Do you use conditioner?

cherry lips · Mar 8, 2008

I attended a 40's hairstyling course and was told NOT to use any conditioner before setting my hair. The rules were:
Wash hair with shampoo only
Set dry hair with setting lotion (using carmen curlers, hot rollers)

I guess this is to get the right dry and light hair quality that will hold a curl. So now I only use conditioner when I'm NOT going to set my hair. My hair is thick, wavy, non-bleached and shoulder length. I've almost accepted that to keep a curl you've got to damage your hair. But first I most know: What do you ladies do?

ShortClara · Mar 8, 2008

I always condition, because now that I have some bleaching to my hair, I use it because it smooths and helps repair. The easier it is to brush, the less breakage as well.

For my hot rollers & curling iron (I don't do wet sets) I actually find that if I goop anything on my dry hair, it gets crunchy. So I've been curling dry, only shampooed & conditioned hair, and it's been looking so nice and bouncy. But my fine, straight hair takes heat really well.

I got new stuff last night, the 'It's a 10' thermal leave in stuff. It's to protect the hair from all the heat. It left my hair so soft! I'm using hot rollers later and I'll have to see if it adds to the setting ability of the curls.

Lady Day · Mar 8, 2008

cherry lips said:
I attended a 40's hairstyling course and was told NOT to use any conditioner before setting my hair. The rules were:
Wash hair with shampoo only
Set dry hair with setting lotion (using carmen curlers, hot rollers)

I guess this is to get the right dry and light hair quality that will hold a curl. So now I only use conditioner when I'm NOT going to set my hair. My hair is thick, wavy, non-bleached and shoulder length. I've almost accepted that to keep a curl you've got to damage your hair. But first I most know: What do you ladies do?

Wouldnt the setting lotion condition your hair? [huh]

LD

Emmababy · Mar 8, 2008

no it makes it dry and ratty!

jayem · Mar 9, 2008

I condition all the time, plus I add a gloss for extra shine and protection.

sweetfrancaise · Mar 9, 2008

Ooh, I always use conditioner, and no shampoo at all. Then again, I don't use setting lotion, so... [huh] maybe I'm not the best judge. However, I am a firm believer in that your hair needs as much pampering as you can give it, and leaving out the conditioner seems terrible.

BegintheBeguine · Mar 9, 2008

True. My hair soaked up conditioner, it was so badly damaged. Yes, my hair held a curl like a vise. But it was never smooth so I would go over it with the hottest curling iron, catch-22. So, I had hair that looked nice from a distance. It was dry, crinkly, lifeless, faded, and the split ends had split ends. No one wanted to touch that bristly mess. When a guy friend said to me that my hair's outline looked nice but that the hair itself was fried, I knew my suspicions were correct; it was time to get it cut and start over.
Please don't sacrifice your hair's health to get a curl. I'm sure you will be able to find the right balance.

~*Red*~ · Mar 9, 2008

I always use conditioner, and on occasion (when I remember) I use shine stuff too.

Miss Retro · Mar 9, 2008

I always condition as my hair is very thick and full of waves and curls.

CassD · Mar 9, 2008

I couldn't imagine not using conditioner. My hair is just coming back from a state of disaster due to lack of moisture and it's actually more curly now than it was when it was dry, and the curls don't straighten out as much by the end of the day from the weight (which can be a bit of a pain if I'm actually trying to straighten my hair). Granted, my hair is naturally wavy, so I don't know that I'm the best judge.

cherry lips · Mar 9, 2008

Thanks so much you dearies! I used conditioner today, and will set my hair when it's airdryed. I'm hoping the results will be as good as they've been without conditioner, maybe even better. You are all so wise, and especially BegintheBeguine shook some sense into me.

RitaHayworth · Mar 9, 2008

my only advice is to either use a 'light" conditioner.

Perhaps dont go to set it until its a day after a wash and condition. Many styles hold better in hair that is "dirty" or "day old" as the natural oils help.

SarahLouise · Mar 9, 2008

I have to use conditioner otherwise my hair feels very dry and is difficult to comb. I find setting lotion makes my hair even drier so I wouldn't dream of not using conditioner and then just using setting lotion - I think my hair would break off!

Helen Troy · Mar 9, 2008

I only curl my hair for special occations, so I will chanse the skipping of conditioner then. My hair never holds a curl at all, maybe this will hrep? Thanks for the tip!

pigeon toe · Mar 9, 2008

I always use conditioner or else my hair gets puffy and frizzy, which is a rather unpleasant sight! I use heavy conditioners as well, and even though I have thin-ish hair (and a TON of it), it never weighs it down. I usually do hot sets though, and I dye my hair, so it probably needs heavier conditioner than most.

BegintheBeguine · Mar 9, 2008

I'm glad to be of help, cherry lips. My drastic haircut was 7 weeks ago and so far it looks healthy. I like reading the tips and product recommendations from all you gals.

glamour-girl · Mar 27, 2008

cherry lips said:
I attended a 40's hairstyling course and was told NOT to use any conditioner before setting my hair. The rules were:
Wash hair with shampoo only
Set dry hair with setting lotion (using carmen curlers, hot rollers)

I guess this is to get the right dry and light hair quality that will hold a curl. So now I only use conditioner when I'm NOT going to set my hair. My hair is thick, wavy, non-bleached and shoulder length. I've almost accepted that to keep a curl you've got to damage your hair. But first I most know: What do you ladies do?

try conditioning ends only (about 10 cm or so), this way you'll keep your hair shiny, but still have the volume and texture to hold the curles. if your hair gets frizzy, you can use a tiny bit of nivea cream (the one in the blue tin jar) to give hair a silky look.

alexandra · Mar 27, 2008

Ha, I only condition the ends of my hair when I do condition it. I have naturally curly hair so for a lot of hairstyles that I do that don't involve hair being loose, I don't set it or curl it or anything of the sort, I just brush it and kind of mush it around into how I like it.

I do pin curls on the days I want it down though.

glamour-girl · Mar 27, 2008

you'r so lucky, i wish i had naturally curly hair

alexandra · Mar 27, 2008

When I was younger I hated it because I didn't know how to work with it. I was known for having ugly hair so much that a girl I knew called me this year and asked if I still had ugly hair haha.

Now that I understand it, I appreciate it...except when I'm in England. When I'm in England I step off the plane and the humidity explodes my hair into ugly and I'm back in grade 7 again haha.

Do you use conditioner?

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