Fabric softener

[Clarisse]

I couldn't find a thread about this - please tell me if a thread about this already excists. I wasn't really sure about where to post it either - here or in the "Recipes, Henna, and Herbal Haircare"? It's not a recipe, it's not Henna and it's definitely not herbal, but it is a somewhat unusual product to use on hair.

I have discovered that fabric softener is great for conditioning my hair. I simply use it instead of regular conditioner after shampooing my roots. Regular conditioner makes my hair flat, straight, limp and boring. If i don't use conditioner, my hair gets dry, poofy and static. But fabric softener enchances my waves/curls AND makes my hair soft, manegable and fights down frizz.

I just wanted to share the tip :)

I know that fabric softener contains some pretty harsh chemicals - but I've bought and earth friendly one, and I haven't noticed any damage (discoloration, breakage etc.) on my hair from using it.

Have any of you tried it on your hair? And do you consider it safe to use?

[LutraLutra]

I haven't tried it, and I'm glad it works for you, but personally I'd be very, very careful with using even an 'eco friendly' brand of fabric conditioner on your hair. Fabric conditioner is strong stuff, it's diluted in a washing machine, and it's certainly not designed for prolonged use on skin. :flower:

[Elphie]

I would never have even thought of something like this. What made you try it the first time?

[Clarisse]

LutraLutra - I am a little concerned about it myself too. I dilute it with water before adding it, and I apply it to the length only (from ears and down). In the beginning I used it only every second or third time I washed my hair. But my hair simply get's so wonderful when I use it, it is soo hard to resist...

Elphy - I bought fabric softener for a pair of trousers, that just felt very... well, I don't really know the right word in english... But they really needed fabric softener :P And then I just thought "If it can make my pants soft, perhaps it can make my hair softer too".

[lambhair]

In one of the Apostolic hair videos on Youtube, I recall that the girl mentioned using a fabric softener dryer sheet to provide a setting lotion. She wet the sheet, then squeezed it and ran her dampened fingers through the part of her hair that she wanted to curl. Then she wrapped the hair around her fingers and pinned it aside while she worked on another section. When she came back to the curl part, it held the curl like crazy. I actually tried this on a small section of my own hair and I didn't notice any ill effects, but I wasnt brave enough to do a whole hairstyle using it.

[Carolyn]

I remember girls doing that back when I was in college (early 70s). I don't like the smell of the fabric softeners I've used for laundry so I wouldn't want to put it on my hair.

[Sylvanas]

I have had friends use fabric softener to get dreadlocks out of their hair. It really helped with detangling. Maybe you could post the ingredient list of your fabric softener, so the experts on here can tell you exactly how safe it is. Personally I would never use it as anything else than an emergency detangler :)