The CO (conditioner only) washing thread

[Marz Hase]

Oh, WittyWordsmith... thanks to you, I nearly experienced a sinus cleansing via Dr. Pepper. ;) That's hilarious!

[twilight_faerie]

I've got a question. I'm just wondering how much you guys tend to shed in the shower. Of course, I'm not expecting an exact count, I mean more along the lines of "a few hairs", "a small clump", etc. I ask because I've COed a total of three times now, and though the first time I only lost a few hairs, the past two times I've shed quite a bit more. Like, two smallish clumps, plus maybe a few extra hairs. At first, this made me really concerned, but then I considered: maybe this isn't all that uncommon? I wonder if perhaps I'm not shedding more than I did with S&C, but just shedding the same amount of hair in the shower rather than afterward (when I S&C, I tend to find a pretty big clump of shed hair in my, uh, vertical smile). I wouldn't be so concerned about shedding if my hair was thicker, but seeing as how my thickness is pretty average, I'd like to make sure I'm not shedding excessively.

[Lippytoes]

I've got a question. I'm just wondering how much you guys tend to shed in the shower. Of course, I'm not expecting an exact count, I mean more along the lines of "a few hairs", "a small clump", etc. I ask because I've COed a total of three times now, and though the first time I only lost a few hairs, the past two times I've shed quite a bit more. Like, two smallish clumps, plus maybe a few extra hairs. At first, this made me really concerned, but then I considered: maybe this isn't all that uncommon? I wonder if perhaps I'm not shedding more than I did with S&C, but just shedding the same amount of hair in the shower rather than afterward (when I S&C, I tend to find a pretty big clump of shed hair in my, uh, vertical smile). I wouldn't be so concerned about shedding if my hair was thicker, but seeing as how my thickness is pretty average, I'd like to make sure I'm not shedding excessively.


When I started CO (in February or so) I thought I was shedding more than before, but I really don't think that's actually the case. My CO routine seems to make me shed about as much as my erstwhile S&C - the difference being, like you say, that the shedding happens pretty much only in the shower, so it feels like more because it's more at a time, you know? So I don't think you need to be worried about shedding! :)

[Lippytoes]

Also, on a different note: ha, last night I had a sauna thing with my friends, and I was totally able to do a (slightly modified) version of my usual CO wash despite being "in company". :cheese: No one was weirded out by me glopping inordinate amounts of conditioner on my head, or scrunching in my leave-in. Whoo!

[GRU]

I've got a question. I'm just wondering how much you guys tend to shed in the shower.

Depends on if I've brushed my hair recently or not (I only brush for updos or oilings) and how long it's been since my last wash (I detangle in the shower).

Size-wise, I generally put it in terms of a rodent-type animal of some sort:



Mouse
Gerbil
Hamster
Guinea Pig
Rabbit
Capybara


This is why I don't wash without my handy dandy hair catcher drain cover thingy (http://www.amazon.com/Hair-Stopper-Drain-Protector-Strainer/dp/B003B02L2G) in place!

[RitaPG]

I've got a question. I'm just wondering how much you guys tend to shed in the shower. Of course, I'm not expecting an exact count, I mean more along the lines of "a few hairs", "a small clump", etc. I ask because I've COed a total of three times now, and though the first time I only lost a few hairs, the past two times I've shed quite a bit more. Like, two smallish clumps, plus maybe a few extra hairs. At first, this made me really concerned, but then I considered: maybe this isn't all that uncommon? I wonder if perhaps I'm not shedding more than I did with S&C, but just shedding the same amount of hair in the shower rather than afterward (when I S&C, I tend to find a pretty big clump of shed hair in my, uh, vertical smile). I wouldn't be so concerned about shedding if my hair was thicker, but seeing as how my thickness is pretty average, I'd like to make sure I'm not shedding excessively.
I lose between 5 to a dozen hairs with CO.
Sometimes, if I leave my hair in a braid all day and don't detangle or brush it before shower, a LOT more hair will fall out, but that's natural, the whole shed of the day was contained there :p maybe you forgot to detangle?
With CO washing, I lose about a third less of what I used to with shampoo, but I read some people may shed more at first.
Sometimes CO is not for everyone, a few people have given up on it because the crazy shedding wouldn't stop, and going back to S&C made it better. But that doesn't happen very often, so don't worry about it ^^

[Druida]

I just wanted to brag about how much I pay for Suave Naturals where I live (I know, I'm terrible :whistle:).

There are three stores in my city that cycle through sales where the 444mL bottles of Suave go on sale for $1 each! Each sale lasts about a week, so I just need to buy 7 or 8 bottles each time one sale pops up, then I'm good for a looong while!

I live in Canada. For some reason, Walmart doesn't sell Suave in my city.

[GRU]

I just wanted to brag about how much I pay for Suave Naturals where I live (I know, I'm terrible :whistle:).

There are three stores in my city that cycle through sales where the 444mL bottles of Suave go on sale for $1 each! Each sale lasts about a week, so I just need to buy 7 or 8 bottles each time one sale pops up, then I'm good for a looong while!

I live in Canada. For some reason, Walmart doesn't sell Suave in my city.

About every 4-6 months Meijer (regional store which is like a Super-Walmart) will run a sale on Suave at 69-cents a bottle! I clean out the shelf every time that happens! :lol:

[BroadwayBeauty]

I've got a question. I'm just wondering how much you guys tend to shed in the shower. Of course, I'm not expecting an exact count, I mean more along the lines of "a few hairs", "a small clump", etc. I ask because I've COed a total of three times now, and though the first time I only lost a few hairs, the past two times I've shed quite a bit more. Like, two smallish clumps, plus maybe a few extra hairs. At first, this made me really concerned, but then I considered: maybe this isn't all that uncommon? I wonder if perhaps I'm not shedding more than I did with S&C, but just shedding the same amount of hair in the shower rather than afterward (when I S&C, I tend to find a pretty big clump of shed hair in my, uh, vertical smile). I wouldn't be so concerned about shedding if my hair was thicker, but seeing as how my thickness is pretty average, I'd like to make sure I'm not shedding excessively.

I had the exact same issue when I started to CO wash! Don't fret, it'll calm down in a wash or two :) It took me about a week for my hair to figure out what its deal was, but now I'm shedding a bit less than when I used regular shampoo/conditioner. If I oil and/or braid, I'll still lose a bit more than usual, but overall I don't lose a fraction of what I used to during the day. There's so much less hair left in my brushes and combs now. So I say just stick with it, give it a few more weeks, and don't get worried yet! Good luck!!

[twilight_faerie]

When I started CO (in February or so) I thought I was shedding more than before, but I really don't think that's actually the case. My CO routine seems to make me shed about as much as my erstwhile S&C - the difference being, like you say, that the shedding happens pretty much only in the shower, so it feels like more because it's more at a time, you know? So I don't think you need to be worried about shedding! :)

Oh, good! I'm glad I'm not the only one this appears to be the case for, lol. Yeah, I *think* I'm probably doing the majority of my shedding in the shower now, with CO, whereas with S&C I was doing the majority of my shedding after showering. I'm still gonna keep an eye on my hair to see if I can tell if it's losing thickness, but I'm probably gonna stick with CO despite the shower shedding.


Depends on if I've brushed my hair recently or not (I only brush for updos or oilings) and how long it's been since my last wash (I detangle in the shower).

Size-wise, I generally put it in terms of a rodent-type animal of some sort:


Mouse
Gerbil
Hamster
Guinea Pig
Rabbit
Capybara
This is why I don't wash without my handy dandy hair catcher drain cover thingy (http://www.amazon.com/Hair-Stopper-Drain-Protector-Strainer/dp/B003B02L2G) in place!

Bwahahahahaha! I think my amount of shedding is probably around "hamster" size.


I lose between 5 to a dozen hairs with CO.
Sometimes, if I leave my hair in a braid all day and don't detangle or brush it before shower, a LOT more hair will fall out, but that's natural, the whole shed of the day was contained there :p maybe you forgot to detangle?
With CO washing, I lose about a third less of what I used to with shampoo, but I read some people may shed more at first.
Sometimes CO is not for everyone, a few people have given up on it because the crazy shedding wouldn't stop, and going back to S&C made it better. But that doesn't happen very often, so don't worry about it ^^

I had no idea you were supposed to detangle before showering :bigeyes: I've been detangling in the shower with the conditioner in my hair. I did do some scritching before I COed the first time, so maybe that explains why I didn't shed much during my first CO? I didn't notice myself shedding while I was scritching, though.


I had the exact same issue when I started to CO wash! Don't fret, it'll calm down in a wash or two :) It took me about a week for my hair to figure out what its deal was, but now I'm shedding a bit less than when I used regular shampoo/conditioner. If I oil and/or braid, I'll still lose a bit more than usual, but overall I don't lose a fraction of what I used to during the day. There's so much less hair left in my brushes and combs now. So I say just stick with it, give it a few more weeks, and don't get worried yet! Good luck!!

Oh good, I'm glad it's not just me :) I'm definitely gonna stick with it. For now, at the very least.

Thank you all for your replies! :flowers:

[RitaPG]

I had no idea you were supposed to detangle before showering :bigeyes: I've been detangling in the shower with the conditioner in my hair. I did do some scritching before I COed the first time, so maybe that explains why I didn't shed much during my first CO? I didn't notice myself shedding while I was scritching, though.
Well, I'm not sure if we're supposed to or not. I can't detangle properly without conditioner too, I usually comb it with my fingers, just to get rid of shed hairs before getting in the tub ^^

[kitschy]

Well, I'm not sure if we're supposed to or not. I can't detangle properly without conditioner too, I usually comb it with my fingers, just to get rid of shed hairs before getting in the tub ^^

I never, ever, ever detangle unless my hair is wet and soaked with a good CO with slip. In fact, I can't comb or brush my hair otherwise - it's just impossible. :shrug:

[RitaPG]

I never, ever, ever detangle unless my hair is wet and soaked with a good CO with slip. In fact, I can't comb or brush my hair otherwise - it's just impossible. :shrug:
I have that same problem sometimes, and my sister too. Noone believes us when I say it, because our hair is straight :lol: but it's really prone to tangles, so I know how that feels.

[GlassWidow]

I have been noticing huge amounts of shed recently, too, and wondered if it was something I was doing in my routine or if it's medication related. I do notice that I'm not losing as many hairs during the day (when I first started CO, I was covered in hair all the time). However, I do worry when I have a mass of hair in my hand while CO'ing. It's probably 20 or so in total, but you know how it all balls up while you're trying to get it off your fingers, and your soap, and everywhere else. I have convinced myself that it looks like more than it actually is. I hope I'm right.

[turtlelover]

I probably lose 20 or so during a CO wash also. I think conditioner sticks hair to your fingers more than shampoo, so you notice the hairs more than while shampooing w/ regular shampoo.

[LunaMoon]

I was a little bit worried about my shedding in the first 2 weeks.
After a week I start counting and finally was not so bad (about 50 in the shower)
Now I am back to "normal" and not shedding more than 20, sometimes less.

[Marz Hase]

I am so glad this was brought up! I've noticed large enough hairballs coming from my head to either a) classify as a small pet or b) possibly charge rent. My hair doesn't FEEL like it's getting any thinner... oO;; But I am losing more than I was when I was when I CWC'd.

[Ligeia_13]

I had to shampoo the other day cause I was out of money and had very little conditioner left. My hair feels like crap today. Its awful. NO SHAMPOO! NO SHAMPOO!

[celebriangel]

I've just started CO washing, and it's great! I found that gradually reducing how cleansing my washes were (using less poo, switching to sulphate-free, diluting) helped the transition.

For making CO washes as cleansing as possible, I:

1) massage the conditioner into wet hair, *then add some more water and massage some more*, then rinse fully. The middle bit creates a creamy sort of almost-lather for me, which seems to help it cleanse.

2) if my hair is extra-gunky or I've done a deep oiling, I just rinse and repeat. I've actually had my hair feel over-cleansed when I've done this when my hair didn't need it.

3) I add honey to my cleansing conditioner in a 5:1 ratio and leave it on my head for a few minutes, before massaging, adding water, massaging more and finally rinsing as above. The honey seems to make the conditioner more cleansing.

So if you're feeling greasy...these might be things to try. I also found that my first conditioner I tried to CO with, even though it was light and conefree, just wasn't doing it. I switched conditioners (to tesco's own brand coconut) and found it awesome. I think the first one just had *loads* of petroleum derivatives in it, so it was too gunky to clean properly.

[Marz Hase]

Attempted CO'ing with a different conditioner this morning. Oh. My. Lord. No matter HOW much I washed, it still felt like it had this film on it. And I washed and washed and washed and washed. ><;; I had a training to go to today, so I just put it in braids and went.... I jumped straight back in the shower when I got home. Diluted some Tame, added a splash of vinegar, applied to dry hair so I could tell when it was fully saturated, waited 15 minutes, and rinsed. It's still currently wet, but I'm hoping it'll be much better when it dries. I don't want to have to clarify again so soon. :/

In the last couple of days, I have developed two pimples on my scalp. Not the little ones, but the large, cystic painful ones. :( I'm hoping this is just part of the transition process...

[giuditta]

I've been reading this thread a lot and did a CO for the first time in my life tonight.
I have oily hair that I really have to wash every day (I try to skip a day sometimes but then feel so ugly and uncomfortable the whole time), and thought if every other day I could CO it would already be very nice for my hair.
Even after all the good things I read I couldn't believe my hair wouldn't look awful after CO but look at it now!
It looks clean (big plus), shiny and so happy!
So yay for you and all your wonderful ideas and tips in this thread!:cheese:

[WittyWordsmith]

Attempted CO'ing with a different conditioner this morning. Oh. My. Lord. No matter HOW much I washed, it still felt like it had this film on it. And I washed and washed and washed and washed. ><;; I had a training to go to today, so I just put it in braids and went.... I jumped straight back in the shower when I got home. Diluted some Tame, added a splash of vinegar, applied to dry hair so I could tell when it was fully saturated, waited 15 minutes, and rinsed. It's still currently wet, but I'm hoping it'll be much better when it dries. I don't want to have to clarify again so soon. :/

In the last couple of days, I have developed two pimples on my scalp. Not the little ones, but the large, cystic painful ones. :( I'm hoping this is just part of the transition process...

Oh Yikes! What brand did you use this morning that felt so bad??

The only times I've gotten pimples like that was after 2 weeks of washing with Silkience. Not sure what triggered it really, and Silkience is a good cleanser otherwise.

Let us know how it dries!

[LoversLullaby]

I've been reading this thread a lot and did a CO for the first time in my life tonight.
I have oily hair that I really have to wash every day (I try to skip a day sometimes but then feel so ugly and uncomfortable the whole time), and thought if every other day I could CO it would already be very nice for my hair.
Even after all the good things I read I couldn't believe my hair wouldn't look awful after CO but look at it now!
It looks clean (big plus), shiny and so happy!
So yay for you and all your wonderful ideas and tips in this thread!:cheese:
Another CO convert! Yay! :)
I'm still COing with my Suave Naturals Juicy Green Apple. Love that stuff, I can even use it as a leave in! It's not heavy enough for deep treatments though (but that's ok, I have my GVP conditioning balm for that!)

[ifthemoonsmiled]

Okay, so I tried all the tips I've gotten here--ACV, rinsing upside-down (actually been rinsing my hair this way my whole life anyway...go figure), diluting, &c. My scalp stayed unclean-feeling. Then I tried a CO wash & added just a teeny tiny bit of diluted sulfate-free shampoo right to the scalp area, & worked it in just before rinsing. It was such a small amount it didn't even feel any different than the regular conditioner when it was on my head, but it made SUCH a huge difference the next day. My scalp actually still feels nice & clean still on day 3. Yay!

I still like the idea of CO a lot, but I will be doing this for now. When I run out of my current conditoner I will try changing brands & see if that helps. I may also give it another shot after a couple weeks--maybe the adjustment will work better after mostly-CO cleansing for a while. But for now, this is working for me, & my hair & scalp are both very happy. I wouldn't be at all disappointed if I had to stick with this method.

[Marz Hase]

Oh Yikes! What brand did you use this morning that felt so bad??

The only times I've gotten pimples like that was after 2 weeks of washing with Silkience. Not sure what triggered it really, and Silkience is a good cleanser otherwise.

Let us know how it dries!

It was a V05 Strawberries and Cream, which I thought would be okay if diluted. From the Moisture Milks line. Won't be doing THAT again!

[Marz Hase]

Another CO convert! Yay! :)
I'm still COing with my Suave Naturals Juicy Green Apple. Love that stuff, I can even use it as a leave in! It's not heavy enough for deep treatments though (but that's ok, I have my GVP conditioning balm for that!)

Oooh, I wanna try that one after I run out of Tame! :3

[RitaPG]

So, I've been doing castor oil treatments on my scalp and washing it off with conditioner. Today was the second time.
I used to wash with shampoo, but it turns out CO is far more effective. I wash twice, but still, my hair feels extremely clean, and doesn't get greasy any sooner. Even when I feel there's a bit of oil left on my scalp, it doesn't look greasy and by the next morning there's no oil anymore, hair absorbs it all.
I waited until summer vacation to try castor oil, was afraid it would be too hard to remove, but it really isn't.
Totally happy with this! CO ftw!
:cheese:

[PoliticalPilot]

I have some questions re: CO washing...But I don't have time to read through all 350 pages right now. (I have read through many though... ) Would someone mind giving me some help? :-)

I currently wash my hair every 3 days or so S&C. I'd like to switch to CO. These are my questions:
Do I have to start washing it every day?
Do I "wash" with conditioner and then "condition" with conditioner? Or just use conditioner once, leaving it in for a while and then rinsing it out at the end of my shower?
I am currently using Giovanni Triple Moisturizing shampoo/conditioner. Will it work for CO washing? And should I keep the shampoo to use once every week or two for "clarifying"?
How/how often do I clarify?

