Cone users - what is your hair like with & without them?

[rosieex3]

I've decided to give up cones around June and co-wash only to promote healthier hair. My hair is extremely damaged, and after reading around it seemed like the right thing to do while growing out. At first, my hair looked awesome. It was silky looking and was loving it. Now, my hair has become extremely dry with tons of fly aways no matter what I do. I have a "halo" of frizz around my head. It seems like there is a lot more breakage and split ends. My hair is way more straggly. I've noticed that I've been wearing my hair up lately every single day, because I haven't had a "good enough" hair day to wear it down. Parts of my scalp get really oily (which has never been an issue for me). I do shampoo occasionally when needed.

A few weeks ago, I had to take a shower at my friend's house because I was spending the night and my hair smelled like smoke (we had a bonfire.) All that was available for me to use was a cone filled shampoo by Pantene. I used it, and I was so afraid of the results especially because I didn't use conditioner. To my surprise, my hair looked better then EVER! The halo of frizz was gone, my hair didn't look the slightest bit dry, or straggly, and it looked even better then it did when I started co-washing! And this is WITHOUT conditioner. Yesterday I went out and bought Suave Daily Clarifying shampoo, and Herbal Essences Hello Hydration conditioner. I plan on clarifying tonight, and using the coney conditioner. Then I will co-wash with it and clarify as needed. I'm excited to see the results!

Also - cone users who co-wash...What kind of conditioner/products do you use in your hair?

Cones make my hair happy, so I guess I will continue using them. :D

[Angeletti]

Without cones my hair feels very dry and doesn't have it's usual silkiness feeling and is harder to detangle. I usually use the It's a 10 line of products and my hair seems very happy with it.

[spidermom]

My hair is much more tangly without cones. Paradoxically, my hair gets extremely tangly if I use cones too often. My shampoo and conditioner are cone free, but I use CHI Silk Infusion coney serum once per week, and that seems to be the perfect balance. The effect lasts through the next 1 or 2 washings. When I wash my hair and it looks like one solid matt, I know it's time to use the CHI again.

[jenwexler]

My hair feels great without cones. I think it depends on the cone-free product you use.

[luxepiggy]

My hair is dull and less shiny without cones, and tends to tangle a bit more easily. I have virgin hair, so it's not that it's damaged or anything like that. Even without cones, most people would probably say I have "good" hair - the cones just give it that extra oomph.

I just started CO washing last week, and I'm loving it so far! My hair is way softer, it doesn't get oily as fast, and it's still shiny! I use Fekkai's Brilliant Glossing on the scalp & roots, Pantene on the length & ends.

[Jenn of Pence]

Without cones, my hair is in "wave limbo." I have a very slight and subtle wave pattern except for one big body wave. If I use cones and detangle out if the shower, my hair is shiny and smooth and mostly straight. If I don't use cones and detangle, it's a bit poofy and frizzy; I'd probably need to actually style my waves if I wanted to go cone-free. Of course, your experience will vary if your hair type is definitely straight or definitely curly. But my results with cones are great, so that's what I prefer.

[little_cherry]

My coarse hairs tangle with the rest equaling an hour of detangling and groaning. I still deep moisturise and oil my hair, but I don't have to use cones every time I wash.

[Unofficial_Rose]

My hair's much softer and more moisturised without cones - but it looks and behaves so much better with them. The bottom half of it is bleached highlights henndigoed over, but damage is damage, right?

Today I used Redken's Clear Moisture S&C. It's as coney as hell, even the shampoo. My hair looks great (for once). :)

[Cleopatra18]

I feel cone-free products are just too light to use on my hair,if that makes any sense.I CWC with herbal essences beautiful ends shampoo and conditioner and it has been great.

[TrudieCat]

Without cones, my hair is frizzy and prone to breakage. With them, it is less frizzy and less prone to breakage. It also stays softer all day with cones, whereas without them it seems to get drier and more straw-like as the day goes on. I think my hair is very porous and the cones help it stay sealed.

[kmoc123]

My hair loves cones...I use a clairfying shampoo diluted half and half with water, and Tresseme Anti Breakage Condish, then after it is dry (yes I blow dry on low), I use Venetian oil...I think that is the name of it.

[lara grace]

I can't imagine my hair without cones. The bottom 3 or so inches are extremely damaged because I used to bleach my hair white blonde, and it still hasn't been trimmed off. Without cones, the ends are dry and break off easily, but cones seem to keep them together, and make my hair smooth and silky.

[enfys]

Without cones my hair is massive. Not frizzy, just it's own unique type of bushy. It's slower to brush, looks rough when it's up and doewsn't feel appealing at all.

With cones it's as perfect as my hair will ever be.

I use a coney conditioner for the second c when I CWC. I wash with a diluted sulphate shampoo and don't get build up problems.

[ellen732]

My hair is wildly poofy without cones and hard to control.

[jojo]

My hair has changed what it likes as its gotten longer, my hair upto BSL loved no cones, yet now at waist it loves a coney conditioner. My waves with coneless where more pronounced and my hair had more body than it ever did with coney conditioners. however cones made my hair feel lank and weighed down.

Fast forward to waist my hair loves cones it feels fuller, still wavy, shinier and basically does everything that coneless did at BSL; the roles have been reversed. These days coneless makes my hair feel knotty, matted even after washing. I like the slip cones provide.

Though throughout Chi silk infusion which has cones always helps when I need extra help with the frizzies.

[chrissy-b]

I've found that the only cone I can use consistently is dimethcone and it has to be pretty far down on the list. I was cone-free for about two years, but decided to give them a shot again because I moved to a different climate and cone-free wasn't working for me. Other cones work well the first time, but with consistent use, they make my hair tangly, my wave is completely gone, and I have to clarify more than I'd like. Dimethicone I can use frequently without these issues.

[christine1989]

I am an off and on cone user so I know both sides of the coin. With cones my hair is eaiser to comb and tangles less during the day (even in wind). If I plan to wear my hair down I usually CO wash with a cone conditioner the day before. I think it really helps protect my hair from damage while it is down. The majority of the time I use no cones because I want to be sure that my hair is able to absorb the oils I put in it (I think cones may interfere with oil absorbtion). My hair is tough to brush through without cones and I need to wear it up but at least it is able to absorb moisture and does not have a layer of synthetic material coating it.

[IStand4u]

In the past I have used cones, and my hair is fine with cones until it's about shoulder length, then I have to clarify and go without cones. Reason being is that cones after shoulder length make my hair stringy, my scalp itchy, and I get way more frizz! But, I do use cones when I have to (at a friends house or my DBF's). Though, since I don't use cones as much now, I can use leave in conditioners with cones and they don't bother my hair as much.

Each to their own :shrug: 'cause what works for you won't work for everyone and we need to find what works :)

[MsBubbles]

My hair with cones = a dream

My hair without cones = a nightmare

[purple_figtree]

I really don't want to use cones (I didn't when I lived in Canada), but in Jordan my hair is so dry, it is very tangly and prone to breakage if I don't use cones.

With cones, I can actually comb my hair, and hopefully it will grow past tailbone length, if it doesn't break off.

[lockswitoutkeys]

Without a coney conditioner after a wash, my hair looks thick but full of tangles. However, with cones, my scalp gets oily fast but my hair looks amazingly shiny. So cones - just for the ends.

[~Bluemoon~]

I'm working on figuring this out with my hair. I got rid of cones for the past week or so and my hair mats way more easy. It's really a pain to comb out. However, I did notice that my scalp feels a lot better. This may mean I may be able to not have to wash my hair as often finally. Maybe I will try lockswithoutkeys suggestion and use a coney conditioner on the ends.

[Astarte_1980]

I have always use cones. But I have shampoo and conditioner in my closet.
I will use it when all my cone stuff is used.

[hmmm]

My hair gets a lot more tangly without 'cones. All the products I use now contain them, and my hair feels a lot silkier and easier to manage. It doesn't tangle on itself when I leave it down.

The downside is that I have to wash more often. I could go about 6 days when I wasn't using them, but now I have to wash every four days and my scalp gets uncomfortable. Not sure what to do about that though.

[Themyst]

My hair is impossibly tangled without cones. No cones also make it very dull looking. I tried getting off cones about six months ago and used Suave Naturals (I think it was) which is also no cone. And while it did have something in it that allowed me to detangle my hair easily enough, when my hair dried, it looked all flat and awful.

I switch back and forth between TRESemme and Dove. (cones)

ETA: And my hair is not damaged. It's just really light, like a spiderweb.

[In2wishin]

My hair gets really scraggly looking at the ends. Cones in general are too heavy for my hair but if I use a serum on the last 10" or so after washing and conditioning with cone free products I find that my hair looks and feels healthier and shiny and hangs together better.

The serum I use is a homemade one with Olive Squalane,Camellia oil, Panthenol, and dimethicone so it is very light (for a coney serum)

[cleanbug]

I use a cheap suave conditioner to protect the length before washing, shampoo w/ coney herbal essence long term relationship shampoo & then conditioner.
About every 4th wash, i use Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition shampoo & conditioner (I think its cone free).
I find if I use the coney herbal essence for more than about 4-5 washes, the first silky managable hair, turns into a slightly dry tangly ends. Weird how that works but I think Spidermom elluded to that same scenario as well.
If I use exclusivly, cone free, my hair becomes more dry & tangly over time & harder to comb out.
So I guess I would say I use cones 75% of the time.

[princessp]

My hair definitely tangles less. To tell you the truth, the shampoo I was using when I joined LHC had cones but other than that I have no idea how much coney stuff I was using prior to LHC. I use natural products so a good number of them likely didn't have cones anyway.

I feel like the henna, the silk hair wrap and pillow, oiling, and updos have had more of a positive impact on my hair health than no cones. But with that said now that I know about cones, I won't be going back to them either.

[teela1978]

For me, its not really a huge difference. Cones make it easier to detangle though, and make it a bit sleeker, so I use them.

[Flutterbee]

Without cones = tangled, rough and frizzy. I live in a very humid area so anything that adds to the frizzies is not good.

[In2wishin]

I finally got a photo.

