Combination hair? I don't know what to do.

[gypsychild]

I've spent quite a while gathering info here at LHC, even before joining in myself. Before, I would shampoo my hair every day without conditioner. It felt fine, got flat sometimes, but otherwise worked out.

Since joining, I've been trying to stretch shampoos and introduce conditioner. Also, I've been experimenting with scalp-only shampooing. Apparently, I can't do it all at once. My hair is now okay with skipping a day of washing (after that I have to put it up). It will do okay with conditioner, but only if all of my hair gets shampooed and I only use a bit.

So today, after successfully not washing for two days and some change, I washed most of my hair and applied conditioner only to the ends and maybe an inch or two of length. When it dried, the hair on top (most shampooed, no conditioner) was normal. My ends (all conditioner, no shampoo) were nice and bouncy but a bit more "slick" than usual. The middle (some shampoo, half conditioner) was piecey and annoying, like I hadn't...well...washed my hair for two days.

Should I not bother with the conditioner? Am I trying too much at once? Should I stick it out for another few weeks to see if my hair will adjust? I don't wish to wash my hair again, so I'll likely stick it up (in a very pinned-up ponytail due to short layers) for another two days...

[09robiha]

I've spent quite a while gathering info here at LHC, even before joining in myself. Before, I would shampoo my hair every day without conditioner. It felt fine, got flat sometimes, but otherwise worked out.

Since joining, I've been trying to stretch shampoos and introduce conditioner. Also, I've been experimenting with scalp-only shampooing. Apparently, I can't do it all at once. My hair is now okay with skipping a day of washing (after that I have to put it up). It will do okay with conditioner, but only if all of my hair gets shampooed and I only use a bit.

So today, after successfully not washing for two days and some change, I washed most of my hair and applied conditioner only to the ends and maybe an inch or two of length. When it dried, the hair on top (most shampooed, no conditioner) was normal. My ends (all conditioner, no shampoo) were nice and bouncy but a bit more "slick" than usual. The middle (some shampoo, half conditioner) was piecey and annoying, like I hadn't...well...washed my hair for two days.

Should I not bother with the conditioner? Am I trying too much at once? Should I stick it out for another few weeks to see if my hair will adjust? I don't wish to wash my hair again, so I'll likely stick it up (in a very pinned-up ponytail due to short layers) for another two days...

Ok so here are my comments to the bolded parts of text. Personally, when I conditon my hair feels slippery and slick when wet and soft and sliky when dry. Do you mean your have feels greasy when it dries?? If so, it may be a case of rinsing more thourghly or finishing with an acv rinse.

Secondly, changing to much at once can cause you hair to freakout, but I would reallllly recommend you carry on with conditioner as it helps the hair tremedosly (sp?) That being said, there are a few memeber here who no longer use conditioner and if you use the search box, i'm sure you will find a thread on it. Catnip, honey and oil are other alternatives you can try if conditioner dosent work out for you but there are looooaadddsss of conditioners to try, im sure there is one for you out there somewhere!!

[Katze]

it will definitely take a while not only for your hair to adjust to a new routine, but for you to adjust to your hair feeling different.

I also have 'combination' hair - mostly fine with some medium textured bits, partially straight and partially wavy. After being at LHC for 5 years, I have a bit more of a handle on it, but it still sometimes does things I can't predict or control.

good luck!

[melikai]

Did you introduce conditioner because your hair is very damaged and dry and really needed it, or because you thought you should? If it is the latter, then I would say you don't need to use conditioner.

Keep trying to stretch washes, using just scalp shampoos. If you find you need a bit of moisture on your tips, use a drop of oil.

[gypsychild]

To 09robiha: It was a little bit greasy when it had dried. I think I was trying too much at once and maybe didn't quite rinse enough.

To melikai: I introduced conditioner because I thought I should. I only ever really used it before (when I was younger) to detangle my hair a bit. It doesn't get dried out and it's not damaged at all (I've only ever used heat a handful of times, never dyed, etc.) Since getting on LHC, I got the impression that hair just needs moisturizing and that shampoos are stripping of natural oils. Is it possible that I just don't need the conditioner?

[spidermom]

You could try applying conditioner to your length, shampooing your scalp, and then rinsing it all away together, which I do when it's very hot in the summer because my hair gets so limp and flat otherwise. Conditioner gives a lot of benefit to most of us. I can't imagine long hair without it. Of course, at your current length, you may not need it, so you can reconsider this idea when your hair gets longer.

[BlueMuse]

If your hair was feeling great and you introduced conditioner just because you thought you should. I would rethink the conditioner. I literally cannot comb my hair without conditioner so even the thought of just shampooing makes me wince. However if it's what works for you, it's what works for you. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

[karah]

I've had this sort of issue before, but what I have found is that applying the shampoo mostly on the scalp and then running my fingers through my hair after my scalp is all clean gives the rest of the hair the shampoo, but not as much. When ?I condition I do the ends first and then work my way up, the reverse of shampooing. Before I get out and if the weather is hot, I take some leave in conditioner and spray it on the ends so that they do not get overly dry. I am not sure if it will work for everyone, but it has helped with my hair.

[Dreams_in_Pink]

I introduced conditioner because I thought I should. I only ever really used it before (when I was younger) to detangle my hair a bit. It doesn't get dried out and it's not damaged at all

There's a possibility that conditioners don't work for you. But i must ask, is that one you used have cones in it? Maybe try a cone-free one? (or coney one, if it was coneless)

[Capybara]

You may not need conditioner. Especially at your current length, it may not work with your hair.

I'd say to do what works best with your hair. I'd love if I could save money by not having to use conditioner :D

[gypsychild]

There's a possibility that conditioners don't work for you. But i must ask, is that one you used have cones in it? Maybe try a cone-free one? (or coney one, if it was coneless)

I've used both and there doesn't seem to be much difference for me.

[PiroskaCicu]

I have a very similar problem with conditioner and shampooing. My hair is fine but I have LOTS of it, so putting too much conditioner is what makes my hair how you described...the feeling that it hasn't been washed. I suggest using less conditioner, and not applying to the whole length but rather mostly the ends. Try not to go to close to the scalp or ears but focus on the very ends where it needs the most moisture.

Good luck, I hope this helps. :- )

[Katze]

yes, I would second not conditioning scalp/crown hair. You can use a tiny bit of oil or leave-in (I use Fox's) after washing or when hair is dry.

Fine wavy hair is, again, hard to deal with but it IS possible. :) Patience helps. :)