Is is true you can't use conditioner when hair typing?

[hototogisu]

Often when I read hair typing threads, there are mentions of shampooing and not using conditioner. I have... Never not used conditioner, and the thought of shampooing and letting my hair just dry kind of freaks me out!

That said, im curious, and have yet to upload any hair pics and I want to see what you guys make of my sad, thin hair!

The hair typing article makes no mention of conditioner, so whats the deal?

[PaganPriestess]

I typed mine while using conditioner.

[Annibelle]

Hmmm, I used conditioner for mine. I've never heard of not using it. :)

[Amber_Maiden]

When I hair typed, I didn't use CO. I just waited till after it was dry, hair typed, and then wet back in the shower to CO.

[Panth]

Officially, yes. You're supposed to clarify it and then let it dry without adding anything on it (conditioner, leave-ins, etc.) and without manipulating it at all whilst drying (so, no touching, certainly no combing or brushing).

This is because certain washing routines can alter how much curl people have. Also, manipulation of the hair, particularly when wet, can straighten out waves, wurls and curls.

You can, of course, dry it properly with nothing added at all, photo it quickly for LHC and hop back into the shower to condition it, add leave-ins and manipulate it however you want.

[jaine]

That's strange. I read somewhere that shampoo doesn't fully rinse out without conditioner. Something about anionic and cationic surfactants... I don't remember the exact details though.

[spidermom]

I hair typed after combing conditioner through in the shower. My hair doesn't look much different without conditioner, though.

[vanillabones]

I have read you're just supposed to clarify and not condition and not brush or comb while it's drying either. However I don't for deciding my hair type, I shampoo and condition as usual and comb wet as usual and let dry then hair type. What is the point in hair typing any other way when you are never going to do your hair like that so it will never have that 'pattern' anyway unless you want to type your hair from what it looks like dried out with sulphates and uncombed O_o I just don't understand. Mine would be a tangly gross rat's nest probably with no pattern at all just a big blob of tangles.

[uptosomeone]

I used conditioner. I might retype sometime without when it gets longer, but right now I'm not too concerned about the minor differences using or not using it may garner!

[Earelia]

My hair is straight so conditioner or combing won't really make a difference. *shrug*

[Quixii]

I did it both ways, as a new LHC member. When I posted that I had clarified my hair and let it dry without conditioner, I received a lot of shocked posts, especially from fellow curlies. My hair still had most of its waves and curls, but so dry and horrible feeling, it was just awful.
After doing that little experiment, I'd think it's safe to say you can use conditioner, because it won't actually affect your end result that much.
However, he combing when wet thing: I'd say that's a no. I used to do that all the time and thought I just had wavy, uncooperative hair. Then one time I didn't brush my wet/damp hair, and I had curls. Now I never brush after a shower and my hair thanks me for it. :shrug:

[Piyo]

Mine would be a tangly gross rat's nest probably with no pattern at all just a big blob of tangles.

>_< Yeah, that's the only hair type I seem to hair when I leave the shower without combing.

[Piyo]

I can't wait till I can edit my posts. So many typos! :(

[Lostsoule77]

I used conditioner when I did mine. I can't imagine trying to detangle my hair after only shampooing. I just made sure to rinse it all out while manipulating my hair as little as possible. Then I just let it dry without touching it. I don't think you need to leave out the conditioner, just make sure you don't leave any in your hair.

[jojo]

I type without conditioner but to be honest not much difference just looser waves with conditioner

[HintOfMint]

This is one of the reasons I've never officially hairtyped. Another is that it is a tremendous time sink to let my hair drip dry without any manipulation. My hair takes long enough to dry as it is, and I don't feel like setting aside 6 hours of my day to stay inside.

[spidermom]

I have read you're just supposed to clarify and not condition and not brush or comb while it's drying either. However I don't for deciding my hair type, I shampoo and condition as usual and comb wet as usual and let dry then hair type. What is the point in hair typing any other way when you are never going to do your hair like that so it will never have that 'pattern' anyway unless you want to type your hair from what it looks like dried out with sulphates and uncombed O_o I just don't understand. Mine would be a tangly gross rat's nest probably with no pattern at all just a big blob of tangles.

I think the point is that it takes slightly different handling to bring out the natural best in different hair types. There is no shortage of people complaining about having straight and frizzy hair until they hair type and figure out all the frizz came from combing/brushing out curls.

It's worth trying if you haven't. You may be surprised.

[excentricat]

I got confused at first too. What I think I figured out is that most hair typing is done with the usual wash and conditioner, but once you turn off that water, don't touch it. No leave-ins, combing, brushing, toweling, etc. I think the wash and dry without conditioner is for trying to figure out if your hair is breaking and gross from over protein or over moisture.

[CurlyCap]

I was afraid of the same thing, too! I don't have someone to take a piccie of the back of my head, and it take hours for my hair to dry. So, the idea of not having conditioner made me shudder. The tangles!

Anyway, I got lots of great advice when I posted my pictures with conditioner+oil. It was nice to get feedback on my hair instead of wondering if I was making the comparisons correctly. This weekend, with the holiday, I let my hair dry without conditioner, knowing I'd have time to rewet, etc. My hair was curlier, but only one "step". And since I had lots of input from my typing thread, I now know exactly what I should type myself. :D

So I'd say post your hair with conditioners if that's what you think is realisitically going to happen. You can always use the info you get as a good starting base.

[Sundial]

If I tried to type my hair without conditioner, my hair type will probably be "tangled mess" :p that said, I did try to let it dry by itself after clarifying but my hairs were so grabby after being clarified that it was all just a jumbled mess and wasn't 'type-able' by LHC standards. So I'm just sticking to calling my hair 1a/1b since it looks 1a after combing but seems more unruly than 1a before combing