The CO (conditioner only) washing thread

[lazuliblue]

I'm back on the CO-wash bandwagon :D

Last time my hair got too greasy so I gave up. These last few months I've been using a pretty harsh shampoo which has allowed me to stretch my washes quite far; at first it was great but my hair has been feeling really dry and doesn't want to form waves. I co-washed today and I may be imagining it but I'm sure my hair feels better already. I did squish to condish too which is something I haven't tried before. I've got a really gentle shampoo no sulphates coming in a few days, so hopefully that will be the key to being able to co-wash my hair, as I will be able to use that every so often in between co-washes.

[Groovy Granny]

I have noticed that since doing CO the past few months my shedding has decreased dramatically :joy:
No more pasting hair on the shower walls, and just a few strands in the TT and tub; even when I brush it dry.
So far so good;my hair is happy!!

[GRU]

I have noticed that since doing CO the past few months my shedding has decreased dramatically :joy:
No more pasting hair on the shower walls, and just a few strands in the TT and tub; even when I brush it dry.
So far so good;my hair is happy!!

So, is this where we all say, "I told ya so!!!!" :lol:

Glad you're having such great results! It's been a miracle for me!

[MermaidKatie]

I have noticed that since doing CO the past few months my shedding has decreased dramatically :joy:
No more pasting hair on the shower walls, and just a few strands in the TT and tub; even when I brush it dry.
So far so good;my hair is happy!!

My sentiments exactly! I have only CO washed twice so far but I'm already astounded at how much hair I'm not losing. My ends are so much better too. I still use heat twice a week (blow dry on cool/medium and straighten my bleached ends - I know.. Norty!) and I used to find 1cm bits of hair all over the counter afterwards. Now - not a stray stitch of hair anywhere! It may also be because I've started using cones again and I feel like this adds to the protection. But so far so good! Loving the CO method!

[Groovy Granny]

So, is this where we all say, "I told ya so!!!!" :lol:

Glad you're having such great results! It's been a miracle for me!
LOL ~ Yes ma'am :bowtome: even with that!

Take a :bow: GRU ....our LHC CO GURU :wink:


My sentiments exactly! I have only CO washed twice so far but I'm already astounded at how much hair I'm not losing. My ends are so much better too. I still use heat twice a week (blow dry on cool/medium and straighten my bleached ends - I know.. Norty!) and I used to find 1cm bits of hair all over the counter afterwards. Now - not a stray stitch of hair anywhere! It may also be because I've started using cones again and I feel like this adds to the protection. But so far so good! Loving the CO method!

I do a cool/warm blow dry to my scalp usually (hate a wet heat)....except in Summer heat, then I air dry.

My hair LOVES cones; I went cone/sulfate free to try the Curly Girl Method 3 years ago.....and nope...it was a bad experience :p

*My CO routine is modified in that I use 1-2 drops shampoo with a big squirt of conditioner, diluted together in 4 oz water and applied to my scalp.
Conditioner on the ends/massage scalp and rinse; 2nd conditioner focus on ends and a wee bit on scalp/rinse.
(all conditioners/no shampoo was too heavy for my fine silver hair)

Glad you are having good results :)

[Salwety]

I stopped using shampoo about 6 month now. The new growth where no shampoo was used is outstanding. I am happy to find out about CO and WO as alternative hair washing methods. Thank you all for sharing your experience.

[Sarahm]

I stopped using shampoo about 6 month now. The new growth where no shampoo was used is outstanding. I am happy to find out about CO and WO as alternative hair washing methods. Thank you all for sharing your experience.

That's really great! How does your new growth differ, if may ask? I'm considering Co as well :)

[lithostoic]

Today is a cowash day. It's so hot outside I don't even want to get in the shower :/

[vpatt]

Today is a cowash day. It's so hot outside I don't even want to get in the shower :/

Please send me some heat. Lol, I bet you would if you could.

I am very happy with CO washing. I have probably said this ......if I want to wear my hair down I pretty much want to wash it twice a week. But I have found that I can wear it down and then when I would normally CO wash I can wear it up the rest of the week and it doesn't look dirty. How can that be? But I'm not complaining, lol!

[Salwety]

Sarahm ... it is a little softer,smoother, more shiny, and less frizzy. It worth the try, but you need to find the conditioner that will go well with your hair.

[Sarahm]

Sarahm ... it is a little softer,smoother, more shiny, and less frizzy. It worth the try, but you need to find the conditioner that will go well with your hair.
Thank you :). Yes, I'm still trying to figure that out. I tried CO- washing once but my hair felt really greasy afterwards.

[vpatt]

Thank you :). Yes, I'm still trying to figure that out. I tried CO- washing once but my hair felt really greasy afterwards.

This happened to me also. My hair was shorter the first time I tried, I don't know if that made a difference or if it was the conditioner I used or my method. But six or eight months later I tried again and wow! So don't give up, it may still work for you. I don't know what brands of conditioner are available near you, but someone on LHC will know. Good luck. GRU describes the method that works for me.....with maybe some minor tweeking.

[missrandie]

For me, if my hair is greasy after cowashing, it means I didn't let my conditioner sit on my head long enough.

I have to let mine sit for around 20 minutes for the conditioner to dissolve my sebum, and I really work the conditioner in with my fingertips (or tangle teezer). That does the trick for me.

[lilin]

I think for people struggling to get their hair clean enough, or experiencing limpness/heaviness, it's worth trying a different class of conditioners.

I tried all the usual starting point recommendations here, aimed at being wallet-friendly for someone who isn't sure if CO is for them, which I get, since they are so inexpensive and work so well for so many people.

But none worked well for me. Stepping up to a dedicated co-wash did. The ingredients look so similar... but they must be formulated differently, in a way my very fine, very grabby hair finds to be more pleasing. It's a couple bucks more than the bargain basement cone-free conditioners, but to me that made all the difference. And hey, the cost isn't bad if you can skip shampoo pretty much completely, occasionally clarifying if needed aside.

I never had any luck with the much-loved Suave or VO5, or in the UK, the Boots brand that so many people love. The cone-free Tresemme was... ok. My hair was kinda clean, but it pulled out my curl and felt heavy.

I tried CO 2 or 3 times before I finally found what worked for me.

For a couple pounds more, Palmer's Olive Oil Co-Wash does an absolutely beautiful job for me. It's a big bottle too, so the price really isn't bad. Faith In Nature is pretty good too and costs about the same, although I think it actually cleans a little too well for me. Either of these can do the job even only letting them sit for a minute or two.

Not all dedicated co-wash conditioners come with a WEN price tag. And if you've got the kind of hair where you think co-washing could seriously make a difference, I'd say maybe try one from each camp if the usual suspects aren't doing it for you: the bargain basement cone-free, the mid-range cone-free, and the bottom tier of the dedicated co-washes (which should cost about the same as the mid-range cone-free). They do all behave differently as a class, not just within a class between brands, and if one type doesn't work for you, another might.

[lithostoic]

Cowashed yesterday, feels great. Might put my hair in a French braid now that it's not so grabby. It's a disaster if I try that with hair that was last shampood.

[lillielil]

So... I remember when I experimented with CO-washing before, just about anything Suave or V05 was good. Recently I used Suave Waterfall Mist a few times, and found that it did not get my hair very clean. Have the formulas changed? Or did I just have random bad luck with that particular version?

[Sarahm]

thank you, Vpatt. I'll try to find another conditioner. And I'll chexk out GRU's method as well. The LHC definitely stimulates my hair experiments :)

[vpatt]

thank you, Vpatt. I'll try to find another conditioner. And I'll chexk out GRU's method as well. The LHC definitely stimulates my hair experiments :)

YW, I hope it works for you. I think the biggest thing for me was letting the conditioner sit on my scalp for a few minutes during the first wash.

[littlestarface]

Thank you :). Yes, I'm still trying to figure that out. I tried CO- washing once but my hair felt really greasy afterwards.

This happened to me first times too but I ha to figure out how my hair works as everyones hair will react differently. I discovered I needed a heat cap on my CO for 30mins before shower and my hair is amazing now.

[Phoe]

Been a member for quite some time, but usually only lurk and never post.

Wanted to post thanks to the awesomeness that is this thread and the members who contribute.

I started cowashing sometime in february, and have had nothing but amazingness since. Only shampooed twice since, once because I'd put castor oil in my hair, the second was a chelate to give me a clean slate as I'd finally thrown away my coney smoothing serum that really wasn't doing me any good.

I use Suave Tropical Coconut, and sometimes Everlasting Sunshine. I deep condition with Biolage Conditioning Balm.

I have been amazed that at no point have I needed to tweak anything. I just went straight into cowashing with the Suave, and never had trouble, never looked back.

I'm a finey and a straighty, with an oily scalp, yet this still works wonderfully. The conditioner washes away my scalp oil easily, while not harshly stripping my fine strands. Perfect!

