incident.

[willowcandra]

Cones are a life saver on the dyed part of my hair but too heavy for the virgin hai When used more than once or twice).

[Elizabeth]

Cones make my hair crunchy and straw-like. I always thought I couldn’t grow my hair long because it was just “naturally” problematic. Then I found LHC and realized I was doing the damage with cones, blow drying, etc. Once I started doing mainly CO washes with a non-cone conditioner, it all changed!! :) It has taken me nearly two years to loose all the damage though. Now I am growing out virgin hair and won’t stop until it gets to my waist.

[sweetkandi]

My Hair seems to love cones. Especially since my hair has color in it. If I had virgin hair, I bet the natural stuff would work ok. But for now, the natural stuff makes my hair feel coarse.

[almudena]

My hair loves cones. It is wavy and thick and without cones it is coarse and frizzy.

[lora410]

Nope, my hair doesn't like cones. My ends get knotted and my hair gets stringy.I think it may be on the verge of hating cone free condish to on the occasional times I do use it.