Hi there. You know how most types of conditioner tell you to leave them on for a certain amount of time---usually one to three minutes, unless they are deep conditioning, in which case it's 10 to 15---before rinsing them out? I was wondering a couple of things:
How do most people keep track of how long the conditioner is on their hair? Do you count, like I do sometimes, or guesstimate (i.e. I guess I've been washing my feet for about a minute, so it's time for the conditioner to come out)?
Secondly: does anyone know if it really does make a difference how long the conditioner is on your hair? Is it better to leave it on for too little time or too much?
Thanks in advance!
Kim B. :?

:P actually, I don't time how long conditioner is in. If it's regular conditioner, it stays in as long as it takes me to finish all other shower duties. If it's a deep conditioner, it stays in however long I decide to soak in a bath. ;)

ditto what Wanita said :)

I do what Wanita said also.

I do what Wanita says. So the conditioner is probably only in for ten minutes. However, if I am using a deep conditioner, I'll put the conditioner on my head, get out of the shower and then return to rinse it out after 30 minutes.

I haven't done a deep conditioning in a while.

The last time I used one was an Aussey and it was nice right after I used it but then the next day it felt as usual, which isn't bad, but the super duper was temporary

At the moment, I use the highlight activating conditioner by John Frieda every day. I wash my hair with shampoo, then I apply the conditioner, continue my shower, washing every other body part, then I rinse the onditioner out. On Sunday mornings (actually it is Sunday morning over here right now and the treatment is on my head this very moment) I apply the blonde hair repair by John Frieda. It says on the pot to let it work for 15 minutes, but I wash my hair first thing when I wake up, then I have breakfast and do all kinds of things, and when it's time to get ready, I rinse it in the shower. So I actually let that sit on my head a lot longer than it says on the pot, I'd say for about 2 hrs maybe. But I think if you follow the instructions given on the pot/bottle, you'll probably be fine.

:P actually, I don't time how long conditioner is in. If it's regular conditioner, it stays in as long as it takes me to finish all other shower duties. If it's a deep conditioner, it stays in however long I decide to soak in a bath. ;)

ditto
Teechia

I guess I'm the weirdo, I have clocks in both bathrooms. :oops:

After I rinse my shampoo out I leave the conditioner on for how long it takes me to do everything else.

I usually deep condition from 1/2 to 1 hour.

so I guess I don't know if leaving it on longer makes a difference. When I used deep condition, I used to put a shower cap on and let the hot water run on it to simulate a heat cap.

Sometimes I just leave in the length of time it takes me to do other shower things, but if I think that my hair has been particularly lackluster (which is more often than not,) I set a kitchen timer to ding.
--Cheryl

I always leave my deep conditioner in over night... since doing this I've found a HUGE difference in my results.

HTH, Sheba

What Wanita said :D

Deep conditioning, much like cooking, is not a precise science, at least not for me ;)

I have an extremely scientific method of timing how long the conditioner is on my head. :D

If my hair feels mostly normal, then I just let the conditioner set while I wash the rest of me. This is probably around 2 or 3 minutes.

If it's been feeling sort of dry, then I wash the rest of me and then shave my legs or something, then rinse it out. This is more like 10-15.

I've noticed that, for me, though, it's typically better to leave it on longer rather than shorter. I didn't leave it on long enough last time I washed my hair, and it's been grouching at me for that ever since. (Thankfully, tomorrow is a wash day.)

I don't really keep track of time. I just put it on my hair and however long it's in, it's in. I do CWC. The first C gets gobbed in my hair first thing. It might stay in 5 minutes and it might stay in a half hour. Just whatever. Then I get in the tub, rinse it out, shampoo and gob on the good conditioner. That stays in while I do my other bath chores. If I'm deep conditioning I just leave it at least as long as the bottle says, usually longer. I've never had bad results from leaving condtitioner way longer than the bottle said.

I guess I'm the weirdo, I have clocks in both bathrooms. :oops:

That's not weird! We do too! I don't time my conditioner, but I leave it in until I'm done my shower.

It's nice to know what time it is, and you don't have to throw a towel on, run out into the other room to glance at the clock to make sure you're not running late.

I leave it on as long as it takes me to wash and rinse off the rest of my body. For deep conditioning, I leave it on for approximately 4-5 songs (average song lasts 3.5 - 4 minutes) while I sing my lil heart away in the shower.

I don't have a set time either. I do CWC - the first C I put on right before I shampoo. After I put the second C on I put a shower cap on so it doesn't accidentally get rinsed out while I'm doing the rest of my shower duties. When I'm done with everything else I take the shower cap off and rinse.

:P actually, I don't time how long conditioner is in. If it's regular conditioner, it stays in as long as it takes me to finish all other shower duties. If it's a deep conditioner, it stays in however long I decide to soak in a bath. ;)

Same here :)

I must be crazy!!

I *always* time *everything*! My normal use conditioner doesn't have a time but I time it anyway, and it's usually about 3 minutes per condition (I CWC). If I am deep conditioning I use the heatcap most of the time and I will leave it on for an hour (I wear a watch so timing isn't hard for me). If I'm deep conditioning but just in the bath, then I will actually *time* what time I have to get out of the bath to rinse it out. :oops:

Regular conditioners have times?!?

I wash, then condition, then leave it on while I do everything else, then rinse it off.

When I deep condition, I usually hot oil after a bath. I braid it up and pin it up, then sleep overnight with the oil on. Then in the morning, I wash it out.

This all seems to work for me....

What Wanita said! :D 'cept I never deep condition.

:P actually, I don't time how long conditioner is in. If it's regular conditioner, it stays in as long as it takes me to finish all other shower duties. If it's a deep conditioner, it stays in however long I decide to soak in a bath. ;)

same here.

I listen to msuic in the shower and I assume each song is 3 minutes long.