topic Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair? in Beauty

Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

itiswhatitis — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 02:40:36 GMT

Do any of you ladies do this? If so, why? Is this just another gimmick aimed at helping women part with their $$$ or is there a benefit to co-washing your hair?

Thanks in advance.

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

jaxs mom — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 02:50:41 GMT

What exactly would be the gimmick to get people to supposedly part with their money? The vast majority of people cowashing are using cheap easily available conditioners like suave. It's not a brand specific process. I did no poo many years ago. If you're interested in delving into alternative methods of cleansing hair, then I'd suggest looking at some of the dedicated haircare forums on the internet. Lots of in depth info out there on why and how.

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

Annabellethecat66 — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 02:51:28 GMT

What in the heck is co-washing? I wash my hair...period.

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

nana59 — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 02:52:20 GMT

What is co-wash?!

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

Lucky Charm — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 02:57:57 GMT

Conditioner Only (CO-washing)

I just did it yesterday after we went paddle boarding.

Anytime I'm in the bay, the ocean or the pool---all salt water which can dry my hair out.

Co washing one time *brings it back*, then the next time I use shampoo and conditioner.

I use Suzanne Organics conditioner.

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

nana59 — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 03:06:20 GMT

@Lucky Charm wrote:
Conditioner Only (CO-washing)

I just did it yesterday after we went paddle boarding.

Anytime I'm in the bay, the ocean or the pool---all salt water which can dry my hair out.

Co washing one time *brings it back*, then the next time I use shampoo and conditioner.

I use Suzanne Organics conditioner.

Oh...I thought it was washing your hair together with a friend......lol......things are getting stranger for me every day......guess it comes with being a senior........

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

itiswhatitis — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 03:19:08 GMT

@jaxs mom wrote:
What exactly would be the gimmick to get people to supposedly part with their money? The vast majority of people cowashing are using cheap easily available conditioners like suave. It's not a brand specific process. I did no poo many years ago. If you're interested in delving into alternative methods of cleansing hair, then I'd suggest looking at some of the dedicated haircare forums on the internet. Lots of in depth info out there on why and how.

That it's a good idea or that there is a benefit to it. I want to speak to women who are doing it and I'd like their feedback as to the benefience (if any) @jaxs mom.

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

itiswhatitis — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 03:18:25 GMT

@Annabellethecat66 That's what I want to know. I've read articles in glamour and other online articles, but I have not heard anything from anyone who says this is beneficial for their hair.

Was hoping the "community" could assist! If you don't know then I hope someone who does can come in and shed some light!

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

itiswhatitis — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 03:21:34 GMT

@Lucky Charm wrote:
Conditioner Only (CO-washing)

I just did it yesterday after we went paddle boarding.

Anytime I'm in the bay, the ocean or the pool---all salt water which can dry my hair out.

Co washing one time *brings it back*, then the next time I use shampoo and conditioner.

I use Suzanne Organics conditioner.

You benefit from this! Hoping to get a consensus from the beauty gals.

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

nikki48 — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 03:28:28 GMT

@itiswhatitis wrote:
Do any of you ladies do this? If so, why? Is this just another gimmick aimed at helping women part with their $$$ or is there a benefit to co-washing your hair?

Thanks in advance.

Shampoo and harsh cleansers have been shown to strip your scalp and hair of needed moisture. This stripping can cause an overproduction of oil, overly dry scalp and hair (the mother of frizzy hair ) and brittle/ broken hair. What they found was that cleansing with conditioner alone allowed you to clean your scalp and hair (not as well as shampoo in some situations though) without stripping the moisture it needs.

Cleansing conditioners were created to address the issue of non cleansing ingredients in standard conditioners and overly harsh cleansing chemicals in shampoos. Its kind of a "best of both worlds" situation.

Remember when co-washing or using a cleansing conditioner, you no longer have stripping chemicals to rely on. Your fingers (pads, not nails) have to do some work but your scalp and hair maintain their natural balance (as long as its a good formula).