Thank you in advance to anyone who can help! :-)

[WittyWordsmith]

I have some questions re: CO washing...But I don't have time to read through all 350 pages right now. (I have read through many though... ) Would someone mind giving me some help? :-)

I currently wash my hair every 3 days or so S&C. I'd like to switch to CO. These are my questions:
Do I have to start washing it every day?
Do I "wash" with conditioner and then "condition" with conditioner? Or just use conditioner once, leaving it in for a while and then rinsing it out at the end of my shower?
I am currently using Giovanni Triple Moisturizing shampoo/conditioner. Will it work for CO washing? And should I keep the shampoo to use once every week or two for "clarifying"?
How/how often do I clarify?

Thank you in advance to anyone who can help! :-)

1- You wash as often as you need to. Some wash every day, some once a week. If you stretch to every 3 days now, you could just stay on your current schedule.

2- Many people do a CO wash with 1 conditioner and just let it soak for a few minutes. Others, like me, let it soak and then rinse out before conditioning with a thicker or creamier conditioner. I would suggest to start out, just do the first wash and then decide if you want to use a heavier conditioner later.

3- I don't know about that specific conditioner, but most just try to use something that has no silicones in it. If anything in the ingredients end in -cone, -conol, -con, or -xane, it has silicones. (-one and -nones are fine, though.)

4- I only clarify once a month. Some people who use more products clarify once a week. It's totally up to what your hair needs. You can use your shampoo, or do a baking soda rinse followed by an apple cider vinegar rinse before conditioning.
Signs you need to clarify are excessive tangling, hair laying funny, ends sticking together, hair looking weighed down, etc. Generally, if your hair is acting funny or different, it usually needs to be clarified.

Tip- be sure to use plenty of conditioner! Definitely more than you're used to. And it may take a few tries to get it just right, but your hair should feel totally clean and soft with no residue or greasiness when you've done it right.

Enjoy!

[Marz Hase]

Update! I'm CLEAN! :D

[WittyWordsmith]

Oh, and ALWAYS clarify before your first CO. That way you know how it works on its own without any possible build-up to skew the results.

[WittyWordsmith]

Update! I'm CLEAN! :D

Yay!! :cheese:

[krissykins]

I have some questions re: CO washing...But I don't have time to read through all 350 pages right now. (I have read through many though... ) Would someone mind giving me some help? :-)

I currently wash my hair every 3 days or so S&C. I'd like to switch to CO. These are my questions:
Do I have to start washing it every day?
Do I "wash" with conditioner and then "condition" with conditioner? Or just use conditioner once, leaving it in for a while and then rinsing it out at the end of my shower?
I am currently using Giovanni Triple Moisturizing shampoo/conditioner. Will it work for CO washing? And should I keep the shampoo to use once every week or two for "clarifying"?
How/how often do I clarify?

Thank you in advance to anyone who can help! :-)

You don't have to CO every day; a lot of us can actually stretch washes better with this method.

Some people like to do the double CO (start with wash condish, follow up with moisturizing condish), but I find that I can get away with one conditioner (for me, it depends on which one I use in my stash)

The Giovanni conditioner does not appear to have anything that would cause buildup, so it would be great to start with (unless your hair doesn't like humectants, since it does contain glycerin). I like to clarify once a month, personally. You can use the shampoo to clarify or you can try a baking soda wash or something similar.

Hope that helps :flower:

[RitaPG]

Do I have to start washing it every day?
That depends, for some people it may take a while for the skin to adjust to the new routine, but after a while things calm down. If your hair isn't too oily, you shouldn't have to increase the number of washes, I was washing mine two or 3 times a week, and that didn't change after changing to CO, in fact, my dry/sensitive scalp is much better now :D
And then there are some people that are very prone to oily hair and have to wash every day, and CO is good because it's less harsh than shampoo.
Also: you have to make sure you rinse it out really well, leftover conditioner on the scalp results in greasy hair.
Do I "wash" with conditioner and then "condition" with conditioner? Or just use conditioner once, leaving it in for a while and then rinsing it out at the end of my shower?
That depends on the condition of both your scalp and length.
Most people find it easier to use a light, cone free, runny (or diluted) conditioner on the scalp, so that it doesn't get greasy. And a heavier, more moisturizing conditioner on the length. Whether you should use -cones or not, it's totally up to how you feel, some people's hair look better without it, others prefer to use them.
I usually use cone-free conditioners, but sometimes use a coney conditioner, my hair is very prone to tangles and that helps prevent them.
It's a trial and error thing, really. Once you experiment with different things you figure out which ones work best for your hair type :)
I am currently using Giovanni Triple Moisturizing shampoo/conditioner. Will it work for CO washing?
I never used that conditioner, but read good reviews on it, you should give it a try.
And should I keep the shampoo to use once every week or two for "clarifying"?
Yes, although I find that I need to shampoo less and less, when I started CO washing I had to shampoo more often. You should keep the shampoo.
How/how often do I clarify?
Whenever your hair starts to feel limp and looses its shine, it's a sign of buildup.
Some people don't use shampoo at all and find their hair doesn't need shampoo.
I think you can use clarifying conditioner instead of shampoo, but I'm not sure about this one, so please correct me if I'm wrong :o

[PoliticalPilot]

You ladies are amazing--such fast and detailed replies. Thank you so much! I will start with CO the next time I wash. My only concern is some people say shedding is worse for a while? I'm already freaking about the shedding I'm currently experiencing....Oooh. Well, we'll see how it goes.

[RitaPG]

You ladies are amazing--such fast and detailed replies. Thank you so much! I will start with CO the next time I wash. My only concern is some people say shedding is worse for a while? I'm already freaking about the shedding I'm currently experiencing....Oooh. Well, we'll see how it goes.
I experienced less shedding, actually :D you never know.
Unless your skin starts feeling itchy or irritated, you shouldn't be too worried about it.
One thing about CO washing, though; sometimes it's advised that you rub vigorously, but rubbing too vigorously could cause trauma to the scalp, which is why I think some people experience more shedding. I just rub the conditioner gently, let it sit for a white, and then wet my hands and rub it once more before rinsing. I lose about 5 strands in the shower ^^'
When I have to shampoo, I lose 20, sometimes more.

Do you comb your hair before shower? I seem to lose more when I forget to do it, because the shed hairs weren't brushed out before getting in the shower, so I'm not really losing more, it just feels like it.
I hope this doesn't sound confusing, English is not my first language :o

[LoversLullaby]

Oooh, I wanna try that one after I run out of Tame! :3
It smells sooo good!! Though if you are sensitive to smell it might be a little strong. But I love it!

[Aredhel77]

OK after much procrastinating and dabbling with other wash methods, I've finally moved over to CO (been meaning to for a while). I clarified at the weekend and have been CO-ing almost daily since then, but probably I could stretch it to be honest. I just like washing my hair. However my hair is responding well so far, it seems a little less frizzy. I am using ASDA Green Apple non-coney family conditioner to cleanse (super-cheap) and Tresemme Naturals Aloe & Avocado conditioner to follow. I've noticed recently that I seem to have an extra frizzy, tangly spot in my top layers so I've been using a light leave-in as well (I'm trying to use it up anyway as part of the Use Up Your Stash Challenge thread)..so my hair is TRIPLE-conditioned at the moment, LOL! My hair seems to love it though so far, but I'll keep an eye on it so as not do overdo it :-). Yay for CO!

Also, my curls really do seem more defined....so...this may be a keeper. I'll try to stick with it for a few weeks and see how it goes. I'm not good at perseverance because there are always other things I want to try...but I'll do my best!

[MissAlida]

This might sound like a silly question, but I'm curios: What do you CO washers use to wash out the oil treatment from your hair? Because I can only get it out with a good amount of shampoo. I've tried homemade soap(the kind my grandmother makes, it has no artificial stuff in it) but it didn't do the job, and after spending a day at home, with dangerously oily hair, I gave in and washed it with shampoo.:rolleyes:Tadaaam, best hair in the world when it dried:). Any tips?Alternatives? I wouldn't want to shampoo my lenght every week, but I do want to deep condition it.

[Aredhel77]

This might sound like a silly question, but I'm curios: What do you CO washers use to wash out the oil treatment from your hair? Because I can only get it out with a good amount of shampoo. I've tried homemade soap(the kind my grandmother makes, it has no artificial stuff in it) but it didn't do the job, and after spending a day at home, with dangerously oily hair, I gave in and washed it with shampoo.:rolleyes:Tadaaam, best hair in the world when it dried:). Any tips?Alternatives? I wouldn't want to shampoo my lenght every week, but I do want to deep condition it.

A conditioner soak will still do the job well (HOORAY again for CO!) - use your regular CO conditioner and massage it well into the hair but leave it on the hair for at least 10mins then rinse it out thoroughly. It will remove most of the excess oil and your hair will still be lovely and soft. A lot of people here do this to remove heavy oilings.

I think the emulsifiers in conditioner help dissolve the oil on your hair. :D

[Annibelle]

Okay, I need advice... I started CO about a month ago and LOVE IT. I didn't have a transition-- my hair is never oily (I can actually go two more days without washing than I could when I used shampoo). But I do have dandruff and a bit of an itchy scalp... it's not insanely itchy, and it's not all the time. I should note that I've basically NEVER had dandruff until now. It's hardly a noticeable amount, except to me, since I've never had it. It's mostly around the stripe of scalp where I would have my part if I did a middle part. Any tips? Is this normal with CO?

[MissAlida]

Thank you Aredhel77 for your kind and quick reply.:flowers: Next time I will try what you said. Maybe I'll become a CO too:D. Well, baby steps, baby steps...

[doro357]

I tried VO5 Kiwi -Lime for a wash and my scalp did not like it. This morning I tried Suave coconut.
Did White Rain change their formula? All the bottles I read had cones.

Since I'm new to CO washes, how often should I do it ? Everyday until my scalp is used to it or every other day?

Does anyone have problems with clogged follicles ?

[GRU]

OK after much procrastinating and dabbling with other wash methods, I've finally moved over to CO (been meaning to for a while).

And another one pulled over to The Dark Side! :luke:


This might sound like a silly question, but I'm curios: What do you CO washers use to wash out the oil treatment from your hair?

Conditioner.

Hard to believe, isn't it?

It's a toss-up which method you use - I think folks in this thread use these in equal numbers:


1. CO-wash as usual.

2. CO-wash as usual, then repeat after rinsing (lather, rinse, repeat).

3. CO-wash, leaving conditioner on the hair for an extended period of time (5-30 minutes).

4. CO-wash, applying conditioner to dry hair until saturated, then CO-washing as usual.

I can probably count on one hand the number of folks here who have NOT been able to remove oil treatments with CO-washing, and I've been here daily for almost two years.


Okay, I need advice... I started CO about a month ago and LOVE IT. I didn't have a transition-- my hair is never oily (I can actually go two more days without washing than I could when I used shampoo). But I do have dandruff and a bit of an itchy scalp... it's not insanely itchy, and it's not all the time. I should note that I've basically NEVER had dandruff until now. It's hardly a noticeable amount, except to me, since I've never had it. It's mostly around the stripe of scalp where I would have my part if I did a middle part. Any tips? Is this normal with CO?

Do you do a good job of massaging/scrubbing your scalp when you CO-wash? Without the harsh detergents of shampoo, you need to rely on manual friction to remove detritus from your scalp when CO-washing. Alternately, you could treat your scalp with coconut oil or my new scalp fave, Hollywood Beauty Tea Tree Oil (http://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Beauty-Tea-Tree-Oil/dp/B004I46PO4), which I found for a couple bucks in the "ethnic hair" section at Walmart.

[GRU]

I tried VO5 Kiwi -Lime for a wash and my scalp did not like it. This morning I tried Suave coconut.

This is my fave. Have you read here about diluting it? Makes it easier to get to your scalp, and makes it last even longer so it's even cheaper! :)


Did White Rain change their formula? All the bottles I read had cones.
I don't use WR, but I have heard from others here that they changed their formulas in the past year.


Since I'm new to CO washes, how often should I do it ? Everyday until my scalp is used to it or every other day?

How often do you usually wash it with shampoo? I'd try the same schedule with CO-washing, and then if you seem to be getting greasy before then, go ahead and CO-wash early. There is no set schedule -- some folks CO-wash daily, some CO-wash weekly, and every number in between.


Does anyone have problems with clogged follicles ?
Not clogged follicles per se, but I do have flare-ups of my seborrheic dermatitis if I don't do a thorough job of massaging my scalp while washing.

[doro357]

Thanks GRU .
My scalp is feeling weird. It feels like it's burning. I think CO is not for me.Maybe the fragrance in the conditioner is the problem.
I might have to shampoo. Sensitive skin, I should have known better.
Never know until you try.

[GRU]

Thanks GRU .
My scalp is feeling weird. It feels like it's burning. I think CO is not for me.Maybe the fragrance in the conditioner is the problem.
I might have to shampoo. Sensitive skin, I should have known better.
Never know until you try.

Try a few different brands/formulations before you give up on it. From what I've seen since I've been here on LHC, many people have to experiment a bit (sometimes as many as 4-6 different products) until they find their ideal conditioner.

It wasn't until I went "Curly Girl" that I realized that I'm actually allergic to some/all 'cone products. For several years my eyes were watering up at random, then they just stopped. It wasn't until I accidentally used a 'coney product that I figured out the connection -- my eyes watered up for the first time in about a year, and I realized that it was the 'coney product that was the culprit. I gave away that bottle (didn't intend to use it again anyway, once I realized I missed a huge 'cone in the ingredient list) and haven't had an issue since with my eyes. Some things our bodies just Do. Not. Like. for some reason.

[MandyBeth]

I can probably count on one hand the number of folks here who have NOT been able to remove oil treatments with CO-washing, and I've been here daily for almost two years.

And from someone who can't do CO (my hair is way too fine, so it gets limp and ratty), I do CO to get oil treatments out, then wash like normal! Shampoo takes way too many times to get oil out nicely.

[doro357]

I usually use shampoo and conditioners that are more natural .I make my own body lotion and face oil. My scalp is really bothering me. Maybe if I use a plain conditioner.

I just bought some bottles at the dollar store. I'm afraid to keep using different ones. Too much for my scalp to handle.

[doro357]

Just finished shampooing my scalp. Feels better, no more burning .

Does anyone know of cheaper shampoos that are more gentle? It's getting expensive buying the more natural brands.

Garnier Fructis has a new one and Tresemme. Anyone try these?

[Annibelle]

Do you do a good job of massaging/scrubbing your scalp when you CO-wash? Without the harsh detergents of shampoo, you need to rely on manual friction to remove detritus from your scalp when CO-washing. Alternately, you could treat your scalp with coconut oil or my new scalp fave, Hollywood Beauty Tea Tree Oil (http://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Beauty-Tea-Tree-Oil/dp/B004I46PO4), which I found for a couple bucks in the "ethnic hair" section at Walmart.

I do massage when CO-washing, but maybe not enough. I'll do it a bit more vigorously today and see what happens! :D And I can't do coconut oil on my scalp, because it strips the color from my hair. :( Do you think another oil, like jojoba, might work, too?

Thanks, GRU! You're amazing. :cheese:

[turtlelover]

Annibelle, CO works really well for me for a stretch of time, too, but I occasionally use a non-sulfate shampoo if I start to feel anything like you are describing and it seems to fix the problem w/out drying out my hair. I'm not even opposed to doing a clarifying wash w/ a sulfate shampoo if it seems "gunky" after awhile. But, 90&#37; of the time I am using CO.

[Kaijah]

So I've been cowashing with Trader Joe's Refresh the past couple weeks, and I'm really loving this stuff. :cheese: I think I like it more than my V05 or Suave - it's thicker than either, but still cleans thoroughly. And the scent is light and *disappears* after rinsing! That never happens for me. My scalp hasn't whinged for a rotation yet, either...

[Angel_Abby]

... which I found for a couple bucks in the "ethnic hair" section at Walmart.

Thats where they hide ALL the good stuff. I was looking for a silk or satin pillowcase in the regular bedding section and couldn't come up with anything that I wanted... wandered over to the 'ethnic hair' section.. and what do you know? There one is. AND a cap, AND pure coconut oil, AND tea tree oil, AND other hair oils appropriate for conditioning.


I had a lady look at me funny while I was browsing through this treasure trove(I'm white, she's white- just for information purposes) and she says: "You know, thats for ethnic hair."

I just nodded and started loading up my cart. :D

[WittyWordsmith]

I know! Why did no one ever tell me the amazing things they have for ethnic hair?!? It's like this treasure trove that I never knew existed.

[GlassWidow]

It's ridiculous that marketing can make me feel like I'm doing something "wrong" by perusing the "ethnic" hair care section. We're all ethnic in some way, just not all of us are ethnic in the way the people who market "ethnic hair" products mean it!

This is exactly why I sometimes scope out the product online so that I know exactly what I'm looking for when I get to the store. It means that I can whiz by and grab exactly what I want without too many strange looks. So sad.

[RitaCeleste]

My aunt tried to lecture me about shopping black beauty supply stores, about how ethnic hair was different from mine. There are things about her race her moma decided not to tell any of her children. I have black dutch (black, native american and white with a dash of the more exotic in some cases like north african, gypsy, just whatever was not quite white enough) on both sides of my family but my father's mother didn't tell any of her children, she lets them think its mere traces of Native American. I heard her telling my great aunt that she wouldn't tell me even though I knew about it on the other side. My grandparents and I tease each other a bit when no one else is there to hear. They know I know. I know they find it hilarious I'm the only one who figured it out despite how brilliant some of their kids are otherwise. I might feel worse about it if I wasn't related to soooooo many people in two counties around here. I have found out threw trial and error, hair is hair, dry damaged hair is dry damaged hair. A good product is a good product.

[GRU]

I do massage when CO-washing, but maybe not enough. I'll do it a bit more vigorously today and see what happens! :D And I can't do coconut oil on my scalp, because it strips the color from my hair. :( Do you think another oil, like jojoba, might work, too?

Thanks, GRU! You're amazing. :cheese:

You're welcome! Just make sure you're not SCRATCHING your scalp... just a good thorough massage with the tips/pads of your fingertips.

