do you cone?

[redneckprincess]

I first thought this site was primarily made up of non-cone users but after reading several posts Im wondering where the majority lays...

[Loviatar]

I like cones at the moment. When I henna'd, my hair hated cones and complained hugely, going flat, limp, tangly etc. Now I use chemical dye and my hair drinks coney products up. It's thicker than it used to be and I dont get that 'flat hair' feeling. Henna and cones for me = a 2.5 inch ponytail circumference. Now chemical dye + cones = 3.25 inch ponytail.

Currently I use Pantene repair and protect (alternating their ALS shampoo with a sulfate free one) and I also use the Pantene amino acid 3 minute mask.

One of the big misconceptions on here is that 'cones are evil'. Not everyone thinks that. :twocents:

[Fethenwen]

That is very interesting Loviatar. I think there might be something to it, that hair on chemical dye likes cones better that hennaed hair.
I have hennaed hair, and like you said, it goes limp and awful if I put any cones in it.

[Altocumulus]

No cones. They make my hair feel gummy. YMMV, of course.

[swirlytresses]

No cones....my hair does not like them. :)

[rhubarbarin]

I don't use any. In the past I abused them and my hair is still broken from it. :(

In the far distant future when I have healthy hair I might consider using them correctly (shampooing build-up out) on occasion - but never again dimethicone! They make my hair look gorgeous.

[AJoifulNoise]

I'm a cone user. Just about all of my conditioners have cones. I had major fluff and tangle issues when I went no-cone.

I also use oil in conjunction with cones and find that the oil still works wonders.

[MandaMom2Three]

In the middle of a no cones experiment right now :)

[GlassEyes]

It's a 'your mileage may vary' situation.

I dislike them, because I HATE SLS, but my hair likes certain cones. When my hair was more damaged, I'd coat the ends with coney conditioner.

[Nightshade]

No cones here, just henna :)

[kmoc123]

My hair loves cones...gotta keep the hair happy!!! I use Tresseme Anti-Breakage conditioner every two or three days and dilute my shampoo, wash only the scalp...

[demitasse]

I've gone back and forth the past few years but I think I'm finally done with cones. I used to fill my coarse wavy/wurly hair with cones: conditioner, leave-in conditioner, smoothing milk or serum. Whenever I tried to go no-cone, my hair frizzed and poofed and went nuts. But since I've started using coconut oil every day, I've switched to a no-cone conditioner and ditched all my products. My hair is smooth and about 98% frizz-free.

Everyone's different though. It took me several tries before I found a routine that worked cone-free. I have no prejudice against cones now; I just like not having to use three, four, and five different bottles of stuff every time I wash my hair. Everyone has to try different combinations to see what works for them.

[Torrin Paige]

I'm a cone user. Just about all of my conditioners have cones. I had major fluff and tangle issues when I went no-cone.

I also use oil in conjunction with cones and find that the oil still works wonders.

Yup! My experience exactly. My hair needs the slip that cones provide, otherwise I'm a tangled, ripping my hair out, mess. I just make sure to clarify once a month and I'm gravy, baby. I'm an oil in conjunction with cones gal, too, and my hair is happy!

[Tresses]

I can't vote because I like cones in small doses. :) I also oil without any difficulties. But if I use heavily-coned products, my hair feels like Easter basket straw within 2 weeks.

[zen_oven]

No way! I don't like feeling like my hair is coated with plastic and I hate clarifying, so I stay away from cones.

[VanillaTresses]

I used to use plenty o' cones, but not anymore... One side benefit I found from not using cones is that I have less breakouts around my hairline and on my upper back.

[magpielaura]

I don't use 'cones. I tried them again recently when I found a bottle of condishoner from a year ago when I did use them, and after a few uses my hair felt a bit straw-like. I think if I was using the right shampoo with it I wouldn't have had the build-up, but I like my more gentle cleansing regime.

I have been using up the rest of the coney condish to shave my legs! It makes a great, really slippy shave gel. Seemed a shame to just throw it away!

[fishwich]

Definitely coney here, and the hair is happier for it. I was no-cone for a few years, mostly by accident, and my hair was a frizzy, difficult-to-comb, unshiny mess. I use cone-rich conditioner a couple times a week now and have never seen a need to clarify.

[dearladydisdain]

I went off of cones for quite some time (a year at least) but am back on them. :p I love my cones.

[thankyousir74]

No cones here either, but I have seen plenty beautiful cone heads, so YMMV

[mira-chan]

I avoid cones as I'm sensitive to the stuff needed to wash them out (sulfates).

[masterofmidgets]

I never used cones before I found the LHC, just because the non-cone conditioners like Suave are way cheaper, and now I probably won't switch. The few times I have used a product with cones, I didn't notice enough of a difference to make it worth the bother. And my hair and skin REALLY don't like sulfates (another thing to thank LHC for - I never even considered that my eczema might be a sulfate sensitivity, but switching to soap based products has helped a ton), so cones are not really an option now since the sulfate-free shampoo bars won't strip it out.

My hair seems pretty happy on a mix of Suave and Nourish Spa (from Trader Joe's), as long as I use plenty of it.

[Lize]

Voted both yes and that I am trying to decide. I do use cones because I feel my hair needs them now that it's so damaged, but I am not sure what would be best for my hair if it was all virgin. I might never decide. :)

[teela1978]

I'm kinda ambivalent about cones. My hair doesn't change a lot with or without them, but it's a little shiner with cones, its a little easier to detangle with cones, the ends look a little better with cones, and I have a lot more variety in potential conditioners with cones. So I use a moderate amount of cones. If I go overboard they can make my hair limp, so I usually have a non-cone conditioner that I alternate with.

ETA: its a little wavier without cones I suppose... I've been combing out any wave anyway though.

[AmyJorgensen]

Uh, well, my hair looks better without cones, but it detangles better with cones. What's a girl to do? (Right now I am toughing out the no cones and experimenting with leave in/oil spray.)

