CO-Wash Routines ?

[cassandraj]

Hi, I'm new here (I often read through the forums, but this is the first time posting)!

I think I've been trying to grow my hair out for all my life...but I get the itch to change it so often, that the longest it's ever gotten is about chest length. I have an addiction to box colors, also. I've decided (after giving myself a nice chop/color back to natural) that I'm going to attempt to grow my hair out. The ends were getting so bad that they wouldn't even hold color anymore, because for the past three years, I cycle from my natural dark dark brown, to red, to super light red, to blonde, to copper, then back to the dark dark brown. I'm chin length now, because I just had a baby (8 weeks ago...where does time go?!), and I also have a 3 year old, and figured this would be easy to care for.

I've read up as much as I could about co-washing, because I think that it would be best for my hair, which is a bit on the dry side. I've also got eczema, which flares up around season changes. Right now, I'm able to go about a week without washing my hair without greasiness, but never get that long since I'm a cow and often get leaked on lol

So my question to you lovely ladies is this:

What is your co-wash routine?

What products do you use, how often do you wash, how long is your routine, etc?

Any advice for growing would be wonderful! Thanks in advance :D

Oh, and because I started the co-washing a few days back, I should mention my routine:

I rinse my hair really well with water for about 1-2 minutes, work in a few handfuls of V05 (the orange body one at this point; I also have V05 Key Lime, V05 Pomegranate, and White Rain Coconut Hibiscus on stand by), then I massage my head really well with my fingertips. I then use a wide tooth shower comb to further detangle. I rinse, and follow with Renpure Originals Bamboo Coconut Water conditioner which I let sit while I wash my face/body. Rinse is all out, wrap a towel around my head while I dry off. Then, with hair still wet, but not dripping, I use a few drops of jojoba oil in my hair, and sometimes a small bit of Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In (depending on the weather; I live in Alabama).

So that's my routine - anything I could tweak for better results?

[lapushka]

Maybe you'd want to read through the CO-washing thread a bit?

I had to look for it a bit, but here you go:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2898

[animetor7]

I have eczema and I find that regular CO washing irritates my scalp. I think because having any sort of surfactant sit on my hair for longer than a minute or two on a regular basis makes my eczema act up. This might not be your experience, but just something to be aware of with eczema. I'd also recommend checking out the CO thread like lapushka suggested. Good luck!!! :)

[missrandie]

Right now I'm testing out a new conditioner (bought a gallon jug of Salon Care Honey Almond conditioner at Sally's), but my routine is the same as before, with the addition of a shampoo brush.

I wet my hair, then apply my conditioner (I dilute 2 oz conditioner in 4 oz of water and shake) to the roots, then lengths using my applicator bottle. I then wide tooth comb detangle, and then use my shampoo brush (used to use my tangle teaser) all over my scalp.

I then clip up my hair in its claw, and set my timer for 15 minutes. Then I either do my shower things or slap a shower cap on and to do house stuff until my time is up.

I then get under the water and use the shampoo brush again all over my scalp to make sure my roots and scalp are clean as can be. After that, I use 4-5 drops of olive oil (trying to use it up so I can get back to jojoba) on my ends, which is then distributed with my TT. I then rinse again.

Out of the shower I get, into my Aquis hair turbie the mop goes, then I wait a few minutes as I dry my body. Then I spray my ends with Infusium 23 original leave in and finish with a half pea sized amount of Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie, again to my ends. If it's still too damp, I might put it into my secondary hair turbie for a little while longer. That usually saps most of the water out.

If your routine works for you, then keep it up! Everybody cowashes differently. Some double condition, some single condition and oil. It's entirely customizable.

[Deborah]

I don't CO wash any more, but when I did (and I did it successfully for several years) I found that the second conditioner was not necessary. I just washed with one conditioner, then rinsed it very well and was done.

If you think about it, you have already conditioned your hair while washing it with that first conditioner.

[ephemeri]

I used to co-wash but had to stop because my hair started shedding like crazy. But when I was doing it this was my routine:

Scrub scalp with Nature's Gate Jojoba (or aloe) Conditioner for 1-2 minutes. Rinse. Follow with a thicker conditioner (all silicone-free), usually Tresemme Botanique. I used the squish to condish method with this. Then I would follow with a little bit of Kinky Curly Knot Today and then my styling products. I had chin/neck length hair and was wearing it curly, so I did this routine every day.

Now that my hair is longer my routine is much different.