I own no other hair products. Conditioners, a chelating shampoo, that's it. No hairsprays, gels, serums, etc. I may sometimes put a drop of baby oil on my ends and that's it, and tbh, I don't even know if the baby oil is doing anything, my hair is smooth as it is.

My hair is happy, fluffy, smooth, shiny, and smells wonderful. Cowashing is hands down the best thing I ever did for my hair.

[Groovy Granny]

Hi Phoe :)

Nice to meet you; your hair is so pretty in your avatar!
How wonderful t is working so well for you :thumbsup:

Occasionally it seems it needs tweaking, but it easily remedied.

My hair is very fine and I found it helped to add a drop or 2 of shampoo diluted with conditioner for my scalp.
Depending on my hair, I use lighter or heavier conditioners, and clarify once a month with neutrogena, joico or silver shampoos.

I hope to see more of you around the forum :flowers:

[lithostoic]

I always feel great after a cowash.

[vpatt]

I used the same conditioner that I washed with diluted as a leave in and it worked! I am amazed.

[Groovy Granny]

Happy to hear it vpatt :)

[Salwety]

Vpatt I am happy for you and like your avatar photo ... me too like the co wash day.

[Groovy Granny]

Well, I have 'modified' this method so much in the past few months, I can't say I am even doing it now :p

I certainly have not eliminated shampoo; in fact I have added it back bit by bit (diluted to the scalp only).

However I still condition the ends during my wash, and then do a 2nd conditioning.

For whatever reason that is working just fine now; in fact I am able to stretch my shampoos a whole week where I never could before (had to do it 2x/wk).

So I am removing myself from this challenge...I am officially disqualified lol :o

You've got to do what works :shrug:

Thanks again Gru ~ you were a big help,and I am taking all that info with me for future use...and modifications :wink:

[GRU]

I'm glad you were able to find something that worked for you!

There is no One Holy Grail to this.... everyone has to find out what works best for their personal head!

[Groovy Granny]

I'm glad you were able to find something that worked for you!

There is no One Holy Grail to this.... everyone has to find out what works best for their personal head!
Thanks :)
It is ever evolving it seems :wink:

[Phoe]

Hi Phoe :)

Nice to meet you; your hair is so pretty in your avatar!
How wonderful t is working so well for you :thumbsup:

Occasionally it seems it needs tweaking, but it easily remedied.

My hair is very fine and I found it helped to add a drop or 2 of shampoo diluted with conditioner for my scalp.
Depending on my hair, I use lighter or heavier conditioners, and clarify once a month with neutrogena, joico or silver shampoos.

I hope to see more of you around the forum :flowers:

Thank you for the kind words GG! I apologize for the late response.

So far so good with my cowashing. I diluted a bit of shampoo yesterday morning and scrubbed into my scalp after having already saturated my hair with conditioner. I find that over time I get a bit of a waxy buildup on my scalp that I'm fairly certain is sebum. It doesn't seem to do anything wild to my hair, I don't get any kind of waxiness down my strands, but I do find if I don't scrub away that buildup every now and then that my roots get a little greasier quicker than normal. Nothing major, makes my hair look greasier maybe 12 hours sooner than it would've with shampoo. Since I did that quick lil scrub yesterday morning, my roots look acceptable this morning whereas they otherwise wouldn't.

I've heard that ACV rinses can be good for this kind of buildup, anyone agree? Putting a quarter sized blob of shampoo on my scalp once a month isn't the worst, but if ACV can help stretch that out even further, then I'm game!

I'm also wondering if just some extra scalp manipulation while cowashing could help. Once I've tried running my tangle teezer over my scalp while cowashing, hoping that it might loosen up the sebum, but I felt that I was yanking out a few too many hairs than I would just from fingering combing the conditioner through. I'm having some wonderful fuzzy regrowth right now from losing quite a bit of hair during a dye disaster so I cringe when I pull out hairs that weren't yet ready to go...

[gingerknits]

Up until now I have been using products with silicones, but I have gone out and gotten the following for my clarifying wash and some conditioners to try out CO with:

Tangle Teezer
V05 Kiwi Clarifying shampoo
Tresseme Botanique conditioner (the new Naturals)
As I Am Coconut Cowash
True Lovely Deeply Hair Masque

So, when I do my initial clarifying wash, should I CWC? Or just use the shampoo and then go through a CO with a lighter conditioner followed by the heavier one? Or all of the above? Sorry if these are silly questions!

[littlestarface]

Up until now I have been using products with silicones, but I have gone out and gotten the following for my clarifying wash and some conditioners to try out CO with:

Tangle Teezer
V05 Kiwi Clarifying shampoo
Tresseme Botanique conditioner (the new Naturals)
As I Am Coconut Cowash
True Lovely Deeply Hair Masque

So, when I do my initial clarifying wash, should I CWC? Or just use the shampoo and then go through a CO with a lighter conditioner followed by the heavier one? Or all of the above? Sorry if these are silly questions!

Those are the same ones I use, you'll have no problems with these :D

When you do a clarifying wash shampoo all the hair from top to tips no cwc or co. You want all your hair cleaned off.

[Michetta]

I'm new so I'm sure I'll have more questions but do you co wash everyday? And how often do you shampoo?

[littlestarface]

I'm new so I'm sure I'll have more questions but do you co wash everyday? And how often do you shampoo?

You can co as much as your hair likes and shampoo when you feel like your hair is all gunky, it'll feel coated and lank. Well mine does anyway.

[gingerknits]

Those are the same ones I use, you'll have no problems with these :D

When you do a clarifying wash shampoo all the hair from top to tips no cwc or co. You want all your hair cleaned off.

Awesome! I tried to go through as much of this thread as possible and follow everyone's recommendations!

I didn't see this before my shower, but I ended up clarifying, then diluting half Tresseme/half As I Am and massaging it in roots to tips (waited about 5 minutes and then rinsed). After that I did the True masque ears down and let that sit about 5 minutes before rinsing as well. My hair is about half dry at this point with great volume - it's also much finer and softer than normal! The texture is totally different. I've been using sulfate free, but silicone containing products exclusively for... Years. I had no idea, I must have had a lot of build up.

I usually make it about 4-5 days between washes, but next time I plan to do everything the same except to skip the shampoo.

[BroadwayBeauty]

I'm new so I'm sure I'll have more questions but do you co wash everyday? And how often do you shampoo?

You'll find it's best to experiment and discover what your hair needs over time. It may even change. When I first started I co-washed every other day. Then I went to daily. Now I wash with conditioner, wait a few days, and then co-wash for a day or two. Then the cycle repeats itself. IME it really depends on your hair's health, the weather, and a whole lot of other factors. One size certainly doesn't fit all. Good luck!

[01]

Is that ok for CO? Local bloggers CO with it so I guess it should be fine?

Naturia Miod i Cytryna Do Wlosow Suchych (Honey and Lemon For Dry Hair).


Aqua
Cetylalcohol
Cetearyl Alcohol
Steartrimonium Chloride
PEG-20 stearate
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Cetrimonium Chloride
Isopropylalcohol
Panthenol
Hydroxypropyl Trimonium Chloride
Citrus Medica Limonum Extract
Propylene Glycol
Parfum
Hydroxy Isohexyl
Citric Acid
3 - cyclohexenecarboxaldehyde
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Limonene
Linalool
DMDM Hydantoin
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Methylisothiazolinone
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

[littlestarface]

Is that ok for CO? Local bloggers CO with it so I guess it should be fine?

Naturia Miod i Cytryna Do Wlosow Suchych (Honey and Lemon For Dry Hair).


Aqua
Cetylalcohol
Cetearyl Alcohol
Steartrimonium Chloride
PEG-20 stearate
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Cetrimonium Chloride
Isopropylalcohol
Panthenol
Hydroxypropyl Trimonium Chloride
Citrus Medica Limonum Extract
Propylene Glycol
Parfum
Hydroxy Isohexyl
Citric Acid
3 - cyclohexenecarboxaldehyde
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Limonene
Linalool
DMDM Hydantoin
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Methylisothiazolinone
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Should be fine as long as it's nice and light cuz it's just for cleaning.

[GRU]

I'm new so I'm sure I'll have more questions but do you co wash everyday? And how often do you shampoo?

I CO-wash anywhere from 2-5 times a week, depending on my schedule and activities. I have to wash if I want to wear my hair down, for example, and I can't wash if I'm wearing my hair up because if I put it up while still damp it will never ever dry and my scalp gets all nasty from being wet.

I shampoo once a year, sometime in the fall.

[gingerknits]

Checking in at 8 days since clarifying and three days since last CO wash. My roots have NEVER stayed this clean/not oily in my life. My hair is soft and bouncy! I am very happy with my results so far and don't seem to be experiencing much of a transition period. I am also feeling pretty lucky that I had you guys to rely on for good product suggestions right out of the gate. :joy:

[Phoe]

Having some frustrations with my flyaways, wispies, and baby hairs. LOTS of regrowth now that I'm not dying my hair or abusing the bananas out of it! :)

But I'm irritated at these little baby hairs. My hair is very fine so these little wispies stick straight up off my head. I've never been much of a product user, but when I used shampoo I had no qualms about taking a few spritzes of hairspray and smoothing down flyaways.