[Fractalsofhair]

Cones tend to dry my hair out, since it seals my moisture out. However, I have VERY dry damaged hair, and well, SLS/detergents in general destroy my hair, and if I don't clarify, I get serious problems with cones and my hair. However, cones might work well for many people, they just do not work at all well for my hair, not to mention most coney products contain fragrance, which bothers me. Cones do make most people's hair look better, but not mine, my hair gets dull and frizzy. Though with my most recent cone experiment, it did lay down a lot of frizz and left me with a frizz halo as opposed to a POOF for hair! XD

[karli]

I voted no since I stopped using cones and sls a year ago. That has made my scalp much happier and I have almost no breakage. No cones/no sls is the reason my hair looks ok even past bsl, which hasn`t happened before.

I don`t agree with the"ewww" part though. Dd:s hair that tangles a lot benefits from cones.

[Bene]

currently going cone-free, but i wouldn't react to cones with "ewwww" :shrug:

[Natalia]

I currently have to vote cheese becasue i have one or two uses left of my old jason conditioner that i want to use up (cant stand waste when im still able to use something) but other than that i am absolutly no cone. If i could still use sulfates i might have used them on my ends occasionally but i cant so i save myself the fustration of having gunky hair i have to scrub everyday. My fine thin hair just cant take it. Its "natural" state right now is dry and a bit damaged so id rather oil my tnagles and moisturize well.

[Jeni]

My hair currently needs the slip from cones but that may or may not be because of my past chemical dye damage.

[Silver Strands]

The older I get, the more I need cones.

I have tried to go cone free and found I was putting oil and leave-ins on my hair many times during the day to overcome the fuzzy, frizzy, dry feeling I had without them.
This in turn was causing me to break out everywhere, even my shoulders!
That is so unacceptable at my age!
I also ended up with fuzzy, frizzy, & very oily hair.

I even tried the super rich Aubrey Organics line and it still left my head feeling like a fuzzy peach.

The only way I get consistently silky, smooth, frizz-free hair is by using cones.

[Tabitha]

If I occasionally want sleek slippery shiny hair (blowdried straight, to wear "down") I will use a coney conditioner. BUT I tend not to use them because sleek goes quickly to lank and slippery means updos just fall straight out.

I'm not fussed about buildup because I get on well with sulphate shampoos. I've never used cones for long enough to find out if there's any impact on the health of my hair.

[Quixii]

I think because I specifically buy "no frizz" shampoos and conditioners, they all have cones in them. Before I joined this site at the beginning of the month, though, I never even thought/knew about cones vs. no cones. o,o
Now I do, and I'm very curious about switching to no cones. I'm just worried it'll make my hair more frizzy. I think I'll try it some time, once I gather up all the stuff (no-cone shampoo, conditioner, and a sulphate/cleansing shampoo, right?)..

[Elphie]

No cones here. They don't do anything that I like for my hair, but I've got nothing against them.

[Longlocks3]

I'm doing CO only, no cones no phates. BUT I do have a bottle of serum stuff that is loaded with cones. It used to make me hair beautiful...........

So I don't know how I feel yet.

[RoseRedDead]

I've been no-cone for about... 2 1/2 years now. Over time I have come to believe that silicones are not evil, they aren't the Devil's Spawn or anything, it all matters how you deal with them. Right now, I've got a couple different 'coney conditioners that I want to try out.

[Anlbe]

I use a conditioner with a cone about halfway down the list of ingredients 'phenyl trimethicone' amongst a whole bunch of oils and plant extracts like sea buckthorne. Before this particular conditioner I was a strictly no cone girl (and that worked well), but this particular conditioner makes my hair soft and detangled and made me start liking my hair, so I love it despite the sneaky cone in there.

[JamieLeigh]

I don't cone anymore - but I never really had trouble with them when I did. It's just that I'm having so much MORE luck without them, that I probably won't go back. :)

Now, Pantene, that's another story. :rolleyes:

[vindo]

I have never used cones.

Until hip length I did SO and then switched to organic shampoo and conditioner..:)

But I do think the chem. dye I had used for years until 2006 contained some type of silicone.

[Igor]

Yes, yes and more yes
If it wasn’t for those lovely cones I wouldn’t have a chance of controlling my mane and I certainly wouldn’t have able to grow this long!

[JamieRose]

i went off them for awhile, and my hair DOES feel better with out them, and is not as flat... I still occasionally use a coney leave in on the ends and as a sun protectant, though. But not very often.

[Themyst]

I have been using cones. I tried to go no cone before and it was too difficult to detangle my hair. I have decided to try it again, though, but I sabotaged my own experiment by purchasing the wrong conditioner (Samy Fat Hair).

[Rapunzal2Be]

My favorite products contain 'cones, so I still use them. But I also use oils, cassia, mega tek, and eqyss avocado moisture spray. I like to mix it up!

[Heavenly Locks]

I am back and forth. I am primarily a conditioner only washer and I choose cone free ones. Although I will sometimes use a dab of coney old pantene on my ends or a cone filled shine spray for a special occasion :) So, mostly NO cones but I am not 100% no cone. More like 90% :)

I chose "can't decide'' since it was the closes to 'sometimes'.

[Furiana]

Nope! When I do, my hair gets gross. :lol:

[Desideira]

My alike some cones
but my scalp hates sls so its bad conbination...I use only cone leave in serum or sprayfor easiest detengling. My shapoo and conditiones is cone free thought

[teela1978]

I'm surprised at how many cone users there are.

[MelodyGabrielle]

I am currently a non-coner. I joined THLC in January just to read up on some stuff because I was desperate. My hair was so dry and so brittle and the only way I knew how to deal with it was to by richer and richer moisturizing conditioners that were all filled with cones. I read about cones for the first time and decided to see if my hair liked that better. WOW! big difference immediately. Then I starting diagnosing some of my other hair problems and its just getting better. Thank you, THLC!

