Cones vs No-Cones

[Vrushali]

So I have been a conehead for as long as I can remember and have been happy with the results :scared:...Ahem, so yesterday I decided to do a diagnostic test on my hair. I know you need to use a clarifying shampoo but I didn't have any so washed my hair throughly with a sulfate shampoo I had. I did not use any conditioner later and just did a ACV rinse. My hair felt well the same as it did with cones. After it had almost dried I put in a teeny weeny bit of aloe gel. No tangles, no roughed up feeling and very few frizzies (basically same results as with cones). I am stumped! Am I doing something wrong?? Do I absolutely need to use a clarifying shampoo or does my hair do well enough without cones?? I have been planning to go all natural once I am through with my current stash of poo and condish (can't waste) and if my hair is going to be fine without all the fancy stuff guess who is going to be laughing all the way to the bank!!!:happydance:..sorry for the reaaally long post!

[JamieLeigh]

I'm laughing right there with you!! I was always in love with Aussie products (and sometimes I do still miss my 3-Minute Miracle), but on the whole I'm happy that I switched out to Suave and coneless conditioners. For one thing, I discovered my hair to be lots wavier than I thought it was. The cones were seriously weighing my hair down and making it straighter.

[Luckysock]

neat. I've been trying to get the wave in my hair to come out (without using gels and mousse) - maybe I'll try going cone free for a while and see if that helps.

Thanks!

[rags]

I think it can depend on what kind of cones you've been using, and for how long. I used a sulfate shampoo on my hair after two years of Redken products (coney shampoo, conditioner, and leave in) and it didn't touch it. Nada, zip. I actually had to do a clarifying shampoo twice (lather, rinse, repeat) before I could tell the difference.

And ever since, Redken doesn't act the same with my hair, so I know darn well it was build up. (Also, it will build back up again in about a month) I'd say try an actual clarifying shampoo.

[halo_tightens]

...I discovered my hair to be lots wavier than I thought it was. The cones were seriously weighing my hair down and making it straighter.



And ever since, Redken doesn't act the same with my hair, so I know darn well it was build up.

Me too, to both!

I never knew I had actual waves until all the buildup was out of my hair. And now, if I try to use my coney conditioners, I can totally feel the difference. At least for this moment in time, my hair is happier without cones.

It's funny to me... If anyone, even an expert, had ever tried to convince me that there was buildup in my hair from cones, I would have argued and fought and never believed it. I really never suspected a thing! I'd been using huge amounts of cones since I was a kid, so I just never knew any other way for my hair to feel. I'm glad I decided to experiment with different things, so now I can make informed product choices for the first time. I guess I just assumed for years that what I was doing was the only way for me! Now I have been appropriately hair-humbled, lol. I can't knock something 'til I've tried it!

(Thanks, LHC :))

[Vrushali]

I have been using Herbal Essences and Aussie for almost 6 months now and was using LOreal for ages before that. I know all of these have cones in them and the shampoo has sulfates. I remember reading somewhere on this forum that sulfates get the cones out so I guess thats why I did not have too many build-up issues earlier. I have been experimenting with CO for a while and did a SMT over the weekend with Aussie 3 minute miracle and my hair went really limp and greasy so I just washed it with that sulfate shampoo and did not condition it. Its the second day today and my hair feels so light and smooth so I am convinced it was the buildup from all the CO.

Interestingly my usually curly-wavy hair is much straighter with my hair not sticking together for a change. Is this because the sulfates have stripped my hair of all moisture?

[Vrushali]

I think it can depend on what kind of cones you've been using, and for how long. I used a sulfate shampoo on my hair after two years of Redken products (coney shampoo, conditioner, and leave in) and it didn't touch it. Nada, zip. I actually had to do a clarifying shampoo twice (lather, rinse, repeat) before I could tell the difference.

And ever since, Redken doesn't act the same with my hair, so I know darn well it was build up. (Also, it will build back up again in about a month) I'd say try an actual clarifying shampoo.

I think I'll buy some clarifying shampoo the next time I go to a drugstore. Would you all recommend the Suave clarifying shampoo?

[templeofvenus]

personally I like cones having tried cone free and my hair was too light and fluffy, at its current length just past chin I can't have fluffly flyaway hair it was not a good look and I couldn't tie it back out the way, maybe when its longer and I can tie it back I will try cone free again:)

[hmmm]

I haven't been using conditioner at all for the last two weeks or so, just oiling and washing it with a soapnut shampoo, following it up with an ACV rinse. I think my hair feels better, oddly enough, and its shinier looking. And I've been using cones for as long as I can remember! I think it's great, but still pretty odd. Why would I have been using an ingredient that made absolutely no difference for that long? I must be just stupid.

