The great conditioner experiment: Results!

In June, I decided to undertake the great conditioner experiment to see just how much conditioner my hair might really need! (Click here for more information, although I'll summarize it below!) I've got below-my-waist length, coarse, oily, prone to frizzy hair, but other than the period of time where I went pink (look to your left), I don't dye, perm, or heat style my hair, so it should be in fairly good condition.

I made up a batch of my favourite conditioner, and I've been diluting it every other week or so to see how much water I can use in the product!

INTENSE CONDITIONER WITH A TON OF CATIONIC INGREDIENTS FOR REALLY DAMAGED HAIR

HEATED WATER PHASE
73.5% water
2% hydrolyzed protein
2% cetrimonium chloride

HEATED OIL PHASE
7% Incroquat BTMS
3% Incroquat CR
4% cetrimonium bromide
4% ethylhexyl palmitate

COOL DOWN PHASE
2% panthenol
2% dimethicone
2% cyclomethicone
2% cationic polymer
1% fragrance or essential oil
0.5% to 1% preservative

Experiment one: I added 50 grams of distilled water with 0.25 grams of liquid Germall Plus to 100 grams of product, which I used for 7 washings, using about 25 grams of conditioner per washing. My hair felt soft, shiny, defrizzed, and detangled. It's very watery, so I've taken to just squishing the bottle over my head and running it through my hair with my fingers, with an extra amount on the ends. I've managed to get three days between washings, so that's a fine thing indeed! (This was before the heat of the summer, as a note! That is relevant!)

Experiment two: I added 75 grams of distilled water with 0.37 grams of liquid Germall Plus to 100 grams of product. I used that for about 9 washings (I think it was 9 - I wrote it down, but someone threw the Post-It note out before I finished with it). I'm finding my hair is soft and shiny, but a little more fly-away than I would like. I'm not that worried about the frizzies right now, and I'm getting two to three days between washings. I would like three, but I don't think that's possible during the summer!

Experiment three: I added 100 grams of distilled water with 0.5 grams of liquid Germall Plus to 100 grams of product. I really don't like this - my hair doesn't really feel conditioned and I find I have to struggle to get the knots out (which defeats the purpose). I think this would make a really great leave-in product, but it doesn't work as a rinse off conditioner. I used this twice, then gave up.

So far, my favourite is experiment 1 with experiment 2 coming in second, although I did need to use a little more anti-frizz spray those days. Experiment 3 was a bust, and I'll reserve that for my leave in conditioning needs. The summer isn't a good time for me to experiment with my hair because I tend to be greasier because of all the sweating and being outside and things. (Cleaning the gutters the other day with the pressure washer wasn't exactly good for my hair, unless a moss and lichen soak is the new salon treatment I haven't heard about!)

How do I modify the conditioner recipe so I can make it as the experiment 1 or 2 version next time? Join me tomorrow for more detail on that question!