[rose_in_bloom]

I'm currently cone-free, but I'm not anti-cone or anything like that. If my current routine stops working, I'll probably go back to cones. So I voted "haven't decided".

[demitasse]

I commented in this thread already about being cone-free but I was curious about how dramatic the difference was so I did a side-by-side comparison.

The left picture is the last day I used three different kinds of cones (conditioner, leave-in, and serum) and the right (taken a few days later) is cone-free conditioner with a dab of coconut oil as a leave-in. Less frizz, smoother texture, and even a little longer looking because it isn't so poofy. Definitely a cone-free convert but by no means anti-cone. If coning works for you, cone away.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=3334&pictureid=42312

At least I hope the picture shows up. If not, it's in an album in my profile.

[Canarygirl]

Oh my...I think I need to increase the resolution specs on my monitor. I read the title of this thread and thought it said "Do you come?" I was like, "WTH? This place is just over-the-top!" :grin:

[rovylern]

'Cones tend to make my hair look flat and greasy after only a few hours, so I avoid them like the plague! My kiddo has pretty much the same hair type I do, so I've always kept her cone-free as much as possible.

[Themyst]

Oh my...I think I need to increase the resolution specs on my monitor. I read the title of this thread and thought it said "Do you come?" I was like, "WTH? This place is just over-the-top!" :grin:

Oohhh ... that's a good one for this thread:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?p=631831#post631831 ;)

[Cinnamon Hair]

I do both. Some weeks I use cones and others I go cone free. I do whatever works, until it stops working. Every weekend I shampoo and do a deep treatment, so if I happen to use a deep treatment with cones then I use cones all week until the next shampoo. Once silicone is on the hair (assuming it's not the water soluble kind) there's no way to get it off until I shampoo again so I may as well use them daily.

Cones can build up for me and I don't like to clarify except as a last option. Cone free products sometimes are not enough to keep tangles at bay, especially those horrible nape spider-webby tangles. So either of those two things are my trigger for switching back and forth.

[ericthegreat]

Even though I voted for the "Ewww I never use cones", I do have deep intensive treatments that do contain cones and whenever I get my hair in a bind I will slather them on. But this is very rare. On an normal daily basis, I purposely use cone free conditioners for my daily CO rinsing.

[WavyGirl]

*snip*Cones can build up for me and I don't like to clarify except as a last option. Cone free products sometimes are not enough to keep tangles at bay, especially those horrible nape spider-webby tangles. So either of those two things are my trigger for switching back and forth.

Me too, although I tend to be cone free 90% of the time and just use cones if I can't oust the tangels any other way. I also use them on the very occasional instances when I want to heat style my hair.

[Copasetic]

I went cone free for a little while, but recently started using them again. I LOVE the results. I don't think I will ever go cone free again.

[chandeen]

I am cone-free and happy without them ^^
I dont think that I will use them again

[lundmir]

I'm mostly cone free right now thanks to this place, and I love it. The only cones come from my color retouching, but I do it rarely, and I'm looking for a cone free color.

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

Truly I am still trying to decide..

I am using QH shampoo that is cone and sulfate free w/ V05 conditioner (also cone free) but I am not really sure that my hair likes it better or not. When I style my hair I use cones so I guess I am not completely cone-free and I don't clarify that often :shrug:

[Periwinkle]

I do use them.

I tried going cone-free for a few months, and noticed precisely no difference (and yes, I did clarify before I started). I went back to cones simply because it's easier - one less thing to worry about. I don't use them or not on purpose: I go by which product I want to use, and leave the cones to take care of themselves.

I don't seem to get buildup either, but I do shampoo every time (with rare exceptions) I wash.

[Kelsey89]

I love cones.

[RavennaNight]

I use cones. But in moderation. I notice a pattern: I SLS wash, then I cone up. Next two or three hair wetting-encounters will be CO with a cone-free conditioner like a VO5 or Natures Gate Hemp. Sometimes I get really daring and CO with a cone. I did last week with Pantene w/cassia extract and it was successful. I, like Ajoifulnoise, see no conflict between coning and coconut oil. I clarify whenever I henna, and once or twice between hennas. It depends what I use. I mix it up. I do notice a cone by itself, like HE Hydralicious Reconditioning, fresh after clarifying, can make hair too silky sometimes.

[gmdiaz]

I've had great luck with cones but I am trying to reach my terminal length. . .so I am experimenting with going totally sulphate and cone free.

I'll rethink this plan after I've been off those ingredients for a few months.

I am very curious to see if it makes any difference at all to the condition of my hair. I'll go with whatever my hair likes best. lol

[hellkitty]

I was just looking at my hair in the mirror and, after a month of zero coneage, my hair really likes it. It's shiny all by itself (previously I thought I needed coney goodness to shine) and with my modified CO (still a work in progress) my hair doesn't get as dry or snarly, so it doesn't need cones to detangle or smooth.

I'm not saying I'll never go back, but right now, no cone is working for me.

Though it IS a lot easier to find cone-full stuff!

HK

[Speckla]

I like certain products with certain cones. I do shampoo once a week but don't have to use SLS or ALS to remove them. My hair is better with cones - mostly water soluble - and as long as a product as aloe vera in it and no protein it's fine! Oh heck, I like FrizzEase and it gives me great hair. I sometimes do use it and I do keep Suave's Clarifying shampoo around. But it has to be a really bad humid/frizz hair day for me to use it. SLS and ALS make my scalp itch or a day or two (oil rebuilding).

[Lohari]

I have been using coney products and conefrees on and off maybe for my whole life because I still live with my mother and I'm not the one who chooses what will be bought to our bathroom. And I've never bothered to look what they contain until I joined this site, so I don't know how they affect my hair. O: Now every conditioner we have has cones... Yesterday I bought -conefree conditioner and clarifying shampoo, and washed with them. I still don't see any difference, but I'm planning to continue CO with my new conditioner and see if it makes any difference!