I think any oil your hair/skin likes would work fine. The Hollywood's Best that I linked to doesn't have coconut in it (probably the only thing it DOESN'T have in it -- did you see that list of yummy ingredients?). My hair's faves are probably Grapeseed Oil and Sweet Almond Oil.


Thats where they hide ALL the good stuff.
I hear you!


I had a lady look at me funny while I was browsing through this treasure trove(I'm white, she's white- just for information purposes) and she says: "You know, thats for ethnic hair."

I just nodded and started loading up my cart. :D

I had purchased some stuff from Sally's that was cone-free, but I didn't realize at the time of purchase that it had mineral oil in it (they used that sneaky version of it -- Paraffinum Liquidum -- which is just a fancy-pants way of saying Mineral Oil). One use was all it took for me to know something was up, and that's when I realized that Paraffinum Liquidum = Mineral Oil. :rolleyes:

Anyway, I asked a classmate of mine if she could use it (she's black). She looked at the stuff, looked at me, and said, "This is black people hair stuff!" :confused: I just told her, "Hello, you HAVE seen my hair, right?" We both got a good :lol: out of that one!

[RitaCeleste]

Okay, if you use a conditioner with mineral oil in it, does it not co-wash out? I ordered something that had in it. The stuff works but zaps my waves in a weird way sometimes. I like AOHR better, but the other product is cheaper so I was hoping to use both. I don't mind using real shampoo to clarify with like every six or eight weeks or something. I just need to be able to co-wash say 95% of the time.

[WittyWordsmith]

Mineral oil may build up on you, but it may not. Some people have issues with it and avoid it, but some don't notice problems at all. Just watch if anything happens as you use it.

[RitaCeleste]

Thanks! I'm willing to give it a try. I am trying to make it cheaper to maintain my hair. One of the reason I've cut in the past was over how much I was spending on it. It gets a certain length and needs deeper conditioning.

[PoliticalPilot]

Does anyone know of a good, cheap conditioner that is 'cone-free, as well as mineral oil-free and propolyne-glycol free? I am trying to be as natural as possible, but I also need something that is affordable and available at normal stores. :-D

[scotty810]

i've been trying conditioner only for about 3 weeks now and it doesn't seem to be working that great for me. My hair just feels clumpy and gets knotted alot more it seems.

I use a kind of moisturizing shampoo normally so it doesn't strip as much out of the hair.

When I use shampoo my hair feels alot softer and flows more freely.

[MandyBeth]

Suave Coconut is cone and mineral oil free, not sure on PG. Plus it's cheap.

[meganb990]

Does anyone know of a good, cheap conditioner that is 'cone-free, as well as mineral oil-free and propolyne-glycol free? I am trying to be as natural as possible, but I also need something that is affordable and available at normal stores. :-D

I like trader joes tea tree mint conditioner its cone free mineral oil free and i do believe its pro-glycol free as well and its about 3.50 or 4 dollars a bottle not to bad.

[GingerSnapO]

My search for cheaper options continues, plus I just clarified on my last wash, so I'm hoping to try something new this weekend. I've decided to try the tea tree conditioner from Trader Joe's. I'm hoping it will be a substitute for my Wen Tea Tree when my scalp is acting up. :) I also found a partial bottle of VO5 Kiwi Lime from my S&C days, so I'll try that as an everyday conditioner. Next up: Tresemme Naturals or Garnier Triple Nutrition.

I'm brand new to this whole CO thing, but maybe it's the higher amount of protein in the Suave tropical coconut causing buildup? When I compared ingredients with all the suave naturals, the coconut had a lot more protein extracts than the others. I'm using the Suave ocean breeze which has a lot less protein in it besides the algae extract. Of course choosing a conditioner is a subjective personal thing, but my conditioner is leaving my hair squeaky clean with minimal buildup with no adjustment period.Protein might be the culprit, but I've used other protein products in the past (including Wen) that haven't been an issue for me. Not ruling anything out, though!


My scalp is feeling weird. It feels like it's burning. I think CO is not for me.Maybe the fragrance in the conditioner is the problem.
I might have to shampoo. Sensitive skin, I should have known better.
Never know until you try.If shampoo is what works best for you, then that's fine, but you might want to try a couple of other options first to make sure. My sensitive scalp loves a tea tree oil conditioner every now and then. My scalp is usually only super-cantankerous in the winter months, but this winter is first time in 15-20 years that it wasn't cranky. :)

[GRU]

Does anyone know of a good, cheap conditioner that is 'cone-free, as well as mineral oil-free and propolyne-glycol free? I am trying to be as natural as possible, but I also need something that is affordable and available at normal stores. :-D

It helps if you can give us an idea of where you live. Brands and availability vary from country to country and region to region.

I'm partial to the Suave Naturals line, like MandyBeth mentioned, but I'm not sure about the P-G aspect.

When I was first starting out, I just allotted a couple hours of time to just hang out in the haircare aisle reading ingredient lists. (Bring a magnifying glass if you're going to do this -- some of them are TEENY tiny lettering!) You can also look up different brands online at Sally's, Drugstore.com, Walgreens, or Amazon -- lots of times they'll list the ingredients for the product.


i've been trying conditioner only for about 3 weeks now and it doesn't seem to be working that great for me. My hair just feels clumpy and gets knotted alot more it seems.

Have you tried different brands/types of conditioner? Lots of folks end up trying 3-4 or more different ones until they find one that works well for them.

Do you use any other products that might be building up on your hair? (Leave-in conditioners, styling products, etc.)

Also, did you clarify (wash with a sulfate shampoo) prior to starting out? You want to start with a "clean slate" before you start CO-washing.

[AlannaMaria]

I've been CO for about a week and a half so far, and I'm seeing pretty good results already. I used to have to wash my hair every day and by the end of the day it would still look slightly greasy. Right now, I'm on day 2 of no washing and my hair looks great. Just a touch of baby powder and I was set this morning. I hope I can gradually stretch out washings even more. I'm using V05 and Sauve Naturals, currently. I love how soft it's feeling!

[NativeGirl]

I've been CO for about a week and a half so far, and I'm seeing pretty good results already. I used to have to wash my hair every day and by the end of the day it would still look slightly greasy. Right now, I'm on day 2 of no washing and my hair looks great. Just a touch of baby powder and I was set this morning. I hope I can gradually stretch out washings even more. I'm using V05 and Sauve Naturals, currently. I love how soft it's feeling!

My hair used to be like that. By day two, I'd be so greasy that it looked like I didn't wash my hair for weeks. By CO washing, I can easily go a week without washing my hair - and I'm not greasy! :)

[beccababesx]

I want to start CO washing, but I'm a bit worried. Do you need to clarify, or can you just always use condish from then on? Can I use a coney leave in, or will I have to use a shampoo to get that out? Will it feel 'clean' or will I have to deal with it feeling a bit greasy? If you are CO do you have to CO every day? Or can I stretch it out like I can with shampoo? And finally, any recommendations for a good CO condish? Thank you! :D sorry about the gazillion questions lol!

[RitaPG]

I want to start CO washing, but I'm a bit worried. Do you need to clarify, or can you just always use condish from then on? Can I use a coney leave in, or will I have to use a shampoo to get that out? Will it feel 'clean' or will I have to deal with it feeling a bit greasy? If you are CO do you have to CO every day? Or can I stretch it out like I can with shampoo? And finally, any recommendations for a good CO condish? Thank you! :D sorry about the gazillion questions lol!
Not everyone needs to clarify, some people CO wash all the time. Clarifying might depend on the type of products you use, or even on your hairtype.
I use a coney conditioner sometimes because my ends are prone to tangles and it helps, but if you're using it more often, you may need to use an sls shampoo once in a while if your hair starts to feel a little weighted down.
For me, CO wash feels squeaky clean, and I use oils :D I wash two to 3 times a week. You may have to wash a bit more often at first, just stretch it out untill you feel the need to wash again.
Can't reccomend many products, I use Garnier Ultra Mild (also called Ultra Suave) :crush: and even if it's my favourite brand ever, it's not very popular outside Europe.

[beccababesx]

Not everyone needs to clarify, some people CO wash all the time. Clarifying might depend on the type of products you use, or even on your hairtype.
I use a coney conditioner sometimes because my ends are prone to tangles and it helps, but if you're using it more often, you may need to use an sls shampoo once in a while if your hair starts to feel a little weighted down.
For me, CO wash feels squeaky clean, and I use oils :D I wash two to 3 times a week. You may have to wash a bit more often at first, just stretch it out untill you feel the need to wash again.
Can't reccomend many products, I use Garnier Ultra Mild (also called Ultra Suave) :crush: and even if it's my favourite brand ever, it's not very popular outside Europe.

Thank you for the info! Well I'm in the UK so I'll go have a look for this garnier extra mild :D

[RitaPG]

Thank you for the info! Well I'm in the UK so I'll go have a look for this garnier extra mild :D
Oh, it might also be called Ultra Doux, if you're looking for it.

[Becky9679]

Thank you for the info! Well I'm in the UK so I'll go have a look for this garnier extra mild :D

If you're after a really cheap-ass one from the UK that still works amazingly there's Superdrug's own brand - only 99p for one bottle or &#163;1.75 for two! It seems to be a good plan to shop around for your conditioner to find what works best for you - one person's dream conditioner may be hellish for another person. My first attempts at CO turned out horrible but when I switched everything suddenly just clicked!

[celebriangel]

I love superdrug (I'm in the UK too!). I use their Coconut and Almond Intensive conditioner - it comes in a tub right beside the normal conditioner - as my "heavy" Co conditioner.

The best conditioner in the UK I have ever found for the cleaning portion of CO is Tesco's own brand coconut conditioner (no idea why they're both coconut...my hair didn't like coconut oil, but seems to like things with coconut in. I don't think there's much coconut in this one anyway, to be fair). It's just the right texture, and when I do my "add a bit more water then massage again" step, I get a sort of creamy lather-type thing. My hair feels squeaky clean afterwards, almost.

I agree with Becky, though - you might need to shop around. Fortunately, for CO you want to be using cheap, own-brand type conditioners so it shouldn't be too hard on the wallet :). My hair hated superdrug's essentials peach conditioner (a different one than the one Becky mentioned - it's 59p for 500ml instead of 99p for, I think, 350ml), and hated some other conditioners which have tons of mineral oil (paraffinum liquidum on ingredients lists) in them. They just seemed gunky to me. The tesco has *some* mineral oil I believe, but not nearly as much.

I CO wash once a week. I haven't had to clarify yet. You *can* use a coney leave-in, but you'll need to use an SLS poo regularly and do a full proper clarify every so often too. I am way too lazy for that, and I also prefer my hair without cones, so I use panacea salve as my leave-in as well as some oils depending on my mood.

[Locksmith]

Another vote here for really cheap own-brand conditioner. My actual favourite was Inecto coconut conditioner, which Superdrug used to sell for about two quid a bottle, but I think they've stopped selling it. :( It's a shame, because it was light and gave me loads of slip without any cones at all. These days my favourite is probably Boots essentials conditioner at 60p a bottle. Go go budget haircare! :D Tresemme Naturals is too heavy for cleaning with, for me, but I love it on the length of my hair.

CO felt clean to me, and I washed the same amount as I had to with SLS - every oher day. The adjustment period was a pain though. I'm having to go through it again after having lapsed back into SLS and cones for a fortnight while there was no alternative, and I'm having real trouble getting back on the bandwagon as I can't do my own shopping atm. I think I might go back to shampoo bars for a while til I'm living on my own again. They're less harsh than SLS too, so the eventual transition back to CO should be easier! :p

[C.H.]

I CO washed for the first time last night after a heavy oiling and now that it's fully dried I'll say this: it definitely got my hair clean. I was just running my fingers through my hair at the scalp and noticing just how soft and clean it feels.

[LunaMoon]

Hi There!
Just want to up-date my CO experience:
I am doing great. My hair loves it.
I am still "washing" every other day like before (SLeS + C) and my hair is not getting so oily as with shampoo.
My First 2 weeks: the only problem actually was a crazy shedding but is gone now. I am back to my average shedding now.
I could "wash' less often but its is summer... I like to refresh my scalp and I like the feeling of fresh washed hair.
I use no cones, cones, CO with mineral oil, CO mixed with lemon juice, all of them with great results.
My main CO is Frank Provost (with little amodimethicone on the botton of the list). My cone-free one is Garnier Ultra Doux, the Karite and avocato oil - this one I never use alone because I need cones.
The one with mineral oil is the aphogee Moisture balance that I purchased to use after the 2 steps aphogee (never did - it is so scary!). I am not recommending this one because the smell is awful. I am just using it because I am cheap and don't want to waste.
So, I am using the aphogee (the only one with protein in) once a week. Other days I use the Garnier Ultra doux for the "washing" and the Frank Provost with cones in my lengh.
I wash with SLeS shampoo (diluted: 1 tablespoon of shampoo to 100ml of water) tree times a month (every 10 days). This day is the day I use the protein one as well, after the 2 minutes aphogee keratin treatment.
Well I am really happy with the results! I always use diluted CO, in these bottles used for hair dye.
I am going to try to stretch my washes after summer...Until now everything is so perfect and my hair is so different now, no more dry ends, well I have no words to describe it. It is perfect. :cheese:

[beccababesx]

Okay I followed all your advice and I bought Asda own brand condish and Garnier Fructus Fortifying condish (couldn't find extra mild). I tried the Asda one and I'm DELIGHTED :D my hair's so clean and fluffy and bouncy! Cleaner than when I used my low sulphate shampoo! Yaaaaay :D :cheese: Thanks so much guys xxx

[WittyWordsmith]

Good to read all the great results!

I'm out of town right now and CO washing with diluted Suave and then leaving some as a leave-in before drying. My hair feels SUPER thick when it dries but it's still really soft! I wonder what's in the Suave that does that. It happens to my sisters, too.

I wore my hair down and curly yesterday, even in 100* heat (literally) and outside all day at our family property. It was pretty hot and humid, but my hair actually looked pretty great all day! I was quite impressed with its performance.

I see a pool in my future today, so it's up right now.

[insomniac-uk]

CO is not working for me anymore :( The first 3 weeks my hair looked and felt amazing but now its just dry and frizzy. I CO every 3 days, I usually oil my hair before washing with coconut oil or castor oil. I tried washing a few times with shampoo and even changed conditioners but its still so dry :( I just want soft shiny hair again :(

[nellreno]

CO is not working for me anymore :( The first 3 weeks my hair looked and felt amazing but now its just dry and frizzy. I CO every 3 days, I usually oil my hair before washing with coconut oil or castor oil. I tried washing a few times with shampoo and even changed conditioners but its still so dry :( I just want soft shiny hair again :(

Does the conditioner you're using have any protein?

[LunaMoon]

CO is not working for me anymore :( The first 3 weeks my hair looked and felt amazing but now its just dry and frizzy. I CO every 3 days, I usually oil my hair before washing with coconut oil or castor oil. I tried washing a few times with shampoo and even changed conditioners but its still so dry :( I just want soft shiny hair again :(
Are you using the oil in your hair dry or wet?
For me, coconut oil to often in dry (not wet) hair doesn't work, looks very dry, frizzy, like protein overload...
How about trying without the oils? Maybe works.
I just oil my (wet) hair once a week.
Hope you can find a solution soon. :flowers:

[Dr. Girlfriend]

I'm a new convert to CO after my castor oil debacle. :) I have been CWCing since last year, and was rather pleased with the results, so I continued. I was a bit afraid to CO only for fear it wouldn't get my hair clean enough.

I've been COing every three days, and my hair feels so silky and amazing. The sheen is unbelievable. I've received more compliments on my hair since starting this regime, and no one can believe it's just CO.

[dmarie16]

Yes I would skip the oils for now. See if the results are better without them. You might want to clarify and use SMT. That makes my hair feel so soft and smooths out the frizz

[RebeccaG]

Hi Everyone

I've been trying out a new routine- wash every fourth day alternating between CWC and CO washes. The routine is working well on the whole but I am finding that after the co washes I'm left with greasy hair.

Now I do massage in castor oil mixed with sweet almond oil in very small amounts before washing but I thought conditioner was supposed to be the best way to remove oils!

So where am I going wrong? :confused: I use a cone free light conditioner (Faith in Nature Aloe Vera). Or is co washing just not for me?

My hair is in fairly good condition although there is some residual highlighting damage to the ends, I have my roots coloured back to my natural dark brown once a month (not ready to go renegray just yet!

[GRU]

Have you tried different brands/formulas of conditioner?

Did you clarify/shampoo your hair before starting the CO-washes?

Are you sure that all of your products are free of 'cones and mineral oil?

[LunaMoon]

Hi Everyone

I've been trying out a new routine- wash every fourth day alternating between CWC and CO washes. The routine is working well on the whole but I am finding that after the co washes I'm left with greasy hair.

Now I do massage in castor oil mixed with sweet almond oil in very small amounts before washing but I thought conditioner was supposed to be the best way to remove oils!

So where am I going wrong? :confused: I use a cone free light conditioner (Faith in Nature Aloe Vera). Or is co washing just not for me?

My hair is in fairly good condition although there is some residual highlighting damage to the ends, I have my roots coloured back to my natural dark brown once a month (not ready to go renegray just yet!

I think you can stop with the castor oil for a while. Maybe works.

[ashke50]

I have been using CWC since I found LHC in March, and on Saturday I tried CO for the first time. So far it hasn't made much difference - which in itself is impressive, as even though conditioner gets coconut oil out of my ends I had trouble believing it would get rid of the grease from my scalp.
Guess I have to try it a few more times to see if has any effect.

[sharicat]

I've CO'd my hair once every 4 days for the last 3 weeks and I love it! I've tried so many new things since joining here but changing to CO seems to have made the biggest positive difference to my hair :) I am amazed at how soft, clean and frizz-free it is, and I can actually stretch washes to 4 days which I couldn't manage with a sulfate shampoo. Woo! :D

A couple of times my freshly washed dry hair looks a little clumpy? Like it's oily but it's not. Am I not rinsing enough or using too much conditioner, do you think? using a BBB and a little dry shampoo helps.