Now though, I know that hairspray is a no go.

Anyone have thoughts on what a fine haired person can do to smooth away the flyaways? Oils are WAY too heavy. I've read about flaxseed gel but I will be completely honest in saying I have no desire to boil and refrigerate that stuff, that's too much for me haha. I hate to say "lazy", but I like my routine to be as simple and short as possible. Which is why cowashing in general is so awesome for me. Less steps, less products, more simplicity!

I've heard that aloe can be good, but that it can sometimes need rewetting.

I wish there were just some type of hair gel out there that just would rinse away in water.

Hoping I can find a solution to help while the regrowth goes through it's awkward stage... 6 months.... it'll be long enough to lay flat in 6 months... just gotta work with it!

[vpatt]

:)
Having some frustrations with my flyaways, wispies, and baby hairs. LOTS of regrowth now that I'm not dying my hair or abusing the bananas out of it! :)

But I'm irritated at these little baby hairs. My hair is very fine so these little wispies stick straight up off my head. I've never been much of a product user, but when I used shampoo I had no qualms about taking a few spritzes of hairspray and smoothing down flyaways.

Now though, I know that hairspray is a no go.

Anyone have thoughts on what a fine haired person can do to smooth away the flyaways? Oils are WAY too heavy. I've read about flaxseed gel but I will be completely honest in saying I have no desire to boil and refrigerate that stuff, that's too much for me haha. I hate to say "lazy", but I like my routine to be as simple and short as possible. Which is why cowashing in general is so awesome for me. Less steps, less products, more simplicity!

I've heard that aloe can be good, but that it can sometimes need rewetting.

I wish there were just some type of hair gel out there that just would rinse away in water.

Hoping I can find a solution to help while the regrowth goes through it's awkward stage... 6 months.... it'll be long enough to lay flat in 6 months... just gotta work with it!

Just remember how fortunate you are to have that halo of new hair. Trust me you would feel much worse if you saw your hair thinning. I would love to have your problem. I am not scolding you, just giving you a different perspective.

But you might try Eco Styler Gel. I have fine hair and I can use it without problems. And it is cheap to try.

Edit: I really didn't mean to sound snarky.....just wanted to encourage you and say that is really a nice 'problem' to have. And your hair is lovely.

[lapushka]

Having some frustrations with my flyaways, wispies, and baby hairs. LOTS of regrowth now that I'm not dying my hair or abusing the bananas out of it! :)

But I'm irritated at these little baby hairs. My hair is very fine so these little wispies stick straight up off my head. I've never been much of a product user, but when I used shampoo I had no qualms about taking a few spritzes of hairspray and smoothing down flyaways.

Now though, I know that hairspray is a no go.

Anyone have thoughts on what a fine haired person can do to smooth away the flyaways? Oils are WAY too heavy. I've read about flaxseed gel but I will be completely honest in saying I have no desire to boil and refrigerate that stuff, that's too much for me haha. I hate to say "lazy", but I like my routine to be as simple and short as possible. Which is why cowashing in general is so awesome for me. Less steps, less products, more simplicity!

I've heard that aloe can be good, but that it can sometimes need rewetting.

I wish there were just some type of hair gel out there that just would rinse away in water.

Hoping I can find a solution to help while the regrowth goes through it's awkward stage... 6 months.... it'll be long enough to lay flat in 6 months... just gotta work with it!

Maybe join the wispies club?
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=131555

There is something called "edge taming" gel. The brand "Curls" do a good one that is raved about. The blueberry kind is especially nice, I hear. It's kind of like a gel, but lighter (so that it does not build up on you).

[Ponymad21]

Has anyone used the Aldi Aussie knockoff deep condition to do CO?
I've got almost a full bottle left, it does have cones but my hair seems to like cones

[NiceJanice]

I've tried Aldi Aussie and love it! I don't know about their knock offs though.
Try following the advice in the link below. It works for me and none of my hair is falling out.
http://www.lovelylonglocks.com/2016/05/17/qa-what-is-co-washing-and-why-try-it/

[teatsfortots]

I love cowashing!

[Wendyp]

Me too! I'm amazed that I am able to use shampoo on my scalp 1-2x a week by co every other day. Keeps my ends from getting crunchy!! tailbone here we come!

[vpatt]

I bought Suave Cherry Blossom and I didn't realize it is different than the other fragrances in the Essentials line....well at least different from the ones I have tried. It says Shine on the bottle. It did make my hair shinier but I wonder how it will do over a weeks time. Anyone else have feedback on it?

[littlestarface]

I bought Suave Cherry Blossom and I didn't realize it is different than the other fragrances in the Essentials line....well at least different from the ones I have tried. It says Shine on the bottle. It did make my hair shinier but I wonder how it will do over a weeks time. Anyone else have feedback on it?

I've used it before I still have like almost a full bottle cuz didn't work for my hair, it always felt so coated and not clean.

[lapushka]

I've tried Aldi Aussie and love it! I don't know about their knock offs though.
Try following the advice in the link below. It works for me and none of my hair is falling out.
http://www.lovelylonglocks.com/2016/05/17/qa-what-is-co-washing-and-why-try-it/

Welcome to LHC! :)

[vpatt]

I've used it before I still have like almost a full bottle cuz didn't work for my hair, it always felt so coated and not clean.

Thanks, Littlestarface. It has a 'feel' and I'm wondering if it will feel greasy in a couple of days. Tho it might work on just the ends if I keep it well away from my scalp which tends towards oiliness.

[vpatt]

Welcome to LHC! :)

Yes, welcome!!

[littlestarface]

Thanks, Littlestarface. It has a 'feel' and I'm wondering if it will feel greasy in a couple of days. Tho it might work on just the ends if I keep it well away from my scalp which tends towards oiliness.

Yea I think I felt that too, it feels like a film or something right? It might work on the ends to protect them, or it could make them snarly lol. You should try it and see after you see if your hair went greasy fast.


Mine went greasy after I used the whole blends from garnier man that stuff made my hair lank and too greasy too fast. I'm never trying cones again that's for sure.

[vpatt]

Yea I think I felt that too, it feels like a film or something right? It might work on the ends to protect them, or it could make them snarly lol. You should try it and see after you see if your hair went greasy fast.


Mine went greasy after I used the whole blends from garnier man that stuff made my hair lank and too greasy too fast. I'm never trying cones again that's for sure.

So far the only ones to work well for me are the Suave Essentials and Tresemme Natural. Everything else has made my hair oily. Well, the jury is still out on the Cherry Blossom. I love the fragrance of Tresemme Botanique, but it caused oiliness.

[littlestarface]

So far the only ones to work well for me are the Suave Essentials and Tresemme Natural. Everything else has made my hair oily. Well, the jury is still out on the Cherry Blossom. I love the fragrance of Tresemme Botanique, but it caused oiliness.

Tresemme naturals was thee best conditioner I ever found for my hair too, it's a shame they always discontinue the best stuff.

[vpatt]

Tresemme naturals was thee best conditioner I ever found for my hair too, it's a shame they always discontinue the best stuff.

Oh, I hadn't bought it for a while, I didn't know it was discontinued. Sigh

[GRU]

I've heard that aloe can be good, but that it can sometimes need rewetting.

I wish there were just some type of hair gel out there that just would rinse away in water.

Try aloe -- I love it!

Never heard of rewetting it....????

[calmyogi]

I tried co washing in the past and it didn't work for me. I used the suave coconut and it made my scalp itch and other conditioners made my hair fall a little more than usual. But I have been using the suave daily clarifying conditioner and I think it's my favorite thing to cleanse with now. So excited I found a conditioner that worked for me!

Just had to share haha

[vpatt]

Tresemme naturals was thee best conditioner I ever found for my hair too, it's a shame they always discontinue the best stuff.

I just found the Tresemme Naturals on Amazon. I will check Wal-Mart next time I go. Hmmm.....but the price is way higher. Very strange.

[vpatt]

Try aloe -- I love it!

Never heard of rewetting it....????

I just have to say I am in awe of your hair, wow!

[GRU]

I just have to say I am in awe of your hair, wow!

Awww, thank you! :flowers:

Credit goes to God for planting the seed (I'm just the dirt it grows out of) and the plentiful advice here at LHC for teaching me how to tend the crop to keep it healthy!

[littlestarface]

I just found the Tresemme Naturals on Amazon. I will check Wal-Mart next time I go. Hmmm.....but the price is way higher. Very strange.

Hopefully someone still has some left over, I checked all the stores here and there's nothing. Was thinking of trying online too but the prices are cha-ching and i'll be pissed if they send me some different tresemme.