[Gilly]

I am going back to cones after avoiding them since joining here, I have come to the conclusion that ifI am EVER going to get my hair to my goal length then I will have to use cones on the ends to stop them getting cranky!

I am currently using Nioxin which does have a low level in but I will be using a serum or cream on the ends only, I know my scalp does not like them so its ends only for me!

[3azza]

It's not that simple, it pretty much depends on how much cones and what other chemicals are there in a product.
I'd say my hair loves cones in herbal essences but hates dove, sunsilk and pantene.
Cones detangle my hair so they help me grow it longer with less breakage and split ends, but they take away the volume and bounce. And since my goal is to grow it longer with healthy ends, i'll have to give away some volume and some curl...

[almudena]

Yes I do :)
I don't overload my hair with cones and I go cone-less from time to time, but my hair definetely loves them.

[horseprincess]

I've recently stopped using cones. =] My hair loves it.

[Chanterelle]

I do. My hair looks miserable without them.

[Chamomile betty]

I do cone :)
I've tried using no cones through the years but my wavy/curly hair just tangles.
Actually when I am using cones my hair is easier to take care of. I do watch for buildup on my hair. There is nothing wrong with using cones. You may want to experiment and rotate some cone, low cone, and some non cone products just to see what works for you.

[Ryanne]

I sporadically cone. I still have a bottle to get rid off and I'm slowly getting there.
Apart from that I always use wonderfully cheap, cone-free conditioner and shampoo.

[cobblersmaid]

I have been the last year, mostly out opf laziness. My hair prefers that I use cone free conditioner, and oil, but cones are easier. With cone free, I have to comb out my hair very carefully, and oil often. With cones, I can detangle easily.

[vintersaga]

N, no silicones as I am doing CO-washes and avoiding sulfates:)

[Cake]

I went cone-free 17 months ago (when I was determinated to let my hair grow, and started doing oilings, washing it properly and discovered TLHC) and maybe it's because now I care it way much better, but I feel my hair is healthier and my waves look better cone-free. So, I don't think I will use them again.

[bluemoon1891]

no cones. With them, my hair feels dead, flat, and gets greasy really easily. I've gained so much thickness since ditching them and the texture has changed for the better as well.

[Nanni]

I've stopped using cones. I'm trying to stay natural

[Silver]

No, I don't. Simply because I don't want a build-up; and I don't profit by using cones every now and then, my hair doesn't look better with it (it starts looking healthier when there is a huge build-up - but that's exactly what I don't want).

[cuddledumplin]

I love cones. England is just so humid that my hair frizzes to no end without them.

[Firefly]

Generally I avoid them; my hair just seems to do better overall without the cones. But I'm not opposed-- once in a while I'll use something that has cones in it. It's the regular use that makes my hair a gummy mess (but it can get like that with over use of oils, too...)

[flutterbudget]

I'm a total cone addict. Every time I try to go without I start hating my hair.

[Tressie]

Well, I've been mostly cone-free since joining LHC, and my hair has more wave, but it also tangles easier and combing is more of a hassle. I don't know if I like my hair better without cones especially, but I do like the idea of natural hair care.

For now, I think I'll stay cone-free for the most part with ACV rinses and oiling. I might lose less hair with cones when I comb after a wash?? HUMMM!

[Roseate]

I'm cone-free, but more because of the sulfates than the cones. Sulfates ruin my scalp, so I avoid cones so that I don't have to worry about build-up. Added bonus: wurlier wurls!

[LittleOrca]

I use cones, especially with how damaged my hair is. Once my hair is all virgin hair though I tend to experiment with no cones and see if I can get away with it.

[sapphire-o]

I don't use cones. Actually I don't use any conditioner. They make my hair unmanageable. I don't know how to explain it, it's like they not only add slip, also strengthen the hair so the hair behave like springs and is impossible to pin down. If I put it in updos, the tension from all those "springy" hair would pull at my scalp and make it sore. They also slip through my fingers when I try to braid.

[prittykitty]

Right now I don't use cones but I am considering trying them again. My hair is big, curly, frizzy and my ends are damaged from chemicals and my hair gets tangled. I use a cone free conditioner and a cone free leave in conditioner. Also this may sound crazy but my scalp loves SLS. If I even attempt to go a day without washing with an SLS shampoo, my scalp feels awful (I have an oily scalp and complexion). I try the CWC every so often to try and not use the SLS all the time though but my scalp doesn't like it. I was thinking of using a leave in conditioner with cones so I am not using too many at one time and still oil my hair to see how it works. If the cones don't work out, I will go cone free again.

[melikai]

Silicones made my hair limp, flat, and dull-looking - also static-y. Even the old highlighted ends respond better to products without them. I dislike the feel of anything with 'cones on my hair or skin.

[HildeMV]

haven't really tried no-cones long enough to make a decision.

[Bianca]

No cones here. Might try them again some day though :rolleyes:

[windinherhair]

I have never felt the need for cones since I changed to organic shampoo/conditioner.

[Margeaux]

... I admit it, I read the title of this post and I have a total gutter mind (wasn't there a poll about misreading titles like this lately? :p)

[LKayL]

I don't mind 'cones' as they have caused no major damage to my hair.

[marikamt]

I voted "eeewww never"... but I don't really think they are "eeww".... they just don't work for me and my hair.

[Tinose]

No-cones, mostly because I don't really want to go to the extra bother of getting them out. (I don't know if shampoo bars get them out, but either way, meh.)

My hair's more fly-away without them but also wavier, so it's kind of a wash for me. If I ever figure out the right proportion of oil to use to keep it slippery without causing it to look oily, I'll be thrilled, but to be honest a lot of my hair decisions are made based off "Nah, I just don't want to bother."

[Wicked Princess]

I am currently not using any cones, but I voted that I use them anyway.

