The CO (conditioner only) washing thread

[Budgie]

I just bought VO5's kiwi clarifying shampoo. It's a basic cone-free SLS.

I just got out of the shower, and oh my lord does my hair feel fresh! Hopefully this VO5 condtioner won't leave me with about a pound of nasty build up within a week.

I also bought a little baggie of catnip and made the tea with it.
Speaking of which, I'm leaving it in with a shower cap all night because I'm too tired to stay up another hour to wait. Is keeping your hair wet for that long bad for your hair?

[Nadine <3]

So here is my query for you all. (warning, this may raise some heebie jeebies in some of you)
I read so much about everybody doing their CO routine in the shower. Do any of you wash/COwash your hair in the bath? (Feel free to insert all your "Eeewwws!" now. I realize baths are not for everyone.)

I did it once. I dunked my hair to get it wet, then I soaked it in condish and did my scalp scrubbing. I shoved it all into a shower cap and enjoyed the rest of my bath. When I was done, I turned the shower on and rinsed. It worked well. It got good and clean since it sat under the cap for a good long time. I used a heavier conditioner to condition my length.

[LauraLongLocks]

I don't prefer baths, but for 6 years, we only had a claw foot tub. I didn't know about CO-washing then. I was so delighted when we finally got a shower! I then learned about CWC and did that for a number of years before learning of CO-washing. I would imagine CO-washing could work just fine in a bath, provided the choice of conditioner was a runny, clean-rinsing type. I don't know how it would be to wash super length hair while taking a bath. I know a lot of longhairs don't wash their hair while cleansing their body... they only do it kneeling at the side of the tub.

[alishaxmarie]

How would I manage things like protein masks and catnips soaks with a cowash schedule?

I simply use the catnip tea as a leave-in after CO-washing and I had no issues with it.

[Nadine <3]

Last night I washed with VO5 for the first time (Normally I CO with Suave) I braided it wet, and slept on it. I woke up today with nice waves that actually felt DRY...WOW! I'll have to add some tresseme naturals to my length. I like that conditioner, but it was way to heavy for my scalp. It made me really greasy. I love the VO5 coconut scent

[sarahthegemini]

Hi co-washers! Little update here:

I have changed up my co-routine slightly. Previously I:
-Slathered conditioner onto my dry hair
-Leave for 10 minutes
-Hop in shower, dunk head under water flow
-Massage for about 5 minutes
-Rinse for what felt like an eternity

What I didn't like about this: It was so time-consuming, as you guys know, that was starting to be a real PITA for me. It was quite messy covering my hair with co whilst it was still dry. Both the massage and rinsing took ages. I had to use a lot of conditioner.

Now, I:
-Hop straight in the shower and saturate my hair
-Apply a couple of palmfuls of co on my scalp, another on my nape and one more on the length of my hair
-Massage for about 2 minutes
-Put shower cap on, wash myself and shave
-Take shower cap off and massage again for a minute, then rinse for i'd like to say a few minutes but I keep getting distracted by removing shed hairs from my body (shed hair resting on my skin makes me cringe!) so I probably rinse for about 5-6 minutes

This method is faster overall because I don't have to spend 5 minutes applying the conditioner and then waiting for 10 before getting in the shower. Plus I have managed to cut my showers down from about 40ish minutes to 30. Now this still seems too long so I am working on getting quicker and quicker, my target is around 20 minutes so I need to cut out 10 minutes somehow! I think I can do this if I can manage to just rinse thoroughly for a few minute instead of stopping to pick off hairs every 10 seconds lol. Also, I have decided to stop using a rinse out conditioner and just use my leave-in conditioner. I was originally only using a RO to balance out the protein in my LI, but my RO has protein in anyway so it is probably not necessary! This method is quicker (and hopefully will continue to get quicker!) and so much less hassle. I am actually not hating the thought of washing my hair anymore

[nyia]

Hi co-washers! Little update here:

-Hop straight in the shower and saturate my hair
-Apply a couple of palmfuls of co on my scalp, another on my nape and one more on the length of my hair
-Massage for about 2 minutes
-Put shower cap on, wash myself and shave
-Take shower cap off and massage again for a minute, then rinse for i'd like to say a few minutes but I keep getting distracted by removing shed hairs from my body (shed hair resting on my skin makes me cringe!) so I probably rinse for about 5-6

I timed my shower routine today, and it took about 15 minutes altogether. This made me wonder about a couple of things about your routine.

First, the shedding. When you say "massage for two minutes," do you mean you press and rub your scalp, or do you mean making the same kind of scrubbing motions you used when you were using shampoo, to make it foam up and clean your scalp? You have massages twice during your routine, which, in my opinion, could be increasing the shedding. When you massage your scalp, if you're pressing on your scalp and hair shafts, your bending the hair shafts into a position different than the direction of growth. Could this damage individual hairs to make it seem like they are jumping ship, when they are really breaking off near the scalp? I don't know, but, if it were me, I'd examine some of the ends to see if it has that little bit of root or surrounding scalp stuff still attached.