Without cones:
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk315/eclctcmnd/PBlength2.jpg

With cones:
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk315/eclctcmnd/Coneyhair.jpg

[Vermelha]

My hair feels flowier and softer without cones, but it is a little fuzzy. With cones, my hair feels silkier and looks more relaxed and tamed

[Raventresses]

mine is much rougher feeling without them! i definitely loves the 'cones! but i always make sure to give my hair a good clarifying wash every week to remove buildup...

[nemileo]

With cones my hair "dies". It gets very flat, and feels thin. But it has a lot of shine. It just gets to slippery to make any updo, and after some time it starts feeling very dry at the ends.

Without it tangles a lot more, but it has body, wave, and is a lot more manageble in updoes. I just need to add more moisture to prevent breakage. It still has a lot of shine. (I clearly prefer no-cones!:cool:)

[pepperminttea]

With 'cones: More slippery - to the point where it simply won't hold updos at all, let alone braids - but just as many tangles. Much less wave; reduces my 2A nearly-waves to 1B/1C. Generally looks a bit lank and lifeless. Feels coated and unpleasant to the touch. Dries so much faster; about three hours air-drying. More splits, more often. After the first day post-wash, it's incredibly dry and brittle. It really reminds me that my hair is dead.

Without 'cones: Less slippery, generally more unruly, and the nearly-waves come back with a pleasant vengeance. Much more movement, and dare I say it, volume. Much longer drying time; about six hours. Initially drier but more receptive to leave-ins and oils, and with the help of those, the shine is quite lovely. It feels better; softer, and much cleaner. Less splits. I'm able to go a lot longer before the next wash.

ETA: My hair condition-wise is undyed, never heat styled, etc.

[<3OnHerSleeve]

I confess I don't dare try leaving cones. My hair is very dry and aweful without conditioner so I basically have turned into mostly a CO-washer.

[Javadandy]

Cones are ornery critters for me - it's an evolutionary process...

I live in Missouri which has some impressive humidity, and cones gradually suck the moisture from my hair.

With a coney conditioner:

Day one is perfect, happy smooth hair.

Day two - will still seem pretty good.

Day three - I start to lose volume - my fine hair will start to seem even finer.

Day four - I can have static and fly away hair like you'd see in the middle of a -10F January day with actual weather conditions consisting of an 80F dewpoint during a heat warning. I literally have seen my staticy hair flying over my head like I'm on a Van Degraff generator while in the middle of a July thunderstorm - from using too many cones.

Bottom line - cones are great for me when I want a day of perfect hair, but continuous use of them and my hair shrinks away to flyaway nothingness. It will start to split and dry. For me, the cones build up and won't allow any moisture to enter back into the hair shaft until I shampoo them out a few times.

So I try to mix it up and keep the coney stuff for rare occasional use only.

[Rivanariko]

Without cones my hair is dull, dry, brittle enough that it breaks if you look at it, splits at the slightest touch, and snarls into impossible knots when you turn your head. It also starts to fall out by the handful. With cones, it's still tangly, but manageable. It's still fragile, but I can detangle without it snapping off everywhere. I still shed a lot, but not half as much. And it's shiny and soft and it makes me HAPPY. Which is, after all, the whole point. So I've sworn off all cone-free conditioners. Mistakes that fail that bad are not to be repeated.

[spigette]

I was trying to get rid of cones.... but I have discovered that my hair loves them!

Without cones: dry, sticky, stiff and stringy at the ends. Tangly.

With cones: smooth, soft, silky and shiny. Easy to comb and brush all day long.

I think I will stick to some cones, but use a clarifying shampoo to reduce build-up.

[rosieex3]

Thank you very much for the replies, everybody! I'm so happy that I went back to cones. My hair feels 100 times smoother and although my damaged hair cannot look completely healthy without some more work, cones definitely took away the "fried & frazzled" look to it. I can actually wear it down now, and be happy with how my hair looks. I will remember to clarify bi-weekly or more if needed.

In2wishin, wow! The photos really show the difference. Looks great. :)

[juliaxena]

I thought my hair liked them but now I'm just not sure. I have used a less heavy conditioner last week and my hair got much more moisturised than with the heavier, cone one. So I just don't know. It could be that I have some temporary dye overload or that I have "overprocessed" my hair with moisture so it's in need of a protein treatment...

[KittyLost]

So far I can't see a difference. I've been using coney conditioners all my life and the swap to no-cone hasn't made a difference so far :s It's only been a week, I'll wait if I can see a difference after a month.

[little_cherry]

My coarse hairs tangle with the rest equaling an hour of detangling and groaning. I still deep moisturise and oil my hair, but I don't have to use cones every time I wash.
I've proved myself totally wrong! Going herbal has helped me so much more than using cones! The combination of aritha, shikakai and brahmi/amla tea has helped condition my hair and make it even shinier than it ever was.... :crush:

I'm saying good bye to cones! :cheese:

[Mirsha]

With: smooth, silky, shiny, slippery

Without: rough, tangly, dull.

I'll wash without cones if I want AWESOME braid/bun waves... for a couple of hours. I just prefer the way cones make my hair look.