I've had a lot of luck with lightly coned conditioners but my favorite conditioner got discontinued! I haven't found one that works quite as well yet. My skin is highly sensitive to SLS, and never had a problem getting cones out of my hair without it.

I don't think they're silly at all, and in all honesty don't see any product as "silly" if it works with your hair! :D

[In2JC724]

I haven't decided yet... I'm trying to not use them.. but so far I'm thinking my hair might actually like them. I also just tried a leave in protein and green tea rebuilder spray, and it seems to like that a lot. So we'll see.

[MsBubbles]

After two unsuccessful attempts to go without cones, I have quit fighting it. My hair without cones is a lightweight, tangled, dry, clumpy nightmare. With cones it's smooth, tangle free and looks like hair rather than cotton wool balls. I actually love the feel of my ends 'coated in plastic' :crush:. My strands are so fine they do better with the extra weight.

[TheCatSaidQuack]

it depends. I go a few weeks w/o them, then I go back to them again. Overall, my hair looks nicer w/o them, but feels nicer with them, and is a lot easier to manage.

[Tryst]

I like cones in the winter to help reduce static in my hair. Otherwise my hair flies around and clings to the car seat, the couch, my clothes...everything!

[slz]

...........................

[Wind]

I don't think they're silly, they work great for my hair at this stage. About once a month I clarify with an ACV rinse to remove any buildup, and my hair seems pretty happy.

[MandyBeth]

I've tried no cones, but even post henna, my hair STILL sulks with any proteins I've tried, but it's cheerfully happy, bouncy and tangle free (well, as tangle free as my hair ever gets) if it gets the (silly) cones. I still try any and every product made, if my hair hates it, oh well, I'll use it to wash the dogs.

My hair will be happier post-oil treatment, but it looks hideously nasty, so I'm not the best at doing those.

[enfys]

I cone and use sulphate shampoos.

My hair only felt bad when I tried experimenting; once I went back to the tried and tested it was fine again.

I only use cone conditioners, not any extra things like serums.

[violeteyes]

I use cones still because they seem to make my hair feel more mousturized, which is extremely important for me because my hair is extremely oily and I do not use conditioner near my roots

[Eden_Rayn]

I am no cones kind of gal. Last time I had long hair (it was waist) I was a cone head and well it was a mess (to put its lightly)...this time around I'm not cones and my hair is finally behaving.

[squiggyflop]

i use cones always.. i went cone-free at some point but it caused huge breakage and tangles..

[froglet]

I voted "still trying to decide" but really it's more of a "I do both". My hair is happy whether I use them or not, the difference is one of hair texture. When using cones my hair is stiffer, more protected, sleeker and straighter, think of a new paintbrush (like you'd use to paint the interior of your house), it's like that. Without cones my hair is softer, bouncy, fuller, and more malleable, it always went up easier in styles when it was cone free.

For me it's just a matter of how I want my hair to feel and look and I haven't quite decided which I prefer. I have never noticed damage from using cones but I have noticed that my hair seems slightly more fragile without them.

[Solomon.Grundy]

I don't use cones anymore. I did not care, but when I started to think about why my hair was never the way I liked it, I stoped using them and as my hair just improved, I don't think I'll use them again.

[Tonks]

I'm not currently using anything with cones, I don't think. A cone is any ingredient that ends in 'cone', right? Or does it include ingredients that end in 'one' too, without the c? If it's just 'cone', then my roomie doesn't use any either :) (Head&Shoulders doesn't have ingredients listed, so I'm not sure on that one.)

[neon-dream]

I use them sometimes, like when it was snowing. My hair needed the extra protection and they really cause no harm :).

[mugglemomof3]

FWIW, I'm a 2a/2b in the canopy area and a 3a underneath. Sometimes. Silly wonky unstable hair. It can get even kinkier on my nape in humidity. I'd say my hair is rather coarse too, and always has been dry. I tried cone-free for awhile and had a little success with catnip rinses, but it was too much trouble for what little plusses I got, so I'm back to cones and happy again.

Right now I'm using Dove Heat Therapy shampoo (scalp only) and Dove Heat Therapy conditioner and Beyond The Zone Turn Up The Heat spray therapy (because it's cold and I need to blow-dry my hair!) and my hair is so happy.

It also likes Herbal Essences Hello Hydration line and Silk Elements MegaSilk Heat Protection Spray when I'm not blowdrying.

[Shorty89]

My hair and cones don't get along so I don't use them if I can help it :)

[kelly-j]

Yes i Do, and me and my hair love it.

[pepperminttea]

No cones for me, or SLS, and if I can avoid them, no sulphates either. My hair just doesn't get on with coney things generally, ends up all flat, limp, and in some cases, gums together. :(

[Rhiannon7]

It depends for me, when i CO i use suave vanilla floral, no cones. but when i wash with poo i alternate between Herbal Essences long term relationship, Herbal Essences Hello Hydration, Tres Emme Deep moisture condish and Pantene Repair condish. all have cones. my hair likes them better than condish with no cones. i've experimented with all, poo and no cones condish=bad tangles. poo and cone condish = soft shiny hair with few tangles. CO with no cones condish = soft, slightly limp but very shiny hair.

So for now i stick with cones most of the time when i wash and CO with no cones condish.

plus alot of Deep Moisture Treatments with both cones and no cones condish.

[elina333]

Love my cones. Guilty as charged! :D

[Gypsy]

Good Grief.
Add this thread to the "Misreading Thread Titles" thread.....
Gutter brain, I guess...:o

[Bunnicula]

After doing a lot of reading, I've decided to try no-cone so I bought Desert Essence Apple & Ginger conditioner. So far, my hair is softer, but I'm not sure if it's because of that or because i stopped washing it every day and use oil. I probably should have only changed one thing at a time, but I'm happy with the results so... I'll keep on with it.

[Qadupae]

I'm on the fence on this one until I find a suitable replacement for my conditioner since -cones make my hair reeeeeally oily. So far vinegar is the runner up ^_^

[Peter]

Nope, not for me!