Many people are scared of the moisture (they run from natural oils) but remember, we were all created and lived in fluid for 9 months (many of us born with hair that has never been that thick since)... our bodies are used to and require a moisture balance (inside and out).

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

nikki48 — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 03:24:25 GMT

@nana59 wrote:
@Lucky Charm wrote:
Conditioner Only (CO-washing)

I just did it yesterday after we went paddle boarding.

Anytime I'm in the bay, the ocean or the pool---all salt water which can dry my hair out.

Co washing one time *brings it back*, then the next time I use shampoo and conditioner.

I use Suzanne Organics conditioner.
Oh...I thought it was washing your hair together with a friend......lol......things are getting stranger for me every day......guess it comes with being a senior........

@nana59 ROFL!!!

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

itiswhatitis — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 03:28:01 GMT

@nikki48 wrote:
@itiswhatitis wrote:
Do any of you ladies do this? If so, why? Is this just another gimmick aimed at helping women part with their $$$ or is there a benefit to co-washing your hair?

Thanks in advance.
Shampoo and harsh cleansers have been shown to strip your scalp and hair of needed moisture. This stripping can cause an overproduction of oil, overly dry scalp and hair and brittle/ broken hair. What they found was that cleansing with conditioner alone allowed you to clean your scalp and hair (not as well as shampoo in some situations though) without stripping the moisture it needs.

Cleansing conditioners were created to address the issue of non cleansing ingredients in standard conditioners and overly harsh cleansing chemicals in shampoos. Its kind of a "best of both worlds" situation.

Remember when co-washing or using a cleansing conditioner, you no longer have stripping chemicals to rely on. Your fingers (pads, not nails) have to do some work but your scalp and hair maintain their natural balance (as long as its a good formula).

Many people are scared of the moisture (they run from natural oils) but remember, we were all created and lived in fluid for 9 months (many of us born with hair that has never been that thick since)... our bodies are used to and require a moisture balance (inside and out).

I want YOU as my beauty consultant Ms. Nikki48! LOL. Thank you for the thorough explanation. Sounds like this could be something I can get into. Of course, it does require an additional purchase of one of these conditioners. Would likely mean my shampoo would last longer then. @nikki48, can you recommend some brands?

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

nikki48 — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 03:43:11 GMT

@itiswhatitis wrote:
@nikki48 wrote:
@itiswhatitis wrote:
Do any of you ladies do this? If so, why? Is this just another gimmick aimed at helping women part with their $$$ or is there a benefit to co-washing your hair?

Thanks in advance.
Shampoo and harsh cleansers have been shown to strip your scalp and hair of needed moisture. This stripping can cause an overproduction of oil, overly dry scalp and hair and brittle/ broken hair. What they found was that cleansing with conditioner alone allowed you to clean your scalp and hair (not as well as shampoo in some situations though) without stripping the moisture it needs.

Cleansing conditioners were created to address the issue of non cleansing ingredients in standard conditioners and overly harsh cleansing chemicals in shampoos. Its kind of a "best of both worlds" situation.

Remember when co-washing or using a cleansing conditioner, you no longer have stripping chemicals to rely on. Your fingers (pads, not nails) have to do some work but your scalp and hair maintain their natural balance (as long as its a good formula).

Many people are scared of the moisture (they run from natural oils) but remember, we were all created and lived in fluid for 9 months (many of us born with hair that has never been that thick since)... our bodies are used to and require a moisture balance (inside and out).
I want YOU as my beauty consultant Ms. Nikki48! LOL. Thank you for the thorough explanation. Sounds like this could be something I can get into. Of course, it does require an additional purchase of one of these conditioners. Would likely mean my shampoo would last longer then. @nikki48, can you recommend some brands?

Personally, I am a Wen girl, have been for 9 yrs. Before Wen I liked Tresemme conditioner for my Co-washes.

