does going cone free give fine hair more body?

[templeofvenus]

Just wondering as I have fine hair whether using a cone free conditioner would in fact give more body than silicone laden products? anyone had experience with this as bit dubious about trying cone free as my hair is dyed and wondering if I need cones to keep it looking right!

[madzoo]

My personal experience is that it doesn't. For me it matters more if the conditioner is moisturizing vs. extra body than if it is cone vs. no cone. Everyone is different, though, so you may want to try one to see if you like it.

[Tabitha]

My hair is fine, although there is a lot of it (says my hairdresser, and also when comparing strands at a meet, an individual hair was definitely confirmed as"fine"). When I do use products with silicones, it makes it a lot sleeker and rather flattens it down. So I suppose for me, the answer to your question is "Yes".

The reason I rarely use silicones is because they make my hair very slippery so that updos are impossible, and also seem to make me need to wash a day or two earlier than otherwise (I normally wash every 5-7 days). If I wanted to wear my hair down and blowdry it to look shiny and silky with minimal waves and no frizz, I would use a coney conditioner, leave-in or serum.

[EvaSimone]

Yes definitely it's true for me. I have been cone free for about a year and before that my hair was very straight and sleek thanks to cones. I was probably a 1b. Once I stopped using cones my hair type became a 1c/2a.

This is my hair on cones about 20 months ago without any heat styling or anything:
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e159/rszpara/100_6072-1.jpg

This is my hairtyping picture about 1 year ago without cones:
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e159/rszpara/hair-24-2.jpg

BTW I too have dyed hair. My cone free hair is a lot softer and feels much less plasticky. It also seems to be in better condition than it was with cones.

[earthdancer]

I went cone-free when I started to experiment with all-natural soap shampoo bars. I was pleasantly surprised when my hair had a lot more body and weight after the very first time.

My hair is not as "silky" as before but it looks and feels like there is more of it, and it's also very shiny--glisten-y, even. I don't have "flat hair" anymore, either. I do use a vinegar rinse (left on for a couple of minutes afterward in the shower) to reduce mineral and wax build-up from the bars, and clarify with John Frieda shampoo for light blondes about every 4th wash.

My routine: When I shower, I wash my hair first (often sudsing twice in hot weather), then pour on the vinegar/water combination from a cup I already have prepared. Then I put my hair up in a clip while it works. I wash the rest of me, then take the clip out of my hair and rinse the vinegar out.

[templeofvenus]

Yes definitely it's true for me. I have been cone free for about a year and before that my hair was very straight and sleek thanks to cones. I was probably a 1b. Once I stopped using cones my hair type became a 1c/2a.

This is my hair on cones about 20 months ago without any heat styling or anything:
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e159/rszpara/100_6072-1.jpg

This is my hairtyping picture about 1 year ago without cones:
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e159/rszpara/hair-24-2.jpg

wow what a difference thats awesome! so which cone free products do you use? I am in the uk I know boots and superdrug do have some cone free conditioners, I think I will try!

[EvaSimone]

wow what a difference thats awesome! so which cone free products do you use? I am in the uk I know boots and superdrug do have some cone free conditioners, I think I will try!

I use Giovanni 50:50 shampoo and conditioners. I also use Burts Bees Green tea and Fennel Seed and I like VO5 green tea therapy conditioners.

I don't mean to be negative but everyone has conditioners and shampoos that don't work for their hair type so don't get too discouraged if those don't work well for you. I've recommended them to two people in the past. One didn't like them and the other did so take my advice with a grain of salt. :p

Also I am not sure if you know this so please be sure to clarify with a sulfate containing cone free shampoo before embarking on sulfate/cone free or your hair will be miserable.

Good luck with whatever routine you decide to go with!

[templeofvenus]

[quote=EvaSimone;674129]I use Giovanni 50:50 shampoo and conditioners. I also use Burts Bees Green tea and Fennel Seed and I like VO5 green tea therapy conditioners.

I don't mean to be negative but everyone has conditioners and shampoos that don't work for their hair type so don't get too discouraged if those don't work well for you. I've recommended them to two people in the past. One didn't like them and the other did so take my advice with a grain of salt. :p

Also I am not sure if you know this so please be sure to clarify with a sulfate containing cone free shampoo before embarking on sulfate/cone free or your hair will be miserable.

