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View Full Version : Questions about length, tangles, and 'cones



Kristin
May 16th, 2011, 03:33 PM
I've been cone-free for about a year now. Prior to this year, I had always used silicone on my hair- in fact, the more 'cones the better! My hair was always in pretty good condition; in fact, I had never seen a split end on my head. Then I came to LHC and worried that the oils I was using wouldn't penetrate with silicone coating my hair and that I would need to continue clarifying with SLS frequently, thereby drying-out my delicate ends. I quit 'cones and began CO-ing most days, shampooing once a week. That worked great for awhile.

I am now passing hip and experiencing tangling. As we all know, tangles lead to detangling, which leads to breakage, splits, white dots, etc... I used a shampoo with cones the other day and my hair seemed to tangle much less.

I'm wondering if I should return to cones. With that in mind, I have questions...

1. Have you quit cones and then gone back to them when your hair hit a specific, more tangle-prone length?
2. Do you think it was ultimately more damaging for your hair to be cone-free or use cones?
3. If you do use cones, which silicone (or product) do you like and why?
4. If you don't use cones and have waist-length or longer hair, how do you prevent tangles?

TIA!:D

Hiriel
May 16th, 2011, 03:40 PM
I will watch this thread, my hair is starting to tangle more than it did lately. I don't use cones, and haven't for years and years (which pre-LHC was completely unintentional ;) )
My main strategy for the nonce is keeping it contained pretty much all the time. Bunned during the day, braided during the night.

ladyfey
May 16th, 2011, 03:57 PM
My hair is knee length, I use cone free shampoo and conditioner, but I do use a spray on detangler with cones. I only use it where needed as I use my wide toothed comb.

lapushka
May 16th, 2011, 04:00 PM
1. Have you quit cones and then gone back to them when your hair hit a specific, more tangle-prone length?

Nope. Depends on damage, dryness, need for moisture in my case. I'm growing out a perm, and grew it out from SL to WL so far. My hair needs a heavy conditioner. Either a heavy cone-laden one or cone-free Garnier Triple Nutrition helps *lots*.


2. Do you think it was ultimately more damaging for your hair to be cone-free or use cones?

I don't think it matters much. :shrug:


3. If you do use cones, which silicone (or product) do you like and why?

Whatever's available (Gliss Kur, Schwarzkopf, Sunsilk, Garnier, ...)


4. If you don't use cones and have waist-length or longer hair, how do you prevent tangles?

I do use them, but IMO a heavy conditioner (or applying more conditioner towards the ends) helps. Also, leaving in a tiny amount (on dripping wet hair) is a nice technique too!

torrilin
May 16th, 2011, 04:16 PM
Our hairtypes are pretty similar...

I've never deliberately gone silicone-free to protect my hair from SLS damage or from silicone buildup. I do often spend periods of time being cone-free anyway, since experimenting is fun.

What I've found is that sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate is a pretty decent cleanser for my hair, particularly when I dilute it a little. Simple, boring clarifying shampoos tend to work well on my hair, and it is unusual for fancy moisturizing shampoos to work well. So these days, I don't fool around much on shampoo.

My hair will happily stretch washes tho, and it gets on well with a routine where I use tons of conditioner, especially conditioners that lather well in soft water. My wallet isn't a huge fan of this sort of routine tho, since it tends to mean I go through an awful lot of conditioner. And mostly conditioner washes with the odd clarifying shampoo wash doesn't work well for me if I have hard water... the harder the water the worse it works.

ATM my water is so hard that vinegar rinses are a must, and I'm using a bit of conditioner only after the vinegar rinse, as a leave in.

I don't really notice a ton of difference between my hair with silicones vs my hair without. Now that I've figured out the vinegar trick, I could pretty easily go back to my old routines. The main reason I don't is that I'm lazy. The vinegar trick means I can skip getting my hair wet a lot of the time, and I no longer have a pathological fear of running out of conditioner.