Good luck in finding it, if you do let me know the site i'll buy it.

[vpatt]

Hopefully someone still has some left over, I checked all the stores here and there's nothing. Was thinking of trying online too but the prices are cha-ching and i'll be pissed if they send me some different tresemme.

Good luck in finding it, if you do let me know the site i'll buy it.

I will check Wal-Mart tomorrow.....but one of the sellers on Amazon had it for six something, but others for seventeen. That doesn't even make sense.

*** I did wash my hair again as it was starting to feel greasy by yesterday afternoon. I used my Tresemme and then used the Suave Cherry Blossom as a leave in on the tips because I did like the way it made the ends feel. I thinned it with water and actually added a few drops of essential oil. So far so good.

[pili]

I will check Wal-Mart tomorrow.....but one of the sellers on Amazon had it for six something, but others for seventeen. That doesn't even make sense.

*** I did wash my hair again as it was starting to feel greasy by yesterday afternoon. I used my Tresemme and then used the Suave Cherry Blossom as a leave in on the tips because I did like the way it made the ends feel. I thinned it with water and actually added a few drops of essential oil. So far so good.

It's because it was discontinued back at the beginning of the year. Stores no longer stock it (unless it is a clearance bin) and online, people are jacking up the price because there are so many people who want it, but now there is a limited and dwindling supply.

[sarah.she]

i have dry and brittle hair txture
what co-washing(brand) would you like to suggest ?

[vpatt]

It's because it was discontinued back at the beginning of the year. Stores no longer stock it (unless it is a clearance bin) and online, people are jacking up the price because there are so many people who want it, but now there is a limited and dwindling supply.

Sigh, every time I find something I like this happens. Sure enough it was not at Wal-Mart. AND I noticed that Suave Essentias has changed two of theirs.... the Wild Cherry Blossom we already mentioned and one of the others now says 'Softening'. So I wonder if it will be different like the Cherry.

And I have already tried the Tresemme Botanique and it was not something I will use again. Even tho that is what replaced their Natural line according to someone online.

[pili]

i have dry and brittle hair txture
what co-washing(brand) would you like to suggest ?

That will depend on why your hair is dry? Is it stripped from SLS? Does it need humectants (this one can vary based on climate)? Is it color/chemically treated? Is it protein sensitive? Does it like oil and what kind?

There is always a bit of a learning curve when you start. You may need to try quite a few before you hit on the one your hair loves.

[pili]

Sigh, every time I find something I like this happens. Sure enough it was not at Wal-Mart. AND I noticed that Suave Essentias has changed two of theirs.... the Wild Cherry Blossom we already mentioned and one of the others now says 'Softening'. So I wonder if it will be different like the Cherry.

Me too. I'm starting to wonder if I can make my own....

[vpatt]

Me too. I'm starting to wonder if I can make my own....

www.xovain.com has a recipe that I may try.....I just need the rosewater

And you can mix equal parts canned organic coconut milk and bentonite clay. I may try that too, lol. Leave on for a few minutes before rinsing.

I have washed my hair with honey also, lol. It worked!

I wonder what a squirt of shampoo into a conditioner would do? It may be a way to salvage some of those conditioners that leave my hair lank and lifeless....hmmmm.

[ephemeri]

i have dry and brittle hair txture
what co-washing(brand) would you like to suggest ?

You may need to play around with your routine a bit but generally, in my experience, the conditioners that make the best co-washes are the ones without silicones. I've read of some people using a coney conditioner for co-wash but I like the non-silicone ones as they won't leave a coating on my hair. :)

[triumphator!]

I have washed my hair with honey also, lol. It worked!

When my hair was around waist, I went through a phase of washing my roots with honey and a little bit of conditioner to make it squish around on my scalp, and then an ACV dunk for the length. My hair was super duper shiney. Not a bad routine, looking back.

[missrandie]

Today, I tried something different. I did as GG (I think) does and added a little touch of shampoo to my conditioner, then I only left it in for the duration of my shower instead of 20 minutes. My hair still came out clean. Now I'm wondering if I can do the same without the shampoo, or if it would leave me greasy.

We shall see!

[vpatt]

Give it a try, it may take an adjustment period, too. I hope it works for you!

[whiteisle]

I was wondering if someone could recommend an alternative to the GVP Conditioning Balm? It has parabens and I really try to avoid them. I need a RO condish that is protein-free, silicone-free, paraben-free, and preferably coconut oil free as my hair doesn't seem to like it. Too tall an order? LOL :o

[zashin66]

I have been swimming in chlorine pool every night with my 10 and 11 year old kids. I tried conditioner only two nights in a row. Tonight I tried an ACV rinse to dry hair and then cold water rinse then warm water conditioner treatment and let our door for about 20 minutes then warm rinse out. First time I have ever used ACV in my hair. I am going to bed with a wet head. I hope my hair is manageable tomorrow.

[littlestarface]

I've been using traders joes tingly minty stuff and wow that stuff cleans hair so good, I don't even need to add honey in it either.

[H o n є y ❤]

My current routine works but I am getting a little tired of washing my hair and then having to put moisture back in after.
CO looks more appealing so that's what I'm gonna do next wash with hopes of keeping moisture in my hair throughout the entire wash process. I used think that CO meant washing the scalp with conditioner only. I didn't realize some people also shampooed their scalp. I'm gonna try that. No shampoo on the length.

[littlestarface]

My current routine works but I am getting a little tired of washing my hair and then having to put moisture back in after.
CO looks more appealing so that's what I'm gonna do next wash with hopes of keeping moisture in my hair throughout the entire wash process. I used think that CO meant washing the scalp with conditioner only. I didn't realize some people also shampooed their scalp. I'm gonna try that. No shampoo on the length.

That's how I do it, my scalp can't deal with conditioner on it.

[GRU]

I FINALLY talked my 16yo son into CO-washing with diluted conditioner. Using shampoo, he HAD to wash daily because of teenager-greasy hair. Now, using conditioner only, he can go three days without any grease at all.

I, of course, take great delight in telling him, "I told you so! Momma knows best!" :D

[nyia]

I FINALLY talked my 16yo son into CO-washing with diluted conditioner. Using shampoo, he HAD to wash daily because of teenager-greasy hair. Now, using conditioner only, he can go three days without any grease at all.

I, of course, take great delight in telling him, "I told you so! Momma knows best!" :D

I got to say the same thing to my granddaughter a few months ago! She has such bad greasies, and she had been trying some very damaging dyes and treatments.of course, since I told her, she thought it was too old fashioned for her. But, she did such damage to her hair, a hairdresser told her not to do anything to her hair for at least six months and to use the mildest shampoo she could find.she mentioned only using conditioner. I tried really hard not to say the "I told you so!" I gave her a bunch of conditioners to try, and she hasn't used shampoo very much at all since then.

[GRU]

I got to say the same thing to my granddaughter a few months ago!

Why do they simply not realize that we've already made ALL THE MISTAKES, and they can benefit from our wisdom????

[veex]

In on this thread. CO was best decision I've made for my hair about 2 years ago.

Just thinking of how oily my hair used to be is sickening.

[samanthaa]

I was wondering if someone could recommend an alternative to the GVP Conditioning Balm? It has parabens and I really try to avoid them. I need a RO condish that is protein-free, silicone-free, paraben-free, and preferably coconut oil free as my hair doesn't seem to like it. Too tall an order? LOL :o

I like the Swanson Premium brand conditioners, specifically Argan Oil (http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-premium-argan-oil-conditioner-90-natural-8-5-fl-oz-250-ml-liquid) and Biotin with Silica (http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-premium-biotin-conditioner-silica-8-fl-oz-237-ml-liquid). Unfortunately, these aren't found in stores so you do have to order online and the bottles are kinda small, but I like them both and am definitely planning to reorder myself.

[H o n є y ❤]

I oiled with EVOO and a little shea butter. Then I put TJ tea tree tingle conditioner over it and let it sit for about an hour. After that I put some shampoo on my scalp only and then rinsed my whole head with warm water. I didn't add anything to my hair after that except to my crown (which tangles badly) I'm hoping to get good results.

[nyia]

I'm having difficulty finding my favorite conditioner since moving to Florida. Anyone here know where I might find Petal Fresh Aloe & Citrus conditioner somewhere around Orlando area? I used to find the big bottles at Grocery Outlet when I lived on the west coast, but there is no Grocery Outlet here. Thank you in advance!

[H o n є y ❤]

Well, I feel like I got good results from the CO wash, considering I didn't add extra product after. Yesterday I added coconut oil to my hair and today I added conditioner. After adding the conditioner my hair feels more moisturized than usual I think. I think it's because of the co wash.

[missmelaniem]

I love CO because its actually easier for me to do than shampooing. I find that at times I dont even have to condition when I shampoo if I CO a couple of days in a row.

