Any COW washers?

[detritus]

I remember there was a COW article and maybe a thread too in the archived LHC. But because the search won't work for less than 4 letters I can't figure out if there is info on the new LHC.

If I remember correctly, it's just washing with a solution of shampoo, conditioner and water. Right? I've been doing this for the last week or so and so far I really like it. No waxy buildup like I got with CO and no itchy scalp or dry ends like I always seem to get with shampoo. I don't use sulfates at all, so my COW mixture uses aubrey organics honeysuckle rose shampoo with VO5 calming chamomile conditioner. Then I follow up with AO honeysuckle rose condish on the ends.

Does this sound about right? Is anyone else still using this method?

[LeaM07]

I'm not using that method myself, so I'm no help there, but you can get around the three character limit by doing a Google search for "cow site:www.longhaircommunity.com".

You might get a mix of results, though. :bull: ;)

[Miss Murphy]

I believe you can also search for cow* :-)

[detritus]

Unfortunately, neither search is turning up what I'm looking for. Thanks for the suggestions though!

[danacc]

Is this similar to what you are looking for?
C-COW-C: a fusion wash method (http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=19783)

[detritus]

Kind of. I had found that article before, but I'm not using condish before I wash with the "cocktail." I was really just wondering if anyone out in the ether was still using that method, or if it turned out to not work long-term.

[SHELIAANN1969]

I did work at a dairy farm for all of 3 days, chasing cows was terribly exhausting, I never had to wash them though (well, not the whole cow anyways) hehehe

[eaglefeather71]

I have sort of resorted to something that sounds similar to what your talking about. I have gotten past the point of the oilies, my hair gets flat and ultra soft, but not oily and I can go about a week before I feel like my scalp is getting itchy and 'scaly' i guess would be the term. When I do get that way I don't want to use much product or shampoo bar so I have mixed my own shampoo (dr broners baby, water, some essential oils and some jojoba) that is VERY, VERY diluted and added a little conditioner to that. I put just a tad on my scalp and massage it a bit and then rinse. I do that only when I feel like WO is not doing the trick and I need a little extra cleansing and/or body. I dont think I've used any cleaning agents or conditioner on my ends for a couple months now. I'm brushing with a Boar brush nightly and I'm actually on here today looking up scritching.

[Kayleena]

Hi to all! :) I am…sort of. I read the C-COW-C article on the old LHC {I lurked for a very loooooooong time before I joined} and, based on that, came up with my own very lazy variation. I don’t do the first C. {Our shower runs out of hot water fast, so I can’t do too many rinses.} My version of COW is simply using a 2-in-1 shampoo & conditioner {Head & Shoulders, I need to treat dandruff}; after that I follow up with the second C {Sheer Blonde Conditioner, to brighten the blonde}. My fine hair seems to be very happy with that combination; it’s not too dry, not too oily right away, not too lacking in body, and I can often comb out tangles without additional help from a spray detangler. I have a separate clarifying shampoo {VO5 Tea Therapy Vanilla Mint Tea, smells wonderful!} which I use when necessary. I occasionally try 2-in-1’s for volumizing, especially if my hair needs to be styled for a special event. You are correct, detritus, that the COW is a solution of shampoo, conditioner, and water, shaken together. I'm glad to hear it's working for you so far. :)

[ladyshannonanne]

I haven't heard of this method yet, but I'm definitely going to try it. I keep saying I'm going to stop shampooing, but I don't like having an itchy scalp. This sounds like a good in between solution.

Thanks!

[amaiaisabella]

I was searching the boards for AO's Honeysuckle Rose, and ended up here :) I do have a question, though. Do you mix up the solution beforehand in a bottle, and if so, what are the ratios? Even if I do CWC, my ends end up dry, so this seems like a better solution to get a clean scalp without the dryness issue.

[detritus]

Well, I'm not much of a measurer... If I had to guess, I'd say I use a couple tablespoons of shampoo and conditioner (a thinner one that could work for CO) and add a 1.5-2 cups of warm water. Shake it up and squirt it through my hair.

[amaiaisabella]

Thanks! I'm going to try it the next time I wash :)

[atlantaz3]

I had to show this post to the dh! I tried condition only wash (hope I'm correct here) for a short time but didn't feel like my hair was getting clean. I also felt like the conditioner was building up even with a vinegar rinse.

[Rzilynt]

There is an awesome product that leaves the hair soft and cleansed. It is a conditioning cleanser. You may have seen it on QVC, It is called WEN. I have done conditioner washes with only conditioners and have never gotten results like this...now Sally's has their own version called Hair One that I prefer and now this is for me a miracle in a bottle at a reasonable price. :happydance:

RZ~

[Speckla]

Silly answer: I don't COW because I'm lactose intolerant.

Serious answer: I do cowash with Suave Ocean Breeze everyday. I love it. I will occasionally clarify with Suave Clarifying Shampoo if I get buildup.
________
FORD XL FALCON SPECIFICATIONS (http://www.ford-wiki.com/wiki/Ford_XL_Falcon)

[Silver Strands]

I have used this method in the past and was very happy with it.

I try so many things and get distracted so easily that I tend to forget what I really liked.

Anyhow, I didn't use the first C either as my hair is only collarbone length and doesn't need it at this point.

It really did work very well. Cleaner than CO but not as drying as shampoo.
I recently started using a homemade WEN I mixed up.
Again not as harsh as shampoo but more cleansing than CO because of the essential oils added.

Are you getting good results? Any negatives?


Rzilynt, Sally's has a version of WEN?
How much is it and does it have the same ingredients?

Sorry for the hijack to your thread.

[Katahdin]

I use a sort of hybrid of c-cow-c and cwc, using Mane and Tail products. I CO'd with M&T for a while, at first while my hair loved it, then it started to feel a little gunky and coated. Also, washing left my hair it a little greasy. It was clean enough, but it felt like the-day-after-a-wash clean, not freshly-washed clean.

Basically, I use a glob of condish just like I would for CO, coat the length, scrub the scalp where it's greasy. Using one of my mom's old hair dye bottles, I mix a quarter-sized drop of 'poo with about 100ml of water, shake it up, and clean my scalp with it. Rise, 1 part condish to 3 parts water in the dye bottle, use on scalp. If my hair was really, really greasy before the wash, I might add some 'poo into the final step.

[chloeishere]

I'm unusual in this thread, as COW had horrible results on me.

I went from shampoo bars to CO washing. CO worked okay for my hair, but left my scalp absolutely miserable. I stumbled onto to C-COW-C washing article, and decided to try it out-- it seemed like a good midpoint.

Bottom line: my hair would end up either completely oily as heck, worse than before I washed it, with an oily, itchy, gunky scalp... or it would end up completely stripped and puffy. I gave up after a few weeks of trying.

Now I use Dairy Whip, and some conditioner, and I'm very happy with my nice, consistently good results. :D But I'm glad it works for so many people!