[LunaMoon]

Just want to share how my hair is after 3 weeks of COing.
I am loving the waves!
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=8209&pictureid=107070
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=8209&pictureid=107070

[lapispimpernel]

LunaMoon, your waves look great! Is the other picture in your album the before picture?

[LunaMoon]

LunaMoon, your waves look great! Is the other picture in your album the before picture?

Hi!
Thanks Lapispimpernel!
The other pic is just the wet hair pic. The before pic is my avatar!
I am goind to take more fotos later! I am sooo happy!
:cheese:

[RebeccaG]

Have you tried different brands/formulas of conditioner?

Did you clarify/shampoo your hair before starting the CO-washes?

Are you sure that all of your products are free of 'cones and mineral oil?

I haven't tried lots of different brands mainly because I can't afford to waste money right now but I am absolutely sure I am free of cones and mineral oil and I have clarified. I have been rinsing with ACV ( a teaspoon in 1 litre) could that have an effect?

[Peashy]

So, the event that I've been dreading actually took place today.

My husband saw my conditioner HOARD.

Well, he told me I could only buy as much as I could store without it taking up too much of what little storage space we have. So, I got a little creative and made room in the bottom drawer of the bathroom because I know he never looks there. I've proceeded to fill the drawer over the last few months...

Today, looking for a good ole hairbrush (that I haven't used since starting CO) he asked me to show him where I'd stashed the 2 he KNEW I owned somewhere.

Silly me, I forgot I put the brushes in another drawer and I was forced to open my Conditioner drawer with him standing right there. I was *REALLY* worried about his reaction when he saw my stash of 10 or so bottles of various brands (I need to collect them all, ya know! LOL)

He said, "Holy Conditioner!" and then giggled a bit. Then he said, "Ok, you are NOT allowed to buy ANY MORE until you use at least three-quarters of that!"

Then I smiled and kissed him, because I was fully prepared to bust into fake tears and plead my case about how cheap they were and how I need them to compare, etc... But the fact that he didn't get upset, and actually said I could venture to buy ANY before totally running out just made me love him even more.

But, to be fair, I didn't open the drawer all the way and I don't think he saw the top 3 bottles... So he may have made that proclamation without fully knowing what was there... LOL.

Anyway, my secret is out and I no longer need to dread the wrath that now may never come!

I just need to make sure not to buy anymore, or he probably WILL have something to say about THAT.

*Phew*

Haha this is genius!! But if you think that was a bad experience, you should have seen the look on my DBF's face this morning when he saw me sitting on the settee with conditioner bottles galore trying to type the ingredients in a LHC thread. He just looked at me shaking his said saying "Now I know you're crazy", went into the kitchen to put the kettle on and then asked how many cups of coffee should he make for me and my 'friends' lol

[Peashy]

LunaMoon your hair has obviously taken very well to CO, looks so lovely with those waves! You must be so happy! :)

[Corvus]

I have been using CV shampoo bars for a few weeks now and have been very unhappy with the results. My hair feels waxy, strawlike, the ends seems very "crispy", and my scalp feels icky. Not impressed at all! I'm trying to stay away from SLS shampoos, but I want to keep my cones. I use my straightening iron a few times a week, and need the protection.

My question is this: Can I do CO and still use the heat protecting serum? Will that require me to do a clarifying wash once a week, or can it be stretched to once or twice a month?

[BroadwayBeauty]

My question is this: Can I do CO and still use the heat protecting serum? Will that require me to do a clarifying wash once a week, or can it be stretched to once or twice a month?

I CO wash (have for almost a month!! :cheese:) and I use a coney serum almost daily. I use Organix penetrating argan oil serum, and my hair adores it. I've found that I can use a sulfate-free shampoo about once every week and that removes any buildup, although frankly I don't notice any buildup. I know people say you can't remove cones without sulfates, but it seems to work fine on my hair. But, as always, everyone's hair is totally different. Hope that helps!

[Theobroma]

I have been using CV shampoo bars for a few weeks now and have been very unhappy with the results. My hair feels waxy, strawlike, the ends seems very "crispy", and my scalp feels icky. Not impressed at all!

Since you say your hair feels strawlike... are you doing an acid rinse after washing to counteract the alkalinity of the shampoo bar?

[GRU]

I haven't tried lots of different brands mainly because I can't afford to waste money right now but I am absolutely sure I am free of cones and mineral oil and I have clarified. I have been rinsing with ACV ( a teaspoon in 1 litre) could that have an effect?

I don't think ACV is causing you any problems -- if it were, then you'd have issues after CWCing instead of just after COing.

I agree with LunaMoon that the castor oil might be an issue -- it's a pretty thick product. Maybe leave that out on the days you're going to be COing?

Also, have you tried any of the really cheap conditioners that other UKers have mentioned? I think there is one at Boots that is only 60p... maybe that could give you an idea if other ingredients maybe work better for you.


I have been using CV shampoo bars for a few weeks now and have been very unhappy with the results. My hair feels waxy, strawlike, the ends seems very "crispy", and my scalp feels icky. Not impressed at all! I'm trying to stay away from SLS shampoos, but I want to keep my cones. I use my straightening iron a few times a week, and need the protection.

My question is this: Can I do CO and still use the heat protecting serum? Will that require me to do a clarifying wash once a week, or can it be stretched to once or twice a month?

Like Theobroma mentioned, acidic rinse was the first thing that came to my mind regarding the poo-bars.

As for CO-washing, every head of hair is different, so I suggest just giving it a try and see what works for you. How often you clarify is up to you and your hair, not some set of arbitrary "CO-washing rules". If your hair starts acting grumpy after a week, go ahead and wash with 'poo. If your hair is still happy after a week, just keep on keeping on until it starts to misbehave.

[Corvus]

Since you say your hair feels strawlike... are you doing an acid rinse after washing to counteract the alkalinity of the shampoo bar?


Well, that then begs the question: If the pH of CV shampoo bars needs to be counteracted by an acidic rinse, can it be so good for ones hair?!?!

[GRU]

Well, that then begs the question: If the pH of CV shampoo bars needs to be counteracted by an acidic rinse, can it be so good for ones hair?!?!

The idea behind 'poo bars is simply that they don't contain moisture-stripping sulfates (or other chemicals that people might be sensitive to). But they are still soaps, so they are alkaline like any other soap is, hence the need for an acidic rinse to reset the scalp/hair's natural pH level.

[Theobroma]

Well, that then begs the question: If the pH of CV shampoo bars needs to be counteracted by an acidic rinse, can it be so good for ones hair?!?!

I have no objective or informed answer to that question, just some gut-level misgivings about how much sense it makes at any stage of the hair care process to hit your hair with enough alkalinity to raise the cuticle scales (which is what makes it feel strawlike and rough) and require an acidic rinse to get them back to normal. But there's plenty of people over in the shampoo bar thread who swear by poo bars, so obviously it must be possible to use them and get good results!

I only tried them once. Forgot to do an acidic rinse and had a head full of what GRU would call "goat hair", and never tried again because I discovered CO washing and liked it so much that shampoo of any kind instantly became a non-issue for me.

[twilight_faerie]

Yecchhh. All this talk of shampoo bars makes me glad I switched to CO (and glad it finally started working for me). I used to use shampoo bars and they (eventually) worked fine for me, but I had no idea I was supposed to do an ACV rinse *every single time* I washed. That seems like such a hassle. I had planned to go back to poo bars in the near future, but recently decided to give CO another shot. Sooo glad I did...I think I'll just stick with CO.

[Roscata]

So far I've tried shampoo bars, SLS-free shampoo, soapnuts and now I'm trying CO. I haven't been fully happy with either of those, but I get really excited for the first few weeks then I start not liking it little by little. Sigh I hope that a routine will stick sooner or later. Anyways...

Conditioner only washes? I followed this article on conditioner only washes: Conditioner Only Washes - TLHC Style (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=18)

I am currently using VO5 Herbal Escapes Clarifying Conditioner Kiwi Lime Squeeze applied to dry hair, left under a shower cap for 30 minutes then rinsed out for 5 minutes. It's so far so good. I really want this type of washing to work for me though because it makes my hair smell pretty, it's one step and it's no shampoo (shampoo makes me shed a lot). Sigh. My hair doesn't like conditioner, but some people say that even though conditioner didn't work with shampoo/conditioner routines, it can really work with CO washes. So I'm trying it. Plus it is suppose to be the best way to remove oils from my hair, which is awesome because other than shampoo nothing else has worked consistently (shampoo bar) or at all (soapnuts).


CO update.

I've COed twice thus far and so far so awesome. My hair is softer than ever before and it smells really pretty. My scalp isn't itching which adds to my theory that my scalp itches because of dryness so as long as it is properly moisturized all is well.

I'm having some trouble with the rinsing part I never seem to be rinsing my hair enough with CO, there is always some part that needs more and I can only see it after it has dried. I think I'm going to do a Water Only rinse tomorrow so I can still go 4 days between washes. We'll see how that goes.

[theodora]

I really want CO to work for me but I've been trying for a month and I just can't make it work. I feel a bit like it was my last resort as I have problems with sulphates and even SLS-free shampoos make me feel dry (I try BS+ACV for maybe 3 weeks and it was really not good).
I have tried mostly Tresemme naturals and Garnier Triple Nutritrion, and so far my problems with CO are:
- hair gets greasy within 2 days, which is problematic as I had previously been managing to stretch washes to maybe twice a week max. I have about 2 days of decent hair and after that I have to put it up and use dry shampoo
- problem associated with the grease: it makes my natural ash blond roots look much much darker than if I'd used a shampoo
-it makes my hair flat and limp, and makes my waves disappear

Any ideas or recommendations? (knowing that I'm in the UK so can't find all the american brands easily)

Should I give up and try something else? (currently considering sls free poo bars or other soap based cleansers - either Dr Bronner, or morroccan black soap - or maybe rhassoul)

I know people say this is all down to finding the right condish for this method, but my choice in terms of cone-free, fairly cheap conditioner is sadly limited...

Anyone has had similar issues and solved them?

[GRU]

I'm having some trouble with the rinsing part I never seem to be rinsing my hair enough with CO, there is always some part that needs more and I can only see it after it has dried. I think I'm going to do a Water Only rinse tomorrow so I can still go 4 days between washes. We'll see how that goes.

Have you tried applying the conditioner in diluted form? Many of us have excellent results with diluting conditioner with water in a color applicator bottle (or mustard bottle! :lol:) and using that instead. This method makes it easier to reach the scalp (which is the part that needs the cleaning in the first place), makes the conditioner last longer (some dilute 1:1, some as much as 1:5 for a solution that's only 20% conditioner), and makes it easier to rinse out.



Any ideas or recommendations? (knowing that I'm in the UK so can't find all the american brands easily)

I've seen folks here mention the Boots and Inecto (sp?) brands as being good CO-washing products for UKers. There may be others listed here, but those are the two that come to mind. Have you tried either of those?

[WittyWordsmith]

Hi Everyone

I've been trying out a new routine- wash every fourth day alternating between CWC and CO washes. The routine is working well on the whole but I am finding that after the co washes I'm left with greasy hair.

Now I do massage in castor oil mixed with sweet almond oil in very small amounts before washing but I thought conditioner was supposed to be the best way to remove oils!

So where am I going wrong? :confused: I use a cone free light conditioner (Faith in Nature Aloe Vera). Or is co washing just not for me?

My hair is in fairly good condition although there is some residual highlighting damage to the ends, I have my roots coloured back to my natural dark brown once a month (not ready to go renegray just yet!

I would suggest making sure you are leaving the conditioner on long enough to actually remove those oils. Yes, CO gets rid of oils the best, but it also takes longer than when you're washing normally. OR, don't use those oils before CO washing on those days. Many people find their need for oil isn't as great when they CO. You may just be over-loading your hair.


I've CO'd my hair once every 4 days for the last 3 weeks and I love it! I've tried so many new things since joining here but changing to CO seems to have made the biggest positive difference to my hair :) I am amazed at how soft, clean and frizz-free it is, and I can actually stretch washes to 4 days which I couldn't manage with a sulfate shampoo. Woo! :D

A couple of times my freshly washed dry hair looks a little clumpy? Like it's oily but it's not. Am I not rinsing enough or using too much conditioner, do you think? using a BBB and a little dry shampoo helps.

I would say you might not be using enough, or you should consider diluting the conditioner so it spreads and penetrates better. Using a BBB never hurts, but the greasiness shouldn't be there in the first place if the conditioner is able to do its job. Perhaps saturating more and letting it penetrate a little better may help.


Haha this is genius!! But if you think that was a bad experience, you should have seen the look on my DBF's face this morning when he saw me sitting on the settee with conditioner bottles galore trying to type the ingredients in a LHC thread. He just looked at me shaking his said saying "Now I know you're crazy", went into the kitchen to put the kettle on and then asked how many cups of coffee should he make for me and my 'friends' lol

NICE!! It's good that they love us even after they realize how nuts we are. :D


I really want CO to work for me but I've been trying for a month and I just can't make it work. I feel a bit like it was my last resort as I have problems with sulphates and even SLS-free shampoos make me feel dry (I try BS+ACV for maybe 3 weeks and it was really not good).
I have tried mostly Tresemme naturals and Garnier Triple Nutritrion, and so far my problems with CO are:
- hair gets greasy within 2 days, which is problematic as I had previously been managing to stretch washes to maybe twice a week max. I have about 2 days of decent hair and after that I have to put it up and use dry shampoo
- problem associated with the grease: it makes my natural ash blond roots look much much darker than if I'd used a shampoo
-it makes my hair flat and limp, and makes my waves disappear

Any ideas or recommendations? (knowing that I'm in the UK so can't find all the american brands easily)

Should I give up and try something else? (currently considering sls free poo bars or other soap based cleansers - either Dr Bronner, or morroccan black soap - or maybe rhassoul)

I know people say this is all down to finding the right condish for this method, but my choice in terms of cone-free, fairly cheap conditioner is sadly limited...

Anyone has had similar issues and solved them?

It seems like you are using really heavy conditioners to wash with. Diluting them would probably help. Are you using both conditioners in full force during the same wash cycle?

The Garnier TN is good as a 2nd or leave-in, but if you're doing that maybe water down the Tresemme first to make sure it's really washing right. It may not be necessary for you to use 2 steps.

Don't give up! GRU gave some good conditioner suggestions. I wouldn't use the Triple Nutrition as a cleanser CO, though, I don't think it would do the job so well.

[GRU]

Yes, CO gets rid of oils the best, but it also takes longer than when you're washing normally.

Not necessarily -- if I've done a particularly heavy oiling, I might lather-rinse-repeat when I CO-wash, but I don't as a rule leave the conditioner sitting on my hair any longer than usual.

[theodora]

Thanks for all the advice, GRU and WittyWordsmith!
I was diluting my Tresemme (and actually stopped using Triple nutrition as a wash and used it as second conditioner), but then I had the problem that I found diluting it made it harder to use to clean my hair, it was a bit hard to find the right balance in the dilution.
After re-reading all the posts here I've just bought some Tesco (supermarket) brand conditioner and I am going to give it a try. I squeezed a bit out and it seems a more watery consistency than my other conditioners, so I might even not need to dilute it.
We'll see what happens, I just really really want this method to work for my hair!

[GRU]

Let us know how it works out for you!

[Roscata]

Have you tried applying the conditioner in diluted form? Many of us have excellent results with diluting conditioner with water in a color applicator bottle (or mustard bottle! :lol:) and using that instead. This method makes it easier to reach the scalp (which is the part that needs the cleaning in the first place), makes the conditioner last longer (some dilute 1:1, some as much as 1:5 for a solution that's only 20% conditioner), and makes it easier to rinse out.

I'm definitely trying that, thanks a lot for the suggestion GRU! :)

[Marz Hase]

Coming back to report that I think I've FINALLY hit that magic jackpot method... I'll give it another week or so and see.

1) Apply diluted conditioner to dry hair with mustard bottle until FULLY saturated, massage into scalp.

2) Prepare ACV bottle.

3) Wash face.

4) Run a little water over my head and massage scalp again.

5) Rinserinserinserinserinse out conditioner.

6) Apply heavier conditioner to ends.

7) Rinse again!

8) Apply ACV.

9) Wash body.

10) Rinse out some of the ACV with cold water.

11) Lightly oil with coconut oil when damp.

A huge key for me was following up with an ACV rinse. I don't know why. I have a feeling it has to do with my tap water. ::crosses fingers that this keeps yielding awesome results::

[GRU]

I'm definitely trying that, thanks a lot for the suggestion GRU! :)

I hope it helps! (post back and let us know, please)


Coming back to report that I think I've FINALLY hit that magic jackpot method... I'll give it another week or so and see.

:joy: :cheese: :joy: :cheer: :joy:

It sometimes takes a while to figure out how and what your hair likes to be fed, but it's a great feeling once you get it all figured out! :D

[WittyWordsmith]

We're all crossing fingers for you Marz Hase!! :D

[SapphiraSilver]

Does anyone use Lush conditioners? I recently tried their Jungle solid conditioner and it seems to clean my hair really well if I use it first like a shampoo, and then use my usual favourite conditioner on it afterwards. It looks and feel like a soap, but it really rather hard to apply since it doesn't really lather, but mixed with water, if you are able to massage it in, it seems to clean well.

Has anyone else had any luck with Lush products?

[Marz Hase]

I never tried it with CO, but I LOVE the smell of Jungle. I'd be afraid to try it with the large amount of conditioner I tend to use CO'ing as is. O.O;;

[theodora]

The reason why Jungle feels like it cleanses your hair so well, is that like most of the Lush conditioners (and a lot of their products) it has sulfates in it (which is the cleansing agent in most shampoos).
So it's pretty much like using shampoo to wash your hair, not really like using a conditioner.
But if it works for you, why not!


I'm now going to report back on the Tesco coconut conditioner. It was a massive improvement from my other tries. I used it to wash my hair, then used a bit of 3x nutritrion on my lengths and finished with an ACV rinse.
I didn't put any leave-in as I wanted to see how clean this would get my hair, and it really did clean much much better than the heavier conditioners I've tried before. I might need to oil my ends before bed tonight, but at least I don't feel greasy. And for 70p a huge bottle, it was worth trying!