[Vrushali]

I haven't been using conditioner at all for the last two weeks or so, just oiling and washing it with a soapnut shampoo, following it up with an ACV rinse. I think my hair feels better, oddly enough, and its shinier looking. And I've been using cones for as long as I can remember! I think it's great, but still pretty odd. Why would I have been using an ingredient that made absolutely no difference for that long? I must be just stupid.

That's the exact same routine I am thinking of starting, oiling with soapnut wash and ACV rinse. I am so glad it works for you!:)

[hmmm]

Happy to help! :)

[halo_tightens]

personally I like cones having tried cone free and my hair was too light and fluffy, at its current length just past chin I can't have fluffly flyaway hair it was not a good look and I couldn't tie it back out the way, maybe when its longer and I can tie it back I will try cone free again:)

This is a very good point, too. I don't know if I would have liked the current texture I have when my hair was chin-length. Mine would have been pretty fluffy too... I also didn't know about oiling, though.

I say, whatever makes your hair (and the rest of you) happy!:)

[JamieLeigh]

I would definitely recommend the Suave clarifying. It's what I use, and I've never had trouble. :)

Regarding the cone-free, it won't work for everyone...and lots of people find that their hair isn't as soft and manageable without the cones. But I use a lot of coconut oil and let it sit overnight once a week (if I can), and it really makes a difference in softness. I'd say that on MY hair at least, it's as good as using cones. :D

[Vrushali]

Thanks JamieLeigh..that is so heartening!:)

[Fractalsofhair]

If your hair is VERY healthy, and has a natural shine to it, cones don't really have anything to hide so going cone free won't change all that much. If you want to, you can try to clarify one more time and then see how your hair is.

[Topaz]

I tend to vacillate between cones and non-cones. WITH cones, my hair is straighter and thicker looking, just gorgeous to my own eyes, but I also get tons more split ends (and if I make the mistake of using Pantene products, I lose hair by the fistful!). If I go NON-cone, my hair is healthier, less splits, less shedding, but just doesn't look as good. So it's a toss-up for me, healthy vs. beautiful, but I have to say healthy is winning. I usually only use cones when I have something special happening and want my hair to look its best.

[loyaboya]

I have a question. I just read an article today that discussed water soluble vs non-soluble cones. It said that water soluble cones will eventually rinse out of your hair with water, whereas non-soluble cones won't. Those you *have* to remove with shampoo. I wonder, does this mean that someone who once used cones must at some point use a shampoo (to remove them) otherwise they will always have some residual level of cones in their hair? Or can alternative shampoos, oils, etc remove them over time?

[Vrushali]

I have a question. I just read an article today that discussed water soluble vs non-soluble cones. It said that water soluble cones will eventually rinse out of your hair with water, whereas non-soluble cones won't. Those you *have* to remove with shampoo. I wonder, does this mean that someone who once used cones must at some point use a shampoo (to remove them) otherwise they will always have some residual level of cones in their hair? Or can alternative shampoos, oils, etc remove them over time?

I read this somewhere too! Infact, there was a thread on LHC with a list of water soluble and water non-soluble cones. I will tag it here if I can find it. My opinion about this is that you need either clarifying shampoo or a sulfate shampoo to handle the water non-soluble cones. If they stay in hair for long, hair starts to look limp and dull and you have a case of 'build-up' then which I experienced myself when I did CO with a coney condish for 2 weeks! I really don't know if there are any alternative ways to get cones out of your hair :shrug: but if there is, I would love to know too!


If your hair is VERY healthy, and has a natural shine to it, cones don't really have anything to hide so going cone free won't change all that much. If you want to, you can try to clarify one more time and then see how your hair is.

I am planning to clarify this weekend or the next and will report my findings. Thanks for the support!:)


I tend to vacillate between cones and non-cones. WITH cones, my hair is straighter and thicker looking, just gorgeous to my own eyes, but I also get tons more split ends (and if I make the mistake of using Pantene products, I lose hair by the fistful!). If I go NON-cone, my hair is healthier, less splits, less shedding, but just doesn't look as good. So it's a toss-up for me, healthy vs. beautiful, but I have to say healthy is winning. I usually only use cones when I have something special happening and want my hair to look its best.

I so agree! Cones make my hair unbelievably silky and smooth. Come to think of it, I have been having a lot of split ends of late but I don't know if its the cones or me going off salon trimming. There is an experiment I would like to conduct!:eye:

[Susana]

I personally like the cones. I tried going cone free for a while but it did not work that great for me. I did natural shampoos, SO, WO, BSV and then one day I used pantene again and I loved how my hair looked. I was away this weekend and did not use my shampoo....my hair did not like it at all. It felt weird. But I am glad it worked for you. I've been reading JJJ's page http://jjjlonghairphotopage.zoomshare.com/ (she's a member with gorgeously long and healthy hair) and I think I am going to try her routine. Heck, she even uses a hair dryer!!:):cool: