dry ends

[zzzimska]

what do you do to prevent dry ends?

I used to put silicone on wet hair after I washed them and when dry, my hair was silky and shiny and my ends didn't look dry at all. But now I've been reading A LOT about how silicones are bad for your hair.

The product that I use contains:
cyclotetrasyloxane, cyclopentasyloxane, dimethiconol, dimethicone, tocopheryl acetate, parfum, alpha-isomethyl ionone, benzyl salicylate, citronellol, coumarin, geraniol

is it okay to use this stuff? I'm really confused:confused:

[CurlyCyndi]

So far from reading its a matter of preference and what your hair likes...
I had not been using cones for a long time... Not that I even realized this... But now that my hair is getting longer my 3a curls need it or it will get very tangled...

So I am back on silicone

I guess the best way you can figure out is to try a week or eve month without and one with and see what your hair responds to better

[spidermom]

Lately, I've been applying a small amount of coconut oil or sweet almond oil to damp, clean hair, about the bottom 1/4 of my length. I follow that up with CHI Silk Infusion (coney) to most of my length, especially the ends, avoiding my scalp area. So far, I really like the results.

I also generously oil the day before I plan to wash my hair, or an hour or so before at the very least. That gives excellent results as well. I CWC with diluted shampoo.

[aenflex]

Coconut oil. Clarifying shampoo occasionally. Frequent micro-trims. Protective tassle styles.
Just some suggestions :)

[enfys]

A lot of us use cones.

This link should help explain to you how they are not bad and on some cases the opposite:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=185

If it works, I'd stick with it.

[Firefox7275]

If you go to the article section at the top of the page, there are a couple of really balanced ones on cones. From my own POV I am working to take cones out of my routine for a while, as that is ALL I was using to condition my hair! :p You will need to use a shampoo containing sulphates to remove any build up, most commercial ones do anyway.

[BrightEyes7]

I love cones. I tried quitting them but I keep going back. I'm like a cone junkie and I'm proud of it.

The reason some say cones are bad is they can sometimes cause build up. Personally I don't have a problem with build up, and I RARELY clarify. I mean once every few months. But if you clarify regularly, you should have no issues.

Is your hair happy with your current routine? Than don't worry! Is your hair feeling limp and weighted down? Try going cone free.

[krissykins]

Oiling and cones help a lot. There are some oils that act like cones and sit on top of the hair strand, so there's an option.

[Jenn of Pence]

Lately, I've been applying a small amount of coconut oil or sweet almond oil to damp, clean hair, about the bottom 1/4 of my length. I follow that up with CHI Silk Infusion (coney) to most of my length, especially the ends, avoiding my scalp area. So far, I really like the results.

I also generously oil the day before I plan to wash my hair, or an hour or so before at the very least. That gives excellent results as well. I CWC with diluted shampoo.

I agree...if I put too much oil on, it just looks greasy. So I like to wait until closer to wash day to be generous with oils and such, then be sure to wear it up. Some people like the SMT (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128) and Fox's shea butter conditioning cream (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=4586) for deep conditioning, too. And, fwiw, I love cones, too. :D

[turtlelover]

My hair loves both silicone based products and coconut oil. I tend to like the coconut oil better in summer, and the silicone based products in cooler weather. Why, I am not sure.

[Lianna]

I used to put silicone on wet hair after I washed them and when dry, my hair was silky and shiny and my ends didn't look dry at all.

My advice would be get back on that. Silicones are only bad if you never wash it out (they build-up) with a sulfate shampoo. But some are even water soluble...

[HintOfMint]

I love cones. I tried quitting them but I keep going back. I'm like a cone junkie and I'm proud of it.

The reason some say cones are bad is they can sometimes cause build up. Personally I don't have a problem with build up, and I RARELY clarify. I mean once every few months. But if you clarify regularly, you should have no issues.

Is your hair happy with your current routine? Than don't worry! Is your hair feeling limp and weighted down? Try going cone free.

Hate to hijack the thread but, do you use the shampoo all the way down to your ends or do you concentrate it at the roots? I'd like to go back to cones, but my ends hate shampoo so I'm trying to find a way to balance the two.

[RitaCeleste]

I love two products on my dry ends. One is Aubrey Organic's Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner light as a leave in. The other thing does seem to have some cones. Its Aphogee Moisturizing Oil Sheen Spray. I have to be really careful not to over do the oil spray and does take about 45 minutes to soak in and not look oily. Lots of things do nothing for my dry frizzy ends. I used a conditioner for years that had cones. I see no problem with them on my hair. Honeysuckle Rose doesn't have them and it keeps my ends really flexible instead stiff and dry. But for the frizzy look, nothing beats the oil sheen spray. Sure I have coconut oil, I have meadowfoam seed oil. But that oil sheen spray is affordable too and gives my hair great shine.