Good luck with whatever routine you decide to go with!


thanks...I don't think I can get those products here in the uk and the vo5 ones here have cones :( I will hunt about for some cone free's here and will of course wash my hair in a sulfate shampoo that has no cones before I start! thanks for the advice :)

[ericthegreat]

I definitely have personally experienced that once you go conefree, your hair gets a lot more volume so I definitely agree with you templeofvenus. Actually, I have very coarse, thick hair and even my hair type gets a whole new lift at the roots every time I CO rinse my hair. Yes, constant COing with coneless conditioners( I use Suave Naturals and White Rain) has actually added body to my hair and made it more lively.

[Fractalsofhair]

I have very fine hair, and going cone free has given my hair more body, but oiling helped prevent the poofyness from happening. It depends on what you mean by dyed as to if cones are likely helping your hair look right. If you have severely damaged hair as I had from bleach, it didn't help my hair when I went totally cone free(I had been sorta cone free for years, but not heavily). Oiling helps a ton with that though. If your hair is really fried though, I would suggest the cones to mask damage. They're great for that!

[Zombiekins]

Of course it'll depend on your hairtype, but for me I've found 'cones to be very flattening. If I use cones (via conditioner or especially styling products like a frizz serum) then my hair will be gorgeously shiny and slick.....but straight and flat as a board. It's already pretty damn straight, but with 'cones it's particularly shiny-flat iron straight.

Sorry, no reference pics. I don't use 'cones at home (and don't have any here), but on a recent trip back home I used some of my sisters' stuff. Some kind of Paul Mitchell serum (smelled like watermelon) and a herbal essences conditioner.

[JamieLeigh]

Cone-filled conditioners definitely weigh my hair down. If you look at the photos in my albums, you'll see a big difference in my hair in September & October of last year, versus this year. It actually has waves! Which I didn't really know until I went cone-free, lol.

[Yttrai]

Naturally, only your own hair will give you the answer ;)

But as for me, going silicone free worked really well, although it took a while to find conditioners that didn't leave my hair crispy. Certain Suaves were the answer, and it worked great for me for about 2 years. Body and volume were slightly better than normal, but overall health was up and that's my goal.

Interestingly, when i was on an ocean beach vacation i had to go back to Pantene or Garnier in order for my hair to be remotely manageable. Once i got back home, i could remain silicone free, but while exposed to salt water or sun for more than a day at a time, it was not possible even with multiple conditionings per shower. Freshwater beach vacations i could barely manage without silicones, but it was still tough.

And lastly, on the CRCR (condition rinse condition rinse. I've tried Condition Only (CO) or Condition rinse Wash rinse Condition rinse (CWC) and neither work for me whatsoever) regime i have been on for the past year, i actually do need silicones at least once a week. I wish i didn't but my hair hath spoken and there it is.


Good luck :)

[lapushka]

I have fine hair and cone products (shampoo or conditioner) weigh my hair down. Years ago, I used to only ever use shampoo and it was a cone laden one by Garnier (Fructis). My hair felt synthetic, looked really flat, and stuck to my head as if it were oily - and I have oily hair to begin with. It seemed as if I only had half the head of hair that I do without cone products.

Going cone free does give my hair more body, true. It doesn't stop me from using cone stuff once in a while, though, because I still have products that I need to use up.

[MsBubbles]

I tried going cone-free for about 6 months. My hair was tangly and sort of fluffy at the ends, and I couldn't run my fingers through it (which ironically made me want to do it more!).

I went back to Sunsilk conditioner and now my hair hangs like it used to - like hair instead of wool. I can't say I noticed much, damage-wise from using cones. I might be able to discern that by going 4 years cone-free then four years cone-full, but I'm not going to do that!

I got more 'body' perhaps with the cone-free, but at the expense of normal hair-movement and being tangle-free.

I have not been able to find any cone-free conditioner that gives me the slip I need for my fine hair.

[Amara]

I really love Vo5's conditioners that are cone free for my fine hair. They have plenty of slip for my tangles and they leave me with more body than cone conditioners.

[LutraLutra]

I have fine hair and cone products (shampoo or conditioner) weigh my hair down. Years ago, I used to only ever use shampoo and it was a cone laden one by Garnier (Fructis). My hair felt synthetic, looked really flat, and stuck to my head as if it were oily - and I have oily hair to begin with. It seemed as if I only had half the head of hair that I do without cone products. (snip!)