In 9 yrs, I am sure things have come very far with other brands of conditioners. Check out naturally curly and youtube (search co wash or cleansing conditioner) for other recommendations.

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

ChynnaBlue — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 03:41:41 GMT

@itiswhatitis wrote:
Do any of you ladies do this? If so, why? Is this just another gimmick aimed at helping women part with their $$$ or is there a benefit to co-washing your hair?

Thanks in advance.

This is the exact opposite of being true. CO-washing (conditioner only washing) means I stopped buying shampoo and only used conditioner. For women who normally use shampoo and conditioner, that's fewer products to spend money on.

When I started co-washing, I used Suave. It was under $2. The shampoos I used before I used Suave to co-wash were anywhere from $8-25 a bottle.

Suave got my hair clean, but it wasn't a rich enough conditioner, so I wound up using my old conditioner to condition after I washed with a conditioner. My hair has always been very dry and I've always used a lot of conditioner. Still saved money, but it was a two-step process, which was a bummer and seemed inefficient.

I moved from Suave + salon conditioner to WEN. That cost more than the Suave + Conditioner, but was about the same as my old Shampoo + Conditioner combo. (I used high-end products because that's where I found a shampoo that didn't leave my hair feeling like straw.) Chaz always talks about WEN as a two-step double-cleanse process, but I almost always only do one to save time.

Why do it at all? I have curly, color treated hair that's naturally dry. Curls love moisture and I had none. I read about CO-washing on naturally curly websites and in books about curly hair. I didn't think it would work, which is why I spent $2 on Suave to give it a try. It definitely worked and changed everything for me. I've always had wavy hair, but giving up shampoo stopped stripping the moisture from my hair and left it healthier. My waves turned into actual curls. Once I moved to WEN Fig, I stopped getting flyaways. I can pull an acrylic sweater out of the dryer and over my head in the middle of winter and NOT have my hair come out all staticky. And my hair is curlier than ever. There's no way I'm going back to shampoo.

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

itiswhatitis — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 03:45:30 GMT

@nikki48 wrote:
@itiswhatitis wrote:
@nikki48 wrote:
@itiswhatitis wrote:
Do any of you ladies do this? If so, why? Is this just another gimmick aimed at helping women part with their $$$ or is there a benefit to co-washing your hair?

Thanks in advance.
Shampoo and harsh cleansers have been shown to strip your scalp and hair of needed moisture. This stripping can cause an overproduction of oil, overly dry scalp and hair and brittle/ broken hair. What they found was that cleansing with conditioner alone allowed you to clean your scalp and hair (not as well as shampoo in some situations though) without stripping the moisture it needs.

Cleansing conditioners were created to address the issue of non cleansing ingredients in standard conditioners and overly harsh cleansing chemicals in shampoos. Its kind of a "best of both worlds" situation.

Remember when co-washing or using a cleansing conditioner, you no longer have stripping chemicals to rely on. Your fingers (pads, not nails) have to do some work but your scalp and hair maintain their natural balance (as long as its a good formula).

Many people are scared of the moisture (they run from natural oils) but remember, we were all created and lived in fluid for 9 months (many of us born with hair that has never been that thick since)... our bodies are used to and require a moisture balance (inside and out).
I want YOU as my beauty consultant Ms. Nikki48! LOL. Thank you for the thorough explanation. Sounds like this could be something I can get into. Of course, it does require an additional purchase of one of these conditioners. Would likely mean my shampoo would last longer then. @nikki48, can you recommend some brands?
Personally, I am a Wen girl, have been for 9 yrs. Before Wen I liked Tresemme conditioner for my Co-washes.

In 9 yrs, I am sure things have come very far with other brands of conditioners. Check out naturally curly and youtube (search co wash or cleansing conditioner) for other recommendations.

Thank you @nikki48.

