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View Full Version : Will CO-Washing make my hair greasy



Kikina
December 4th, 2013, 11:07 AM
I don't know much about CO-washing so I googled it, but I'm not sure I found what I was looking for. I am willing to try it just because a lot of you seems to approve it, but I'm a little suspicious of it not turning the way I expect. I really need to know how exactly do I CLEAN my scalp and hair so that my natural oils are reduced to normal and my roots get crisp-clean look? Or that's not the idea?

faellen
December 4th, 2013, 11:37 AM
It won't make your hair greasy per se, but the problem I often had with CO is that it wasn't effective enough at removing sebum from my hair and my hair wouldn't look very clean as a result. Therefore, I don't CO every time I wash.

CO gets a lot of praise here but doesn't work for everyone. Check out the CO thread, lots of experts there :)

Kikina
December 4th, 2013, 11:47 AM
What if my hair doesn't have that much sebum? Will it freshen it up at least a bit?

Rio040113
December 4th, 2013, 12:18 PM
My hair is very greasy, even after stretching my washes to every other day*, I'm still slightly greasy when I wake up on Day 2 :lol: I CO with a cheap conditioner and find my hair looks completely clean and fresh after, like it used to when I S/C'd. I shampoo (diluted) once every week or so and find even with extra conditioner afterwards, my hair feels a little too clean (not dry or stripped but definitely in need of an oiling!). I'm finding as time passes COing is slowly making my hair less greasy :D I used to be an oil slick on Day 2, now I'm a little 'shiny' and I notice it but it's nothing major anymore. YMMV though, you never know until you try :) I'd check out the CO thread for tips if I were you, there are a few different ways to go about the whole thing. Good luck!

*I've been stretching my washes for like 2 years now.

ETA - If it helps at all, my avatar picture is after skipping 2 or 3 days of washes, then doing 1 CO wash and air drying.

muddblood21
December 4th, 2013, 12:36 PM
I CO wash off and on depending on my activity level and the seasons. I don't feel like my hair is greasy when I do. I think it would really depend on the conditioner you chose and if you did it properly (if I don't really pay attention and don't rinse well, I might end up with a spot that feels a little dirty). Check out the CO washing thread, they have lots of great info and love to answer questions! All else fails, go grab you a bottle of Vo5 kiwi lime (that is my personal fave, smells great and is $.88 where I live) and give it a try! ;)

Nadine <3
December 4th, 2013, 01:03 PM
I've been Co washing for 4 months now and I love it. My hair gets nice and clean but I don't have crazy frazzled dryy hair that floats all over the place now. I used shampoo on my head once in the 4 months I've been CO washing and that was only because I went swimming, and had to get the chlorine out of my hair. I would give it a try! I have never had a problem with it. I loved it from the start!

LauraLongLocks
December 4th, 2013, 01:33 PM
I was amazed when I tried CO the first time, and the next, and the next times. It made my roots look just as crisp and clean as when I used shampoo. However, my hair didn't feel as stripped and dry as it did when I used shampoo (CWC method). At first, I COd every day, and on the 7th day, I used diluted shampoo and did a CWC. Then I COd every day or every other day and did a diluted shampoo CWC on day 11. Next time I made it 12 days before using diluted shampoo, with the daily, or every other day CO washes. Every time I use the CWC method, I have followed up with an hour long SMT. My hair is the best it has ever looked. I should also add that I oil with jojoba every day, and use coconut every night, so twice a day oiling. My hair looks squeaky clean, but is so much better moisturized than ever before. I'm super happy with it.

LauraLongLocks
December 4th, 2013, 01:36 PM
I've been Co washing for 4 months now and I love it. My hair gets nice and clean but I don't have crazy frazzled dryy hair that floats all over the place now. I used shampoo on my head once in the 4 months I've been CO washing and that was only because I went swimming, and had to get the chlorine out of my hair. I would give it a try! I have never had a problem with it. I loved it from the start!

Just a tip on the shampooing to get chlorine out... you may have to use a clarifying shampoo every now and then to get chlorine build-up out if you swim often. My routine is to swim 2-3 times a week, and I have not had to shampoo each of those times. I use the CO method, with conditioners that contain EDTA to chelate the chlorine and help it wash away. It does a good job, but I do have to clarify about every 11 or 12 days with shampoo, so far.

turquoisedays
December 4th, 2013, 01:53 PM
I only do CO washes (and I only use silicone-free conditioners because I don't want buildup, current favorite is Trader Joe's tea tree oil conditioner with peppermint), and it works for me. Many people who do it may have an 'adjustment period' that may last a few weeks where their scalp still produces a lot of oil. I didn't have much of an 'adjustment period' because I had switched to the CWC method with a sulfate-free shampoo a couple years prior to strict CO washing.

Whenever I CO wash, I start by applying conditioner to my scalp area first and let that settle in (to let the cetyl alcohol in the conditioner break down oils or dirt), and then apply conditioner to the length and untangle with my fingers. When I'm done untangling and the conditioner is still in, I put it up into a soaking wet nautilus bun and slip an acrylic stick through and do whatever else I need to do in the shower. When that's all done, I rinse the conditioner out, and usually rinse and condition the length again if that's necessary. This way of CO washing works for me and it never looks greasy after I wash it this way.

maborosi
December 4th, 2013, 05:27 PM
CO wash might not be able to remove enough oil and dirt from your scalp to leave it clean.

I can't CO wash because it's not enough to remove all the ick from my scalp that gets there daily. So, I scalp wash with diluted shampoo daily- cut with water and conditioner so that I'm just doing a mild rinse. It works well.
If I don't do this, I get acne and itchy scalp.

~maborosi~

Zebra Fish
December 5th, 2013, 03:11 AM
I tried CO-wash because I liked the idea a lot. It would clean my hair and scalp just fine, but my scalp obviously didn't like it and would be all greasy by day 4 and got a bit of flakes. I used to wash my hair once a week (except if I don't get dirty before for other reasons), so that was a pain and I also never had dandruff problem before. I gave it a go for 2 months, and then I gave up. Since then I'm washing with a diluted SLS-free shampoo and it works just fine, I'm back on once a week and my scalp is happy again (no flakes).

I suggest you try it. It works miracle for lots of people, but also don't get depressed if it won't work for you aswell, as everybody's scalp and hair are different.

browneyedsusan
December 5th, 2013, 05:07 AM
It doesn't work for me at all. My scalp gets greasy looking.

I CWC: first CO "wash", rinse, shampoo, rinse, condition ends only. Done.

QMacrocarpa
December 5th, 2013, 08:00 AM
I tried it once, didn't enjoy the result (lank- and stringy-feeling and seemingly in need of another wash right away), and went back to my routine of stretched washes with dilute shampoo followed by conditioner. I'd say it's worth a try, but don't feel duty-bound to stick with it if you don't like it.