[zashin66]

I joined the hair up and only finger combing threads so last night I treated the ends of my hair with coconut out and then washed it out with hot water. I followed up with conditioner only and my hair seems happy and shiny this am. You can still see the vestiges of coconut oiling at the ends though. I have very blond hair and any 'greasiness' shows up quite readily. But since the hair is up it just looks shiny in the up do. TOday I put it up with my new hair toys. I French braided down to the left behind my ear diagonally across the crown of my head and then circled the braid in a bun. I fastened it with pearl topped screw pins and accents of screw-in jewels that are bright blue. I would post a picture but currently am unable to post pictures yet.:eyebrows:

[Aldonza]

I tried co washing for the first time yesterday and was pleasantly surprised! I usually shampoo my scalp every other day and condition just my lengths. My fine hair usually looks and feels a tad greasy after one day without washing, so I expected co washing to lead to a greasy scalp that I would end up re-washing with shampoo after half a day. Fast forward a full day, and it doesn't feel or look greasy at all, but I *think* it is a liiiiitle less frizzy 'round the edges. :) Plus it smells delicious (I tried Suave Everlasting Sunshine since that's what I had anyway). I think I'll keep it up for at least a few washes to see if the happy hair continues.

[Arctic]

I would post a picture but currently am unable to post pictures yet.:eyebrows:

You can post pictures. Instructions (and lot of other important threads) can be found at the newbie and site support forums. (I already posted some instructions for you in the monthly photos thread).

[clarytee]

I tried CO washign again after so many people on here recommended I try (again) and it really has helped my hair quite a bit! It definitely curls nicer now than it did before. The curls are more defined without me having to add much leave in product. I do use some light hair milk and that does it for me. Whenever its humid I still struggle with frizz, frizz and even more frizz but the basic structure of my curls still stays more defined than it used to be.

[vpatt]

My hair is a bit oilier in this hot weather plus I am exercising and getting sweaty. So sometimes I co wash weekly, but mostly twice a week. I am stilled ticked that they changed some of the Suave conditioners.

[triumphator!]

So my current routine is all about keeping the right amount of build up on my hair - CO is perfect for cleaning my scalp while not stripping off the build up I actually need to keep my hair from being fluffytown.

[triumphator!]

Me again, sorry :p I wrote a blog post (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/entry.php?b=127052) on why I am having a love affair with *certain* Vo5 conditioners, and why the ingredients have the right action for my hair. It was suggested that I post about it here. I hope this helps someone!

[Dark40]

I co-wash here a lot during the week myself. I co-wash 5x a week, and then I deep condition 2x a week, and it really works my hair wonders!

[Aldonza]

I tried co washing for the first time yesterday and was pleasantly surprised! I usually shampoo my scalp every other day and condition just my lengths. My fine hair usually looks and feels a tad greasy after one day without washing, so I expected co washing to lead to a greasy scalp that I would end up re-washing with shampoo after half a day. Fast forward a full day, and it doesn't feel or look greasy at all, but I *think* it is a liiiiitle less frizzy 'round the edges. :) Plus it smells delicious (I tried Suave Everlasting Sunshine since that's what I had anyway). I think I'll keep it up for at least a few washes to see if the happy hair continues.

Well, after a week of cowashing, I decided it's not for me. My scalp felt....too moisturized? and a bit irritated after a while. But it was cool to see it worked so much better than I would have guessed - it goes to show that you can't know how your hair will react to something until you test it out!

[RebekahE]

I am reviving this (sorry). I have a few questions, I am hoping someone can help me with. This is not the first time I have considered going CO only but someone recommended it and I think I may try it.
Q1: Can I use a coney conditioner? My hair can't do without cones, it is nearly impossible to detangle without them.
Q2: If I use a coney conditioner should I do my whole scalp and length with a cone-free condish first and then follow with the coney conditioner?
Q3: Should I do a pre-rinse with ACV (my scalp is oily and I am afraid conditioner only may not cut it)?
Q4: How long should I give it before I decide whether or not this is for me?
Q5: Can I still stretch my washes (I wash every 4-6 days on average) or do I need to wash more often?

That is all I can think of for the moment. TIA

[nyia]

I am reviving this (sorry). I have a few questions, I am hoping someone can help me with. This is not the first time I have considered going CO only but someone recommended it and I think I may try it.
Q1: Can I use a coney conditioner? My hair can't do without cones, it is nearly impossible to detangle without them.
Q2: If I use a coney conditioner should I do my whole scalp and length with a cone-free condish first and then follow with the coney conditioner?
Q3: Should I do a pre-rinse with ACV (my scalp is oily and I am afraid conditioner only may not cut it)?
Q4: How long should I give it before I decide whether or not this is for me?
Q5: Can I still stretch my washes (I wash every 4-6 days on average) or do I need to wash more often?

That is all I can think of for the moment. TIA

1. Yes, you can use a coney conditioner. My hair loves cones, proteins, and a bunch of other stuff I've tried to do without. And, like you, tangles are a big problem without the cones.
2. I think someone else will have to answer this one, all the conditioners I use are coney. But, you'll find your own best routine for yourself as time goes on.
3. You may have to, or not. Vague answer, but a lot of people find that, once the initial period of adjustment is done, the greasies take care of themselves. I only do an ACV stage if I'm feeling buildup. That usually only happens if I'm trying something new that my hair is not happy with.
4. Time is different for everyone. My hair, for example, adjusted to the new routine immediately. But, a lot of people notice there is a two week to two month adjustment period, while they find the right products, determine time between CO washes, etc.
5. Again, this is different for everyone, but I read a lot of reports of stretching up to a week between CO washes.

Some things to watch for: increased shedding that may or may not decrease and/or eventually stop. Changes in scalp or hair that you don't like. Changes in skin of the areas closest to the scalp.

And... you'll probably find yourself with an almost amazing number of bottles of conditioner. One of the main hazards.

[triumphator!]

I am reviving this (sorry). I have a few questions, I am hoping someone can help me with. This is not the first time I have considered going CO only but someone recommended it and I think I may try it.
Q1: Can I use a coney conditioner? My hair can't do without cones, it is nearly impossible to detangle without them.
Q2: If I use a coney conditioner should I do my whole scalp and length with a cone-free condish first and then follow with the coney conditioner?
Q3: Should I do a pre-rinse with ACV (my scalp is oily and I am afraid conditioner only may not cut it)?
Q4: How long should I give it before I decide whether or not this is for me?
Q5: Can I still stretch my washes (I wash every 4-6 days on average) or do I need to wash more often?

That is all I can think of for the moment. TIA

Q1: Yes. Some silicones are water soluble anyway. (http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/silicone-ingredient-solubility-list.html)

Q2: This will take some experimentation. I put cones on my scalp and it doesn't seem to matter. Definitely use them on your length since you need them to detangle. As for which to put on first, I suggest the non-coney first, if you want to use both a coney and non-coney.

Q3: Again, this will take some experimentation. Here is how I get excellent results with either a reaaaally greasy scalp or oiled scalp - no ACV rinse needed. When you wash, put non-coney conditioner on your scalp and hair, and let it sit a bit. Add a bit of water to your scalp, wash your scalp a little, then squeeze the conditionery-water from your length back onto your scalp, and continue to wash. Repeat as needed. This continues the washing process without wasting product and allows you to wash multiple times with different dilutions of product until clean.

Q4: Try once, see what happens. If your scalp is greasy, clarify. Then CO wash again normally for your next wash. If still oily, maybe one more time with your ACV pre-wash. Then see what happens.

Q5: CO is great for stretching washes! It's gentle enough that you can wash frequently too.

The most important thing is to only change one thing about your routine at a time. It takes experimentation and if you change a bunch of things at once, you won't know what IS and what ISN'T working for you.

[hinabelle]

I've CO washed 2 weeks in a row and I think it's great. I had been wondering if my shampoo was causing
dryness and frizziness for me, and it seems like that was absolutely correct. Now my hair is softer and
more moisturized. That just means less product I have to buy!

[RebekahE]

Thank you, nyia and umphie! I will give it a go after I finish testing out my shampoo bar! I really appreciate it!

[Shorty89]

Are any of you guys in this thread experts on reading the back of bottles? I found some Suave for $1 which would be great since I'm using more conditioner these days. I know that it usually doesn't have cones but sometimes they change the formula in Canada. I'm awful at bottle reading so I'm hoping one of you guys could check it out for me. I can post the ingredients list if needed.

[H o n є y ❤]

Can you post the ingredients, please?

[Shorty89]

Wow! That was quicker than expected! I couldn't get a good picture of the bottle but, the ingredients are: Aqua, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearamidoprpyl Dimethlamine, Lactic Acid, Potassium Chloride, Parum, Disodium EDTA, PEG-150, Distearate, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1, 3-DIOL, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Propylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silk Amino Acids, Honey, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Cocos Nucifera (coconut) Fruit Extract

[littlestarface]

Wow! That was quicker than expected! I couldn't get a good picture of the bottle but, the ingredients are: Aqua, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearamidoprpyl Dimethlamine, Lactic Acid, Potassium Chloride, Parum, Disodium EDTA, PEG-150, Distearate, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1, 3-DIOL, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Propylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silk Amino Acids, Honey, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Cocos Nucifera (coconut) Fruit Extract

Looks good to me I dont see any cones at all.

