The CO (conditioner only) washing thread

**GRU** · May 28th, 2012, 10:12 AM

Many people have horrible results from using Bronner's to wash, so be warned! It's just one of those things that works for some and doesn't work for others, and there's no way to know ahead of time which it will be for you...

**luxepiggy** · May 28th, 2012, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by spookyghost

I havent read much of this thread-sorry about that but I have always wanted to try CO. Well I did once after I oiled my hair and I didnt like it.

My hair was limp and a little oily. I did read somewhere that people seemed to leave the conditioner on their head for a while so that made me think about trying it again. Unfortunately when I tried it my one and only time so far I was stuck going to work like that and forgot to take my ponytail holder so I looked like someone with bad hygine!

That ruined me for a while. So yesterday I cut the grass in 90 degree weather for two hours. I was beyond sweaty. I really didnt want to poo my hair because today I plan on clarifying and doing a protein treatment and I didnt want to shampoo my hair two days in a row. I shampoo every other day. So I figured that after cutting the grass and not having to go anywhere would be the perfect time to try it again. I just used my current conditioner-Jason Biotin and put some lavender drops in it. I put it on and wrapped a towel around my head and soaked in the bathtub for a while. I put in its a 10 and some argon oil for a lean in and let air dry. It was way better than the first time and my waves were awesome! I loved loved loved the way it made my waves look. But it still had this limp look and dirty look-or oily or greasy look to it. How can it make my hair look really great and not so great all at the same time? Anyone have any answers or suggestions?

Forgive me, but I'm a bit confused here. Is the information in your sidebar accurate? If you have waves after air-drying you're definitely not a 1a. Just wondering because argan oil seems a bit heavy as a leave-in for 1a / F / i hair, especially in conjunction with a second product.

When you applied the conditioner to your hair, did you work it through the hair and massage it into your scalp? How much conditioner did you use, and how thoroughly did you rinse afterwards? In my experience, the process itself is a much more important aspect of CO-washing than it is when washing with shampoo.

**cremenoir** · May 28th, 2012, 11:38 AM

Hello all! I have a question regarding frequent conditioning...

Is it bad to lightly condition your hair daily or every other day? I CO, but my scalp doesn't get greasy quickly, so I only need to do it about every third or fourth day. However, I just moved to a really dry climate and my ends (which have old bleach damage that I'm slowly cutting off) are really thirsty. I'm also at an awkward growth stage (and hair type, in general) that pretty much requires me to wet my hair down everyday to make it behave. I know I should just cut off the bleach damage and have all healthy virgin hair, and ultimately that's my goal. I'm just not ready to part with that much length yet.

So I'm wondering, since I'm wetting it down anyway, is it too much to lightly condition my ends (just the bleach damaged part) frequently (like daily or every other day)? Anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks!

**Mononoke** · May 28th, 2012, 11:55 AM

I tried CO for the first time yesterday (with a cone conditioner), and my hair is so soft and silky!

**Suze2012** · May 28th, 2012, 12:42 PM

Fridgee (Such a great name at the moment - reading it cools me down! lol!) Thanks for the reply, I 'think' I rinsed enough..I'm quite careful about rinsing as my roots get greasy quickly.
However..your reply has made me think..and in the week I used Tresemme I cut down a lot on teh volume of it that I used as it was quite drying on my hair - I didn't do that yesterday - also like you say it might want more oil when I use it.
I didn't oil it in the end last night but tried the gentler co instead and it's halfway back to normal today so I thin I will oil it tonight but go gently with it as I haven't oiled overnight before.
I don't think my hair much likes Tresemme though to be honest..and it can be tricky to make sure you use less (if that makes any sense!?)

We only have a Tesco, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer where I live - but I will check out Sainsbury's next time I am near one. Cheers!

Dovetail I'm a bit of a product junkie..but a 'smells' junkie moreso..Haha! It kills me to sniff a conditioner only to read the label and see it has 'no no' stuff in it! lol!

Cremenoir From what I have read on here I think you should be ok with conditioning the ends each day when you wet it - as I myself am finding out though it's all down to finding out what your hair likes - so try it and see how you go with it.

**fridgee** · May 28th, 2012, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by cremenoir

Hello all! I have a question regarding frequent conditioning...

Is it bad to lightly condition your hair daily or every other day? I CO, but my scalp doesn't get greasy quickly, so I only need to do it about every third or fourth day. However, I just moved to a really dry climate and my ends (which have old bleach damage that I'm slowly cutting off) are really thirsty. I'm also at an awkward growth stage (and hair type, in general) that pretty much requires me to wet my hair down everyday to make it behave. I know I should just cut off the bleach damage and have all healthy virgin hair, and ultimately that's my goal. I'm just not ready to part with that much length yet.

So I'm wondering, since I'm wetting it down anyway, is it too much to lightly condition my ends (just the bleach damaged part) frequently (like daily or every other day)? Anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks!