[GRU]

I'm now going to report back on the Tesco coconut conditioner. It was a massive improvement from my other tries. I used it to wash my hair, then used a bit of 3x nutritrion on my lengths and finished with an ACV rinse.
I didn't put any leave-in as I wanted to see how clean this would get my hair, and it really did clean much much better than the heavier conditioners I've tried before. I might need to oil my ends before bed tonight, but at least I don't feel greasy. And for 70p a huge bottle, it was worth trying!


:cheer: YAY! :cheer:

[WittyWordsmith]

I played a little Mixology today. :D

I mixed about a cup of Suave Daily Clarifying into a cup of Suave Lavender Lilac and then filled the other half of the bottle with water. 8 Of the 13 ingredients in the Clarifying were the same as the Lilac, so they seem pretty compatible. I just didn't want the full force of the Clarifying as I wash almost daily, and I figured this was an effective solution.

So, we'll see how it cleans and what it does over time.

I felt like some sort of Mad Conditioner Scientist. Muuaahahahahaaaa!!!

LOL :D

[Marz Hase]

The reason why Jungle feels like it cleanses your hair so well, is that like most of the Lush conditioners (and a lot of their products) it has sulfates in it (which is the cleansing agent in most shampoos).
So it's pretty much like using shampoo to wash your hair, not really like using a conditioner.
But if it works for you, why not!


I'm now going to report back on the Tesco coconut conditioner. It was a massive improvement from my other tries. I used it to wash my hair, then used a bit of 3x nutritrion on my lengths and finished with an ACV rinse.
I didn't put any leave-in as I wanted to see how clean this would get my hair, and it really did clean much much better than the heavier conditioners I've tried before. I might need to oil my ends before bed tonight, but at least I don't feel greasy. And for 70p a huge bottle, it was worth trying!

Yaaaay!!

And let us know how that works out, WittyWordsmith. There was a sale on Suave at our local HEB, so I stocked up. Sssh. Don't tell the hubby. ;)

[Lippytoes]

About Lush conditioners: I still have a bit of some Lush conditioner hanging around from the days when I S&C'ed. I haven't been using it because of the sulphates. However, I just started thinking: d'you think it might work as a clarifier? :D

[SapphiraSilver]

The reason why Jungle feels like it cleanses your hair so well, is that like most of the Lush conditioners (and a lot of their products) it has sulfates in it (which is the cleansing agent in most shampoos).
So it's pretty much like using shampoo to wash your hair, not really like using a conditioner.
But if it works for you, why not!

Really? But it doesn't lather at all. Oh well :)

[theodora]

Really? But it doesn't lather at all. Oh well :)
The lack of lather can be from hard water. Shampoo bars, even sls ones, have issues lathering in hard water.
The thing is, even if it doesn't lather, it still definitely cleanses. I was using the Marilyn conditioning treatment from Lush as a shampoo at some point as it has sls. It worked completely fine.
My scalp can't cope with repeated sls as my dermatitis has been flaring up at the moment, so it's just CO for me from now on.

[swetiepeti]

Going to give it a try with the conditioners I have on hand. I still have most of a large bottle of Pantene "beautiful lengths" and Garnier's "length and strength". Went with Garnier's today. Earlier in the week I oiled WC'd with the Pantene conditioner and hubby's clarifying shampoo.Today I let the Garnier sit on my head under the lovely plastic bag after massaging it in. Got out, read some of the board, then rinsed very well. Still wet, but so far not looking like it will be greasy. I never detangle until dry so won't know much until then. I work this weekend so if it comes out heavy, oily whatever I'll just put it up in my normal braid anyway. I did put a dab of cocanut oil on the bottom couple inches. Thanks for all the advice ladies.

[LunaMoon]

Welcome to COing world swetiepeti!
I did the same, tried CO with the CO I had at home. Here in France we can find these 1 dolar/liter CO so I didn't want to waste.
My advice is once you are trying CO, just "give a rest" to other routines like heavy oilings and such ,just to be able to analize how your hair is doing with CO. Of course a little coconut oil on your ends is not problem. Just wait lets say, 2 weeks before changing things to see if your hair adapt. I can see your CO have cones (not sure, here in France these ones are coneys) but I am doing fine using cones for CO. I am using my shampoos once a week, so I am not concerned about buil-up. After 2 weeks I started changing brands,trying stuff like putting lemon juice in the conditioner, etc.
Give littel time for you hair to get used to CO! Don't try to strech "washes" now. I am COing every other day, the same as before with shampoo. My hair is very happy!
You will hear a lot here to not use coneys like pantene to CO but I use CO with coneys and looove it! If your hair likes Pantene, try with pantene for sure! (I like pantene as well!)

[swetiepeti]

figured it would take awhile to see if I like it. When shampooing, I was washing two to sometimes three times a week and letting it get a bit greasy on top. Even then I was using diluted shampoo and only on the scalp then conditioning from the ears down. Don't think the oiling will make much difference as I normally only oiled just the ends to make sure that the shampoo that drifted down that way while rinsing did not dry them out anymore than they already were. New here and had never even heard of heavy oilings until I read the board and have not yet tried it.
Do have one question. If I wanted to do some protien like cocanut milk, when would be a good time for this? Or could I just add some cocanut milk to one of my washes to dilute it? (not diluting at present)

[LunaMoon]

figured it would take awhile to see if I like it. When shampooing, I was washing two to sometimes three times a week and letting it get a bit greasy on top. Even then I was using diluted shampoo and only on the scalp then conditioning from the ears down. Don't think the oiling will make much difference as I normally only oiled just the ends to make sure that the shampoo that drifted down that way while rinsing did not dry them out anymore than they already were. New here and had never even heard of heavy oilings until I read the board and have not yet tried it.
Do have one question. If I wanted to do some protien like cocanut milk, when would be a good time for this? Or could I just add some cocanut milk to one of my washes to dilute it? (not diluting at present)
Do you know if your Garnier's "length and strength" has some protein already? If does, I will say wait 1 week or do before using the coconut milk, but i don't know if your hair likes a lot of protein or not. For me protein more than once a week makes my hair dry, but I love protein treatments.
If you want to try the coocnut milk, I will say use it as a pre "wash" treatment. Other idea is mixing with your Garnier CO, spreading in your hair (wet or dry, it is up to you), wait lets say, 20 minutes, and rinse it out. Maybe you will want to put your panthene on you length to prevent dry ends.

[swetiepeti]

it's canned cocanut milk so won't go bad if I wait a week or two. Think I'll mix it in with the Garnier's. It's the thicker of the two. Don't know if my hair will like it or not as the Garniers was a bottle I bought but had sitting in my closet. Really need to clean it out at I also discovered huge unopened bottle of Pantene's Ice Shine Shampoo along with some of my favorite smelling Portico Spa products. Still here drying. Taking a bit longer than normal, and appearing to be a bit wavier than normal, both good signs that my hair likes a product.

[LunaMoon]

it's canned cocanut milk so won't go bad if I wait a week or two. Think I'll mix it in with the Garnier's. It's the thicker of the two. Don't know if my hair will like it or not as the Garniers was a bottle I bought but had sitting in my closet. Really need to clean it out at I also discovered huge unopened bottle of Pantene's Ice Shine Shampoo along with some of my favorite smelling Portico Spa products. Still here drying. Taking a bit longer than normal, and appearing to be a bit wavier than normal, both good signs that my hair likes a product.

Good news! :cheese:
You are like me, I use always all my COs and shampoos. Now I am using my shampoos once a week until finish, and if some CO is not working very well I mix them to make it better. If one is drying my hair and I am getting to oily with other one, I mix them up together. I am that cheap, but works very well.
My first experience COing was good, but after 1 day was oily. After 2 or 3 days my hair was already balanced I guess, so no more oily hair before my "washing day". Some people say is better stay with the CO for long time. I started using CO diluted with water in a bottle (these ones for apply hair dye) to reach well the roots and never waited very much, just massaged well and that's all. Tried to wait more time but my hair feels to dry doing that.

[WittyWordsmith]

For me, I only leave the CO wash on for as long as I'm in the shower. Unless I'm doing a deep treatment (like an SMT) I would say my first wash is on for about 10 minutes, and then I scrunch in my leave-in before hopping out of the shower.

As long as I feel clean and soft and moisturized, I know it's doing what I want within the time I give it. :D

[BroadwayBeauty]

Hey everyone!! I just wanted to stop by and day that I've been CO for a whole month!!! :cheese:

It's amazing how much my hair has changed for the better in the last four weeks. It's so much shinier, softer, and healthier!! My hair hasn't really changed too much in terms of developing waves, but it's got so much more body now than ever before. I've basically gotten the hair I've always wanted... Now if only it was my dream length :p My family can't stop commenting on how much my hair has improved over the past four weeks, which is so great since my family can also be quite critical of my hair.

I've been using Aussie Cleanse & Mend as my CO, but this past week I worked in some V05 Clarifying Conditioner in Vanilla Mint Tea. I could kinda take it or leave it. But I use HE Long Term Relationship as the rinse out, and my hair is in love with that regimen. My 40oz bottle has lasted a month and still has some in it, but I had to buy another bottle (although it's Aussie Sydney Smooth since they were out of C&M) since I'm about to start my month of traveling :)

So yeah... I thought I'd share my success at my official one month marker :happydance:

[LunaMoon]

Hey everyone!! I just wanted to stop by and day that I've been CO for a whole month!!! :cheese:

It's amazing how much my hair has changed for the better in the last four weeks. It's so much shinier, softer, and healthier!! My hair hasn't really changed too much in terms of developing waves, but it's got so much more body now than ever before. I've basically gotten the hair I've always wanted... Now if only it was my dream length :p My family can't stop commenting on how much my hair has improved over the past four weeks, which is so great since my family can also be quite critical of my hair.

I've been using Aussie Cleanse & Mend as my CO, but this past week I worked in some V05 Clarifying Conditioner in Vanilla Mint Tea. I could kinda take it or leave it. But I use HE Long Term Relationship as the rinse out, and my hair is in love with that regimen. My 40oz bottle has lasted a month and still has some in it, but I had to buy another bottle (although it's Aussie Sydney Smooth since they were out of C&M) since I'm about to start my month of traveling :)

So yeah... I thought I'd share my success at my official one month marker :happydance:
Great news!!!! So good to know your hair is liking COing!
I am almost reaching my 1 month of CO as well, so far so good, I am really happy with the results.

[Becky9679]

Woo, I was an enabler today! One of the ladies I work with mentioned that her children had lice and she had to go and get the special shampoo to sort it out. I mentioned that ACV can help with lice and (surprisingly!) she said she had heard of that and that it was good for the hair. Two other ladies who were listening were a little incredulous and asked how to use ACV. One said 'do you shampoo and condition and then use it?' I said 'well you can do that but I don't actually use shampoo any more'. Even more incredulity! How can you get your hair clean without shampoo? Don't you need the lather? Doesn't it get greasy? I took down my hair, showed them how clean and lovely it is and then sent them a couple of links via email explaining the basics of CO and ACV rinsing.

They both said they're going to try it! :cheese:

[SapphiraSilver]

The problem I have with CO is an itchy scalp. I CO straight for 2 months and it wasn't so bad, but now for some reason it gets so itchy the next day I have to CO everyday, and I don't like doing that, I want to go at least 3 days between washes. The only thing I found that helps is Head & Shoulders shampoo, it really stops the itch and if I use it I can go long without washing, but as soon as I stop using it and use any other Shampoo, or go back to CO the itch comes back.

[ArienEllariel]

I was CO for a while but found that it made my hair oilier faster. Now I'm thinking that perhapse it was because I was using too thick of a conditioner on my scalp.

I'm probably going to start COing again because I've been dealing with a flaky scalp for the past week or so. I have no idea where this came from and it seems to appear only after I wash my hair with shampoo... oddly enough, I've been using this same sulfate-free shampoo for over a year with great success and only washing every 3 days or so. I don't get why my scalp is unhappy now but I'm bound and determined to get rid of the flakes. I'm not partial to the "snow storm in the hair" look.

Do you all like the Suave naturals for COing? Which one is your favorite?

[GRU]

The problem I have with CO is an itchy scalp. I CO straight for 2 months and it wasn't so bad, but now for some reason it gets so itchy the next day I have to CO everyday, and I don't like doing that, I want to go at least 3 days between washes. The only thing I found that helps is Head & Shoulders shampoo, it really stops the itch and if I use it I can go long without washing, but as soon as I stop using it and use any other Shampoo, or go back to CO the itch comes back.

Perhaps due to summer weather? Heat/sweat/etc.?

Have you tried ACV or other acidic rinses?



Do you all like the Suave naturals for COing? Which one is your favorite?

I like Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut, usually diluted with water roughly 1:4.

[WittyWordsmith]

The problem I have with CO is an itchy scalp. I CO straight for 2 months and it wasn't so bad, but now for some reason it gets so itchy the next day I have to CO everyday, and I don't like doing that, I want to go at least 3 days between washes. The only thing I found that helps is Head & Shoulders shampoo, it really stops the itch and if I use it I can go long without washing, but as soon as I stop using it and use any other Shampoo, or go back to CO the itch comes back.

Have you tried finishing your wash with an ACV rinse? I hear time and again that doing that calms the itchies. Plus, it leaves you all nice and shiny!


I was CO for a while but found that it made my hair oilier faster. Now I'm thinking that perhapse it was because I was using too thick of a conditioner on my scalp.

I'm probably going to start COing again because I've been dealing with a flaky scalp for the past week or so. I have no idea where this came from and it seems to appear only after I wash my hair with shampoo... oddly enough, I've been using this same sulfate-free shampoo for over a year with great success and only washing every 3 days or so. I don't get why my scalp is unhappy now but I'm bound and determined to get rid of the flakes. I'm not partial to the "snow storm in the hair" look.

Do you all like the Suave naturals for COing? Which one is your favorite?

I cannot rave ENOUGH about the Suave Naturals for COing. I use it diluted in 1/2 for the washing, and then I use it full strength on the length as a leave-in before I scrunch all the excess water out and hop out of the shower.

Tonight, in fact, I mixed the Suave Daily Clarifying with the Suave Lilac Lavender (1 cup of each took up about half the bottle) and filled the rest with water. I shook it til it was totally mixed evenly, then washed with it tonight. SO NICE!

I finished off with the Sun-ripened Strawberry (which smells diviiiiine) and scrunched it in while soaking wet and then scrunched out the excess before drying with a t-shirt.

Make sure you get the Suave all the way to the scalp and let it do its job. It's awesome stuff! :D

[Roscata]

Ok so I did my regular pre-wash oiling EVOO/Castor oil on the roots and coconut oil on the length then I COed. BUT this time I used Suave Conditioner Juicy Green Apple AND I diluted it with water 1/2 or 1/3 I'm sure. Left it on for 30 minutes then rinsed. The oil was not completely removed, I still had like 10&#37; of it in my hair, so I did the same thing again (because I am committed to no shampoo) and this time everything was washed out. My hair feels softer than ever and smells like green apple. Awesome! I consider this a success. Yay!

I just hope I can find a way to do this without having to CO twice.

[MagicAndMayhem]

Day 4 of CO: my scalp hates me lol. My roots look so greasy even though I just CO'd it today. Maybe I have to use conditioner on the roots, though I was only told to never do that...

[RitaPG]

Day 4 of CO: my scalp hates me lol. My roots look so greasy even though I just CO'd it today. Maybe I have to use conditioner on the roots, though I was only told to never do that...
If you are CO washing, you should use conditioner on your scalp. That's the point of it, you use conditioner as if it was shampoo.

[GingerSnapO]

Day 4 of CO: my scalp hates me lol. My roots look so greasy even though I just CO'd it today. Maybe I have to use conditioner on the roots, though I was only told to never do that...You should absolutely put conditioner on your roots-- it really does have a cleansing effect. Just make sure you rinse very well. You may need to experiment with what conditioner you use, but I can't imagine doing CO without using it on my scalp and roots also.

[SapphiraSilver]

Definitely use the conditioner on your roots and scalp. Absolutely.

[gracenotes]

Alright! I need some CO help! I usually CWC, but I'm trying occasional CO washes to be a bit gentler on my hair, as it tends to dry out easily. I'm trying so hard to love CO washing (it makes my hair so soft!) but I keep getting greasy roots. I mean, greasy roots as in they look greasy as soon as my hair dries. Should I be leaving my conditioner on longer before rinsing? Should I be rinsing more? Is this most likely just an adjustment period thing? I'm sure these questions have all already been answered somewhere, but this thread is so long! Apologies. :) Also, I'm using V05 kiwi lime squeeze--maybe I should try a different one? Thanks! :)

[twilight_faerie]

Alright! I need some CO help! I usually CWC, but I'm trying occasional CO washes to be a bit gentler on my hair, as it tends to dry out easily. I'm trying so hard to love CO washing (it makes my hair so soft!) but I keep getting greasy roots. I mean, greasy roots as in they look greasy as soon as my hair dries. Should I be leaving my conditioner on longer before rinsing? Should I be rinsing more? Is this most likely just an adjustment period thing? I'm sure these questions have all already been answered somewhere, but this thread is so long! Apologies. :) Also, I'm using V05 kiwi lime squeeze--maybe I should try a different one? Thanks! :)

Are you diluting your conditioner? I use VO5 Kiwi Lime too, and it works for me like a dream. You might also want to leave it on a little longer - I only leave mine on for a minute or so, but I know others need a few more minutes to get the full cleansing effect.

[gracenotes]

Are you diluting your conditioner? I use VO5 Kiwi Lime too, and it works for me like a dream. You might also want to leave it on a little longer - I only leave mine on for a minute or so, but I know others need a few more minutes to get the full cleansing effect.

Ooh, I haven't been diluting it, but maybe I should try that. I read about that method once and completely forgot about it until now.

