To cone, or not to cone?

[klcqtee]

I'm trying to find a balance between my scalp and hair, and I hope some can help.

Here's the deal: I seem to have developed a very mild allergy to cones. My skin breaks out in terrible acne (when normally there is only one or two small zits at a time) that itches, and is generally quite sore. I like to CO, but cones are too heavy, and make my hair lank and stingy. CWC works pretty well, but I must keep cones below ear level otherwise my scalp gets greasy too fast (and it too breaks out).

My hair on the other hand loves cones. It's very coarse, and the cones help to make it softer. They remove some of the frizz issues I have, and make my wurls defined and clump together better (which is a good thing).

I was hoping someone could advise some sort of product or routine that might help? Right now I'm trying cone free CO with GF triple nutrition, and the occasional clarifying shampoo to help with greasies, and a 'coney leave in (which isn't breaking out my skin).

I worry that my 'cone allergy will get worse (I've heard multiple exposures can exacerbate a problem), and I'm hoping to find some method (or product) that will help keep frizz at bay and make coarse-ness more manageable, and that doesn't make me break out. Maybe water soluble cones would help?

Oils tend to make my hair stringy and straight (coconut oil and EVOO), which helps with the frizz and coarse-ness, but makes it lank, and I don't personally enjoy straight hair on me, but it's fine for updos.

Any adivce you can offer is greatly appreciated, TIA!

ETA: just to clarify, I have been cone free CO for about 5 months, and am just now trying to use the coney serum-leave in thing as a part of my attempt to use up my stash. I'm trying cones as a leave in as a way to appease my hair without causing break outs, as coney conditioners are a no go.

[shockinglength]

I'd try going no 'cones for awhile, and see where that takes you. Although after my hair was completly cone free for about two weeks my hair look horrible and needed about 2 in. trimmed off, I think it was because the cones had hidden lots of damage. Now without cones (6 months or so) my hair is GREAT. I'd suggest to anyone to at least try it for longer than a month and see what happens. Best of luck!

[shockinglength]

BTW I use the Live Clean brand, the others were awful.

[GRU]

You know, earlier today I made a possible allergy connection myself.

I have some seasonal (pollens) and environmental (dust mites, molds) allergies. I also wear contacts. (Mr. Magoo could beat me in a vision contest, I swear!)

Over the past few years, I've had instances when my eyes (or just one) would start watering out of the blue. It usually happened at the office, and I thought I maybe had some mold in the walls or carpet (it doesn't smell musty or anything, but we had a minor flood in there about five years ago). It was rare for it to happen at home, and it only sometimes happened in the car or at hockey rinks (how sad is my life... those are the only places I go! :lol: )

I went cone-free and became a CO-washer back in October -- no cones or SLS in all that time.... until two nights ago. I put conditioner in my hair at bedtime, and I didn't realize until the next day that it was FULL of cone!!!! I have NO idea how I missed it on the label... it was the SECOND ingredient, for crying out loud!!!! :rolleyes:

Well, yesterday and today I had the eye-watering thing at the office... haven't had it in ages! And it wasn't until today that it occurred to me that my no-watering era coincided with my no-cone era. This would make sense based on my symptoms -- at home, my hair is almost always pulled back, ditto for hockey rinks, Driving is kind of a 50/50, and the office is 75%+ down (sometimes in a half-up/half-down), and 25% pulled completely back.

The office is where my hair is most likely to be down, and the office is where I get (got) most of my eye symptoms. After being cone-free for 8 months, I have an accidental coning and all of a sudden I'm getting eye symptoms again at work.... and I pulled my hair back at home and I've had nothing tonight. Hopefully the last of these cones will be gone by tomorrow and my eyes can return to normal.

As for your situation, I would recommend CO-washing, completely cone-free, and using a cone-free conditioner as a substitute for your leave-in coney product. I never would have believed that I could put full-strength conditioner on my hair as a leave-in, but my coarse and curly hair really DOES drink it up like it's lemonade on a hot day!

I use Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut for everything (wash/condition/leave-in) and it seems to be a popular choice for CO-washing here at LHC. Maybe give it a try and see if it calms your hair down without strangling it?

[klcqtee]

shocking length and Gru Thank you for your advice! I'm currently CO cone free, but as part of using up my stash I'm attempting to use a coney leave in as part of my attempt to get rid of my stash. I think I'll try a different cone free conditioner when I finish my garnier triple nutrition. It's almost out anyway.

Gru : I hope you got your allergy situation figured out!

[HintOfMint]

I have heard good things about shea butter (particularly for curly and wavy hair) as well as other butters, although I have yet to try them for myself.

I can see how coarse hair would love cones though. I'm guessing that your hair is porous as well. Try looking up hair porosity and the corresponding treatments. Just an idea.

[GRU]

Gru : I hope you got your allergy situation figured out!

Thanks... I'm convinced that has to be it... I let my hair down at home last night, and within five minutes I had another eye-watering episode. That's one heck of a coincidence, IMO!

[FrannyG]

Frankly, I wouldn't even want to try to use up your current stash, since as you say, repeated usage can exacerbate allergies. Even if you are only using the cones on the length, it can get transferred to your hands easily and then to your face.

I would concentrate on experimenting with various cone-free products. You can try another one, while you're still using Triple Condition. Sometimes changing conditioners for each wash is beneficial.

I found that when I first went no-cones, shea butter was very helpful. I didn't use it straight from the jar; I made up a batch of Fox's Shea Butter Conditioning Cream (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=4586&highlight=fox*+shea). This is a great leave-in. Even though you do use some oils, it doesn't behave the same way as straight oils do, and never made my hair greasy. You do use it sparingly, though.

[klcqtee]

You know FrannyG, I think you're probably right. I'll give most the coney things away that my brother won't use. Maybe I can donate them to a shelter... I'm also looking into Fox's shea butter cream and I'm so excited to try it! Thanks for the link.

[RancheroTheBee]

I had some success with watering down hair gel. Fox's is soooooo great, though. Your hair improves over time when you keep using it, too.

[Kristin]

I found that when I first went no-cones, shea butter was very helpful. I didn't use it straight from the jar; I made up a batch of Fox's Shea Butter Conditioning Cream (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=4586&highlight=fox*+shea). This is a great leave-in. Even though you do use some oils, it doesn't behave the same way as straight oils do, and never made my hair greasy. You do use it sparingly, though.

I'm with FrannyG. I went cone-free, mostly CO about 6 weeks ago and NB's Panacea Salve (which contains shea butter) has really helped. I use it as a leave-in and DT.

I'm trying to use up old stuff, too, but I tried an old coney condish the other night and it was awful. I've begun giving stuff away as well. It's not worth the break-outs (for you) or bad hair days (for me).