If silicones work for you, they work. Don't mess with what works.

pepperminttea
May 16th, 2011, 04:25 PM
1. Have you quit cones and then gone back to them when your hair hit a specific, more tangle-prone length?
Not when I hit a certain length, but yes. I was off 'cones for several years, and started messing about with them again last year. I think at that point I was just waist length (33").

2. Do you think it was ultimately more damaging for your hair to be cone-free or use cones?
If I use them sparingly, just a 'cone-y serum with 'cone-free shampoo and conditioner, I find it less damaging than completely 'cone-free. Detangling is so much easier, and that's where most of my damage comes from otherwise.

3. If you do use cones, which silicone (or product) do you like and why?
Fekkai Glossing Creme is my current favourite. :D It's quite light, and I only need a pea-sized amount post-wash, so although it's quite pricey to start with, it'll last me quite a while.

4. If you don't use cones and have waist-length or longer hair, how do you prevent tangles?
I do use 'cones now, but beforehand I used oils. It did work better than nothing at all to help with tangling, but not anywhere near as well as 'cones. I used to lightly oil post wash, and then every other day after that until my next wash, with a heavy oiling the night before washing (I still do the heavy oiling pre-wash with 'cones, and still find it effective).

spidermom
May 16th, 2011, 04:27 PM
I like cones, but I like to control how much goes into my hair, so my shampoo and conditioner are cone-free, but I have CHI Silk Infusion that I use about once every week to every two weeks. For me, more is not better. Too many cones, and my hair tangles even more. But used very modestly, cones are great.

Blond On Blond
May 16th, 2011, 05:15 PM
1. Have you quit cones and then gone back to them when your hair hit a specific, more tangle-prone length?

I alternate between using cones and going cone free. I love the way no cone products make my hair feel (soft), but I usually go back to cones after a few weeks - my hair tangles too much and heck, I have long hair and want to show it off, not keep it 100% of the time up in a bun :D


2. Do you think it was ultimately more damaging for your hair to be cone-free or use cones?

I don't see any difference. IMO the "no-cone is better for your hair" mantra is way too hyped, at least when it comes to my hair.


3. If you do use cones, which silicone (or product) do you like and why?

Suave Shea Almond shampoo and conditioner (gives shine, detangles and doesn't weigh hair down, plus it's cheap and available everywhere), Organix Coconut conditioner and serum (same effect as above), Hello Hydration conditioner (the shampoo sucks IMO), L'Oreal Mega Moisture treatment (although I'm not crazy about the waxy feeling it gives my hair, it's super moisturizing, and it's the best detangler on this planet). I second the Fekkai Glossing Cream mentioned above - great stuff, just wish it was cheaper!


4. If you don't use cones and have waist-length or longer hair, how do you prevent tangles?

Braiding, buns, etc. Oiling does nothing for my hair in terms of preventing tangles.

HintOfMint
May 16th, 2011, 06:01 PM
I've been cone-free for about a year now. Prior to this year, I had always used silicone on my hair- in fact, the more 'cones the better! My hair was always in pretty good condition; in fact, I had never seen a split end on my head. Then I came to LHC and worried that the oils I was using wouldn't penetrate with silicone coating my hair and that I would need to continue clarifying with SLS frequently, thereby drying-out my delicate ends. I quit 'cones and began CO-ing most days, shampooing once a week. That worked great for awhile.

I am now passing hip and experiencing tangling. As we all know, tangles lead to detangling, which leads to breakage, splits, white dots, etc... I used a shampoo with cones the other day and my hair seemed to tangle much less.

I'm wondering if I should return to cones. With that in mind, I have questions...