[twilight_faerie]

Ooh, I haven't been diluting it, but maybe I should try that. I read about that method once and completely forgot about it until now.

Definitely try that. I had the same problem you have when I first started COing, and diluting my conditioner fixed that problem.

[Talula]

Alright! I need some CO help! I usually CWC, but I'm trying occasional CO washes to be a bit gentler on my hair, as it tends to dry out easily. I'm trying so hard to love CO washing (it makes my hair so soft!) but I keep getting greasy roots. I mean, greasy roots as in they look greasy as soon as my hair dries. Should I be leaving my conditioner on longer before rinsing? Should I be rinsing more? Is this most likely just an adjustment period thing? I'm sure these questions have all already been answered somewhere, but this thread is so long! Apologies. :) Also, I'm using V05 kiwi lime squeeze--maybe I should try a different one? Thanks! :)

I had no luck at all w/ VO5 kiwi lime squeeze.... nor Freesia, nor Extra Body. The Vo5's I've tried so far wouldn't clean my hair... they just wouldn't rinse out properly. So I used them only from ears down and used something else on the scalp to get rid of the greasies. White Rain usually works best for me (old bottles w/out cones that I have a large stash of... haven't tried the cones ones) , then Suave Naturals is my next choice of the cheap kinds. Organix coconut cleans very well for me too, but it's more expensive. I think I got a bargain on mine, though.

I remember being very disappointed that Kiwi Lime didn't work for me no matter what my technique - when it worked so well for others... I wondered if it was my water making a difference.

I would try another brand if I were you. Good luck!

[LunaMoon]

Day 4 of CO: my scalp hates me lol. My roots look so greasy even though I just CO'd it today. Maybe I have to use conditioner on the roots, though I was only told to never do that...
Hi MagicAndMayden!
I am COing for 1 month and loving it... I actually read the 300+ of this thread to "master" the tecnique... Here you will find lots of info and advice on how to CO properlly.
If you are not COing your roots you are not COing... You have to use the CO in the scalp as well.
Normally people say to not touch your scalp with CO when you use shampoo. CO is a different way. You use the CO for washing (this is why you have to find the right CO for your scalp).
Basically, you have to:
1. Clarify to take out all the buid up of your hair before start COing.
2. Choose a CO for using in your whole head, massaging like a shampoo, cleaning very well your scalp with the massage.
3. Use other (different) CO for the rest of your hair. This one can be a coney one or some heavy CO. Use if needed.
4.Rinse both CO very, very well.

You can dilute the CO (I do) to make it easy to spread. I use a kind of mustard bottle for putting the mix right on the roots.

There are different tecniques, I advice you to read at least some of the pages of this thread to learn.

[Lady.Pirate]

My hair seems to really like CO washes, it feels clean and soft and doesn't start to look greasy before it's next wash. However, I've noticed that my hair seems to have gone straighter in the last couple weeks. I was wondering if this is can happen with CO washing, or possibly just another interesting thing my hair has decided to do? I did a search but couldn't find what I was looking for, so apologies if this is answered somewhere obvious!

[gracenotes]

Definitely try that. I had the same problem you have when I first started COing, and diluting my conditioner fixed that problem.

Thanks! I will definitely try that next wash :) How much do you dilute yours? Does it end up being mostly conditioner, mostly water, or 50/50?

[LunaMoon]

Lady.Pirate, I think dependes a lot on the CO you are using. Most of curlies/wavies use CO because they get culier/wavier with CO. As you can see, My avatar shows a pre CO hair and my pic shows an after CO hair. My hair is getting the waves I just had when my hair was short. I actually had spirals and curls when my hair was short. Each hair is different, maybe yours wants to be straight for a while... Wait and see, and if you really want to change it, try a different CO later.

[Lady.Pirate]

Thanks LunaMoon, I remembered reading about CO enhancing curls but figured it it might be a 'your mileage may vary' type of thing. I'm using the lightest conditioner I could get my hands on right now (Suave Green Apple), I think I'll try some others and see if I can find a conditioner that helps my curls come out a bit more.

[LunaMoon]

Lady.Pirate, you are lucky you have tons of cheap COs in USA to try... here in France the COs are so expensive, the cheapest ones are like 3 euros (250ml!)... We don't have many choices as well... I could find just one big bottle (700ml) of a professional one for 6 euros, and that was the cheapest I found! And we don't have Sally's...

[LunaMoon]

Thanks LunaMoon, I remembered reading about CO enhancing curls but figured it it might be a 'your mileage may vary' type of thing. I'm using the lightest conditioner I could get my hands on right now (Suave Green Apple), I think I'll try some others and see if I can find a conditioner that helps my curls come out a bit more.
Lady.Pirate, you are lucky you have tons of cheap COs in USA to try... here in France the COs are so expensive, the cheapest ones are like 3 euros (250ml!)... We don't have many choices as well... I could find just one big bottle (700ml) of a professional one for 6 euros, and that was the cheapest I found! And we don't have Sally's...

[MagicAndMayhem]

Hi MagicAndMayden!
I am COing for 1 month and loving it... I actually read the 300+ of this thread to "master" the tecnique... Here you will find lots of info and advice on how to CO properlly.
If you are not COing your roots you are not COing... You have to use the CO in the scalp as well.
Normally people say to not touch your scalp with CO when you use shampoo. CO is a different way. You use the CO for washing (this is why you have to find the right CO for your scalp).
Basically, you have to:
1. Clarify to take out all the buid up of your hair before start COing.
2. Choose a CO for using in your whole head, massaging like a shampoo, cleaning very well your scalp with the massage.
3. Use other (different) CO for the rest of your hair. This one can be a coney one or some heavy CO. Use if needed.
4.Rinse both CO very, very well.

You can dilute the CO (I do) to make it easy to spread. I use a kind of mustard bottle for putting the mix right on the roots.

There are different tecniques, I advice you to read at least some of the pages of this thread to learn.

Okay, I CO'd my roots today and now my hair isn't icky! Well, it hasn't dried completely yet, but I can already tell the difference. :p

[twilight_faerie]

Thanks! I will definitely try that next wash :) How much do you dilute yours? Does it end up being mostly conditioner, mostly water, or 50/50?

Good question. I dilute mine in my hand rather than in a bottle, so I'm not sure exactly what ratio it ends up being, but it's definitely mostly conditioner. I squirt about a quarter-sized blob of conditioner into my cupped hand, and let the water mix with the blob until it's watery enough that it's almost about to ooze out of my hand. You may want to play around with dilutions and find which one works best for you - I know some people dilute their conditioner way more than I do, and it works great for them.

HTH! :D

[WittyWordsmith]

Who told you to never use it on the roots? There's no way they'd get clean otherwise.

I saturate the roots and give myself a nice head massage to make sure the cleansers in the conditioner get in there really good.

The only conditioner I don't put on my roots is my 2nd, thicker conditioner that I use as a leave-in on the length.