[Shermie Girl]

I am a happy conehead. :D

[SilverLocks]

No cones for me, makes my hair go flat and limp.

[Phalaenopsis]

I can't decide. Sometimes I cave in and use cones, because how thick and sturdy my hair feels then. But after a wile I hate that it feels like cotton candy...

I'm more of a non-cone than cone user

[Pumpkin]

My hair does not like cones....just goes flat if I use them.

[Imoness]

No cones.

I just don't like the idea of putting them in my hair... o.o
and my hair seems to be doing fine without them.

[Sissy]

I voted, "I'm still trying to decide". It's not really that I'm trying to decide as much as my hair seems to like either. It likes organic products with a bit of cone way down the ingredient line like JASON or Yes To Carrots. It also likes some cone free stuff too. I can also get by with some coney conditioners, but I think overall my hair prefers a bit of cone but not too much. Leave-ins on the other hand my hair does fine with coney ones. I also like Camellia Oil or other cone free leave-ins :) Basically, my hair goes either way!

[LoversLullaby]

Not at all. :)

[Red_Head_Reader]

I'm kind of inbetween, my hair seems to like cones, but I think it's ok without cones also.

[ooo]

I'm conefree and I love it :p

[Svenja]

I stopped using cones last October and it was the best decision ever :)

[Katze]

Back on 'cones while I am trying to deal with my postpartum growout. Washing with 'cones (Dove) makes my hair look good, and helps me enjoy it even though the ends are thin and I seem to be doomed to have many different lengths. 'cones reduce my wave significantly, but they give my hair weight and swing and heft which it doesn't otherwise have. So I am going to have a 'coney phase for a while.

[dernhelm]

Officially back on cones as of last week after a 6-month no cone experiment.

Pros: hair not as curly (hair looks longer), NO tangles, matting or knotting

Cons: hair not as curly, my ends feel dryer (already! that's not a good sign), will have to clarify with poo more often to get rid of build-up

eta: my hair strands are very, very fine, so I guess they need the extra protection that cones lend

[GuinevereMay]

I'm back on the cones and my hair is thanking me. My hair strands are fine and if I don't use cones, I can't get a comb through it at all.

[coneyisland]

Yes, lots! :cheese:

[*Aoife*]

No, I hate the way my hair feels when there are cones in it. And I don't think my scalp likes cones.

[Savvyhorsez]

I've been on here for over a half a year and I have no idea what cones are, what they're used for, or what they even look like. Lol.:rolleyes:

[GuinevereMay]

I've been on here for over a half a year and I have no idea what cones are, what they're used for, or what they even look like. Lol.:rolleyes:
Silicone. Like in shampoo or conditioner. Most drugstore shampoos and conditioner have silicone in them.

[beez1717]

I've just started not using cones and It seems to me like people are saying my hair seems dirtier. I don't know if that's because i'm also not blow drying it like I used to (every other day or so now) or if it's because my hair is re adjusting. I just hope that the no cone poo will make my hair healthier. I have noticed that my hair doesn't tangle as much now that i've stopped using those cones. Hmm...

[Savvyhorsez]

Silicone. Like in shampoo or conditioner. Most drugstore shampoos and conditioner have silicone in them.

Oh! Thank you very much for explaining! I feel pretty stupid. Lol.

[Rainchants]

Sometimes I use conditioners with cones, but I am careful they don't touch my scalp. I like the way my hair feels with it.

[morguebabe]

Still trying to decide.

[Cheeks1206]

It isn't a hard and fast rule, but I try not to use them. Since I don't use shampoo I try to be very careful when looking at the ingredient list.

[Mae]

I use silicones. I like that they protect my hair from damage and make my tresses shiny.

[Centelleo]

I used to use cones regularly as I thought it would be the only thing that could make my hair shiny and manageable. Too bad it's a purely cosmetic ingredient and I prefer to use ingredients that serves multiple purposes. Now I use shampoo bars, cone-free conditioners, natural carrier oils and butter blends that actually moisturize my hair, smooth the cuticle, add needed protein, and improve the texture, wave pattern, and overall appearance of my hair. The added benefit is that these products don't need strong detergents to remove 'cone buildup so I'm not stuck in a cycle of "harsh detergents to clean & remove build-up --- cones to smooth and "protect" --- build-up" --- and back again.

I wanted to start using MegaTek but they use one cone, which gives me pause before adding it to my routine.

[LucyHope]

I think there might be something to it, that hair on chemical dye likes cones better that hennaed hair.
I recall my hairdresser once saying that silicones make hair dyeing harder...

(Apologies if someone's already said this; I don't have time to read the whole thread!)

Apparently some or all cones wrap around the hair like laquer on wood, giving the external appearance of shine and making it slippery (which translates to softness and body, since the hairs zip away from each other instead of hanging close together or tangling). This is great if you're after that soft'n'shininess, but can apparently making dyeing more difficult, as the hair colour often can't penetrate or cling on to the hair shaft. (And it doesn't actually do anything for internal hair health, I'm told, it's purely cosmetic - but I have no actual facts on that point, so don't quote me!)

This is more so if you've been coning regularly for a long time - the hairdresser told me about a client who used cones intensively, and had to have her hair chemically stripped before the dye would take. Apparently the most common cases she encounters like this are from overusing 3/5/10-minute intensive conditioners and the like.

I can't use any supermarket or salon products any more, so no cones for me. I don't think I'd use them even if I could. (Needless to say, my hairdresser is agin' 'em - she said she'd rather people went WO than used cones. And for the record, she's not one to push salon products on people for a quick sale; she always tells me when there's a cheaper or better out-of-salon equivalent.) But that's just her opinion, and as always, YMMV! :)

Time for cheese! :cheese:

[Prism]

I put "still trying to decide." I'm trying out lots of cone-free shampoos and conditioners and loving the way my hair feels, but I've changed up so many aspects of my routine lately that I don't know for sure it's the things I'm avoiding.