1. Have you quit cones and then gone back to them when your hair hit a specific, more tangle-prone length?
It was more the weather than anything else that made me go back to cones.
2. Do you think it was ultimately more damaging for your hair to be cone-free or use cones?
Being cone-free was definitely more damaging due to the tangles. Maybe I should have worn my hair up more, but cones definitely gave me more slip and prevented tangles when I wore my hair down. When I was cone free, I even developed splits in my canopy and I NEVER get splits there. Those hairs are like steel.
3. If you do use cones, which silicone (or product) do you like and why?
John Frieda Frizz Ease serum is pretty good. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle is an AMAZING conditioner. They both use dimethicone.
4. If you don't use cones and have waist-length or longer hair, how do you prevent tangles?
When I was attempting to continue being cone-free, jojoba oil helped a bit.
TIA!:D

I was in exactly your situation and yes, I went back to cones. I was really good with cone free routines, using CWC and lots of coconut oil. But then a New York winter hit and it just didn't cut it. I also wanted to wear it down more and the cone free wasn't keeping it tangle free.
Now that the weather is nicer, I've considered going back to a cone-free routine but honestly, I like the slip cones give me.

I THINK I may have worked out a routine that allows me to prevent buildup from cones but mitigate the harshness of SLS on the length. I use the oil shampoo method or a REALLY gentle SLS shampoo like Aveeno Smoothing. With those shampoos, I use whatever conditioner (sometimes coney sometimes not), and then a coney serum sometimes mixed with a leave in or oil. I haven't had to deal with buildup yet.

So far, my hair is in pretty good condition with this routine, but we'll see.

As for your questions, I've answered them in the quote above.

celebriangel
May 16th, 2011, 06:20 PM
1. Have you quit cones and then gone back to them when your hair hit a specific, more tangle-prone length?
2. Do you think it was ultimately more damaging for your hair to be cone-free or use cones?
3. If you do use cones, which silicone (or product) do you like and why?
4. If you don't use cones and have waist-length or longer hair, how do you prevent tangles?

TIA!:D

1. The opposite - I've always used cones and have recently tried without for the first time.

2. I think my hair feels a little more fragile, by which I mean I have to be careful when I comb or use my tangle teezer because the knots don't just slip out, they snag. However, this only adds 1 minute per week on to my routine (I wash once a week, and my main "detangling" session is after a wash before I damp bun) so I'm not fussed. I don't think either one is more damaging - unless you let your hair get tangled lots, in which case, cone-free will probably mean the tangles cause more damage.

3. I used to *love* Aussie serum...smells great and is very light. I would still use it - I was actually a bit sad to give cones up - but I am a curly and the difference in texture and condition of my hair was so amazing that I'm sticking to conefree. Plus, it is a lot cheaper.

4. I wear my hair up all the time, so it never gets a chance to tangle badly. If I were someone who was more attached to wearing my hair down a lot, I might go back to cones, but I much prefer it when my hair is up. With very long hair, I think perhaps a bit of cone - like maybe a light coney serum after a conefree wash - will prevent tangles if you want to wear it down (and now I have a reason not to throw out my serum! For any occasion I want to wear it down.)

PS I do not find that the detangling process itself causes damage unless I am too rough or have *serious* tangle issues from, e.g., sleeping with my hair loose.

carabean
May 16th, 2011, 07:17 PM
I love the original MoroccanOil. I use it with camillia oil for great results. However, in the summer when I wash more frequently, I rotate off that. I am just at BSL though!

growingpains
May 16th, 2011, 07:21 PM
Maybe use a leave in on the ends with cones if you want to mostly stay cone free?

luxepiggy
May 16th, 2011, 08:13 PM
1. Have you quit cones and then gone back to them when your hair hit a specific, more tangle-prone length?
I quit cones at one point for a trial period, and it just did not work out for me, so I went back to them. It didn't have anything to do with a specific length, as my hair has been past waist for most of my life.

2. Do you think it was ultimately more damaging for your hair to be cone-free or use cones?
I have to say, cone free was far more damaging to my hair. I had a lot more breakage from trying to detangle. I also didn't like the way my hair looked because it wasn't as sleek & shiny when I was trying to go cone-free.

3. If you do use cones, which silicone (or product) do you like and why?
For conditioners, I like amodimethicone (Acca Kappa White Moss or Shu Uemura Full Shimmer) best for mild climates like California, as it usually leaves my hair very soft and shiny without weighing it down or making it too limp & flat. In climates with very cold winters like New York, I prefer bis-aminopropyl dimethicone (Pantene Ice Shine). It feels heavier and can weigh down my hair a bit in warm weather, but it's great for fighting off dryness & static in cold winters, when amodimethicone would be too light.