If you are really CO washing properly, it's vital to clean the roots as well. I'd give it another shot before you go nuts! LOL!

~~~
ETA: Oops, the above post was in response to MagicAndMayhem, but my computer tricked me and I didn't see that there were 2 pages to respond already! My word.

Sorry! And to Magic, I'm glad it's better for you today! Greasy roots make me crazy!

[GRU]

I use one part conditioner and anywhere from one to four parts water... depends on my mood, which conditioner I'm using, and how closely I am paying attention as I hold the bottle underneath the shower spray! :lol:

I use a color applicator bottle from Sally's -- squirt in an ounce or so of conditioner, add however much water I end up adding, then shake to mix. The pointy nozzle of the applicator bottle makes it really easy to get the solution down to my scalp, and the runnier solution is easier to spread around (and I don't use so much of it).

[MagicAndMayhem]

So I guess it's been about a week since I went CO. Well, only once did I do it the "right" way. I washed my hair Sunday morning, and it's not gross looking! A bit noticeably oily, but not icky! Hmmm wonder if I can stretch this wash til Wednesday...

[Roscata]

I COed again today I used the diluted 1/3 conditioner/water on my roots and undiluted on my length.

What I don't like about CO: my waves are officially dead and there is a bit of limpness to my hair as well, it seems to have less volume (but that happens even when I use the shampoo and conditioner method, that's just how my hair reacts to conditioner).

What I like about CO: hair feels and smells great, I loose very little hair while washing (about 10-20% of the amount I loose when I use shampoo), it is soft and easy to de-tangle.

All and all I think I'm going to stick with it, because no other method I've tried makes me as happy. :D

[Naphthylamine]

I started having problems with my scalp and the very ends of my hair, which I thought maybe had something to do with CO but I'm not sure now.

I had been happily COing for over 2 months when about 2 or 3 weeks ago, my hair had started to feel sticky and started velcroing. No matter how often I combed, the ends would stay matted. Also I had started to shed more, my dandruff had returned, and the scalp had started to itch again on day 2 after wash. So I decided to take a break from CO washing, to try if they were caused by it.

My first S+C wash with a mild sulfate shampoo and non-cone conditioner worked wonders. But after the second wash, the ends have started to become crunchy and they feel crinkly now as if it has microscobic dents all over.

About the dandruff, using shampoo for the first time made them considerably less. But with the second shampoo wash, they returned with more itching. Oh, and I'm still shedding. I especially notice it when I detangle but I have less loose hairs in the drain after shower.

Any idea why my hair reacted to CO that way? I mean, I tried removing the possible build up but it is worse now. If there wasn't any build up to begin with, why did CO washing suddenly made my hair awful when it was working wonders?

[LunaMoon]

I started having problems with my scalp and the very ends of my hair, which I thought maybe had something to do with CO but I'm not sure now.

I had been happily COing for over 2 months when about 2 or 3 weeks ago, my hair had started to feel sticky and started velcroing. No matter how often I combed, the ends would stay matted. Also I had started to shed more, my dandruff had returned, and the scalp had started to itch again on day 2 after wash. So I decided to take a break from CO washing, to try if they were caused by it.

My first S+C wash with a mild sulfate shampoo and non-cone conditioner worked wonders. But after the second wash, the ends have started to become crunchy and they feel crinkly now as if it has microscobic dents all over.

About the dandruff, using shampoo for the first time made them considerably less. But with the second shampoo wash, they returned with more itching. Oh, and I'm still shedding. I especially notice it when I detangle but I have less loose hairs in the drain after shower.

Any idea why my hair reacted to CO that way? I mean, I tried removing the possible build up but it is worse now. If there wasn't any build up to begin with, why did CO washing suddenly made my hair awful when it was working wonders?

How often were you clarifying when COin? Were you straight 2 months just COing?
I know, hair is different but I just can think about CO if I am clarifying every 15 days with a SLeS clarifying shampoo because I use few light products with cones.
You hair and scalp was (maybe) used to CO and I believe is normal once you come back to sulfate it react.
I think the Idea in CO is CO, CO, CO... until something changes a little, so it is time to clarify. And... Back to CO, CO, etc.

[Naphthylamine]

How often were you clarifying when COin? Were you straight 2 months just COing?
I know, hair is different but I just can think about CO if I am clarifying every 15 days with a SLeS clarifying shampoo because I use few light products with cones.
You hair and scalp was (maybe) used to CO and I believe is normal once you come back to sulfate it react.
I think the Idea in CO is CO, CO, CO... until something changes a little, so it is time to clarify. And... Back to CO, CO, etc.

Thank you for your reply :)

I used to clarify every 15 or 20 days depending on the condition of my length. The reason I'm cautious to get back to CO is the shedding. I've never paid attention to a possible seasonal shed, so I'm not sure if it is caused by CO washing.

I think it is a good idea to alternate between CO and regular SC like you decribed. Thank you again :)

[LunaMoon]

I had a very bad sheding when I start COing. Just stoped and my sheding is normal again.
I CO with CO+drops of lemon juice if I don't want to wash so often. Maybe works for you as well? Also my hair feels very fresh after that (I do it like once a week I think).
I have shampoo at home (3 bottles from before COing) so I am going to keep my SLeS once a week/10 days routine for long time. It is working and I am not giving up cones, so I have to do it anyway.

[WittyWordsmith]

I started having problems with my scalp and the very ends of my hair, which I thought maybe had something to do with CO but I'm not sure now.

I had been happily COing for over 2 months when about 2 or 3 weeks ago, my hair had started to feel sticky and started velcroing. No matter how often I combed, the ends would stay matted. Also I had started to shed more, my dandruff had returned, and the scalp had started to itch again on day 2 after wash. So I decided to take a break from CO washing, to try if they were caused by it.

My first S+C wash with a mild sulfate shampoo and non-cone conditioner worked wonders. But after the second wash, the ends have started to become crunchy and they feel crinkly now as if it has microscobic dents all over.

About the dandruff, using shampoo for the first time made them considerably less. But with the second shampoo wash, they returned with more itching. Oh, and I'm still shedding. I especially notice it when I detangle but I have less loose hairs in the drain after shower.

Any idea why my hair reacted to CO that way? I mean, I tried removing the possible build up but it is worse now. If there wasn't any build up to begin with, why did CO washing suddenly made my hair awful when it was working wonders?

What you describe here are some classic signs to clarify. You said you did that, but maybe your hair/scalp adjusted so well to the CO that the sulfates were too much?

I would suggest clarifying with Baking Soda followed by Apple Cider Vinegar. These rinses could be gentler on your scalp now that it's adjusted to CO. I clarify every 2 weeks-1month with BS/ACV rinses and then followed with a nice SMT. That is like hitting the "reset" button for CO washing, and it's great!!

Going back and forth between S&C and CO may work, but I wonder if your scalp is sensitive to that now after adjusting to CO.

[Naphthylamine]

What you describe here are some classic signs to clarify. You said you did that, but maybe your hair/scalp adjusted so well to the CO that the sulfates were too much?

I would suggest clarifying with Baking Soda followed by Apple Cider Vinegar. These rinses could be gentler on your scalp now that it's adjusted to CO. I clarify every 2 weeks-1month with BS/ACV rinses and then followed with a nice SMT. That is like hitting the "reset" button for CO washing, and it's great!!

Going back and forth between S&C and CO may work, but I wonder if your scalp is sensitive to that now after adjusting to CO.

Hmm I haven't realized my scalp was so used to CO, considering my efforts for the first adjustment :D

And I haven't looked into the BS thread, maybe I should take a look. ACV rinses are a part of my default routine, and it looks like it will be more effective when combined with BS

[WittyWordsmith]

As long as you don't do both rinses at the exact same time, I think you'll like the results. :D

I do my BS rinse with 1 Tbsp soda to 1 cup of water on dry hair so I know I'm saturating it all the way. Then I follow with clean water to get it all out before my ACV rinse.

Add a deep treatment after that, and it feels so dreamy when it's done!!

Then I just CO like normal next time it's wash day.

[Naphthylamine]

As long as you don't do both rinses at the exact same time, I think you'll like the results. :D

I do my BS rinse with 1 Tbsp soda to 1 cup of water on dry hair so I know I'm saturating it all the way. Then I follow with clean water to get it all out before my ACV rinse.

Add a deep treatment after that, and it feels so dreamy when it's done!!

Then I just CO like normal next time it's wash day.

How about its effectiveness on cleansing the grease? I always wait for my hair to be super greasy before washing. Is it sufficient to provide the nice clean fluffy effect?

Sorry for being such a noob :o

[WittyWordsmith]

The Baking Soda will wash away the greasies because it clarifies EVERYTHING out. I use 2 cups of the rinse so that I'm totally soaked all the way down. Pour it slowly so you have control of where it goes and it can lift the dirt out of any trouble spots you have.

You'll feel it right after you do it. After that's rinsed and you do the ACV rinse, I think you'll be pretty surprised with just how clean it gets you.

But you must ALWAYS add moisture in after clarifying, regardless of your method. That's why I say to give yourself a treat with an SMT. You should at least condition your hair afterwards, even if it isn't for long.

[mewster18]

So I've been CO for about 4 months now. My hair is lovely, soft and shiny, you can't even tell the ends had been roughed up and bleached a little over a year ago. I wash my hair about every three days with Natural Rescue Cone-Free conditioner, and I give it and my scalp a good scrubbing when I do.

I also henna my hair every 6 weeks or so. And I can honestly say going the sparing, and all natural route, has been the best treatment my hair has ever recieved. It's bouncier and generally easier to manage and I don't get frizzies or fly-aways anymore either.

However, while I can't complain about the state my hair is in I've been getting dandruff for the last month or so. It had orginally cleared up when I started my No-poo regime, but now it's back. I don't want to use dandruff shampoo or conditioner because they have cones in them. Does anyone know a natural way to help it get better?

[WittyWordsmith]

mewster18, when did you last clarify? I'm not sure if it will help, but what if your scalp is reacting to build-up?

[mewster18]

mewster18, when did you last clarify? I'm not sure if it will help, but what if your scalp is reacting to build-up?
I usually do a baking soda scrub when my hair gets greasy and the grease start building up and won't wash out. But I haven't had a problem with grease in the last month at all. I wash my hair with water only on the days I don't use conditioner, since I work out everyday.

[krissykins]

mewster18, I know how frustrating those itchies can be! It was a chronic problem for me.

I would recommend chelating. There are chelating shampoos like Joico Chelating shampoo or Kenra Clarifying shampoo, but my personal favorite is clarifying my hair then rinsing with club soda.

My hair has had issues with mineral buildup causing the itchies, so it's worth a shot to eliminate that as a possible cause. :p

[GRU]

However, while I can't complain about the state my hair is in I've been getting dandruff for the last month or so. It had orginally cleared up when I started my No-poo regime, but now it's back. I don't want to use dandruff shampoo or conditioner because they have cones in them. Does anyone know a natural way to help it get better?

Have you added ACV rinses to your routine?

[twilight_faerie]

However, while I can't complain about the state my hair is in I've been getting dandruff for the last month or so. It had orginally cleared up when I started my No-poo regime, but now it's back. I don't want to use dandruff shampoo or conditioner because they have cones in them. Does anyone know a natural way to help it get better?

Maybe try scritching before washing? I've read that this can help dandruff problems.

[LunaMoon]

Hi there!
I am COing for almost 2 months (not sure, not counting but for sure more than 1 month). I've been "washing" my hair every other day and using cones. I am clarifying every 10 days. I am not noticing build up but I am afraid of the cones in my hair. My hair is in great condition btw. My scalp is fine, not oily at all.
Now, I am planning to start again being cone free. I am not going to waste my COs so I am going to finish the few ones that I have so after I will start buying new stuff for my experience. I can't find really cheap COs here in Paris so I "have" to use these one I already have.
I tryied being cone free before but I was using SLeS shampoos, so didn't work at all. Maybe now will work.
Also I am thinking to start stretching washes as well...
I am also reading the thread "WO" and wondering if can be good for stretching COs. Some ideas?
Anyone doing CO and WO as well? This can work?
Let's see how it works.

[ccmso12]

I usually do a baking soda scrub when my hair gets greasy and the grease start building up and won't wash out. But I haven't had a problem with grease in the last month at all. I wash my hair with water only on the days I don't use conditioner, since I work out everyday.




Id try a scalp massage with oil of choice prior to your "wash" and a rinse with ACR 1:10 ratio roughly--feels great on the scalp

[WittyWordsmith]

Hi there!
I am COing for almost 2 months (not sure, not counting but for sure more than 1 month). I've been "washing" my hair every other day and using cones. I am clarifying every 10 days. I am not noticing build up but I am afraid of the cones in my hair. My hair is in great condition btw. My scalp is fine, not oily at all.
Now, I am planning to start again being cone free. I am not going to waste my COs so I am going to finish the few ones that I have so after I will start buying new stuff for my experience. I can't find really cheap COs here in Paris so I "have" to use these one I already have.
I tryied being cone free before but I was using SLeS shampoos, so didn't work at all. Maybe now will work.
Also I am thinking to start stretching washes as well...
I am also reading the thread "WO" and wondering if can be good for stretching COs. Some ideas?
Anyone doing CO and WO as well? This can work?
Let's see how it works.

Yes! Lots of CO washers will WO in between. Your BBB will help you stretch washes as well.

If you're coming off cones, I'd suggest clarifying and then doing an SMT so you can kind of "reset" your hair before going cone-free. Otherwise, your hair may be dryer than you thought (mine sure was) and then it's a harder transition. SMTs were my golden ticket to cone-free goodness!

[LunaMoon]

Yes! Lots of CO washers will WO in between. Your BBB will help you stretch washes as well.

If you're coming off cones, I'd suggest clarifying and then doing an SMT so you can kind of "reset" your hair before going cone-free. Otherwise, your hair may be dryer than you thought (mine sure was) and then it's a harder transition. SMTs were my golden ticket to cone-free goodness!

Thank you WittyWordsmith! You are always here to help me!:love::flowers:
Good idea clarifying and SMT. Now that I know my hair likes COing I can try other stuff. I know the best is to CO cone free but to much changes at once are a bit to much for me...:D
Now the next step is being cone-free and try some WO in between!
I realy like not having to shampoo every 10 days like now. I really don't think is necessaire...

[giuditta]

Now, I am planning to start again being cone free. I am not going to waste my COs so I am going to finish the few ones that I have so after I will start buying new stuff for my experience. I can't find really cheap COs here in Paris so I "have" to use these one I already have.


If you don't manage to find cheap cone-free CO let me know, I can bring you Inecto coconut conditioner from Holland if you want, I'm passing through Paris to go visit my father in the middle of August :)

[LunaMoon]

If you don't manage to find cheap cone-free CO let me know, I can bring you Inecto coconut conditioner from Holland if you want, I'm passing through Paris to go visit my father in the middle of August :)

Giuditta You are so kind!:flower:
Thank you very much but I am going on holidays in August too :(!

I have to say I just searched around supermarkets and I have to look more in other places as well. Well, I have no words... If I don't find I am going to buy online I guess.

[ArienEllariel]

Just did a CO wash with the Suave Coconut. LOVE the smell!

I ended up going back to CO because I was getting tons of dry flakies out of the blue with just shampooing. I'd recently stretched out my shampoos more and I think my scalp was fine with the stretching, just not with the shampoo. It's really odd as I've been using the same shampoo for months and months with no problem. But whatever.. I think my hair is just weird and likes it when I mix things up a little bit. So far so good with CO. :)

I did a WO rinse a couple of days ago to stretch it out a bit more in between. Seemed fine other than my ends felt a little dry after. I oiled em up with Coconut Oil though.. Hmm... wonder how to fix the dry slightly crunchy ends in between washes? My hair always feels just fine after a real wash and not just a rinse. :shrug:

[beccababesx]

So I've been doing the CO method for 2 weeks tomorrow, and I am in LOVE! :D
Have been using ASDA's own brand condish, undiluted, over the whole scalp and length (loads and loads), keeping in for 5/10 mins, then adding water and massaging, then rinsing out, and following with a heavy condish on the ends (TreSemme Naturals). I'm also using a coney leave in (Aussia luscious long) as well as my coconut oil a a leave in, and havemt experienced build up yet, but then again I wouldn't expect it so in a fortnight.
I've found I am greasy in 2 days as opposed to 5-6, but it's worth it, and I plan to start diluting my condish and using ACV rinses to combat this (plus, my scalp will probably get used to it).
My hair feels pretty much the same as it did when I was using shampoo, but that's fine, I only wanted to switch to prevent damage, I'm happy with my hair softness/bounciness etc.
I just can't believe my hair is being CLEANED with CONDITIONER, it is so counter intuitive, but I am delighted :D
Just wanted to thank everyone in this thread for their tips and tricks and recommendations :D

[gthlvrmx]

Is COwashing enough to get rid of sebum that might send some bacteria on hyper-activity?

[Theobroma]

Is COwashing enough to get rid of sebum that might send some bacteria on hyper-activity?

I've been CO for a year now. If it were going to make any kind of bacteria go ballistic, I'd have noticed it by now.

Just make sure you work it into your scalp well, and you should be fine.

[blueygirls]

Do you guys think it would be a good idea to add some shikakai and amla powder to your conditioner and cowash with that? Will I need a rinse afterwards to balance the ph?

[gracenotes]

I tried diluting last time I washed (about 50/50, I just put water in a half empty bottle), and it worked SO much better for me than using it undiluted!

[GRU]

I tried diluting last time I washed (about 50/50, I just put water in a half empty bottle), and it worked SO much better for me than using it undiluted!

:thumbsup:

You can keep experimenting with it, too... I typically use one part conditioner and 3-4 parts water (25/75 or 20/80) and it works great at that level too.

[Theobroma]

:thumbsup:

You can keep experimenting with it, too... I typically use one part conditioner and 3-4 parts water (25/75 or 20/80) and it works great at that level too.

I don't measure, but going purely by feel I think I dilute mine even more than you do! Mind you, this is Alverde condish which is the thickest I've ever seen -- it's actually difficult to squeeze out of the bottle in its natural state.

I laid in a sizeable stash of conditioner bottles before I started diluting. I feel slightly silly now because I'm going through them so much more slowly than I used to! :D

[twilight_faerie]

I tried diluting last time I washed (about 50/50, I just put water in a half empty bottle), and it worked SO much better for me than using it undiluted!

Yay! Glad it finally worked!

[GRU]

I don't measure, but going purely by feel I think I dilute mine even more than you do! Mind you, this is Alverde condish which is the thickest I've ever seen -- it's actually difficult to squeeze out of the bottle in its natural state.

I laid in a sizeable stash of conditioner bottles before I started diluting. I feel slightly silly now because I'm going through them so much more slowly than I used to! :D

I dilute even the thin/cheap Suave conditioner at a 1:4 or 1:5 ratio... you really don't need nearly as much as the "beauty" companies try to tell us, huh? But like you, I don't actually measure... I have so much trouble when people ask for a recipe (for hair or for food) b/c I'm so much of a "pinch of this, dash of that" type of person!

[anilov]

I tried searching the forum and this tread, but didn't see the answer to a question that I have about your experiences with the Body Shop Rainforest moisture butter and CO-washing. I needed to care a bit extra for my hair after hennaing, and thought that I'd put a fair amount in my hair overnight. But when I tried to wash it out the next morning (with the Bodyshop Rainforest conditioner for coloured hair, not very happy with that conditioner but I need to use up the bottle) I really couldn't get it out from my lengths, despite leaving the conditioner in for well over ten minutes. I did get it out from my scalp, but I didn't want to apply the kind of friction to my lengths that I do to my scalp. Once I realized that my hair stayed sort of sticky, despite brushing it, I washed it again, this time with Garnier Fructis triple nutrition (or is it repair? I seem to forget the right name), but I still haven't gotten it all out of my hair. I might need to buy a regular schampoo now, but have anyone here had the same experience with the butter? I thought that people here were in general quite happy with the butter as a leave-in, but unimpressed with the conitioners...

[GRU]

Try using a lighter conditioner, like a Suave Naturals. Triple Nutrition is a pretty heavy conditioner to be using for washing purposes.

Some Suave diluted at least 50&#37; in water and applied liberally works best for me (in general for washing -- no experience with the butter you're asking about). Also if you can comb through your conditioner-soaked hair, that might help as well.

[anilov]

Thanks for the suggestion! Suave is not available here, but I'll try to pick up some other lighter conditioner. I've used the triple nutrition (diluted) for a few months or so, without problem, but maybe this moisture butter were just too much for it...;)

[RitaPG]

I tried searching the forum and this tread, but didn't see the answer to a question that I have about your experiences with the Body Shop Rainforest moisture butter and CO-washing. I needed to care a bit extra for my hair after hennaing, and thought that I'd put a fair amount in my hair overnight. But when I tried to wash it out the next morning (with the Bodyshop Rainforest conditioner for coloured hair, not very happy with that conditioner but I need to use up the bottle) I really couldn't get it out from my lengths, despite leaving the conditioner in for well over ten minutes. I did get it out from my scalp, but I didn't want to apply the kind of friction to my lengths that I do to my scalp. Once I realized that my hair stayed sort of sticky, despite brushing it, I washed it again, this time with Garnier Fructis triple nutrition (or is it repair? I seem to forget the right name), but I still haven't gotten it all out of my hair. I might need to buy a regular schampoo now, but have anyone here had the same experience with the butter? I thought that people here were in general quite happy with the butter as a leave-in, but unimpressed with the conitioners...
About CO washing with the Rainforest line... I find both the butter and the conditioner are terrible detanglers. They are great to wash the scalp (they have to be VERY diluted with water) and as a leave-in they work fine too, but to detangle I have to use something else.

[anilov]

Thanks for the advice RitaPG! Using the Rainforest line as leave-ins instead of washing and detangling with it seems like a good advice, and I really find that the undiluted conditioner is hard to work with (so I've been diluting it quite a bit all along). But I was still surprised at how hard it was to get the butter out of my hair, I hope I get it out tonight after a third CO-wash, otherwise it might be time to get a SLS-schampoo.....

[Marz Hase]

Fruuuuuuustrated. :/ My scalp still isn't a fan of CO. Still experiencing breakouts... But my hair loves it! ::sigh:: I may attempt it again once we move, after buying a filter for the water. Hopefully that will help!

Until then, I think it's back to CWC for me. ::pouts::

[LunaMoon]

Fruuuuuuustrated. :/ My scalp still isn't a fan of CO. Still experiencing breakouts... But my hair loves it! ::sigh:: I may attempt it again once we move, after buying a filter for the water. Hopefully that will help!

Until then, I think it's back to CWC for me. ::pouts::

Oh... bad news.:(
I am thinking maybe you can have a look at the ingredients on the CO you are using right now, maybe there are something in there...

I found this page in the net about Comedogenicity and possibility of irritation of some ingredients he find in our COs, hope it helps!
http://www.dermadoctor.com/article_Comedogenicity_158.html

[Marz Hase]

I'll start comparing both my Suave conditioner and my Tame conditioner to that list, as I've used both. Thanks, Luna!

[LunaMoon]

I'll start comparing both my Suave conditioner and my Tame conditioner to that list, as I've used both. Thanks, Luna!
You are welcome! Hope you can find something that you have in both, maybe can help try other CO without and see... CO is so good and easy, but bad if your scalp is not happy...

[sharicat]

So I've been doing the CO method for 2 weeks tomorrow, and I am in LOVE! :D