We have a growing database of products and whether they contain the biggies (like cones and sulfates) that many here are trying to avoid. Check it out here and help us build it here: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=44010

[GlassEyes]

I can go either way these days. :shrug: Doesn't seem to matter much, actually. xD;

I love this thread's title. It makes it sound so naughty. Like you'll be in a bar, in the corner wearing a trenchcoat, and a similarly sinister looking person will walk up to you, sit down, and then with their hair smoothly placed in front of the face will whisper..."Do you cone?"

It's all very silly. XD

[Sissy]

when it comes to cones I go both ways :p although never in shampoos as that would be silly!

[elliebean184]

I do use cones, since it's very dry here in California, and it prevents to moisture from being sucked out. When I travel in the tropics, I find it's unnecessary, since there's enough moisture in the air from regular rains. (Although tropical field work makes most beauty issues irrelevant anyway. :P )
I usually cowash with a cone-free conditioner and sometime shampoo. I do find Jojoba oil super-important wherever I am.

[MonikaHa]

I gave up the cones at the same time I gave up shampoo, (which is about a month ago), and my hair loves it.
My hair without the cones has a totally different texture, is more lustrous, and feels fuller, I guess all that stuff was just weighing it down.

[AKgirl25]

At this moment I don't use cones.

[jenga]

I still like cones. Might try experiementing with not using them at some point though...

[squee]

I do not, they make my hair all greasy and rough. :)
...That includes the ones that are water-soluble as well....odd I know

[LunarAurora]

I don't use any chemical -cones but I've bought some natural and vegan silicone that I add to my shampoo (sometimes) I like it.

[kevala]

I don't use them, and never have...my mother raised me with Aubrey Organics products, and I now tend to use cone-free stuff from Trader Joe's.

[BlackfootHair]

I love cones!! :)

[morecowbell]

I use cones, but I'm trying to find an alternative, because I've noticed that my hair get's really sticky once in awhile (from buildup I'm assuming).

[freckles]

I'm still trying to decide. I am almost entirely cone free and have been for about 6 months, but on two or three occasions I've used cones to no detrimental effect that I can see, so I'm not really 'committed' to being cone free. My favourite shampoos and conditioners at the moment all happen to be cone free, though, so I'm probably no-cone for the forseeable future.

[lindenblossom]

My hair doesn't care either way. :)

[IcarusBride]

I don't think cones are evil, but I'm also not using them. It's more of an experiment for me. If my hair can be great without them, then I'll do that!

[2peasinapod]

I never use cones anymore. I was a bit skeptical when I made the transition, but now my hair has so much texture and moisture!

[patience]

yes..
I need the slip in my easily tangled hair.

[Joette]

I've always coned and it's probably necessary since I live close to the ocean and the salt-heavy air is murder on moisture. I might try going cone free for a while to see, but I honestly expect that experiment to fail. :D

[Katrina]

Yes, I do. I was cone-free for a year or so, but now I'm a cone head again.

[Capybara]

My hair loves cones. It it awful without them. I do have to clarify regularly though, usually every 2 weeks.

[Pacific]

I don't use any cones, my hair is more slip-proof without them.

[Irishred]

cones all depend on what shampoo & conditioner I am using at the time. Currently, I believe I am cony - using mostly Aussie ans herbal essence. Think I got these because of winter dryness and wanting protection (or at least that is my excuse LOL) I love VO5 stuff and that is pretty cone free. Will probably go back to that for summer.... maybe.

[boomygrrl]

I go back n forth between cones and not cones.
I voted that I love those silly cones, because I found amodimethicone is nice on my hair. I also like cyclomethicone and phenyl trimethicone sometimes. I don't like dimethicone though.

My favorite leave-in has amodimethicone (and my second favorite one has it too). One of my favorite rinse outs has amodimethicone in it too.

[Forever_Sophie]

My hair loves cones! I just clarify every other wk or so.

[Siava]

When I first joined and read about the curly girl method I went for a year coneless. I picked up some conditioner with cones just to see how my hair would react and to my surprise my hair loves them! So now I use cones on my curly hair. Who knows, maybe I'll switch it up again some day.

[-j-]

I don´t cone, because I use only certified natural products or pure oils etc.
Although I think cones might be good for my hair, because it has become coarser than before.

[christi.adell]

I used to use cones all the time. But now that I pixied and got rid of all my damaged hair I find that I don't really need them! So no cones in the shower. However the products I use sometimes do contain cones. But hopefully when I'm longer I want need those either.

[TXbarbie]

I'm in the middle of a no cones experiment. Been cone free for about a month now.

I highlight my hair every 1.5 months so I may keep CO'ing but treating the ends with coney conditioner. I just feel like the ends need it. But I'll give the experiment another month or two before deciding!

[Katurday]

My hair almost likes cones - its shiny for a little while, and defiently tangle free. However, it has a lot more body cone-free, and has a lot more shine. I think its due to how fast my hair builds up products, because I have to clarify every month cone-free. I much prefer the prices of the non-cone stuff so I stick to it. I'd take shine and body with tangles over smooth and coated sailing any day.

That being said, my hair loves coconut oil. It absorbs amazingly fast on my relatively straight hair.

[Carrie Ingalls]

I use cones, I have never gotten around to trying no cones...and maybe a little "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" :)

[RedCardigan]

Love my cones! I tried going no-cone and my wavey/wurly hair tangled and knotted something awful. I could hear the hair snapping as I tried to comb it out.

[MissCoco]

..........

[Lykaios]

I cone and my hair loves it. Its super shiny and tangle free. I think after I am done the fructus shine serum I'll get home coconut oil and are how that works. I would also like to try a clarifying shampoo once in a while, but when I henna I'll see if I can use my friend's stuff to test it out beforehand.

