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View Full Version : Is there a "gentle way" to remove cones!?



Sophiawavyhair
January 10th, 2011, 06:27 PM
I've been cone-free for about two weeks. But then I started to get tangles, hair is dull, FLUFFY and dry (lenght is too damaged from past abuse.) I used a serum with cones today and omg! my hair was shiny and soft! I love it. So I am thinking about using this serum maybe once a week and/or for special occasions.

Is there a more gentle way to remove cones than harsh clarifying SLS shampoo in case of build-up?

Ps I've tried oils, treatments, CO, braiding it, nothing works! its fine for maybe an hour and then *poof*

My hair is wavy, thick, coarse, and past shoulders. Hopefully lenght will solve the *puffiness* problm :-/

Kaijah
January 10th, 2011, 06:43 PM
Yes. Depending on the type of 'cone, you may not even need shampoo.

Dimethicone copolyol and any PEG-modified cones (e.g. PEG-12 dimethicone, etc) are water soluble, and can be removed with something as gentle as cowashing. Cyclomethicone is also very easy to remove with just about any surfactant including cowashes, but is not water soluble.

Phenyl Trimethicone, Amodimethicone, Dimethiconol, and regular old Dimethicone all need a surfactant to be removed, but cocamidopropyl betaine (sometimes abbreviated coco betaine on labels) can remove them just as easily as SLS/ALS.

monsterna
January 10th, 2011, 06:51 PM
Cones aren't a big bad thing. My hair loves them and I absolutely need them, else my hair tangles, is dry, and is dull and horrible to deal with.

Are you going completely cone free because you think a lot of people here are doing it and you should also, or do you notice that it really benefits your hair more than it hurts it? Just throwing that out there, because I notice a lot of people here (mostly new people, even though I am fairly new myself) see cones as bad things and go cold turkey on them.

Cone free is talked about so much because some people dislike them and their effects on their hair. YMMV. As Kaijah said, some are water soluble. But to answer your question, I quite like a good ACV rinse.

Sophiawavyhair
January 10th, 2011, 07:09 PM
Yes. Depending on the type of 'cone, you may not even need shampoo.

Dimethicone copolyol and any PEG-modified cones (e.g. PEG-12 dimethicone, etc) are water soluble, and can be removed with something as gentle as cowashing. Cyclomethicone is also very easy to remove with just about any surfactant including cowashes, but is not water soluble.

Phenyl Trimethicone, Amodimethicone, Dimethiconol, and regular old Dimethicone all need a surfactant to be removed, but cocamidopropyl betaine (sometimes abbreviated coco betaine on labels) can remove them just as easily as SLS/ALS.

This hair serum contains: cyclomethicone, dimethiconol, vitamin acetate and aloe vera extract. Thats all is listed for ingredients.

So in order to remove the dimethiconol I would have to use a SLS shampoo?


Cones aren't a big bad thing. My hair loves them and I absolutely need them, else my hair tangles, is dry, and is dull and horrible to deal with.

Are you going completely cone free because you think a lot of people here are doing it and you should also, or do you notice that it really benefits your hair more than it hurts it? Just throwing that out there, because I notice a lot of people here (mostly new people, even though I am fairly new myself) see cones as bad things and go cold turkey on them.

Cone free is talked about so much because some people dislike them and their effects on their hair. YMMV. As Kaijah said, some are water soluble. But to answer your question, I quite like a good ACV rinse.

I tried to go cone-free because I want to use organic shampoo only, without sls. I just wanted to know if the cones really made a difference to my hair. And yes they do! :) .... I guess using sls shampoo once in awhile wont be as bad as bleachi g or flat ironing like a used to

Kaijah
January 10th, 2011, 07:14 PM
I always forget about mentioning that - some people do interpret 'cones as being 'evil' or immediately causing issues, but they really aren't a big deal. Some hair just doesn't handle them all that well, or a person might not like the feel/texture they give hair. If you currently use them and your hair is pretty happy, I wouldn't worry about eradicating a product you like from your routine, just because of a cone.
SLS/ALS aren't inherently bad, either, they can easily be gentle depending on how much is in a shampoo in relation to the rest of the ingredients in it. Something like Suave Clarifying will probably fry your hair, but that's because it's a pretty crappy formulation, not just because it uses SLS. Just like something using coco betaine can be very harsh and drying, even though that's generally seen as a gentle cleanser.

I think since you have your hair listed as M/C, I'd check whatever products you're using for protein content. Too much protein is way more likely to over dry hair than a little coney serum.


This hair serum contains: cyclomethicone, dimethiconol, vitamin acetate and aloe vera extract. Thats all is listed for ingredients.

So in order to remove the dimethiconol I would have to use a SLS shampoo?

