How long is your Cowash time??

[Royalq]

Hello ladies, and ... gentleman

So I always hear you some of you guys that rave about cowashing daily. You say it helps with moisture and detangling.

But I want to know how much time does that take? At what time of the day do you do it? Im natural and to cowash my hair in sections and then style it would take at least 2-3 hours. Thats why i cant imagine doing that everyday, but maybe i have the wrong idea. How can you cowash and detangle and style everyday with out it taking too long? I want to try cowashing daily because I did it with ease when I had a 2 inch TWA. I only have about 8 inches of hair now and it's significantly harder to deal with just once a week. How do the ML ladies handle it?

Any tips would help.

 

[kandake]

The actual cowash only takes 5 min. 10 min. max.

After the cowash I either bun it or braid it for a braidout. The bun takes 10 min. max. The braiding is about 20-30 min.

If I cowash in the morning it goes into a bun. If its in the evening it can be a bun or braiding for the braidout.

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

I co wash then shingle my hair. From start to finish it takes maybe 45 minutes i would guess. I do it every 3 days (unless I decide to do a twistout)

Sent from the corner pay phone

 

[BrownSkin2]

I'm interested in cowashing often.. For the ladies that cowash daily or a few times a week, do you also detangle or finger detangle with the cowash or not?

Good thread OP..

 

[DominicanBrazilian82]

I co-wash once a week and usually set on my co-wash (either magnetic roller or flexi set). I'm in the second half of my 20 week stretch. So as my stretch progresses I will co-wash more frequently to add an extra moisture boost to my hair and new growth. My co-washes always include a post DC. So it can take me upwards of an hour to complete my co-wash.

 

[Evolving78]

when i was natural, it wouldn't take all of that. i would do it in the shower, blot dry, put my moisturizer/gel in style (puff, wash and go) and keep it moving. if your hair can't handle puffs and wash n gos, i don't think daily cowashing is for you.

 

[Ogoma]

If I am co-washing during the week, about 5 mins to co-wash and 5-10 mins to style.

 

[yuhlovevybz]

I cowash when I'm in the shower. It takes as long as it takes the wash the rest of my body. If I'm in a hurry I dump my hair in the sink and cowash it there. Less than 5 minutes. I don't section my hair, I just make sure I have a shower comb to detangle with. When its full of conditioner, it doesnt tangle anyways. And I'm a type 4(something). hth

 

[whiteoleander91]

I don't smoosh the conditioner on my scalp (like when you shampoo) so I guess it's not technically cowashing...but I put some Aussie 3 min on my hair first, detangle with a wide tooth comb(this condish is awesome for detangling), rinse, and then apply some Infusium 23 Moisture Replinisher on my hair only and let that sit for the duration of my shower. It only takes me like 2 mins to detangle. I rinse again at the end of my shower. I only use serum as a leave-in, then I rake some gel through my hair. That only takes maybe 5 or so mins max. It doesn't take much time for me to cowash. I don't use sections at all.

 

[yorkpatties]

I cowash in the shower at night, pretty much every night. My hair is currently in mini braids (no extensions) and it doesn't take any extra time on my part, it's all part of the shower. When I am not in mini braids, the process takes longer because I wash and detangle in plaits.

 

[Royalq]

yeah my hair cant handle not being in sections, its tangle galore. Maybe i should try it a few times a week instead of everyday.

 

[Blessed&higlyflavoured]

I really wouldn't bother co-washing my hair if it was loose. I only co-wash on the regular when i'm in protective styles that aren't susceptible to shrinking up like little plaits or canerows other wise it would lead to tangling.

It takes about 5 minutes. never more than 10

 

[IDareT'sHair]

The Actual Cowash probably takes me about 10-15 minutes because I rinse 1st, to try to remove alot of the Daily Stylers butter, creme, oil etc.....

Then I apply Conditioner and let sit about 5 minutes before rinsing. Re-Apply/Rinse.

Sometimes, I apply it on Dry, Dirty Hair let sit and Rinse. Re-Apply.

I then Detangle & Dry. I'm Relaxed. And Cowash x2 per week.

 

[Angel of the North]

It takes me 5-10 minutes to co wash, I comb through with the conditioner in my hair (with a seamless comb) blot and style in some sort of bun, this also takes 5 -10 minutes max.