So, when I apply the conditioner at the beginning of the shower, I also get the hair wet, put on enough conditioner to goop up my scalp and hair thoroughly, and then, scrub my scalp with my fingertips. Unlike a lot of people here, I also use my nails to scrub, getting right down to the scalp, between the hairs, instead of pressing the hairs. Once that's done, I run my fingertips between and around the hairs throughout the whole length of hair. My hair is mid-thigh, so this takes a fair bit of time, but it works like a bit of untangling of the bigger tangles. Then, I use the handheld shower head, turn it to the pulse massage setting, and tilt my head back very slightly, just enough to create a little space around the hairs for the water to get in. I press the shower head against the hair, and rinse it out, which goes pretty fast with the spray so close to the hair (think about how a salon rinses with a sprayer, close to the head and hair). This clears away everything very quickly, all the gunk and dirt, etc. then I sometimes apply a second conditioner all over, or maybe a bit to leave in. I do my shower this and that, rinse hair again, leaving a tiny bit in. Wrap hair, dry off, and done. I have hardly any shed in the shower.

Second, I understand about picking shed hairs off yourself. Can you adjust your spray so it points to your body while you're working with your hair? Then the water can was away the hairs while you're busy otherwise.

If you have the option of a handheld shower head, I highly recommend it. It helps with cleaning, feels great when it's pulsing against your scalp, and can speed things up a lot when you really need the extra time.

[ErinLeigh]

Hi co-washers! Little update here:

I have changed up my co-routine slightly. Previously I:
-Slathered conditioner onto my dry hair
-Leave for 10 minutes
-Hop in shower, dunk head under water flow
-Massage for about 5 minutes
-Rinse for what felt like an eternity

What I didn't like about this: It was so time-consuming, as you guys know, that was starting to be a real PITA for me. It was quite messy covering my hair with co whilst it was still dry. Both the massage and rinsing took ages. I had to use a lot of conditioner.

Now, I:
-Hop straight in the shower and saturate my hair
-Apply a couple of palmfuls of co on my scalp, another on my nape and one more on the length of my hair
-Massage for about 2 minutes
-Put shower cap on, wash myself and shave
-Take shower cap off and massage again for a minute, then rinse for i'd like to say a few minutes but I keep getting distracted by removing shed hairs from my body (shed hair resting on my skin makes me cringe!) so I probably rinse for about 5-6 minutes

This method is faster overall because I don't have to spend 15 minutes applying the conditioner and then waiting for 10 before getting in the shower. Plus I have managed to cut my showers down from about 40ish minutes to 30. Now this still seems too long so I am working on getting quicker and quicker, my target is around 20 minutes so I need to cut out 10 minutes somehow! I think I can do this if I can manage to just rinse thoroughly for a few minute instead of stopping to pick off hairs every 10 seconds lol. Also, I have decided to stop using a rinse out conditioner and just use my leave-in conditioner. I was originally only using a RO to balance out the protein in my LI, but my RO has protein in anyway so it is probably not necessary! This method is quicker (and hopefully will continue to get quicker!) and so much less hassle. I am actually not hating the thought of washing my hair anymore

Darn no wonder you were stressing. I had no idea you did all that! Glad you found a routine to save time
Lol at the shed hair. It freaks me out. I don't know why, I love touching my hair... but the minute it falls out I am sickened by it. (I have gagged over shed hairs)

[LauraLongLocks]

Hi co-washers! Little update here:

I have changed up my co-routine slightly. Previously I:
-Slathered conditioner onto my dry hair
-Leave for 10 minutes
-Hop in shower, dunk head under water flow
-Massage for about 5 minutes
-Rinse for what felt like an eternity

What I didn't like about this: It was so time-consuming, as you guys know, that was starting to be a real PITA for me. It was quite messy covering my hair with co whilst it was still dry. Both the massage and rinsing took ages. I had to use a lot of conditioner.

Now, I:
-Hop straight in the shower and saturate my hair
-Apply a couple of palmfuls of co on my scalp, another on my nape and one more on the length of my hair
-Massage for about 2 minutes
-Put shower cap on, wash myself and shave
-Take shower cap off and massage again for a minute, then rinse for i'd like to say a few minutes but I keep getting distracted by removing shed hairs from my body (shed hair resting on my skin makes me cringe!) so I probably rinse for about 5-6 minutes

This method is faster overall because I don't have to spend 15 minutes applying the conditioner and then waiting for 10 before getting in the shower. Plus I have managed to cut my showers down from about 40ish minutes to 30. Now this still seems too long so I am working on getting quicker and quicker, my target is around 20 minutes so I need to cut out 10 minutes somehow! I think I can do this if I can manage to just rinse thoroughly for a few minute instead of stopping to pick off hairs every 10 seconds lol. Also, I have decided to stop using a rinse out conditioner and just use my leave-in conditioner. I was originally only using a RO to balance out the protein in my LI, but my RO has protein in anyway so it is probably not necessary! This method is quicker (and hopefully will continue to get quicker!) and so much less hassle. I am actually not hating the thought of washing my hair anymore