[raemarthe]

Right now I co wash once a week, and condition my hair the other days of the week I decide to shower.

On my wash days I first deep condition my hair, and then use my As I Am co wash, apply it to my scalp, rub it in well with my finger tips and then rise it well.

Then I use a sheamoisture conditioner (I have a bunch and alternate them), let it sit a few minutes, while I wash my self, and then rinse it out. Then I scrunch my hair, get out of the shower and apply my leave in conditioner and gel.

On my non wash days I do everything I said above except I do not deep condition before hand, and do not co wash.

You might not need to condition after cowashing, or use as many products as I do, its just I have dry curly hair that needs lots of moisture and hold.

Hope this helps you! :)

[mizukitty]

I'm currently in love with the Suave conditioners. Was using the clarifying daily one, and now I'm trying out the rainforest one. They smell amazing and leave my hair moisturized, weightless, clean, and oh so soft. Their runny, light consistency and likely the addition of multiple emulsifiers and disodium EDTA means they clean and chelate well (hard water sucks). I wash every other day (trying to stretch to 3 days). Night before I usually oil my scalp with some kind of rosemary/tea tree in jojoba and castor oil blend for my dandruff, which has been annoying lately. Then in the morning I rinse very well, agitating my scalp and removing debris with my fingertips. Then I apply like a palmful of conditioner and start working it in - if it isn't slippy enough I add a touch of water as this helps lubricate. I bun it in a clip and let it sit for 3-5 min, and then RINSE like it's my job. I've never had gross hair with this method. I love CO washing!

[missmelaniem]

I love your CO wash conditioner choices. I really think just about any of the VO5 conditioners work well for this as well as the White Rain, plus they are all super budget-friendly!

I usually CO wash once or twice a week, depending on how often I have shampooed my hair that week. I dont like to co wash exclusively because it makes my hair way too soft and kinda stringy and flat. if I feel that my ends are getting dry then I might just condition the ends and not rinse as well, or put in a leave-in or something else. I love serums for my ends.

I like to spend only a few minutes on any hair routine and I REALLY need to get in the habit of carrying my comb with me to the shower, or just keeping it in my bathroom to comb through my conditioner.

Another thing I do that I forgot to mention is diluting down my conditioner ... it helps a lot if I feel like I am overconditioning and it also helps to distribute the conditioner through my hair

[sarahthegemini]

I've just started co-washing again, my routine thus far is:
-Really saturate hair in shower
-Apply probably about a palm full of Superdrug's Coconut and Almond conditioner to scalp, behind ears, nape. Re-wet hands and firmly massage conditioner.
-Apply little more to the length
-Put shower cap on and proceed with washing face, lathering body and rinsing.
-Remove shower cap
-Re-wet hands and do a quick 20 second massage
-Rinse

Voila. It takes about 15 minutes in total (including washing face and body)

[cassandraj]

How often do you all need to shampoo wash and what shampoo do you choose to use?

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I take the vo5 cherry blossom (? i think, i have no clue, i use the pink one that has no cones)
I apply it to pre oiled, dry hair, outside of the shower, about 2 handfuls and i scrub my scalp and run it through my length as well. I get in the shower, rinse out REALLY well and then rinse with a ACV rinse and then rinse again with cool water. This has been the best method for me when I co-wash, using the conditioner on wet hair made it, weird. It works better when my hair is dry for some reason.

[cassandraj]

Interesting!

[cassandraj]

So far, I've been following the method in the OP, and I've noticed nothing out of the ordinary, except that my hair is softer and shinier (also gets greasy faster, but that's also because I switched from washing once a week to every other day).

I think I love co washing!

[gthlvrmx]

How often do you all need to shampoo wash and what shampoo do you choose to use?

Remember to clarify your hair when you get the signs of build up. All conditioners build up, so clarifying is needed from time to time, but how often depends on the person. I personally use Neutrogena Anti Residue to clarify.

I am back with CO washing, but this time, I think I want to try CO washing with SMT as the cleanser around each wash. I've been told that during the summer, once a week co washing makes me a bit stinky so this time I might do SMT's twice a week.

[Larki]

I don't have any skin conditions, so what I do might not be helpful to you, but honestly, I've cowashed with about a dozen different brands, some with cones (some with heavy cones) and some coneless, and they've all given identical results. I cowash with whatever I have on hand three times a week and I clarify every two weeks.

[Dark40]

Right now I co-wash 5 times a week, shampoo twice a week, and deep condition 3 times a week.