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

ChynnaBlue — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 03:46:28 GMT

@itiswhatitis wrote:
@nikki48 wrote:
@itiswhatitis wrote:
Do any of you ladies do this? If so, why? Is this just another gimmick aimed at helping women part with their $$$ or is there a benefit to co-washing your hair?

Thanks in advance.
Shampoo and harsh cleansers have been shown to strip your scalp and hair of needed moisture. This stripping can cause an overproduction of oil, overly dry scalp and hair and brittle/ broken hair. What they found was that cleansing with conditioner alone allowed you to clean your scalp and hair (not as well as shampoo in some situations though) without stripping the moisture it needs.

Cleansing conditioners were created to address the issue of non cleansing ingredients in standard conditioners and overly harsh cleansing chemicals in shampoos. Its kind of a "best of both worlds" situation.

Remember when co-washing or using a cleansing conditioner, you no longer have stripping chemicals to rely on. Your fingers (pads, not nails) have to do some work but your scalp and hair maintain their natural balance (as long as its a good formula).

Many people are scared of the moisture (they run from natural oils) but remember, we were all created and lived in fluid for 9 months (many of us born with hair that has never been that thick since)... our bodies are used to and require a moisture balance (inside and out).
I want YOU as my beauty consultant Ms. Nikki48! LOL. Thank you for the thorough explanation. Sounds like this could be something I can get into. Of course, it does require an additional purchase of one of these conditioners. Would likely mean my shampoo would last longer then. @nikki48, can you recommend some brands?

If you shampoo, you reverse the effects of the conditioner. That's the whole point of Conditioner Only washing. Your shampoo should last forever because you stop using it.

You can start with the conditioner you already have or buy a cheap one like Suave. Start cheap as a proof of concept. If you like it and believe it works for you, then you can invest in something even more effective. (Or maybe your current conditioner or Suave will be perfect for you and you won't need to buy anything new.)

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

mstyrion 1 — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 05:51:45 GMT

Like ChynnaBlue, I started co-washing with cheapie Suave. I also had wavy to loose curly hair and shampoo seemed to leave my hair very dry and I had trouble getting good curl definition. My hair is extremely thick and on the coarse side. Shampoo left it feeling "hard".

I graduated to using WEN when it hit the market and haven't used regular shampoo for several years now. My hair is softer and my curls form much better. I can skip a day of cleansing as well.

The co-washing concept was originally intended for curly hair, but many people do it now because it is such a gentle way to cleanse. Even though WEN is pricy, I actually save money because I'm not buying shampoo and conditioner nor am I constantly trying new shampoos/conditioners in the search for the "perfect" product.

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

Sweet_Serenity — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 08:49:58 GMT

Nikki48 Excellent comment. 💞

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

KathyPet — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 09:53:41 GMT

@nana59 wrote:
@Lucky Charm wrote:
Conditioner Only (CO-washing)

I just did it yesterday after we went paddle boarding.

Anytime I'm in the bay, the ocean or the pool---all salt water which can dry my hair out.

Co washing one time *brings it back*, then the next time I use shampoo and conditioner.

I use Suzanne Organics conditioner.
Oh...I thought it was washing your hair together with a friend......lol......things are getting stranger for me every day......guess it comes with being a senior........

NAnanana59

I think your understanding of what this is sounds like a lot more fun depending upon what friend is in the shower with you!

Re: Anyone know what and why you co-wash your hair?

Shanus — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 12:40:26 GMT

Because my hair is naturally curly & color treated, I read that CO washing was beneficial. I tried WEN for several years. The build up on my scalp made me have to use a sulfate free, silicone free shampoo every other time. I only wash my hair 2 or 3 times a week (S&C). When I shower the other days, I just run a small amount of the conditioner (about a teaspoon) through my short, layered hair to add moisture. If you read about CO washing, there are many "recipes" w/ vinegar, etc. to rinse hair to clean scalp of extra build up of oils. That proved to me that something more than just conditioner was needed. To quote Nick Chavez: "A clean scalp means healthy hair"!