I like how it has honey in it which sauve is this?

[Shorty89]

Looks good to me I dont see any cones at all.

I like how it has honey in it which sauve is this?

It's Suave Essentials Tropical Coconut. I think it's like the Suave Naturals in the USA. I'm not sure if I'll like the coconut in it, my hair likes coconut oil but not in my conditioner XD. But, we will see and it will be good to have it for washing out henna etc.

[littlestarface]

It's Suave Essentials Tropical Coconut. I think it's like the Suave Naturals in the USA. I'm not sure if I'll like the coconut in it, my hair likes coconut oil but not in my conditioner XD. But, we will see and it will be good to have it for washing out henna etc.

Hopefully your hair likes it, it's cheap and no cones so win win.

[Shorty89]

Hopefully your hair likes it, it's cheap and no cones so win win.

If it doesn't like this one there are a couple more options. :)

[H o n є y ❤]

I don't see any cones either. The coconut is all the way at the bottom, you'll probably be okay. :D

[nyia]

One of the conditioners I really like isn't available since I moved. So, this is directed more towards the U.S. readers, and for specialized or locally available conditioners, I live in Florida. Here goes!

1. Which conditioners provide you with the best slip?
2. Which leave-in conditioners do you like best? (This is not including oils you might add after you're done with your hair routine.)
3. Which stores do you frequent to find conditioners?
4. I see a lot of hemp conditioners around lately. Have you tried any? What did you think of the smell? ( I'm asking about smell because I tried a coconut one that had a really strong smell that increased through the day, and had to use shampoo to get it out. No mor coconut stuff for me!)

Thank you for your participation and opinions. Please return to our regularly scheduled program.

[Dwemeri]

Hi everyone! I was really hoping to get some product advice! I'd like to start trying some things from the Curly Girl method and so am searching for a nice cleansing conditioner, as well as either a styling gel or mousse (honestly not sure which is better). There are so many choices I'm overwhelmed and have no idea what will actually work for my hair. :/ It seems like every product I find has reviews that indicate: a really strong smell, weighs down fine hair, or it just plain doesn't work and turns people's hair into a ratty mess.

I'm at BSL with 2B fine, thick hair with S-shaped waves and some nice curls where it manages to clump together. I'm not entirely sure how curly it can actually get as other than some braids and one misadventure with a mousse (so crunchy and sticky D: ) I haven't really used styling product before. I'm really eager to start though! Frizz free long lasting curls shall be mine! :p

For Co-washing I'd like something that I can also leave in, and preferably either scentless or just not a real strong scent; does anyone have any suggestions that they think might work well for me?

[missrandie]

Hi everyone! I was really hoping to get some product advice! I'd like to start trying some things from the Curly Girl method and so am searching for a nice cleansing conditioner, as well as either a styling gel or mousse (honestly not sure which is better). There are so many choices I'm overwhelmed and have no idea what will actually work for my hair. :/ It seems like every product I find has reviews that indicate: a really strong smell, weighs down fine hair, or it just plain doesn't work and turns people's hair into a ratty mess.

I'm at BSL with 2B fine, thick hair with S-shaped waves and some nice curls where it manages to clump together. I'm not entirely sure how curly it can actually get as other than some braids and one misadventure with a mousse (so crunchy and sticky D: ) I haven't really used styling product before. I'm really eager to start though! Frizz free long lasting curls shall be mine! :p

For Co-washing I'd like something that I can also leave in, and preferably either scentless or just not a real strong scent; does anyone have any suggestions that they think might work well for me?

I haven't used it long enough for an accurate review, but I'm currently using Salon Care Honey Almond conditioner in the gallon jug from Sally Beauty. The scent doesn't linger long in my hair, which I really like.

Unfortunately, most of the other conditioners that I would recommend are fairly heavily scented. I really wish that there was a version of Suave conditioner that was unscented. Then it would be the best!

As for products, look into LOC styling. I do a heavily modified version where I do an oil rinse in the shower, then use my leave in conditioner (Infusium 23 original) and Shea Moisture CES. I use only a half pea sized amount on my ends.


Do you know if your hair is protein sensitive, or certain products that it hates? If you can figure that out, then you can start weeding out products that would contain those.

Its a process, but you can do it!

[littlestarface]

Hi everyone! I was really hoping to get some product advice! I'd like to start trying some things from the Curly Girl method and so am searching for a nice cleansing conditioner, as well as either a styling gel or mousse (honestly not sure which is better). There are so many choices I'm overwhelmed and have no idea what will actually work for my hair. :/ It seems like every product I find has reviews that indicate: a really strong smell, weighs down fine hair, or it just plain doesn't work and turns people's hair into a ratty mess.

I'm at BSL with 2B fine, thick hair with S-shaped waves and some nice curls where it manages to clump together. I'm not entirely sure how curly it can actually get as other than some braids and one misadventure with a mousse (so crunchy and sticky D: ) I haven't really used styling product before. I'm really eager to start though! Frizz free long lasting curls shall be mine! :p

For Co-washing I'd like something that I can also leave in, and preferably either scentless or just not a real strong scent; does anyone have any suggestions that they think might work well for me?

I got the As I am cleansing conditioner, that stuff works good, I also use tresemme and tea tree tingle as COs as well and they work good but they have strong smells I doubt you'd like them.

My leave in I use toadstool leave in milk and honey, boy that stuffs smells good but the scent doesn't last maybe you'd like that.

[lapushka]

Hi everyone! I was really hoping to get some product advice! I'd like to start trying some things from the Curly Girl method and so am searching for a nice cleansing conditioner, as well as either a styling gel or mousse (honestly not sure which is better). There are so many choices I'm overwhelmed and have no idea what will actually work for my hair. :/ It seems like every product I find has reviews that indicate: a really strong smell, weighs down fine hair, or it just plain doesn't work and turns people's hair into a ratty mess.

I've heard a lot of good things about the as I am CO-wash, but the Pantene CO-wash is great as well, I've heard. This is me flipping through YT channels. Depends on what you want to spend your $ on.

[triumphator!]

One of the conditioners I really like isn't available since I moved. So, this is directed more towards the U.S. readers, and for specialized or locally available conditioners, I live in Florida. Here goes!

1. Which conditioners provide you with the best slip?
2. Which leave-in conditioners do you like best? (This is not including oils you might add after you're done with your hair routine.)
3. Which stores do you frequent to find conditioners?
4. I see a lot of hemp conditioners around lately. Have you tried any? What did you think of the smell? ( I'm asking about smell because I tried a coconut one that had a really strong smell that increased through the day, and had to use shampoo to get it out. No mor coconut stuff for me!)

Thank you for your participation and opinions. Please return to our regularly scheduled program.

1. I love Pantene Ice Shine - it has a strong smell but it gives me amazing slip and, of course, quite a bit of shine. I hear it's being discontinued, though. :( Aussie Mega Moist has almost the same formulation as Ice Shine, except it's missing the shiney ingredient. I like that one too. Both those products have silicones, but they're the kind that degrade over time, not the super coating kind.

2. When my hair was much longer, a little bit of super duper cheap, watery conditioner whipped together with some clear aloe gel was a good leave-in.

3. The grocery store :)

4. Oh man, I tried one back in 2010. It wasn't for me, but not because of smell. Also, if the hemp ingredient isn't within the first 5 or so ingredients, it's not really a major component of the conditioner anyway.


Hi everyone! I was really hoping to get some product advice! I'd like to start trying some things from the Curly Girl method and so am searching for a nice cleansing conditioner, as well as either a styling gel or mousse (honestly not sure which is better). There are so many choices I'm overwhelmed and have no idea what will actually work for my hair. :/ It seems like every product I find has reviews that indicate: a really strong smell, weighs down fine hair, or it just plain doesn't work and turns people's hair into a ratty mess.

I'm at BSL with 2B fine, thick hair with S-shaped waves and some nice curls where it manages to clump together. I'm not entirely sure how curly it can actually get as other than some braids and one misadventure with a mousse (so crunchy and sticky D: ) I haven't really used styling product before. I'm really eager to start though! Frizz free long lasting curls shall be mine! :p

For Co-washing I'd like something that I can also leave in, and preferably either scentless or just not a real strong scent; does anyone have any suggestions that they think might work well for me?

How porous is your hair? Is it damaged at all? That can help you narrow down products.

[Dwemeri]

I haven't used it long enough for an accurate review, but I'm currently using Salon Care Honey Almond conditioner in the gallon jug from Sally Beauty. The scent doesn't linger long in my hair, which I really like.

