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GoddessElppy
September 17th, 2010, 05:44 PM
I was reading in the newbie advice article about CWC, and I have decided to try it as a good first step, since my roots are usually oily and my ends are very dry (especially since I dyed my hair one too many times!). I do have a few basic questions though (I hope they're not too basic!).

Firstly: Does it matter what conditioner/shampoo is used? I've been using Mane n Tail for the past year (same bottle, only $8 at Wally World!), but recently it's been leaving a waxy residue that becomes more prominent the next day, so I'm thinking about stopping for a while. My roommate dyes her hair a lot, and we have a bunch of the conditioner that comes with it laying around, which I've been using lately, so I've noticed a big difference in the softness of my hair (it's Herbal Essences . . . does anyone know if it's different from the bottled kind?). I use Suave's sleek shampoo (again, big bottle + cheap = <3 ), and have used baby shampoo the past couple times, which leaves my hair feeling different. Does using a higher quality shampoo and conditioner matter, or is it pretty much all the same stuff?

Secondly: How much conditioner should I use? My hair is just past my shoulders (20 inches long) and I use just enough to make my hair slippery, but not enough to coat each individual strand. Should I saturate it, or am I using enough? Can I use less of a "better quality" and more of a lesser one, or is it just six of one half a dozen of another?

Thirdly: I have tried using both Pantene and Garnier, but I find that I shed more when using those than any other shampoo/conditioner, so I prefer not to use them (Pantene was the worst, which is sad because I LOVE the way it smells!). Has anyone else had this problem, and if so, what other brand name shampoos have done this too?

My goal is to eventually be free of shampoos and conditioners and use a WO method, but I don't think I'm quite brave enough to try that yet, nor is my hair in good enough condition to use a BBB.

Thanks again for the information, I hope I'm not posting something that already exists. =/

Roseate
September 17th, 2010, 05:56 PM
1) Yes it matters, but it will take some trial and error to find the products that work for you. Expensive is not necessarily better at all. Some people like the more "natural", sulfate/cone free brands, some people find those don't work for them at all. I'd use up what you've got first.

One note about baby shampoo: it is very alkaline to prevent cradle cap. Most adult scalps are not a fan of it, so just keep an eye on that.

2) Saturate. Better quality conditioners are thicker and richer, so you usually can use less. For my CWC, I use a cheap one for the first C (since it's going to be washed off immediately anyway), and a higher quality, more moisturizing one for the second C.

3) Haven't had that problem myself, but I've certainly heard people complain about it here. I get crazy scaly cracking scalp from some shampoos, but no change in shedding.

tinti
September 17th, 2010, 05:57 PM
When I put contitioner in my hair I fingercomb it thrugh so that I know that every strand is coated with conditioner. Then I wait a couple of mins before I rinse it out. They allways told me that I didn't need to have more than a tablespoon of conditioner in my hair when I was little, but I've allways felt better having too much rather than too little, because my hair tangled very easily.

When it comes to shedding I have no problem with it, so I guess I'm not the right one to answer that :)
Ursula has a very good newbie article called Ursulas Standard Newbie Advice, it says a lot about CWC.

Yeah, it matters what s&C you use but you'd have to experiment a bit with different kinds and ingredients and stuff to find what works for you, I can't express myself today :p Also I've read that Mane'n tail is loaded with proteins, so that may be why your hair feels waxy. Maybe your hair doesn't like too much protein? As I said, it takes some experimenting.

Edited because I can't express myself :p

GoddessElppy
September 17th, 2010, 06:07 PM
Thanks for the info!
I'll have to remember that about protein, and experiment with some other things.
Actually, the newbie thread inspired me to try CWC, and now I've done it for two full washes! YAY!

I have a very oily scalp, and usually have a lot of pimples under my hair (gross!!), but haven't noticed them as much recently, since I've stopped using the Mane n Tail, and have used baby shampoo the past two times I have washed. LOL, maybe it just depends on the time o the month. ;) I'll keep an eye out for any scalp issues as well.

With my luck, my hair may end up needing no cone/sulpher, natural and expensive shampoo and conditioner. But we'll see how things go from here. =)

Capybara
September 17th, 2010, 06:19 PM
I love CWC. I don't usually have time to CO, as I wash my hair in the morning, but CWC is a happy medium :) Personally, I soak my hair with conditioner - literally slather every strand - because it makes it so much easier to detangle.

I think it would be a good idea to experiment. What works for everyone else may not necessarily work for you. You may find, after trying a few different methods of washing, that you actually prefer your old method - or, you could be like I was, and could not believe what you were missing before you tried CWC/CO. I know of a few members here who do not even use conditioner, and only use shampoo which works wonderfully for them. There are many different methods of washing hair - experiment, have fun!

beez1717
September 17th, 2010, 06:38 PM
when I CWC I usually just put enough conditioner to cover my hair the first time, and the second time I really make it soak in the conditioner. I use a little bit more, and then since I can't tell if the conditioner really got to my ends I end up rubbing my hair against the top of my head to get extra conditioner onto the ends. It works for me and that's what matters.