Try rinsing your hair while standing in the shower. Apply a nickel-sized amount (more if your hair is long and/or thick) of instant conditioner and don't rinse it out. I know it sounds icky, but it doesn't leave my natural or relaxed hair sticky or gummy at all. My comb glides effortlessly through my new growth. Even after it has dried /images/graemlins/wink.gif I use Suave Humectant Conditioner.
You may also want to make sure your shampoo isn't stripping all the moisture out of your hair. LondonDiva gave me the heads up on this:
Try to find shampoos that use Sodium Laureth Sulfate, TEA Lauryl Sulfate, Coconut Oil and TEA Laureth Sulfate as detergents. Oil extract soaps are good, too. i.e. coconut oil, vegetable oil, wheat germ oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, etc. These are the ones you’ll usually find in the health food store. Look for plant extracts or buffering agents like disodium EDTA and citric acid high up on the label.
I kept searching for a conditioner and styling products to soften my hair when all along my favorite shampoos (Aussie Moist and Pantene Daily Moisture—go figure) were making my hair feel rough and hard to comb.
I like Creme of Nature, African Wonders, African Formula Shea Butter, Aubrey Organics Island Natural, Curl Friends and Salon Selectives Completely Drenched shampoos. And I dilute them down to a 50/50 shampoo/water mixture.