Unfortunately, most of the other conditioners that I would recommend are fairly heavily scented. I really wish that there was a version of Suave conditioner that was unscented. Then it would be the best!

As for products, look into LOC styling. I do a heavily modified version where I do an oil rinse in the shower, then use my leave in conditioner (Infusium 23 original) and Shea Moisture CES. I use only a half pea sized amount on my ends.


Do you know if your hair is protein sensitive, or certain products that it hates? If you can figure that out, then you can start weeding out products that would contain those.

Its a process, but you can do it!

Well a stronger smell would be fine as long as it doesn't last long in my hair. The main reason I'm concerned about smell is I have a family member who can't have strong scents near them due to their health, I just want to avoid walking around with perfumed hair for their comfort. What are the other suggestions? It's possible one of my local stores might have them and then I could just smell them for myself. :p

Unfortunately I've used so few products in my lifetime that I have little idea of what my hair likes, I think I have normal or low porosity hair as products seem to sit on top more often than soaking in, so from what I've read protein probably wouldn't agree with it. Then again it may just be because my hair is so fine it's coated easily.

I appreciate the help!



I got the As I am cleansing conditioner, that stuff works good, I also use tresemme and tea tree tingle as COs as well and they work good but they have strong smells I doubt you'd like them.

My leave in I use toadstool leave in milk and honey, boy that stuffs smells good but the scent doesn't last maybe you'd like that.

The As I Am did look really good! Did the smell linger for a long time though? I read reviews that (although they loved the smell) said it stayed around for awhile.



1

How porous is your hair? Is it damaged at all? That can help you narrow down products.

I believe it's medium to low porosity. And nope no damage, it's all pretty healthy virgin hair. Rarely have issues with dryness or bad frizz after going WO for a year, my scalp oil keeps it in pretty good shape so I don't think I need anything drastically moisturizing.

[littlestarface]

Well a stronger smell would be fine as long as it doesn't last long in my hair. The main reason I'm concerned about smell is I have a family member who can't have strong scents near them due to their health, I just want to avoid walking around with perfumed hair for their comfort. What are the other suggestions? It's possible one of my local stores might have them and then I could just smell them for myself. :p

Unfortunately I've used so few products in my lifetime that I have little idea of what my hair likes, I think I have normal or low porosity hair as products seem to sit on top more often than soaking in, so from what I've read protein probably wouldn't agree with it. Then again it may just be because my hair is so fine it's coated easily.

I appreciate the help!




The As I Am did look really good! Did the smell linger for a long time though? I read reviews that (although they loved the smell) said it stayed around for awhile.




I believe it's medium to low porosity. And nope no damage, it's all pretty healthy virgin hair. Rarely have issues with dryness or bad frizz after going WO for a year, my scalp oil keeps it in pretty good shape so I don't think I need anything drastically moisturizing.

No it doesn't linger on me but well I also use tresemme and that tea tree tingle so those 2 immediately block out that as I am smell. tea tree tingle actually even overpowers the tresemme in a good way yumm.

[Mamabearme]

I've been skimming through this thread, but haven't seen anything about L'Oreal Cleansing Conditioner. (http://https://www.amazon.com/LOreal-Paris-Evercreme-Sulfate-Free-Conditioner/dp/B00GN0EJIA/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1476237704&sr=8-3&keywords=l%27oreal+cleansing+conditioner

I tried this a few years back, and loved the way it made my hair feel. After using it for a couple months, my scalp started to itch horribly. Has anyone else tried this brand? Did it cause any problems for you?

[gthlvrmx]

I'm back! :)

[brickworld13]

Well now I know why my hair is a conditioner-holic. It's so easy to weigh it down.

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/fr/cp0/e15/q65/14711234_10155272571949409_2429639978143338851_o.j pg?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9

[littlestarface]

Hahaha mine too apparently ^

[hufflepug]

Hello all :) I've decided I'm going to try out co-washing. My hair has been really fuzzy lately. I have either breakage or new growth (I'm hoping new growth) that sticks up all over until 3-4 days post shampoo. I'm hoping co-washing will help with that, so we'll see :)

[cassandraj]

Okay, help me out here.

I've been co washing for about a month now, and I'm shedding A LOT. I'm also 11 weeks postpartum, so I know that has something to do with it, but this just seems excessive at this point.
This is what I'm losing with every wash:
http://imgur.com/TSX8cTJ

I really hoped CO would be my holy grail, especially since my hair has looked and felt sooo good. But my eczema is flaring up (which is common during season changes, but it's in spots that never usually flare up, like behind my ears), and I'm sure I'll have to switch to something else :(

[littlestarface]

Okay, help me out here.

I've been co washing for about a month now, and I'm shedding A LOT. I'm also 11 weeks postpartum, so I know that has something to do with it, but this just seems excessive at this point.
This is what I'm losing with every wash:
http://imgur.com/TSX8cTJ

I really hoped CO would be my holy grail, especially since my hair has looked and felt sooo good. But my eczema is flaring up (which is common during season changes, but it's in spots that never usually flare up, like behind my ears), and I'm sure I'll have to switch to something else :(

You should really wash your scalp with a shampoo, you can still do the CO on the hair but just lather your scalp up with some kind of shampoo. I used to get alot of shedding too if I use CO on my scalp.

[nyia]

Okay, help me out here.

I've been co washing for about a month now, and I'm shedding A LOT. I'm also 11 weeks postpartum, so I know that has something to do with it, but this just seems excessive at this point.
This is what I'm losing with every wash:
http://imgur.com/TSX8cTJ

I really hoped CO would be my holy grail, especially since my hair has looked and felt sooo good. But my eczema is flaring up (which is common during season changes, but it's in spots that never usually flare up, like behind my ears), and I'm sure I'll have to switch to something else :(

Postpartum is a difficult time, it's entirely possible that that's what's causing the shed. You're having massive hormonal, emotional, and physical changes as your body gets used to everything. Your hair certainly reflects those changes, which is why a lot of women get drastic hair cuts during and after pregnancy and childbirth.

The same can be said for your skin, a flare of eczema wouldn't be that unusual.

You could backtrack a bit, go back to your pre pregnancy routine, and make changes slowly, not more than one change every couple of months. That way, if you spot trouble, it will be easy to track it down.

[ALEXIAA]

hello, I'm 33, I'm from France. my question is the following:
for over a year, I practice the method co wash with shampoo from nature and fusion Pantene. In the beginning: hair soft, supple. I put also much gel, styling mousse in my hair.
THEY were becoming drier after a year, so I decided to return to the shampoo for dry hair.
I bought the KÉRASTASE thermal nutri: many breaks I had also for frizzy hair, black, rude to the crown: some very long, and they continue to grow in this way !!!!!
doing research, I checked on the bottles and had to silicone in my MY + after shampoo styling products: would I destroyed my hair follicles, or clogged?
Thank you for your answers!!!

[sarahthegemini]

hello, I'm 33, I'm from France. my question is the following:
for over a year, I practice the method co wash with shampoo from nature and fusion Pantene. In the beginning: hair soft, supple. I put also much gel, styling mousse in my hair.
THEY were becoming drier after a year, so I decided to return to the shampoo for dry hair.
I bought the KÉRASTASE thermal nutri: many breaks I had also for frizzy hair, black, rude to the crown: some very long, and they continue to grow in this way !!!!!
doing research, I checked on the bottles and had to silicone in my MY + after shampoo styling products: would I destroyed my hair follicles, or clogged?
Thank you for your answers!!!

I'm confused - were you co-washing or using shampoo?

[ALEXIAA]

Co wash and shampoo

[lapushka]

hello, I'm 33, I'm from France. my question is the following:
for over a year, I practice the method co wash with shampoo from nature and fusion Pantene. In the beginning: hair soft, supple. I put also much gel, styling mousse in my hair.
THEY were becoming drier after a year, so I decided to return to the shampoo for dry hair.
I bought the KÉRASTASE thermal nutri: many breaks I had also for frizzy hair, black, rude to the crown: some very long, and they continue to grow in this way !!!!!
doing research, I checked on the bottles and had to silicone in my MY + after shampoo styling products: would I destroyed my hair follicles, or clogged?
Thank you for your answers!!!

1/ silicones can't damage your hair, especially not if you clarify-wash regularly (and get rid of build-up)
2/ I'm thinking you are describing wispy hairs, that is normal to have, we all have those; that equals growth not breakage

I remember you posting about hairs of a different texture than the rest of your hair. Is it still about that? Because I'm finding it a little hard to follow along. :o

[Hay_jules]

Another cowasher here. Lately I've been fading colour so I've been using a lot of claryifying shampoo.

My favourite conditioner to use for the first part is a cheap dollar store conditioner. It's nice and light, cone free and cruelty free. It's in a purple bottle and called Silkience Silky-Smooth conditioner. It has aloe and soy protein. As far as conditioner goes it's crap but for a cowash it's very effective.
Lately I've been using the Down Under Naturals that's cone free and has coconut oil in it. It works ok but builds up very quickly.