Four suggestions: 1. Brush your hair when it is dry before you shower. This will help remove a lot of your sheds so you won't be picking them off in the shower. 2. Try spraying water in a spray bottle onto your scalp and putting the conditioner on before you get into the shower. It will go on easier than if you apply it to dry hair so you won't use so much and it won't take as much time. No need to wait any length of time after putting it in your hair before hopping in the shower. Just put a shower cap on, hop in the shower, and do the rest of your shower routine. 3. Try epilating or depilitories, or waxing for hair removal so you don't have to spend time shaving in the shower. 4. Stop massaging your scalp after you take the shower cap off. Just rinse and work your fingers in only as much as is necessary to get a good rinse through your hair.

[sarahthegemini]

I timed my shower routine today, and it took about 15 minutes altogether. This made me wonder about a couple of things about your routine.

First, the shedding. When you say "massage for two minutes," do you mean you press and rub your scalp, or do you mean making the same kind of scrubbing motions you used when you were using shampoo, to make it foam up and clean your scalp? You have massages twice during your routine, which, in my opinion, could be increasing the shedding. When you massage your scalp, if you're pressing on your scalp and hair shafts, your bending the hair shafts into a position different than the direction of growth. Could this damage individual hairs to make it seem like they are jumping ship, when they are really breaking off near the scalp? I don't know, but, if it were me, I'd examine some of the ends to see if it has that little bit of root or surrounding scalp stuff still attached.

So, when I apply the conditioner at the beginning of the shower, I also get the hair wet, put on enough conditioner to goop up my scalp and hair thoroughly, and then, scrub my scalp with my fingertips. Unlike a lot of people here, I also use my nails to scrub, getting right down to the scalp, between the hairs, instead of pressing the hairs. Once that's done, I run my fingertips between and around the hairs throughout the whole length of hair. My hair is mid-thigh, so this takes a fair bit of time, but it works like a bit of untangling of the bigger tangles. Then, I use the handheld shower head, turn it to the pulse massage setting, and tilt my head back very slightly, just enough to create a little space around the hairs for the water to get in. I press the shower head against the hair, and rinse it out, which goes pretty fast with the spray so close to the hair (think about how a salon rinses with a sprayer, close to the head and hair). This clears away everything very quickly, all the gunk and dirt, etc. then I sometimes apply a second conditioner all over, or maybe a bit to leave in. I do my shower this and that, rinse hair again, leaving a tiny bit in. Wrap hair, dry off, and done. I have hardly any shed in the shower.

Second, I understand about picking shed hairs off yourself. Can you adjust your spray so it points to your body while you're working with your hair? Then the water can was away the hairs while you're busy otherwise.

If you have the option of a handheld shower head, I highly recommend it. It helps with cleaning, feels great when it's pulsing against your scalp, and can speed things up a lot when you really need the extra time.

I sort of run my finger tips along my scalp, trying to focus on the direction of growth. I think the shed hairs are just hairs that have shed beween washings as I only wash every 5 days so I'm not really concerned about it, it's just the feel of the hairs on my skin as they rinse away I do have the option of a hand held shower head so I'll try that with my head tilting away from my body. Anything to keep those hairs from running down my leg

Darn no wonder you were stressing. I had no idea you did all that! Glad you found a routine to save time
Lol at the shed hair. It freaks me out. I don't know why, I love touching my hair... but the minute it falls out I am sickened by it. (I have gagged over shed hairs)

My previous routine sounded exhausting didn't it! And thank God, I thought I was the only one that hates shed hairs. Like you, I love it when they are attached but the minute they fall out, eugh it makes my skin crawl! My bf thinks it's hilarious lol

Four suggestions: 1. Brush your hair when it is dry before you shower. This will help remove a lot of your sheds so you won't be picking them off in the shower. 2. Try spraying water in a spray bottle onto your scalp and putting the conditioner on before you get into the shower. It will go on easier than if you apply it to dry hair so you won't use so much and it won't take as much time. No need to wait any length of time after putting it in your hair before hopping in the shower. Just put a shower cap on, hop in the shower, and do the rest of your shower routine. 3. Try epilating or depilitories, or waxing for hair removal so you don't have to spend time shaving in the shower. 4. Stop massaging your scalp after you take the shower cap off. Just rinse and work your fingers in only as much as is necessary to get a good rinse through your hair.

I'l try to resist the urge to massage the 2nd time, I just like to ensure I'm being thoroughly clean lol but it probably is unnecessary! I'll comb my hair beforehand too to prevent as much in-shower hair fall