[Anniekins]

My hair loves cones and oils so I give it what it wants and it thanks me :)

[UltraBella]

I have been cone free for almost three weeks now and I think I like it much better. My hair feels so much softer :)

[Foxknot]

I don't use cones...my hair hates 'em. >>

[Loreley]

I don't use cones, my hair likes cone-free stuff more. :)

[DonyaleM]

My hair loves cones and oils so I give it what it wants and it thanks me :)

LOL! Cute!

I agree with you. I don't think I can hang with a cone free regimen. I think my hair would revolt and just fall off!

[white line]

I currently use them. Makes hair easier to detangle and like the slip they give. Doesn't seem to build up on my hair

[zenobia]

I'm experimenting with going cone-free. I'm wondering if it will make my waves more wavy. I have noticed more tangles lately.

[SusanneOSK]

I've been cone-free for about 2 months now. I also have been without any heat for the most part. In the first month, my hair got all puffy and frizzy so I just kept it in a bun or a braid but now, cone and heat free, it dries looking like I spent the last hour styling it! It's really hard to find a cone-free shampoo/conditioner sometimes, but it's been completely worth it for me.

[Trixie33]

I've been cone free for about a year, but then noticed that my hair was getting very dry and I started having a lot of breakage. So I'm back to cones and the my hair is much softer and smoother. I'm not surprised though because my hair loved cones (Pantene and Dove) prior to switching to no cones. We'll see what happens in another few weeks.

[JenniferNoel]

Cone free for about five months now and loving it! I don't plan to return to cones. My hair is so much bouncier and full without cones, and not to mention softer.

[May]

Silicone's protect my hair so I don't see any reason to not use them.

That being said I'm currently using an organic/vegan line of haircare products available here in Canada called Live Clean . I use the 'moisturizing' 'poo & 'dish (called Fresh Water) and they do not contain cones or SLS's. I love how my hair feels and looks so maybe I can survive, nay thrive, without cones afterall :cool:

[rosek]

I've got coloured ends, so they split abit. I like cones in my conditioner, but not my shampoo. I don't see them as bad :)

[voluspa]

My hair gets really dry so I've been going cone-free to avoid using harsh detergents. I would like to continue this, but I've yet to find something I like that is cone-free to tame my frizz and lock in moisture. I may have to go back to cones because I'm suddenly noticing a ton of splits whereas I used to hardly have any. (I don't think cones just used to 'disguise' my splits because they all cropped up on the very ends just yesterday. I don't have any more advanced ones.) My hair is drying out without protection and I don't really want to use oil. My hair is also puffier than it used to be, and oil hasn't helped that. But we'll see...

[Lavina]

I don't use cones anymore.

[sensisweetie]

heck yah i use cones!
i have never noticed them having a negative effect on my hair, so i continue using them
plus they make for great protection if i decide to use heat. :)

personally i think alot of people hear about "cone-free" and jump on the bandwagon assuming they are doing something great for their hair.
while they are not for everybody (cones), if your hair likes them you are NOT doing yourself much of any damage by using them- they are very effective at smoothing frizz prone hair.

as long as you clarify as needed, you are all good. :)

[TealDolphin]

I'm avoiding cones right now.

[ElusiveMuse]

My hair looks and feels like straw if I don't use cones.

[BlackVulture]

No cones for me. Cones make my hair limp, greasy, and oddly mold-able. It's nasty on my hair, take my word for it.

[Henrietta]

ewww never I dont use any cones! (Since May 2010 ;) )
And, ehm... Does cheese contains any cones?

[Cinnamoon]

I like cones right now, but at some point in the future I might stop using them and see what that's like.

[lillylonghair]

I tried to go cone-free and my hair rebelled. I also use cones in conjunction with oila nd my hair likes it. I do not use coney products every day. Just once in a while. Just depends on what my hair is feeling. I also don't think cones are 'bad'.

[ghost]

I love cones!! My hair just does not do well with cone-free treatment, but it loves water-soluble cones, and even some of the more adhesive ones.

[Khiwanean]

I still use Amodimethicone, but I'm planning on going cone-free once I use up my shampoo. I know that dimethicone and my hair DO NOT get along. It makes my hair feel plasticy. Unfortunately, I'll probably end up using it because I have a bottle of conditioner with dimethicone that I got from my SIL and I'll need a coney conditioner once the one I'm using runs out because of the SLS in my shampoo. Once I try going cone-free I'll know once and for all whether or not my hair cares for (certain) cones.

[Shany]

I stopped using cones since the end of may (2010). My hair is a lot better now. SLS free and cone free

[Harm0nyz86]

I've been cone free for almost a year, went through a horrible phase during the first three months but all is good now.

[Speck]

I'm still practicing trynna decipher the labels. :o

[Gamma Vector]

I used to be a gigantic conehead. I used every "straightening" or "anit-frizz" shampoo and conditioner I could find. *sigh* Eventually, after years of hating my hair and knowing the feeling was in fact mutual, I tried going cone-free and whaddayaknow? My hair calmed down and has generally behaved itself much better ever since. *headdesk*

[Dragon]

I use them some times but not all the time.

[smileycat]

When I used the blow dryer daily with a round BBB, my hair loved cones. Now that I no longer use heat, my hair hates cones. Talk about limp and slimy looking!

[little_cherry]

I use a coney conditioner maybe twice a month.

[Kathie]

They make my hair feel limp and unclean.

[Lianna]

I was coneless CO'ing for a few months, but my hair builds up really fast (i did clarify) and felt gummy. Today I dye, henna, poo, condition and oil (looks a lot in writing!).

[minicana]

I use cones. I just wash them out.

[Immera]

Until this week, I didn't realize this controversy existed. Didn't know what Cone was. Still confused on the sulfate thing.
Since I have about a six-month supply of that Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship stuff. and haven't had problems, I suppose I'm using cones for a while. Hate to see things go to waste.
Then I might give the no-cone side a shot.