I would look at the label instructions for guidance. If it does not say to leave it in for a few minutes, then there's no point. If it recommends leaving it in, try it and see if it helps.
Just looking for a few good hair slaves - is that too much to ask?
As far as leaving them in for CO washing, someone said that after 20 minutes it won't soak any further into the hair if it is soaking in.
When I started out I was doing 10 minutes, although I was actually counting the songs on the radio. At times they would have the commercial break so it got hard to estimate. So I started using a watch and eventually I stretched out to 20 minutes.
I know some people leave conditioners in overnight. But I don't think you need to do that.
So I'd say stick with 20 minutes or less. If it's longer, no big deal. Just know that it's probably not doing anything after that.
Depends on your routine.. sounds like you're doing the CWC, right? I've tried most routines (WC, WCC, CWC, and recently switched to Conditioner Only).
Sometimes it's simply practical to keep the final conditioner in the hair for a long time...while you attend to other showerly duties, then rinse everything out at the very end. I C/O, and I don't let the conditioner "sit" very long. It doesn't make a difference if I do, but maybe your hair type will like it. As PB said, the trick is to keep track and take lots of notes. Start a hair blog if you need to.
(What I do see a time difference is in the ACV rinse: dunking/soaking vs. rinsing. The vinegar dunk/soak leaves hair softer and more clarified than just the rinse)
Conditioner doesn't actually penetrate the hair shaft, so I don't see how letting it "sit" will help any. Just my 2 cents.
I agree that it doesn't penetrate unless it's made for it. Not sure if regular ones are?
But that's why I use the bag / cap. Heat opens the cuticle so by using the bag I'm keeping my body heat from escaping. I don't know if this actually is hot enough to open the cuticles but it's what I do.
What I do know is that when I take that bag off after 20 minutes my hair feels like it absorbed the conditioner. In other words my hair is not as slimey with conditioner as it was before I put the bag on.
Again, try things yourself and see what you like. There is no one way to do things with hair.
If you want to wash your hair with Grape Jelly by all means do it. Keep in mind that someone else might have already tried it but maybe their jar said Jam? So you might not get their results.
Thanks anais and purplebubba. I think I'm getting a better idea of what my hair specifically needs. But purplebubba, you often mention cold rinses for the hair cuticle and opening the hair cutical with heat but I don't understand what the cuticle has to do with anything??
If you click on my siggy page, and go to the Cleansing Methods page in Medusa's Lair, there are photos of the cuticle scales. They're like shingles on your roof. Cold rinses or acidic rinses will make the scales close up.
When they're open, they are like burrs... catching on each other, on clothing, etc... and definitely increasing tangling. The more open the scales are on an everyday basis, the more likely the scales are to break off... which exposes the inner shaft. It's the biggest reason we always finish with an acidic or cold rinse after a hairwash. It "sets" the hair cuticle like the Batmobile security system.
I go 5-7 days between washes and endeavor to use the diluted vinegar rinse every time (I don't always remember to prep the rinse, but my hair always seems to like the effect -- in other words, the diluted vinegar rinse cannot be overused). In addition to the cool/cold water rinse, I think the acidic base of the diluted vinegar rinse helps to close the cuticles, making the hair softer, shinier and easier to comb & detangle. Plus, the diluted-vinegar has the added benefit of helping to retard the growth of bacteria that attacks the sebum.
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