How long should conditioner be left on to be effective?

**pinklemonade** · July 2nd, 2010, 08:28 AM

Hello LHC! This might have been asked before but how long should a conditioner be left on (when using it AFTER shampoo). When I need to wash out coconut oil, I usually leave it on for an hour and wash out, but how about when using conditioner after a shampoo, on wet hair?
Some of my conditioners say 3 minutes, others say just wash out after applying it (?). I guess the longer you leave it on, the better it would work but I don't really feel like leaving it on wet hair for an hour.... TIA!

**HairColoredHair** · July 2nd, 2010, 08:35 AM

I usually leave it on as long as I can but I don't stress about timing. Generally I put it on and then do other things (shaving, etc) and then rinse it out.

**Sissy** · July 2nd, 2010, 08:36 AM

I think you can do whichever, but I like to try to leave my conditioner on while I do my other shower duties (shaving, soaping up, etc). I just put my hair under one of those plastic shower caps when it's full of conditioner that way the conditioner doesn't wash out. Oh, and I always reuse the plastic shower caps many multiple times before throwing them away because I'm all about not being wasteful when it comes to plastic.

**Qadupae** · July 2nd, 2010, 08:45 AM

I think this question might also have something to do with your hair type. For example, I have fine oily hair, so I wash it out right away, while some members might have dry or highly textured hair that doesn't allow condi to soak in real quickly, so they wait a lot longer. Try one method for a few days and another for a few more days so you can see which works best for your hair ^_^

**brunetka** · July 2nd, 2010, 08:49 AM

I'm a newbie here, but I also leave my conditioner in as long as I can. I do a quick shampoo of my roots, apply conditioner to the length, and then leave it in while I wash my body and face, shave my legs, etc. etc. and rinse it out right before turning off the shower.

**Tresses** · July 2nd, 2010, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by brunetka

I'm a newbie here, but I also leave my conditioner in as long as I can. I do a quick shampoo of my roots, apply conditioner to the length, and then leave it in while I wash my body and face, shave my legs, etc. etc. and rinse it out right before turning off the shower.

Welcome to LHC brunetka!

This is what I do, too, regardless of what the conditioner label instructs.

**Capybara** · July 2nd, 2010, 09:12 AM

When I CWC, I leave the first conditioner in until I rinse the shampoo out (at which point some of the conditioner invariably will wash out as well), but I do the last C right after the shampoo rinse. I then do the rest of my shower (washing, shaving, etc.) and rinse the conditioner out at the very end.

When I CO, the conditioner stays in for the entire duration of my shower. I rinse it out at the end (scalp massage/washing the scalp with conditioner is the first thing I do in the shower when I CO).

Try a few methods, and see what works best for you

**Pixna** · July 2nd, 2010, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by brunetka

I'm a newbie here, but I also leave my conditioner in as long as I can. I do a quick shampoo of my roots, apply conditioner to the length, and then leave it in while I wash my body and face, shave my legs, etc. etc. and rinse it out right before turning off the shower.

Welcome to LHC, brunetka! Like you and Tresses, that's what I do too!

**In2wishin** · July 2nd, 2010, 10:37 AM

I also leave mine in while I do the other things in the shower. I usually pile it on top of my head with a bobby pin, turn the shower off, then wash my face, soap up, etc. After I am all soapy, I turn the shower on again and start rinsing off: face first then let the hair down and rinse everything else ending with a cold water rinse of the hair.