I also use a really fantastic shine spray that contains cyclomethicone (aquage beyond shine), which I love because I can apply it several days in a row without making my hair look greasy.

autumn_aqua
May 16th, 2011, 08:36 PM
1. Have you quit cones and then gone back to them when your hair hit a specific, more tangle-prone length?

I was cone-free for several years, and put up with the tangles until I just started passing waist. I did feel like the tangles/detangling was becoming more damaging at that point (plus I was getting really tired of dealing with it to the point where my hair just wasn't a lot of fun anymore.)

2. Do you think it was ultimately more damaging for your hair to be cone-free or use cones?

I'm really judicious in my cone usage, and I don't feel like it's damaging my hair at all! So for me, cone-free had become the more damaging choice, I think.

3. If you do use cones, which silicone (or product) do you like and why?

I use Paul Mitchell The Detangler every few washes, just when I feel like I need it. It has one water-soluble cone. It does a pretty good job of detangling without leaving my hair feeling weird or buildup-y. I have a super-coney conditioner (amodimethicone and cyclopentosilixane) that someone gave me and I've used a few times when the knots were especially bad. I wouldn't use this one often, because I think it would lead to a coated feeling if I did. I just got a trim four days ago though, and my hair is tangling much less, so I doubt I will need the heavy-duty coney stuff anymore. A friend of mine gave me some argan oil that's pretty coney, I may give it a try for extra frizz-smoothing sometime, although I haven't yet.

4. If you don't use cones and have waist-length or longer hair, how do you prevent tangles?

Well for me, I couldn't :) but that trim helped immensely! (I think I was nearing hip, and it's still waist length post-trim.) I still plan to use cones as needed, but as Spidermom said, I too like to control the cones going on my hair- the rest of my products are still cone-free.

Teazel
May 16th, 2011, 08:42 PM
1. Have you quit cones and then gone back to them when your hair hit a specific, more tangle-prone length?

Not because of any particular length. I quit 'cones soon after joining LHC, but used them occasionally after that when I knew there would be increased wear and tear from having my hair loose. I just made sure to strip them out again when I'd finished with them. However, the last time I used them was about 3 years ago.

2. Do you think it was ultimately more damaging for your hair to be cone-free or use cones?

'Cones damaged my hair, definitely. And I didn't even know it until I removed them and saw what they'd been concealing. I've gone from tailbone to knee 'cone-free.


3. If you do use cones, which silicone (or product) do you like and why?

Pantene, because it's ubiquitous.

4. If you don't use cones and have waist-length or longer hair, how do you prevent tangles?

I seldom wash the length, but when I do I brush through a tiny amount of almond oil and that lasts for ages.

Mesmerise
May 16th, 2011, 08:47 PM
For me cones really just don't seem to do much! I mean I used them for years, just because the hair products I used had them. I never thought in terms of "cone" or "no-cone". I find that with CO on my hair plus an ACV rinse, I don't get too many tangles... I don't find it any different to when I used coney condish.

That said, I don't think using cones is damaging per se. The biggest issue would be having to clarify build up (which I wouldn't think you'd have to do THAT often... I went for errm... ever without clarifying lol of course I was using typical SLS type shampoo too), but if you only clarify once every couple of weeks or so, again you won't see much damage.

I think the problem is when cones hide deeper damage and lack of moisture, and the hair can't be moisturised because it's being blocked by the cones. This might lead to damage down the track.

Jenn of Pence
May 16th, 2011, 08:55 PM
Thanks for this thread...I've been wondering this just this week. I'm a coney person, but lately I've been concerned with exactly the same thing--buildup preventing any real moisture penetrating my hair yet wanting to protect against drying sulfates (which I like to use to benefit my scalp). I haven't liked being cone-free in the past, so I agree with the general consensus that a mixture of both is probably good. And there are options for gentler sulfates, too, which I'm looking into. :)