 

[lamaria211]

From start to finish about 5-10 minutes, 30 minutes if your including detangling and adding my leave ins

 

[Nix08]

Less than 3 minutes during my shower, 2 minutes after. If I dc it's on dry/dirty hair as I do other things. I rinse that out then pour tea on my hair, a pump of oil and my conditioner then put on a cap while I wash my body. Rinse from head to toe. Pour leave in tea/avj over my hair, squeeze out excess liquid. Put a microfiber towel over my head as I dry, moisturize and clothe my body. Apply leave in then let my hair hang to airdry as I do other things. I smooth with my hand and finger detangle as it dries. I am relaxed.

 

[reeko43]

I section my hair at night. In the morning I apply the conditioner, put on a cap, wash, detangle a bit if needed, rinse and done. Usually 10-15 min, as long as it takes me to shower.

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

As mentioned before, it normally takes me 5-10 minutes top, unless I'm tired and I'm intentionally being slow.

 

[Ann0804]

I cowash twice a week. The most time consuming part of the process is styling my hair after the cowash since it takes me an hour to style it. The actual cowash takes me 10 minutes, and detangling- 15 minutes. If I deep condition that's another hour, so I could not cowash daily unless my hair was in braids/twists.

 

[karenjoe]

hours!!!
I'm relaxed
I pre condition.
co wash,
then black tea rinse
conditioner on top, rinse
set or air dry (w Tshirt) .... 3 or 4 hrs once a week

 

[ravenhairedcharm]

I would say no more than 10 minutes to rinse. I don't know about co-washing everyday, but for me co-washing my hair in twists cuts down on my wash time dramatically. I apply my conditioner to my dampened hair, detangle outside of the shower, twist as I go, then I rinse the conditioner out thoroughly. That's it.

ETA: Forgot to add my hair is natural right now. It take me 30 minutes to detangle beforehand, 30 minutes to moisturize and style after, it takes less than 2 hours total. I only do this process once a week. Every other week I shampoo, that takes longer...

 

[Taina]

I just re-started my daily cowash routine. My hair tangles very easy when is not properly moisturized, daily cowashes allow me to have moisturized hair that's easier to detangle. I do it in the night with Alberto Vo5, as soon the conditioner touch my hair, it becomes softer and tangle free. I finger comb the hair and put it in four braids.

Total time : Less than 7 minutes

 

[Seamonster]

Gosh, I always hear about people saying natural hair takes forever to maintain. I can pamper myself sometimes and take all day. But to wash my hair and style take about ten minutes. I think it is quicker to wash than not, because it take more time to try to avoid the water and protect the hair. Simple styles take the same amount of time on wet or dry hair. I don't detangle on every wash, because the hair is less tangled with frequent washes , and doesn't need it.

 

[divachyk]

I'm relaxed and have never pulled off a quick cowash unless I have a fresh relaxer. Therefore, I don't do them often.

In total, it takes about 40 mins not including drying time. Breakout of time: depending on the state of my hair it can take about 10 mins to pre-wash detangle, 10 mins to cowash, 5-10 mins to apply LIs, 10 mins to post-wash detangle and dry. My hair is tangle prone, thus I make sure my hair is nicely detangled pre and post wash.

 

[ravenhairedcharm]

Gosh, I always hear about people saying natural hair takes forever to maintain. I can pamper myself sometimes and take all day. But to wash my hair and style take about ten minutes. I think it is quicker to wash than not, because it take more time to try to avoid the water and protect the hair. Simple styles take the same amount of time on wet or dry hair. I don't detangle on every wash, because the hair is less tangled with frequent washes , and doesn't need it.

Seamonster Yes I agree, but some people probably take longer because their hair shrinks up a lot. It really depends on the hair type. Washing my hair loose or in twists that are too big is probably the worse thing ever for my hair. Even washing in sections doesn't even work for me, as the amount of shrinkage I have causes it to "matt" (not like locs) and tangle. My hair has to be twisted tightly in at least 6 sections and clipped at the ends to make it stay. I don't take my hair out of the twists during my co-wash. When I done, it's nice and stretched and tangle free--a must for retaining length. Also I don't detangle at every wash either, so like you that helps save me time Sorry that was so long lol

 

[mayoo]

I'm natural (BSL)
And it takes me about an hour to an hour and a half to co-wash and detangle (simulateously)
Then it takes an hour to deep condition and it takes about 2 hours to style.

 

[greenandchic]

If I cowash during the day/morning, it takes about 5-10 to cowash. I always wait until the water runs crystal clear so it may depend on what I have in my hair. It takes another 15 minutes to style. If I'm not doing a WnG style, its usually in a ponytail with about 4-5 large twists in the ponytail to keep my hair stretched.

I wash about 2-3 a week and the more I wash the easier it is.

ETA: I am natural with about 3 and 4 type hair.