Overnight oiling/CO/shampoo? on damaged hair

[tbonita]

Hey all, I hope I'm posting this on the correct page. As some history, my hair is growing out but ends are still chemically damaged. I henna. I've been doing overnight oilings before my wash days a few times per week. My hair is very dry. I currently use shampoo bars but since my hair is so dry, I'm thinking about giving CO a try. I sometimes CO the oil out and always CO henna out. But I guess it's more CWC since I always throw a 'poo bar in the mix. I'm afraid this is not doing the best service to my damaged hair, to which I'm attempting to add as much LENGTH as possible!

Can I continue with my oilings and exclusively CO? I'm trudging through a massive CO thread to try to gather as much info as possible. I understand a shampoo is needed to occasionally clarify.

Any routine oilers CO only? How often do you throw a shampoo in the mix?

thanks! :)

[mira-chan]

Sometimes CO takes oil out of hair better than shampoo or shampoo bars. So I don't see why you can't CO instead of shampoo bar wash. Yo are right i that most who CO do clarify once in a while with shampoo, as needed, to remove any build up from the conditioners. You generally will know when you need to do it as the hair will start feeling either dryer or lanker than normal.

[AuthenticSelf]

Or you can do oil treatments before your washes?

[Beborani]

I have been Coing exclusively for a year and have shampooed at most 4 or 5 times and none because I needed it--salon, travel etc. I always preoil heavily and use silicone serums and leave in conditioners on other days--everything washes out for me and so far have not had any buildup problems. But my hair is not damaged (much anyway) so I dont know if things buildup more on those.

[dancingrain91]

I find with CO only my length really benefits from oiling. So I heavily oil the length before each wash.

[Nadine <3]

When I was COing (stopped because of shedding issues) I tried oiling regularly and my hair got really mushy because it was over moisturized. Never in a million years did I think that would be a problem! I found CO by itself was enough to keep my hair happy. I oiled maybe once a month if I remembered. My hair has no damage though, so it might be different for you.

[jeanniet]

I CO and really don't oil anymore. However, I do use a leave in (just conditioner). I only clarify every three or four months, sometimes longer than that, so don't feel that you have to clarify on any sort of schedule.

[ErinLeigh]

I have damaged hair and found overnight oilings and CO the best option for me.
I clarify monthly so that is one shampoo. The other is using a low poo Curl Junkie Daily Fix used every 5th wash. It is a marketed cleansing conditioner but since it has an actual shampoo cleansing ingredient in the list I consider it low poo if that makes sense.

I find CO gets the oils out well. My frizz seems to be gone and I live in Florida. This method has saved my hair so I am happy. I alternate conditioners that contain hydrolyzed protein with ones that are protein free to keep hair feeling balanced. Damaged hair does need a bit more attention on that front, at least mine does.

[tbonita]

Wow thanks everyone for your advice. I'm oiling the scalp too, with special oils to reduce shedding and promote new growth.

ErinLeigh, the CO/oiling sounds like a good recipe for my damaged hair. I'm so glad it helped you! I'm definitely going to start giving it a try.

Nadine <3, does CO cause shedding?? I'm confused :confused:

[woolyleprechaun]

I suffered pretty dramatic shedding from CO, but I loved the softness and shine I got. To be honest, when I heavily oil I find conditioner takes it out much better than shampoo. I do my usual oiling on the length only, and to get it out I slap conditioner on the oiled length and leave it on. I then shampoo the roots and condition the ends again. Voila! Oil out.
You'll find it easier when your hair gets longer, I'm sure. I did CO from your length to APL before I encountered problems. I'd recommend giving conditioner only a go for now; not everyone has a shedding problem.

[mira-chan]

Wow thanks everyone for your advice. I'm oiling the scalp too, with special oils to reduce shedding and promote new growth.

ErinLeigh, the CO/oiling sounds like a good recipe for my damaged hair. I'm so glad it helped you! I'm definitely going to start giving it a try.

Nadine <3, does CO cause shedding?? I'm confused :confused:
CO can cause shedding in some people. It depends on what the scalp can tolerate. If you don't see increased shedding from CO then don't worry about it. My scalp for example hates any conditioner on it, oils are ok though. So I get shedding with CO. Others can CO only with whatever coney conditioner, never clarify and be totally fine. Listen to what your body tells you, pretty much.