Hair lank with conditioner but dry without it. Help!!

[CatAnnoyance]

I'm at the end of my tether here. My bloody hair.

It's just past shoulder length, coloured and trimmed regularly.

If I use conditioner my hair goes very flat and limp from root to tip. If I don't use conditioner it feels and looks dry on the lengths but my roots are thicker and fuller.

Are there any shampoos out there that solves both problems? I've tried all sorts of different shampoos but the result is always the same - lank with conditioner and dry without it.

Are you putting conditioner on all over?

You just need a blob on the last 2 inches of hair, then use a wide tooth comb on the ends, then rinse.

I use Loreal Elvive Clay shampoo & Conditioner else my looks lank.

I haven't tried it but I read something a while ago where it recommended using conditioner first and shampoo second. Maybe worth a go?

Put the conditioner on the ends not the roots.

Sorry I should've said, I do only put the conditioner on the ends. Although more than the bottom two inches. I never put it on my roots or scalp.

Does alternating help? So only condition every other wash?

Have you tried going sulphate free?

Dry shampoo on roots?

My hair is fine and goes so flat and soft after being washed! Only use a small amount of conditioner on the ends, I always use a texturising powder once it's dry on my roots ( I use the vo5 one) also blitz dry shampoo all over which gives it some grip, always works for me

Have you tried this one? It works for me, but I don’t use it the whole time because of the cost.

www.cultbeauty.co.uk/living-proof-full-shampoo-236ml.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrIH0j7jh6wIV14bVCh27OA-uEAQYDCABEgLHsvD_BwE&ef_id=EAIaIQobChMIrIH0j7jh6wIV14bVCh27OA-uEAQYDCABEgLHsvD_BwE:G:s

What sort of conditioner? Only Aussie volume conditioner stops mine getting lank.
www.boots.com/aussie-aussome-real-volume-conditioner-250ml-10025604?cm_mmc=bmm-buk-google-ppc--PLAs_HeroCompare--Aussie-_-Boots+Shopping+-+Category+-+Beauty+-+Desktop&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwOz6BRCgARIsAKEG4FWWpACkD4c-bCA4OV8GpLVSatAyELp_xfyONBHATUbYEFhpnpIpu0oaAtm9EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Some good suggestions here, thank you everyone. I'm going to experiment with some of your ideas and see what happens.

I've tried different conditioners and shampoo/conditioner combos. Mainly ones that are for volume or thickness. Such as:

Watermans Grow Me and Condition Me.
Tresemme Collagen and Fullness
Alpecin
Nutrasome Thickening Shampoo and Serum

Regardless of what conditioner I use it has the same effect. It's like it drags my hair down.

Have you tried herbal essences ? Honestly I used to have the same problem. Awful buildup and lanky hair whatever I tried. But HE has worked wonders. I can wash and condition it everyday now

You need silicone free conditioner.

@stoppingstones

Have you tried herbal essences ? Honestly I used to have the same problem. Awful buildup and lanky hair whatever I tried. But HE has worked wonders. I can wash and condition it everyday now

Is there a particular HE product you use or do all HE shampoos and conditioners work for you?

I am definitely going to trial and test all of these suggestions. I knew Mumsnet would come up with the goods.

Thank you

The herbal essences one I use is called "dazzling shine". It's in a green bottle and has a lime smell to it. It's got zero colorants, and is paraffin/silicon free

Ouai sulphate free detox shampoo and if you want an extra volume boost blend into a paste with dead sea salt and scrub your scalp with it. Although the shampoo is detox is also doesn't strip colour.

Skip the in shower conditioner and get some sachajuan leave in spray - although after the above washing method I don't think you would have a problem using in shower conditioner.

For your ends try the ouai hair oil. It has the light texture of a serum but moisturises beautifully.

From what you've described the problem is build up, so the most important thing will be to scrub the scalp with a shampoo/dead sea salt paste.

@CatAnnoyance you need a silicone free conditioner. Silicones coat hair (to add shine) but on fine hair they weigh it down and make it lank.

Use a clarifying shampoo to remove silicone buildup then a silicone free conditioner

Try faith in nature, Garner ultimate blends coconut oil range, love beauty and also some of the herbal essences.
You need to read the ingredients (dimethicone is the usual problem) or look for ones labelled silicone-free

Hmmm. More interesting advice. I never knew about the build-up issue let alone how to solve it. Thank you for all your advice.

Alberto balsam is a cheap and cheerful silicone free one. The raspberry one is nice and light.

Agree with sulphate/silicone free.

I use OGX shampoo and conditioner, there's about three different ones I rotate (coconut, aragon oil and keratin) and they're all great on my hair. I do use conditioner sparingly, despite being told curly hair needs lots of conditioner, mine doesn't!

I have had this problem for years! But recently I've finally sorted it.

I use:

Tigi shine shampoo and conditioner. The shampoo is silicone free so doesn't pull down the roots. The conditioner is medium thickness and smooths the ends without weigh. The bottles are huge and the product smells delicious which is a plus. I get them from amazon.

Then I towel dry for as long as possible and add Bumble and Bumble All-Style to my roots. It's a cream to powder product that gives texture at the root and keeps oil at bay for at least two days! I used to have to wash every other day before.

I then add lee Stafford protein cream to the last 2 inches of my hair. It's really lightweight but feels very nourishing.

I then rough dry with a hair dryer until 90% dry and then blow dry again with the babyliss big hair

Oh, and I find sulfate free shampoo heavy and doesn't rinse as well

I use the Elvive clay conditioner too, I think it even says it’s for dry ends and greasy roots. It’s silicone free. Totally works for me!

Lush conditioner bars are good, they don't leave any residue

I have hair similar to yours and I find volumizing shampoos and conditioners are great on the day that I wash my hair, but they make my hair go limp the next day so I have to wash it more often overall, which doesn't seem to help long term. I was recommended this shampoo by a hair dresser, and it definitely seemed to help www.lookfantastic.com/kerastase-specifique-dermo-calm-bain-riche-shampoo-250ml/11309648.html. Its silicone free, which as some PP have mentioned might help improve things. I was also advised not to shampoo the lengths, just to shampoo the roots and let the shampoo run through the ends as you rinse it out. Its also definitely worth trying a gentle clarifying/detox shampoo to get rid of the build up as PP have mentioned, although I've found the more aggressive ones make the frizzies frizzier. There's lots of gentler ones available now so definitely worth a go. I know its a PITA but if you can bear to I've found washing my hair less does seem to help with the condition overall- I often just wash my fringe and get through bottles and bottles of the colour tinted Baptiste dry shampoo. As well as meaning you can wash your hair less often it is also fabulous for creating extra volume, I even spray it through my hair when its just been washed. I've also started putting the tiniest dab of this through my frizzy prone bits every day and I'm really liking it www.cultbeauty.co.uk/virtue-polish-un-frizz-cream.html.

Try this, it's amazing
amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B006FXKP0Q/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1]]