That's my experience exactly. My hair was crying out for oils and moisture and I kept slapping more and more cones into my hair and ended up with a weird greasy/dry/brittle/fake feeling mess. That's one of the reasons why I never grew my hair before - I genuinley thought that that was how my hair naturally looked. :(

[Finoriel]

It depends not only on the thickness of ones individual strands of hair. Also on how straight, wavy or curly it is. Cones weight down ones hair to some degree, that´s true.
But speaking for pin straight hair like mine - there simply was no body to weight down. So being cone free did not change anything. My hair is straight and sleek with or without them - not more and not less body - simply because my hair naturally does not have any body :lol:.
I assume that only applies to 1a hair though and often people who have 1a hair with cones discover that they have 1b or 1c or even 2a hair without cones. So I would recommend that you try and find out if your hair has body under the cone-layer or not and how you like it.

:wink: I like my flat hair though, can´t say it´s a bad thing. Except maybe annoying questions about which straightening iron or relaxer I use :smirk:.

[OhioLisa]

I agree with Finoriel. I went from 1b to 2b after quitting cones. I also went from stringy hair in a few hours to being able to wash every other day. I hate cones with a passion. :silly:

[bluemoon1891]

I have fine hair and for the past decade had been using cones. I noticed my hair constantly laid flat, lifeless, and looked greasy as hell. Then a couple of weeks ago, I finally ditched them. I did NOT know my natural texture had this much body and volume! Who would have thought that all this thickness was hiding underneath these 'cones? :)

[MandaMom2Three]

Yes, I've got way more volume since going cone free! Much lighter too :D

[kdaniels8811]

I was blaming the herbal wash for my hair getting thicker. My circumference has actually increased since I did away with conventional shampoos. My ears used to stick out of my hair, it was so oily and thin. Washing every day did not even help. Now, I can go 3 - 4 days and it stays shiny and healthy looking. Try it for a month - there is an adjustment period - and see if your hair likes it. Good luck.

[vamq]

For me, cones won't work, I only use them on my ends once in a while (some kind of oild conditioner with cones, but it works for my ends)

When I still used cones, my hair was quite much 1a (not to mention I always highlighted my hair, I suppose that was flattening my hair as well)
When I stopped using cones, my hair got a lot bigger, more fluffy. The only bad part is the frizz, but who sees frizz when the hair is al up? :D

Here's the difference:

Back then..(right after lightening my hair the day before)
http://members.lycos.nl/criminalplaza/Map2/januari%202007.jpg
Vs now..(last month, pretty sure all damage has grown out)
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g105/vamirequi/2009/mei20092.jpg

[Laylah]

wow, vamq- that is a huge difference!

Unfortunately I am among the minority of coneheads here :D Before coming to LHC, I tried going cone/sls free for almost a year but even with all the oiling/conditioner my hair was a huge frizzball. My hair didnt show any splits or damage, but it just got too puffy and tangled. I'm still sls free but I use cones now and my hair is much improved.

so, I think cones are different for everyone. But if you have fine hair it might be better to stay away from cones.

[rags]

Well, I like cones. I like the slip and the shine they give, and I especially like the fact that I am not allergic to them! :D

But when I am cone free I most certainly do have more volume and body to my hair. I went from a 1a to a 1c pretty much (some said 2a) - I never knew I had any waves!

[coolbreeze212]

Personally, I liked that cones helped a little with frizz. But, my length was always so full of tangles.

Being cone-free eliminates virtually all my tangles, and gives me slightly more volume. The frizz....well, I've learned alternative ways to deal with that (oiling, Kimberlily's DeFrizz spray, etc.)

[Mabel Grey]

With my pin straight, fine hair, I have found that being 99% of the time cone-free, my hair is happy. It has more body and I would say it is actually gaining a bit of 'wave'.
I used cones pre-LNC, I didn't even know what they were. I have been cone free for about 2 months, with the exception of the ends, every once and awhile they get some cones (I have product coming out my ears, and I just can't throw it away, too expensive). I have to admit that as the summer wears on here, with the days above 100, I am oiling quite a bit and I literally take a palm full of oil to my length, in the mornings, when I braid my hair. Granted, I am outside from sun up to sun down.
On that note, I love my hair cone free.

