Going Cone-Free After 2 Years

I was cone-free for two years before I lightened my hair back to blonde, but after repeated dying to get the blonde shade that I love, I've had to use silicone-based conditioners in order to be able to detangle my hair at all.

While I have nothing against cones, I do find it easier to use cone-free conditioner, as that way I can  CO with one conditioner. When I use cones, I really don't like to CO with cones on my scalp, so I only use it from the nape down.

After my last clarifying and deep moisture treatment, I thought I'd try to do a CO wash with cone-free conditioner and see what would happen.

I knew I could always put in a coney leave-in if I needed to afterwards, but I didn't have to. My hair was tangle free and I just used my Burt's Bees cone-free conditioner as a leave-in. I thought that perhaps after a couple of weeks I'd really need to use cones again, in order to give my hair some slip, but it didn't happen.

I'm happy that my hair is in good enough shape not to have to use cones if I don't want to. I was quite surprised. I guess the remaining damage isn't that bad.

I do have to say that if it wasn't for silicones, I'm sure that I would have had to cut my hair to nape length after the big dye jobs two years ago. Cones really did save my hair, and allowed me to maintain my hair well below shoulder length as I cut out most of the damage.

So I'm feeling pretty good about the condition of my hair and I'm feeling hopeful that once I've trimmed out the remaining damage to the point where I have breakage, my hair will look and feel almost as healthy as someone who doesn't use hair dye.

This is a very good hair day for me, and yet another mini-milestone.

'Til tomorrow. Much love to all, my friends.

A Nice Cone-Free Conditioner

I've mentioned before that I used to use cone-free products exclusively, but for the past two years I've used silicone conditioner on my ends when COing to keep my hair tangle free in the damaged areas.

For the two years before that, I was completely cone-free. At that time, I experimented with many cone-free products. I came across Burt's Bees Super Shiny Grapefruit & Sugar Beet Conditioner. It's a moderately rich conditioner that is moisturizing and contains humectants. I found it to be very good for the ends of my hair, but because of the price it really wasn't suitable to use for COing. In my opinion it would be too expensive to use in the quantities necessary for a conditioner only wash.

However, I loved the consistency and it is very moisturizing. I took to using it as a leave-in on my ends, and it made a big difference to how my ends felt. I remember that it saved my ends, as at that time, my ends felt so dry that I almost had a big trim. Using the Burt's Bees conditioner solved my problem.

Since using cones, I had forgotten about my Burt's Bees conditioner. However, I ran across it again the other day, and I used a pea-sized amount on my ends after removing my after-shower towel, and my hair feels softer than it has in a long time.

Of all of the conditioners I've used, whether with or without cones, this is by far the leave-in that works the best for me. I do remember recommending it to someone else at LHC who had success with it as well.

I am so happy that I rediscovered this conditioner. I had been using a coney conditioner as a leave-in on my ends, and I think that using cone conditioner in the shower and then using more as a leave-in left my hair feeling too built up. I think that may be what caused what I described as my hair feeling like doll's hair. This way, I get the benefit of a really moisturizing leave-in without adding more cones to my hair.

Of course, just because this works for me, it doesn't mean it will work for you, but I did want to share my experience with it because I'm really excited about how my hair feels right now, and has for the past few days since clarifying and using this conditioner as my leave-in.

'Til tomorrow, my friends. Love to all.

Not Quite As Cheerful As I'd Hoped

I really wanted to be more chipper and cheerful when I wrote today, but it's just not happening. I still have a migraine and that summer cold as well as hot flashes, and I feel like a bear with a thorn stuck in its paw.

I'm not feeling as impatient about my hair today as I was yesterday, but I'm not feeling great about it either.  AutumnLeaves, wouldn't you think we'd have learned our lessons by this age?

I do want to say hi and thank you to Linda, a new reader who left some lovely comments on my website.  Your kind words cheered me up, and we can all learn  to be patient together.

I've mentioned before that I used to use cone-free products, but that I am now using cones (products with silicones) on my damaged ends. I really like the conditioners that I've been using, but I tried another one yesterday that made my ends feel as if they're made of plastic. This is not helping me feel any better about those damaged ends.  I don't know whether it was a one-time thing with this conditioner or if I need to clarify and perhaps that's the problem. I have used this conditioner in the past, but I don't recall my hair feeling this way after using it.

I will be trying the conditioner again, but I do have to say that the last few inches of my hair feel like Barbie hair.  It's really not a good feeling. I'll go back to the usual conditioners and give this one another try at a later date.  It really could be other factors that is causing my hair to feel this way. We'll see.

It's going to be quite a while until I'll be able to go cone-free again, but I'm not minding it too much ordinarily. If I try to go completely cone-free now, I'd have so many tangles on the ends, and my hair would feel so rough. It's just not worth it to me.

With the heat and the humidity, as well as the hot flashes that I'm experiencing, I just can't say enough how happy I am that my hair is long enough to put up and keep off my neck. I'm not wearing it in any way fancy, but it's up and out of the way. I don't know how I would cope if I had hair on my neck during hot flashes.

On another note, they say that a mother is only as happy as her least happy child.  I believe that to be true. I won't say much, but I will say that one of my kids is going through a trying time.  It's only temporary, and it's not health-related, thank heaven, but it's a trying time nonetheless. I truly hope things get better very quickly.

Well, I guess that's about as much babbling as I dare do today.

Love to all.  'Til tomorrow my friends.

The Silicone Debate

A lot of people don't realize that most hair products contain silicones.  There is a lot of debate as to whether using silicone-containing products is good for the hair or not.

There are benefits to silicones and there are drawbacks.  Having an informed opinion, and knowing how to care for your hair if you use silicones is very important.

Silicones do provide a lot of slip to hair, and prevent tangles very well.  They can provide shine, smoothness and they seal in moisture.  They can also help hide chemical damage and split ends.

The downside is that they also seal moisture out, and they do create buildup.  Eventually, this can lead to dull hair and potential breakage.

So if you feel that silicone products are beneficial for you, here are some tips on how to prevent problems down the line.

1.  Clarify hair.  I wrote an entry on April 9, 2010 that explains how to clarify your hair.

2.  Do a deep moisture treatment with a non-silicone based moisturizing conditioner.  I described a good moisturizing treatment in that same April 9, 2010 entry.

3.  When that is rinsed out, use the silicone-based conditioner of your choice.  There are also many smoothing and shining serums that contain silicones as well.

4.  Periodically, repeat the clarifying and deep moisture treatment process.  This will prevent the hair from damaging buildup, dullness and dryness that can occur with regular silicone usage.


I myself was on a regimen of non-silicone based products for about 2 years.  After dying my hair from dark brown back to blonde, I incurred damage that still remains in the last several inches of my hair.  It will be some time before it's all trimmed out. So I do use silicones now, and will likely until the damage is gone.

Most hair products these days have a full list of ingredients on the bottle.  Here is a comprehensive list, compiled by Nightshade from the Long Hair Community, of most of the most common silicones that are found in hair products.

There is no right or wrong when it comes to silicones.  It's all about what works for you and your hair, and knowing how to care for your hair if you use them.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Earth Day!