Have been using ASDA's own brand condish, undiluted, over the whole scalp and length (loads and loads), keeping in for 5/10 mins, then adding water and massaging, then rinsing out, and following with a heavy condish on the ends (TreSemme Naturals). I'm also using a coney leave in (Aussia luscious long) as well as my coconut oil a a leave in, and havemt experienced build up yet, but then again I wouldn't expect it so in a fortnight.
I've found I am greasy in 2 days as opposed to 5-6, but it's worth it, and I plan to start diluting my condish and using ACV rinses to combat this (plus, my scalp will probably get used to it).
My hair feels pretty much the same as it did when I was using shampoo, but that's fine, I only wanted to switch to prevent damage, I'm happy with my hair softness/bounciness etc.
I just can't believe my hair is being CLEANED with CONDITIONER, it is so counter intuitive, but I am delighted :D
Just wanted to thank everyone in this thread for their tips and tricks and recommendations :D

Hi fellow Scottish long hair! :waving:

Ooh which Asda one are you using? I'm using an old Morrisons one that I think has been discontinued so I need something else to try!

I dilute it and that really helps with stretching washes and avoiding oiliness. That and thorough rinsing, I wasn't getting it all out and it was a bit stringy, I find CO takes much more rinsing.

[swetiepeti]

Got a compliment from the husband tonight that my hair looked and felt better. Especially the ends.
I've only had one "failure" with CO washing thus far and that was the VO5 Kiwi Lime I bought. I thought cheap, says it's clarifying, thinner than my normal Garnier Fructis L & S and not a ton of cones.
Did not do a thing good for my hair.
Tonight I'm trying the Sauve coconut conditioner as a wash with the Fructis as an after conditioner. Still wet, but looking promising. Would be cheaper than using just the Fructis L & S like I was doing. Even with all the stuff in it I really have not had much of a build up issue. I have had to wash every other day vs twice a week like when I used regular shampoo. But the length looks and feels nicer so I'm going to continue on with just the conditioner until I note a buildup then I'll shampoo

[chaoticwaves]

I have began to CO wash, and so far my hair is thanking me for it. The hair at my nape is usually dry and brittle when using S&C, but now it is soft, smooth, and hydrated. This thread has so much useful information!!

I washed last night after 4 days (or 5?? I can't remember...), and I used V05 and Organix conditioner. I don't think I rinsed it out from my scalp thoroughly though because today my hair is weighed down. I'm going to wait a couple days if I can stand it and do WO to try and get some of the conditioner out.

I also plopped my hair, and I think the wave would have been nicer if my hair wasn't so weighed down. I'm going to do an ACV rinse next wash. :)

I took a picture, but I didn't capture the top of my head LOL! Oh well. :rolleyes:
http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/tt89/cassbyrd/PicsIn1311264799984.png

[WittyWordsmith]

chaoticwaves, that looks great! Did you brush or comb it at all? Or just air-dry? Your ends look so nicely curled. :)

[chaoticwaves]

chaoticwaves, that looks great! Did you brush or comb it at all? Or just air-dry? Your ends look so nicely curled. :)


Thank you! No, I just finger combed my hair in the shower, and before I got out of the shower I squeezed the excess water out. As soon as I got out, I plopped my hair using a Tshirt. I kept that on most of the night while sleeping until about 4 AM after my son woke up. You have very pretty hair too!

[patienceneeded]

I have been CO washing DD4's hair for several months now. She doesn't like shampoo, so CO washing seemed like a good idea. I use a gentle (no sulfate) shampoo on her once a week and all the other washes are conditioner only. I don't use a coney conditioner on her, so build-up isn't a problem. Also, her hair isn't damaged from processing and heat-styling, she's only 4... She LOVES CO washing.

I mention that story because I finally decided to try CO washing myself. It's been so successful with her and my damaged hair is so thirsty I thought, why not? My hair generally likes cones, so I'll stick with them for now and clarify as needed. Since the bulk of my length is damaged from coloring and heat-styling, the cones help. Plus I love the slip! I did my first CO wash last night (I clarified the night before and my scalp was itchy) and my hair looks and feels great this morning. I read through (most) of this thread before making my attempt. Here's what I did/used.

Wet hair and then applied Organix (Rose and Ginseng?) all over hair.
Worked conditioner through hair (gently)
Did the rest of my showering things...
Wet my hair and gently scrubbed the conditioner into my scalp, making sure to be thorough.
Rinsed conditioner
Applied Redken Smooth-Down conditioner to the length only, waited about 30 seconds and then rinsed again.
Washed my face (Cetaphil) and rinsed hair one more time.
Done.

Felt great after shower while wet, detangled easily. Less shedding than normal too. (YES!) Braided it wet and went to bed. Unbraided it this morning when I woke and let it finish air-drying. My hair is soft, clean, and has the nicest waves/curls. If the results continue to be this nice, you will have a permanent convert to CO. LOVE the results from last night. DD4 is already a CO convert...

Sorry that was so long!

[chaoticwaves]

It sounds like CO worked wonderfully for you patienceneeded! :cheese:
I use Organix too, but I think I didn't rinse well enough. I'm going to rinse my hair better next time.

[americanjan1]

I just recently began cowashing and I like the results so far. I used Johnson’s Baby Shampoo to clarify before I started and I have been using Terax Crema for cowashing. My hair looks better than it ever has. I have very fine, barely wavy 1b hair that is BSL and I am trying to get it all grown to one length…it has been a struggle since allowing it to be layered several years ago. My main problem is that no matter what I do, I don’t seem to be able to go more than one day without wearing my hair up. Even putting it in a scrunchie on top of my head at night doesn’t work. I wake up and it is bent with cowlicks—and they are really bad in the back-- and I either have to put a ton of heat on it to be able to wear it down, which doesn’t always work, or wear it up-- which is causing massive breakage. I use elastic no-metal ponytail holders because the texture of my hair is so fine that I can’t even wear it in a bun. Pins don’t work to hold it up, they just slide right out…and I’m really at a loss. I would really like to stop putting it up every other day but I really have no idea what else to try. I am also trying to go completely cone-free but I can’t seem to find a decent hairspray, which I could completely eliminate if I didn’t have to wear my hair up. I seem to be darned if I do and darned if I don’t! I’m so frustrated because I want cowashing to work for me and I want my hair to be healthy and vibrant, but subjecting it to heat and ponytail holders cannot be the only answer. Does anyone else have this problem?

[omnivore]

Tonight I tried a CO wash for the first time ever! I had a nearly empty Suave Coconut shampoo bottle. To the teensy bit of shampoo at the bottom of the bottle, I added Suave Coconut Conditioner to fill the bottom third of the bottle, then warm water to fill the rest of the way. I shook it until it was all mixed in and there were no more chunks. It didn't feel as though much good was being done, but I finger pad scrubbed my scalp for a good five minutes as usual. When I rinsed - Yowza! The water going down the drain (I wash upside down over the side of the bathtub) was grayish brown! It's now about 3/4 dry and feels so soft! The teensy bit of waviness that I have is more apparent than is has been in a long time. I'm thinking I'm going to do this once a week, with water rinses in between as needed, and a Suave Clarifying wash every couple of months or so.

[McFearless]

After being a strict CO washer for a while now, I can't imagine ever going back to shampoo. I can't even believe my hair made it through years upon years of being stripped.

[McFearless]

Haha this is genius!! But if you think that was a bad experience, you should have seen the look on my DBF's face this morning when he saw me sitting on the settee with conditioner bottles galore trying to type the ingredients in a LHC thread. He just looked at me shaking his said saying "Now I know you're crazy", went into the kitchen to put the kettle on and then asked how many cups of coffee should he make for me and my 'friends' lol

LOL thats great.

[Tabihito]

I wanted to try Kiwi Lime Squeeze instead of the coconut stuff I've been using, which is effective but so sickly sweet-smelling. So I went to the local grocery store to pick up a bottle. Our HEB has a matching conditioner for every single shampoo that they sell. Except for Kiwi Lime Squeeze. What the heck, HEB? They weren't even out of stock. They just don't carry it. I biked another five miles in the opposite direction to get to a different store that did carry it. We'll see how I like it come wash time tomorrow.

[Lippytoes]

I seem to be able to add far more conditioner as a leave-in now than I did when I first started CO (in February). It's funny - my hair used to look really gunky when I added just a tiny pea-sized bit of condish as a leave-in, but when I last washed (on Wednesday) I added almost a whole handful of GTN, and instead of making my hair gunky, it's made it all moisturised and awesome. :cheese:

I think that doing an ACV rinse with my head upside-down was also a great thing for my hair and scalp. It all feels happy now. :) And my hair seems much shinier, too!

[alyanna]

CO washing has not been going so well for me this past month.

I've moved back to my other home in The Ancient and since being back, my hair hasn't been looking so good. In fact, it looks stringy and unappealing most of the time, except maybe the first few hours after a wash.

I don't really know what the problem is, if it's the climate or what. It's hot but no hotter than the North for the most part and I actually think it's more humid up north. It may be the water; I think it may be hard. Modifying this is out of the question pretty much so I just have to deal with the water I've got.

It seems like my conditioner isn't rinsing out well and I've clarified maybe 5 times in the past month. Today, I feel like I may have to again. The other thing is that I've quit putting minoxidil with my hair and have been trying to do castor oil as a natural alternative and NO it does not come out better with conditioner. It's a pain to wash out with CO and perfectly easy to get rid of with a sulfate-free shampoo.

I don't want to give up on CO yet. Any advice?

[Narya]

Hmm... Alyanna I'd think it's the water hardness, also. I don't have any advice (so sorry!), mostly because I was coming to this thread for a similar situation: in a bit more than a week I'm going back to my mom's for a month, and there my hair always freaks out (hard hard water, no water pressure so it's like you are rinsing pouring glasses of water on your hair, really hot and humid weather...) and was thinking maybe the CO gurus here had some advice. I'll be looking closely to the answers to your problem, since I'd say they might help me too!

ETA: I've just remembered something that helps me: vinegar rinses. I already do them here with the soft water and all that, but more diluted that when I'm back at my mother's house. There I pour a bit more vinegar in the dilution and it seems to help my hair and get it a mini-step closer to normal. Maybe you could try.

[alyanna]

Narya, your mom's house sounds a lot like mine. We just fixed the shower pressure situation, and that helped a bit.

I did an SMT right after I posted my last message and my hair looks quite nice. Not limp at all, just squishy and ringlety, but it's only been an hour since I rinsed. I suspect the greasies will catch up to me (especially my roots) by tomorrow morning. We'll see.

I've been doing chamomile/ACV rinses and they've helped with the greasy feeling a bit, but my hair gets a bit too soft and slippery I find. I might've put too much vinegar in my mix though.

[amber-rose]

i also use the CO method, but still wash with shampoo once a week.
when i run out of shampoo i want to try never using shampoo again.

is this an option or is it recomanded to stay using shampoo once a while ??

[amber-rose]

i use the CO method, but stil use shampoo once a week, when i run out of shampoo i want to try never using shampoo again.

greeds

[Theobroma]

i also use the CO method, but still wash with shampoo once a week.
when i run out of shampoo i want to try never using shampoo again.

is this an option or is it recomanded to stay using shampoo once a while ??

I've been CO for over a year now and haven't used shampoo in all that time. As long as your conditioner doesn't contain anything that can cause buildup (like cones or mineral oils) there's absolutely no reason to use shampoo in between times!

[amber-rose]

I've been CO for over a year now and haven't used shampoo in all that time. As long as your conditioner doesn't contain anything that can cause buildup (like cones or mineral oils) there's absolutely no reason to use shampoo in between times!

thanks, i'm using a conditioner all natural with no cones and other stuf, so that wil be ok.

sorry about the double post ( i'm new )

greeds

[gracenotes]

Does anyone else use Burt's Bees conditioners for CO? I've been experimenting with different conditioners and while I like my V05, I find that the grapefruit-scented Burt's Bees works SO WELL for me. My hair feels just as clean as if I used shampoo, but a million times softer. I also use it in my SMTs (mixed with LUSH "Retread") and it seems to be the most effective of my SMT recipes. Just wanted to share :)

[Theobroma]

sorry about the double post ( i'm new )

No worries! And welcome to LHC!

[Kayla Nyx]

from time to time I tell my boyfriend about things I find on here. His hair is a little past shoulder length, wurly/wavy and most of the time a little frizzy. Laughing to myself, he became a little offended as I told his all about CO washing, and he told me to NEVER expect him to try it. well. he did. LOL. he called me up and told me how surprised he was.. said it wasn't frizzy, oily and was "baby butt soft" I still giggle.. hehe :D

[Apple_Betty]

Hi! I'm fairly new to this site, and I'm interested in CO, but I'm at a loss as to where to find information. I found this thread, and started reading it, but I just don't have time to search through 300 pages! (Wowza!)

I am on day 6 of no heat, can I switch to CO as well, or should I wait for my hair to adjust to no heat? Also... what are "cones"? I'm a bit overwhelmed with all the info on these boards, so I am sure that I will have more questions too. :D

[goldenmoments]

thank you so much for starting(or restarting)this thread.I've tried CO here and there with really awesome results and some more often bad results.I just can't seem to get the right time down for the first C.I usually try to keep the first conditioner in for 10-15 minutes but the next time I CO with that same amount of time,it doesn't work.I try to use conefree for the first and end with a nice heavy cone for the last conditioner.I really dont like to use commerical shampoo and I can't afford to get a bar right now.Hopefully-this thread will help me with the trouble I've been having with CO and maybe just maybe my hair will love it.

1. Co wash will not remove buildup from your second cone conditioner. Hence you have buildup which is causing the second wash unsuccesful. If you really must use a cone conditioner as your second...I would recommend clarifying every other wash, since your cones build up so fast, a few people who still shampoo use this technique of co between shampoo to simply stretch washes.
But most of us co to not use Sulphate shampoo, which is needed to remove cones....so its kind of counter productive. Do you need to use a cone conditioner as your second? There are plenty of really moisturizing conditioner that are cone free, or cones that are water soluble....have you tried any?

2. You need to really massage those roots to ensure your scalp stays healthy. Leaving co on may clean the length, but over time, may leave buildup on your scalp- quite a few people have this problem and simply quit co. Since scalp buildup often results in shedding, flake itchy scalp....and other unfavorable conditions that are a big no no for us LHCers.

[goldenmoments]

Kk, ok, I love how I just opened this thread and answered a post from the first page......haha

[patienceneeded]

I have been COing successfully for the last week. Not really noticing any buildup, even though I use cones. I ended up going to Idaho (where the water is much harder than in my hometown) and also swimming in a pool during this time. My hair is a little angry at me for the hard-water and the pool chemicals, but I clarified when I got home and conditioned well. It seems ok. I'll probably stretch the wash a few days and then go back to CO.

I had a question about ACV rinsing. Do a lot of you CO folks use an ACV rinse after cleaning your hair? How often? What would it do? So far CO has been working well, but now that I'm home and back in my normal (soft) water the real trial of CO begins.

[krissykins]

Kk, ok, I love how I just opened this thread and answered a post from the first page......haha

At first, I thought that you were talking to me because sometimes people shorten my username to kk :rollin:

[hypersensitive]

I was at the 99 cent store and showing the VO5 conditioners to my bf. I picked up the Kiwi Lime for him to smell and he immediately said that it smelled like me. lol aw it was so cute! But then I said, "Don't you mean my hair smells like the conditioner? Not the other way around?" Hehe I stopped using Kiwi Lime Squeeze a couple of months back but I'm thinking of returning to it now...

[Lippytoes]

Ha, here's a story I've been meaning to tell for ages but never got round to it:

I was at my dad's a while back, and we got round to talking about washing hair ( :D yeah). Anyway, I told him I CO, and he surprised me by being really interested - he asked me all about how I do things, and wasn't weirded out or anything when I explained about how conditioner cleanses just as well as shampoo. I was really pleased with my dad!


Also, last night I had a dream where my little brother suddenly had really frizzy and ringlety hair, and I was extolling the wonders of CO to him. Signs that you're an LHCer... :D

[Theobroma]

I was at my dad's a while back, and we got round to talking about washing hair ( :D yeah). Anyway, I told him I CO, and he surprised me by being really interested - he asked me all about how I do things, and wasn't weirded out or anything when I explained about how conditioner cleanses just as well as shampoo. I was really pleased with my dad!

Yay for dads like that! Mine has actually tossed the harsh SLeS shampoo he'd been using for decades and started COing himself! He has beautiful curly hair that's mostly white now and the CO routine has made it wonderfully soft and shiny.

[QMacrocarpa]

Is there an article on CO washing? I'm looking for basic information so I can give it a try.

[Roscata]

Is there an article on CO washing? I'm looking for basic information so I can give it a try.

Yes there is, this one: Conditioner Only Washes - TLHC Style (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=18)

[longcurlygirl<3]

Is there an article on CO washing? I'm looking for basic information so I can give it a try. Basically it is using a cheapy conditioner like Suave Natural's or Alberto's Vo5, and use that to wash your scalp, but before you should do a SLS SHAMPOO one more time to remove any build up. And then start the CO washing, get a more richer conditioner and add that to your length and comb or however you wish to do it. And most people do not use a richer but I do and alot of others but it is up to use. HTH

[GRU]

Here's an excellent resource for new CO-washers:

Live Curly Live Free (http://www.livecurlylivefree.com/curl%20care.htm)

[Aqua Gal]

Whew! This a big thread to get through, but I'm trying...

I've been mostly CO for years. I still do a rare watered-down poo (thanks 4 the idea spidermom). Mostly, there's nothing CO and baking soda can't fix on my head and I'm a seriously oily gal.

I'll get back to you when I work my way through the rest of the thread....shhhhh! I'm reading...

[layla<33]

I need help!! CO washing makes my hair more hydrated and makes my curls look awsome and my hair loves it! but my scalp doesnt.. ive been doing it for 2 weeks and the first two times i CO washed my scalp was clean and nice but now it feels gunky and dirty.. im massaging it in, im leaving it in 5-10 minutes and im rinsing for about 5 minutes.. idk what to do now..

[GRU]

Try diluting your washing conditioner in water, giving yourself a really good scalp massage, rinsing with diluted ACV, etc.

[GreenEyedKat]

Try diluting your washing conditioner in water, giving yourself a really good scalp massage, rinsing with diluted ACV, etc.

I agree with GRU. I am actually gonna do a light ACV rinse tonight, concetrating mainly on my scalp after my CO wash. My hair is absolutely loving CO washing, my scalp is a bit more picky though. LOL

[Rosake]

Whenever I do a CO wash my hair is just extremely greasy looking! It feels clean and it's very soft, but it seems like it's the opposite :o

Tried it with two different kind of conditioners, dont know, maybe it's just my hair..

[GRU]

Whenever I do a CO wash my hair is just extremely greasy looking! It feels clean and it's very soft, but it seems like it's the opposite :o

Tried it with two different kind of conditioners, dont know, maybe it's just my hair..

Did you start off by washing with shampoo first to remove any buildup from previous products?

Have you run your conditioners by someone here who can look for problem ingredients?

[Rosake]

but isn't the idea not to shampoo at all? Even if you've used e.g. coconut oil? I never put stuff in my hair, except maybe some oil yes. But if I can't use that, I don't think CO is the way to go for me.
The first time I tried it with Aubrey Conditioner, which I can imagine is maybe too much of a fatty creamy one.
Then I've used one with citrus from Urtekram, because I've read here that citrus I can be very cleaning, like shampoo is.

Can the conditioner contain any kind of oil? Maybe that's where I'm already going wrong :P

[GRU]

but isn't the idea not to shampoo at all? Even if you've used e.g. coconut oil? I never put stuff in my hair, except maybe some oil yes. But if I can't use that, I don't think CO is the way to go for me.
The first time I tried it with Aubrey Conditioner, which I can imagine is maybe too much of a fatty creamy one.
Then I've used one with citrus from Urtekram, because I've read here that citrus I can be very cleaning, like shampoo is.

Can the conditioner contain any kind of oil? Maybe that's where I'm already going wrong :P

Did you read up on the method before you started????

You need to wash your hair just once when you FIRST start the method. Conditioner won't strip off certain ingredients, and if those are on your hair, they just won't come off just CO-washing.

So to start off with, you shampoo on the very first day only. From then on, it's conditioner only.

Then you use only certain types of conditioners which don't contain water-insoluble silicones or mineral oil. Some people find that conditioners A, B, and C don't work for them, but conditioner D and E work well. There's a lot of experimentation to start out with to figure out what your hair likes and doesn't like.

What works great for me might not work great for you, and vice versa; there is no one Perfect Conditioner that everyone can use.

And you certainly can use oils on your hair with the CO-washing routine. I haven't used shampoo in well over a year, and I've been known to put copious amounts of oil on my hair.

Seriously, though, it sounds like you don't have a good understanding of the entire process. I highly recommend reading up on it, either through the LHC article that was linked earlier today, or the Live Curly Live Free tutorial that I liked to above.

[GRU]

I also recommend running your product's ingredient list by us here, if you're not familiar with the names you need to watch out for. I know that people here use Aubrey, but I'm not familiar with the other one you mentioned. Citrus isn't going to clean if it's loaded down with silicones and/or mineral oil (Paraffinum Liquidum is the name companies use in the ingredient list if they don't want you to realize that they've put mineral oil in their product).

[Theobroma]

And you certainly can use oils on your hair with the CO-washing routine. I haven't used shampoo in well over a year, and I've been known to put copious amounts of oil on my hair.

This. I've been known to slather my length in coconut oil the night before washing, and then CO wash without even making any special effort to get the oil out. After it's dried there isn't a trace of greasiness left; the oil comes out just fine with nothing but conditioner.

[Siiri]

but isn't the idea not to shampoo at all? Even if you've used e.g. coconut oil? I never put stuff in my hair, except maybe some oil yes. But if I can't use that, I don't think CO is the way to go for me.
The first time I tried it with Aubrey Conditioner, which I can imagine is maybe too much of a fatty creamy one.
Then I've used one with citrus from Urtekram, because I've read here that citrus I can be very cleaning, like shampoo is.

Can the conditioner contain any kind of oil? Maybe that's where I'm already going wrong :P

Just wanted to say that Urtekram is fine for CO-washing an many people use it, the conditioners are Eco-certified organic cosmetic, and they don't contain silicones or mineral oils. I have used the aloe vera, rose an parfume free conditioners in CO-washing for over a year, and am happy with them. I haven't noticed much difference between them, but I like to use Aloe vera conditioner because it has aloe vera gel (and not cetyl alcohol) second in the ingredients list.

[Rosake]

@GRU I'm sorry I'm such a bother? I'm fairly new here and I have to say I don't think it's super organized here. Of course I read the LHC article (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=18), which doesn't say anything about first shampooing or ingredients the conditioner shouldn't have. Everything I buy for my hair is extremely natural, it doesn't contain cones or mineral oil
I didn't see your link and I will read it now. Thank you for your advise : )

[Rosake]

Just wanted to say that Urtekram is fine for CO-washing an many people use it, the conditioners are Eco-certified organic cosmetic, and they don't contain silicones or mineral oils. I have used the aloe vera, rose an parfume free conditioners in CO-washing for over a year, and am happy with them. I haven't noticed much difference between them, but I like to use Aloe vera conditioner because it has aloe vera gel (and not cetyl alcohol) second in the ingredients list.

good! : D yeah I really like their products. I'm glad to hear this should work fine :D (I've us the aloe vera one as well)

[Siiri]

Rosake, maybe you are not using enough conditioner or massaging your scalp well enough before rinsing? Leaving the conditioner in for a longer while should help too. At least for me it took a few tries to learn how to CO-wash, at first I ended up with an oily scalp.

ETA: Applying the conditioner on dry hair cleanses better for me - that's what I do after heavy oilings.