[templeofvenus]

thanks for all the responses :) I am gonna give cone free a try! lets see what happens lol

[snolol]

thanks for all the responses :) I am gonna give cone free a try! lets see what happens lol

Good luck! I’m right there with you!! Heading to the store now to pick up a cone free shampoo and conditioner!

[leayellena]

my pros of not using cones:
- you can generally use that conditioner on your scalp more often, it's not going to clogg your folicles.
- I can generally start with a ponytail base for my updo because the ponytail doesn't slip in 2 seconds.
- it makes hair more... stable(?) I mean I can start with a french/dutch braided updo base instead of hair ties ;)
my cons:
- too fluffy hair that can't be braided that easily because stray strands curl on my fingers
- which leads to possible damage so I take more time when braiding
- my taper/thin ends are still wearing the mark of an expert cut so feathering in a way that it curls like a 2b or 2c, enhanced by the cone-free conditioner. I'm not going to wear my hair half straight and suddenly half curly, with a dent in the middle, where my natural growth 1c pattern begins.
- our updos are too neat for some messy haircuts so it's difficult to keep those fluff and messy ends neat without cones. the pesky layers tend to stick out. this works of course for shorter lengths, where the cut is still fresh. I can tuck my tapered ends so well in an updo, nobody knows I have that thin ends heheh.
- yes, your hair will have body, but it will also look messy without a blow dry job. I mean it's messy for hairdressers so they instantly think it's frizz, which is of course damage.

[lapushka]

I have fine hair and cone products (shampoo or conditioner) weigh my hair down. Years ago, I used to only ever use shampoo and it was a cone laden one by Garnier (Fructis). My hair felt synthetic, looked really flat, and stuck to my head as if it were oily - and I have oily hair to begin with. It seemed as if I only had half the head of hair that I do without cone products.

Going cone free does give my hair more body, true. It doesn't stop me from using cone stuff once in a while, though, because I still have products that I need to use up.

Going back on my response from *so* so many years ago.

I told you guys I still had products to use up, well I have made a switch to silicones again. I am using silicones more often than not, but only in my conditioner.

Back when I was a teen (Garnier Fructis), those shampoos were laden with silicones, and since eliminating them from my shampoos, that's been awesome.

But in conditioners? You better believe I use them there!!! I need the slip for detangling purposes. There are very few silicone-free products around that can detangle with ease and for F hair, that is contrary to what you want.

Yes, it *can* weigh hair down, but it is all this: moderation & smart use.

[Groovy Granny]

I went cone free and my hair was a total wreck....limp, dry, and tangled :tmi:

My hair just loves them....they give my wurls more definition.... texture when in colder seasons it is more sleek....and they render my hair tangle free.

Though recently I have tried cone free products that have oils in them and they are awesome in my hair;it is not greasy/oily or weighed down at all.

So I mix and match products depending on the weather conditions and what my hair seems to need.

[MusicalSpoons]

For me, yup, definitely. Well, technically my hair is M/F and I currently use one conditioner containing a water-soluble cone halfway down the ingredients list - but other than that I am cone-free. My hair became floaty when I switched from cones, and the only reason it isn't always still floaty is I do an oil rinse (ROO) when I wash.

My texture change I don't think can be entirely attributed to switching from cones, but I did notice for the first time that my hair had body and movement and was evidently hiding *some* texture when I first switched: I went from a very stringy, frizzy, dull 1b to a stringy, frizzy, healthier floaty 1b/1c :lol:
[Then with extra moisturising in the routine, currently a clumpy, less frizzy, less floaty 1c/2a. I know the stringiness before was also due to clumps but I think the clumps are a bit bigger now and look more like they're something normal for hair, rather than just thin strings. The previous stringiness felt horrible too, with dry frizz and just UGH, whereas now the clumps are soft.]

Of course it completely depends on each head of hair, but it's certainly worth bearing in mind as a potential result.

[0xalis]

In my experience, using a light cone-free conditioner after my sulfate free shampoo makes my hair quite voluminous, floaty even.
It's what I prefer. I don't really mind stray hairs, the messy look suits my personality anyway. It's not too dry, either.
When I COwash (on not too dirty hair) my hair is very silky and hydrated. I try not to COwash too often though, lest it be a greasy mess.

[desisparkles]

def. cones added weight which made my hair appear much thicker even while being super heavily layered.

no cones has made it lighter with more movement even with minimal layering.