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Is there such thing as overconditioning (applying too much conditioner) of one's hair? I suspect that there is, so I have a few questions related to conditioning.
I use a separate shampoo and a conditioner. At this point in time, I use Pantene Pro-V shampoo for dry hair (the red one) and Pantene Pro-V moisturising conditioner for dry hair (red also).
In the shower, after applying and rinsing the shampoo, I usually wait about 3-4 minutes after I apply the conditioner before rinsing it out. (I remember reading John Romero on Planetquake.com say that he spends waits 3 minutes aftere applying the conditioner). So a question here would be, is this enough, too little, or too much? Is it better to wait 1 minute instead of 3, or 7 minutes instead of 3? For how long do you usually wait?
Another person here has been regularly suggesting Infusium 23 conditioner. Unfortunately, drug stores/supermarkets close to me don't carry it, so I bought Pantene Pro-V light leave-in conditioner for normal hair. I figured that a leave-in conditioner will help me control frizzy hair and generally improve how it feels.
Another question is, then, should I apply the leave-in conditioner *in addition* to the usual rinse-out conditioner, or should I apply the leave-in one *instead* of the rinse-out one?
I also noticed lately that my hair isn't quite as shiny or "separated" (as in not stuck together, but each strand flowing freely) as it was before. Could it be because of shampoo/conditioner build-up (I read about that somewhere). Would it then be worth to try a clarifying shampoo? If so, is it ok to use a "daily clarifying" shampoo every week or so? Or should I look for a non-daily clarifying shampoo? In both cases, how often should I apply this clarifying shampoo?
Finally, what are effects of having overconditioned hair? What does it feel, look and behave like? On the other hand, what are the effects of having underconditioned hair?
Thank you very much in advance for your replies. I've been in the dark with most hair care issues for way too long now. I'll definitely appreciate you shedding some light on the above issues.
Yeah, there probably is such a thing as overconditioning hair. Personally, to try to prevent overconditioning, I would not use Pantene's dry hair formula shampoo with their daily moisturizing conditioner. I mean, the shampoo is actually a shampoo/conditioner combo, isn't it? With the exception of their daily clarifying shampoo, all Pantene shampoos and conditioners have a lot of silicone in them, and while silicones are great for detangling and adding shine to the hair, I think they do have a tendency to build up with regular use and make hair feel kinda "glassy" and brittle. That's been my experience, anyway.
As far as how long to leave conditioner on your hair goes, I guess it depends on the particular conditioner you're using and what you're trying to achieve... do you just want superficial detangling? Apply & rinse. Are you using a conditioner with "penetrating" ingredients like panthenol and do you want "deep" conditioning? If so, leave the conditioner on for a few minutes before rinsing.
Regarding the person who regularly recommends Infusium 23 Leave-In Conditioner - that's probably me. I've been using the stuff for at least 16 years, and it works great for me. Sometimes I apply it alone, after shampooing, and sometimes I apply it even after using a rinse-out conditioner. I *always* apply it if I'm going to blow-dry my hair. It contains silicones, too, but I've never felt like it caused build-up on my hair, and I suppose that is because of its liquid consistency - not combined with waxy feeling stuff like rinse-out conditioners.