That's absolutely fine! Giving your hair moisture when it craves it can only be a good thing

Mononoke congratulations

ETA: Suze2012 if you are trying to use less conditioner try diluting it, it spreads much more easily and you use less

(I just discovered diluting and its working great!)

**spookyghost** · May 28th, 2012, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by luxepiggy

Forgive me, but I'm a bit confused here. Is the information in your sidebar accurate? If you have waves after air-drying you're definitely not a 1a. Just wondering because argan oil seems a bit heavy as a leave-in for 1a / F / i hair, especially in conjunction with a second product.

When you applied the conditioner to your hair, did you work it through the hair and massage it into your scalp? How much conditioner did you use, and how thoroughly did you rinse afterwards? In my experience, the process itself is a much more important aspect of CO-washing than it is when washing with shampoo.

No need to be forgiven! Haha. I have no idea if I typed myself correctly. I had to put something in there when I first joined and it could be wrong. So about a month ago I looked at the hair typing pictures so I could type my hair accurately and what I seem to be, to me anyway, is fine hair with about two s waves. And if I roll a strand of hair in between my two fingers I cant even feel it. Im not looking at those hair typing pics right now but off hand what I think I am is 1 a/b. and i or ii? Please dont laugh hysterically if I am way off

Is that what you think I would be? Funny thing is, I always thought I had straight hair not realizing that people with straight hair have straight air dried hair! It just dries straight. No flat iron or blow dryer needed. I didnt know that.

I did massage the conditioner onto my scalp and I used a good amount. At least more than I would have if I shampood first. I believe I washed it out really good because I rinse for a very long time. Today I bought Suave Aloe and Waterlily so I think I will try it tomarrow. I will remember my scrunchi this time so I dont look horrible at work. Also, today I clarified with neutragina anti-residue shampoo and did an ion reconsrtuctive repair treatment followed by Nexxus humectress ultimate moisture. My hairdresser told me she thought I needed protein and not moisture. So I decided to try. My hair was ok. Nothing special afterward but it wasnt dry or awful.

If I decide to continue CO can I do that every day since Im not using shampoo? I currently wash every other day and it took a little for my hair, the oiliness, to adjust to that. So I dont want to go back to square one if CO will have the same affect as if I shampood every day.

Thanks!

**ravenreed** · May 28th, 2012, 06:08 PM

I CO every other day because my scalp gets greasy and my ends get dry. I find that my ends feel like straw if I go more than three days. I also live in a really dry area and my hair does better if I don't try to stretch things.

Originally Posted by cremenoir

Hello all! I have a question regarding frequent conditioning...

Is it bad to lightly condition your hair daily or every other day? I CO, but my scalp doesn't get greasy quickly, so I only need to do it about every third or fourth day. However, I just moved to a really dry climate and my ends (which have old bleach damage that I'm slowly cutting off) are really thirsty. I'm also at an awkward growth stage (and hair type, in general) that pretty much requires me to wet my hair down everyday to make it behave. I know I should just cut off the bleach damage and have all healthy virgin hair, and ultimately that's my goal. I'm just not ready to part with that much length yet.

So I'm wondering, since I'm wetting it down anyway, is it too much to lightly condition my ends (just the bleach damaged part) frequently (like daily or every other day)? Anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks!

**firegypsy** · May 28th, 2012, 06:11 PM

the most shocking development (because I know you want to know) is that my greasy scalp is no longer greasy. Now, it's been all of a week, so the jury is still out, but I'm suprised. Even today when my hair was weighed down-still unsure if I just didn't rinse well enough or what-my SCALP is perfect. Not try, not oily, just....perfect. As though I showered this morning.

I'm both intrigued and delighted.

**Dovetail** · May 28th, 2012, 06:47 PM

Spooky don't worry about it! I just recently changed mine since it seems co is making it dry wavier then it used to. Some people have multiple types in their hair too, but I know 1a is bone straight with no waves at all, but then you could have some sections like that, it sounds a bit like you are a straight 1b, but I'm no expert at all (I just joined a few weeks ago too)

I was wondering though,
If I have fine, but dense hair, what sort of oils do you all think would be best to try out? I know it can depend on the conditioner, but right now I have plain olive oil (just virgin, not extra virgin) but I don't want to freak my hair out. I would only be putting it on my ends once or so a month just to give them some love. :s I'm still not sure if I should even bother since it gets so humid here in the summer.

Also, my loving sister in law has CURLY THICK red hair, and she was saying when she goes swimming she will coat her hair very thickly with conditioner and then braid it, then when she gets out and rinses it, it isn't all icky and messed up. I was thinking maybe this would help my hair? Since its very fine, and blonde, it dries out, and if I don't wash it right away can turn green! Would coating it like this help maybe? Or would using oil be better?

Sorry for all the questions <3