I didn't see this while rambling my other post. :D But no, you could remove dimethiconol with a shampoo that uses coco betaine. You don't need a sulfate for that cone unless you want to use one. Cyclomethicone actually evaporates off hair.

teela1978
January 10th, 2011, 07:24 PM
If you're not using it daily it probably won't build up. That's what I've found at least. Back when I was attempting to CO, I found that I could cone up my hair and loose the effects in 5-10 washes (sulfate free obviously). Cones don't stick permanently to hair, they wear off eventually. I think cone removal is really only necessary if you're putting cone on top of cone on top of cone on a regular basis.

Messyhair
January 10th, 2011, 07:27 PM
Ah, so I'm not the only one that gets fluffy, tangly hair from going cone-free!! I've resorted to going cone-free for shampoo because the fluffiness/dryness actually works in my favour, as I don't have to wash as often now. The length gets no shampoo, but plenty of coned-up conditioner. :) That keeps my length shiny and less tangled.

kwaniesiam
January 10th, 2011, 07:29 PM
I've been cone-free for about two weeks. But then I started to get tangles, hair is dull, FLUFFY and dry (lenght is too damaged from past abuse.)

If that is what happens to your hair without cones, it sounds like cone-free isn't for you.

Paula Auguste
January 10th, 2011, 07:52 PM
If your shampoo is cone-free, I would say you do not need to worry about build-up. As others said, some cones are water-soluble and some can be removed by tensids (even mild ones). You do not need to use a clarifyer which would just strip your hair. That was a glorious day for the industry when someone came up with the idea that women need a special shampoo to "clean" their hair. I mean, even when I used styling creme and hairspray, double shampooing with normal shampoo was always enough.

Does your serum say "Apply without rinsing"? that is often a hint to water soluble or easily washable cones. If your hair likes cones, why not? You could still have a break if you notice signs of build-up.

Sophiawavyhair
January 10th, 2011, 08:05 PM
I didn't see this while rambling my other post. :D But no, you could remove dimethiconol with a shampoo that uses coco betaine. You don't need a sulfate for that cone unless you want to use one. Cyclomethicone actually evaporates off hair.

Giovanni shampoo for oily hair contains cocamidopropyl betaine. Is that the same thing? This shampoo says it clarifies and it's SLS-free.

Thanks everyone for your help. At least now I know that my hair doesnt like being cone-free, but trying was the only way to know right?

I guess being a newbie and reading so much about people going cone-free made me think they were "bad" ...

monsterna
January 10th, 2011, 08:20 PM
Thanks everyone for your help. At least now I know that my hair doesnt like being cone-free, but trying was the only way to know right?

I guess being a newbie and reading so much about people going cone-free made me think they were "bad" ...

Yep, you have to try it to know! At first I thought cones were bad, too. I tried it once and was like NOPE. My hair hates it, but my hair type isn't very likely to agree with cone-free anyway, plus I have layers.

You will find something that works. Read up on lots of things you might want to try out, so you can get lots of opinions and view points on them. Good luck!

julliams
January 10th, 2011, 10:42 PM
I think if this product made your hair gorgeous, your hair may just like cones. I went cone free for about 6 months and ended up with splits which I had not had before. I go for a mixture of cones and no-cones now and my hair is very happy. I just use an SLS shampoo (herbal essences drama clean) about once a month to clear out any build up (not that I see or feel any anyway) and keep going. Cones are not evil!

Hile
January 11th, 2011, 06:00 AM
Thanks for the great info on the various types of cones and removing them! I have been cone free (co-washing) for almost a year now. My current routine is great and leaves my hair soft and shiny but I have considered trying a coney conditioner when I'm planning to wear my hair down to see if it would reduce tangles. I still haven't quite found the courage to do my little experiment after the horrible build-up problem I used to have... So I would love to hear more about your experiences with using cones only occasionally.:flower:

haibane
January 11th, 2011, 07:07 AM
I CO my length (with cone free conditioner) and use a heavy coney conditioner as the last conditioner every few washes. The cones wash out with the CO in between.
When I oil my hair with coconut oil the heavy cones seem to wash out faster. If I use enough coconut oil it's almost like I clarified and my hair feels like it's cone-free.

Annalouise
January 11th, 2011, 10:21 AM
I am in the same boat because cones did prevent tangling for me however I am doing a natural hair routine with herbs and so I don't use cones and my hair tangles a lot more.
What did people do to prevent tangles before the cones were invented? Anyone know?

spidermom
January 11th, 2011, 11:52 AM
I use a very gentle, organic shampoo diluted and a coney serum about once per week. It takes me several months to get buildup, and I think the problem is oil residue more than cones. Anyway, then I shampoo with Avalon Lemon clarifying shampoo, and I'm back to basics for several more months.

dawnandxavier
January 11th, 2011, 01:02 PM
I think it's been mentioned on here before that natural hair reacts better to no cones.