Naturals that cowash

glamazon386

Well-Known Member
Is it just me or is cowashing not for everybody? It doesn't really do anything for my hair. At least I didn't notice a difference when I did it. When I do wash my hair, I use shampoo. It doesn't dry me out. My hair generally doesn't feel dry. Over the summer I cowashed when I was in a curly weave. But that was to keep the weave hair from being frizzy. My hair felt soft. Since it's been cold, I stopped that (didn't want to go out with wet hair) and washed and DCed once a week like I usually do my own hair. My hair is still soft. I don't see a difference. Am I the only natural who doesnt cowash?
 
bmore, you know my stats - i'm gittin there.

anyway, i tried the cowashing thing all last summer and hated it. i don't think my hair minded but omg my scalp felt so smothered! i used the nonsilicone condishes too :S

i admit i've tried it every blue moon or so since the summer and i still can't handle it.

my scalp like that clean feeling you get from poo..........no way around it.
 
It didn't work at all for me.

I just had buildup and my hair wouldn't hold moisture for long. I use shampoo whenever I wash my hair followed by conditioner.
 
Cool... I don't feel so bad now lol Weekly washings suit me just fine. Do you ladies just use a regular shampoo? How often do you wash?

ETA: JCoily - OMG look at all that hair!
 
I cowash all the time just fine. But I know there's probably many people who don't have much success with it and I totally understand. You gotta do what's best for your hair and if cowashing isn't working too well then don't do it.
 
I wash every 2-3 days. Because I use gel (Fantasia IC -blue) in my hair daily, I clarify everytime I wash (Ion Clarifying poo), followed by moisturizing shampoo (Biolage Ultra Hydrating) and moisturizing conditioner (NTM Hair Mask).

What I have learned about my hair is that there is no such thing as too much moisture....but there is definitely a such thing as too much protein. So unless I notice more shedding than usual, I don't use poo's or con's with protein.

If weekly works for you then keep it up.
 
I wash once a week, never tried con wash, I'm happy with my shampoo, I used hello hydration the last 2 times and it was pretty good. I've also been using henna really like it. :D
 
My hair likes daily con washing if I'm using the right conditioner. Or shampooing every day if I'm using the right shampoo. I've tried a few different washing and conditioning regimens. It really just depends on what I'm washing my hair with, and also what other products I use on my hair. I'm using styling products all the time now so shampooing every couple days is working for me.
 
Conditioner washes have worked pretty well for me. I like Herbal Essences Hello Hydration. However, I do use shampoo at least once a month to rid my hair of product buildup.
 
I like CO washing because it makes my hair soft, and I need to wash my hair to style it and using CO allows me to do so without drying out my hair. I have realised I do need to use shampoo though. About once a week or once a fortnight.

If your hair doesn't benefit from it though... if it aint broke, don't fix it.
 
Cowash never worked for me, my hair is soft, thick and fine and becomes limp with too much cond, so i ACV instead to clarify and keep body, shine and cleanse scalp.
 
RainbowCurls said:
I like CO washing because it makes my hair soft, and I need to wash my hair to style it and using CO allows me to do so without drying out my hair. I have realised I do need to use shampoo though. About once a week or once a fortnight.

If your hair doesn't benefit from it though... if it aint broke, don't fix it.

The bolded part above is true for me as well. Because I have a TWA, I HAVE to wash my hair often in order to style it. And because I don't want it to dry out from shampoo, I just co-wash. But, I've never actually tried shampoo more than once week to see if it will dry my hair out. I just take everyone else's word for it!!! :lol:
 
CO washes do work for me. Since I started using them, I have stopped using shampoo. So far, I have no problems. As with all methods and products, if they don't work for you it's best not to use them. From what I've been reading one is never alone if something doesn't or does work.
 
I tried co-washing this week and it didn't do anything for me. I didn't notice that my hair was any softer (again I only tried it once). I used Suave Naturals conditioner. I shampoo and deep condition every week.
 
ThursdayGirl said:
I tried it, but my hair hated it. All the manipulation was bad for me :nono:

Same here, tried it and didn't like it. It was to much manipulation and my hair stayed dry all the time.
 
It depends on what products you use to style your hair. Like JCoily said, if you're using product to lay it down, then shampoos are a must every so often at least.

I'm a transitioner, but like you bmore, I often use the pony puff and lay back the hair into "sportin' waves". Well, for me, a shampoo to remove and break down that residue helps my hair to be bouncier and shiner and helps with curl formation.

When I finally chop and if I'm wearing a natural fro with minimal product other than oils, CO washing w/o shampooing may be fine. It worked fine when I was relaxed and only used oils in my hair.

It is cold and I have started to press out my hair and wear it in a bun, so that I don't need to wet it to do the wave thang. Be glad that for the next few days we're gonna have some 40+ degree weather round here, no more 8degree wind chill.
 
I didn't like co-washing either. I did it for many months after I bc-ed, and my hair just didn't get clean (my conditioners were cone-free) and just didn't feel right. I also tried the Anita Grant shampoo bar that are very mild and are babassu-oil-based. It was fine at first but then it just built up on my hair.
For some reason my hair is fine with shampoos that have ammonium laureth/lauryl sulfate, but hates shampoos with sodium laureth/lauryl sulfate as well as shampoos that have coco betaine too far up.
I guess everyone is different.
 
IrisDaVirus said:
I cowash all the time just fine. But I know there's probably many people who don't have much success with it and I totally understand. You gotta do what's best for your hair and if cowashing isn't working too well then don't do it.

Yep....what she said ;)
 
melodee said:
Be glad that for the next few days we're gonna have some 40+ degree weather round here, no more 8degree wind chill.

Thank the lord! :clap: I don't really use any products in my hair. Sometimes a leave in. Sometimes the fantasia gel but that's only if I'm wearing my hair slicked back. This week it's straight and I have a fall on. I'm not putting anything on it.
 
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