I have a question about oils. Do you just cowash them out? I generally thought I had to shampoo them. I like to use coconut oil (as well as argan and grapeseed oils) frequently and my hair responds well to them. As I said I'm fading my colour right now so I don't mind shampooing but once I'm back to cowashing I'd like to shampoo as little as possible.

[littlestarface]

Yep I CO oils, works much better then shampooing them out thats for sure.

[triumphator!]

I had to shampoo out a mixture of shea butter, coconut oil, and avocado oil today. I just needed the extra oomph. Luckily the shampoo is pretty gentle.

[Hay_jules]

Yep I CO oils, works much better then shampooing them out thats for sure.

Thank you. I hadn't thought about it but that makes sense when you look at it from the "like removes like" scientific standpoint.

[littlestarface]

Thank you. I hadn't thought about it but that makes sense when you look at it from the "like removes like" scientific standpoint.

Yea, just leave the conditioner on for like 30mins with heat for me and rinse it out, boom no more oily hair just light n clean.

[Hay_jules]

Yea, just leave the conditioner on for like 30mins with heat for me and rinse it out, boom no more oily hair just light n clean.

Awesome thank you!

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

How often do you all find that you need/should clarify? I am co washing - cone free - with vo5 strawberries and cream and I feel a little TOO moist on my ends... but perhaps thats normal. My hair just feels the nicest after clarifying and not as great when co-washing so I am wondering if this is for me.

It does however help with my SD and other scalp problems. Eeek.

[lapushka]

How often do you all find that you need/should clarify? I am co washing - cone free - with vo5 strawberries and cream and I feel a little TOO moist on my ends... but perhaps thats normal. My hair just feels the nicest after clarifying and not as great when co-washing so I am wondering if this is for me.

It does however help with my SD and other scalp problems. Eeek.

It depends. You'll have to develop a "feel" for your own hair. Then decide. GRU on here never clarifies, I believe. She never uses shampoo. But as with everything YMMV. If you feel your ends are too too moist, might be a good idea. How much do you clarify now? How much do you wash per week?

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

It depends. You'll have to develop a "feel" for your own hair. Then decide. GRU on here never clarifies, I believe. She never uses shampoo. But as with everything YMMV. If you feel your ends are too too moist, might be a good idea. How much do you clarify now? How much do you wash per week?

Hmm let me think. I co wash maybe twice a week, every 2-3 days. I clarify once a month with an actual clarifying shampoo but every once in awhile I use a medicated shampoo on my scalp only for my SD because co-washing can only accomplish so much in that area. I try too keep it off my ends, only conditioner or a clarifying shampoo or oils ever touches my ends. I also ACV rinse after every wash -- which is also conditioning, correct? I don't know, it doesn't feel bad but I wonder about over conditioning. My hair just looks nicer to me after clarifying + smt in comparison to when I co-wash, but when I co-wash its not terrible. My hair isnt knotted, and doesnt appear to need a clarifying, but I miss the way my clarified + smt hair looks compared to the current co-washed hair.

[littlestarface]

Hmm let me think. I co wash maybe twice a week, every 2-3 days. I clarify once a month with an actual clarifying shampoo but every once in awhile I use a medicated shampoo on my scalp only for my SD because co-washing can only accomplish so much in that area. I try too keep it off my ends, only conditioner or a clarifying shampoo or oils ever touches my ends. I also ACV rinse after every wash -- which is also conditioning, correct? I don't know, it doesn't feel bad but I wonder about over conditioning. My hair just looks nicer to me after clarifying + smt in comparison to when I co-wash, but when I co-wash its not terrible. My hair isnt knotted, and doesnt appear to need a clarifying, but I miss the way my clarified + smt hair looks compared to the current co-washed hair.

You'll know when the CO is building up, hair will be limp and look dirty just after a wash.

[nyia]

ACV rinse after every wash? Do you mean you ACV rinse after every CO wash, or after every shampoo wash, or both? Just wondering, because most of us that use ACV for rinse use it when we're seeing build up, not every time, and we do it before doing our COmwash. The ACV rinse, itself, is not conditioning, it clears away built up stuff from the conditioners, or shampoo, if you use it. In essence, you aren't allowing the conditioners to do their work.

I understand about being worried about the SD, I've had psoriasis in my scalp during most of my life, but when I switched to CO, it started disappearing, and I haven't had more than a few spots since (about ten years now). I don't use shampoo more than three or four times a year, when my hair or scalp NEED to be stripped, and don't use any other kinds of cleaners or clarifiers.

A lot of people have a bit of a reaction when they first start CO washing. It can, initially, cause a case of the greasies, or increased shedding. This usually lasts from one to six weeks, if it happens at all.

Everyone has a different experience. Try different things, changing no more than one thing at a time. Then, if something goes wrong, you'll only have to look back through one or two changes to find what went wrong for you. It seems to help to keep things as simple as possible.

Your hair is unique, and your care routine could be unique, too.

[TatsuOni]

How often do you all find that you need/should clarify? I am co washing - cone free - with vo5 strawberries and cream and I feel a little TOO moist on my ends... but perhaps thats normal. My hair just feels the nicest after clarifying and not as great when co-washing so I am wondering if this is for me.

It does however help with my SD and other scalp problems. Eeek.

I don't clarify at all. It's been 3,5 years since I began with CO and my hair feels great. I now wash it every other week or less, so greasiness isn't a problem for me:p I agree with what others have said. You have to know your own hair and feel for yourself when/if it's time to clarify:)

[lapushka]

Hmm let me think. I co wash maybe twice a week, every 2-3 days. I clarify once a month with an actual clarifying shampoo but every once in awhile I use a medicated shampoo on my scalp only for my SD because co-washing can only accomplish so much in that area. I try too keep it off my ends, only conditioner or a clarifying shampoo or oils ever touches my ends. I also ACV rinse after every wash -- which is also conditioning, correct? I don't know, it doesn't feel bad but I wonder about over conditioning. My hair just looks nicer to me after clarifying + smt in comparison to when I co-wash, but when I co-wash its not terrible. My hair isnt knotted, and doesnt appear to need a clarifying, but I miss the way my clarified + smt hair looks compared to the current co-washed hair.

I have SD too and need to use harsh sulfates on my scalp to keep it under control. Since I've been doing that, I haven't needed medicated shampoo in a *long* time. I couldn't CO-wash, because that flared it up big time; oh, not immediately (yeah, itching), but after a few washes: definitely. So I stick to shampoo now, which is the best I could have done. My method is WCC (wash - condition - condition) and it works for me. YMMV. As always!

[yamsha23]

Just sharing a link to a video that may interest you: Co-washing pros and cons (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPMvDKfG1rw&t=213s).
On my side I never liked washing hair with conditioner only, Its makes it feel heavy and sticky. And it doesn't work with my oil care, it doesn't let the hair absorb anything.... But every hair is different, and it all depends on the porosity of it, on that subject she also made a video :)

[lapushka]

Just sharing a link to a video that may interest you: Co-washing pros and cons (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPMvDKfG1rw&t=213s).
On my side I never liked washing hair with conditioner only, Its makes it feel heavy and sticky. And it doesn't work with my oil care, it doesn't let the hair absorb anything.... But every hair is different, and it all depends on the porosity of it, on that subject she also made a video :)

I'm subbed to her. She does great informative videos, doesn't she? :)

[yamsha23]

I'm subbed to her. She does great informative videos, doesn't she? :)

Yes she's amazing! ^^ even if a lot of her videos are dedicated to afro hair, there is always relevant information. And I love her voice and the animation :heartbeat

[GRU]

I shampoo once a year with regular shampoo, not any kind of special "clarifying" shampoo.

I don't necessarily "need" to shampoo my hair, I just figure that it doesn't hurt to really strip it clean once a year. I just hate the way my hair feels like a bale of straw/hay while I'm foaming it up... I can't wait to slather it with conditioner afterward to get it feeling slippery again!

[GRU]

Co wash and shampoo

How often are you doing each?

For example, I typically CO-wash two or three times a week, and I only shampoo my hair once a year. Shampoo is VERY drying to my hair, and I prefer the gentle and moisturizing cleansing action of conditioner rather than the harsh abuse of shampoo.


Also, to respond to your first question, silicone isn't going to clog or damage your hair follicles at all. Changes in hair texture are usually either related to hormonal changes (puberty, pregnancy, menopause) or to changes in the moisture level of the hair (for example, hair that used to be just wavy may develop more curl when properly moisturized and/or no longer abused by heat styling).

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I don't clarify at all. It's been 3,5 years since I began with CO and my hair feels great. I now wash it every other week or less, so greasiness isn't a problem for me:p I agree with what others have said. You have to know your own hair and feel for yourself when/if it's time to clarify:)

OH BOY. And you know, I basically like, worship you and your hair so... I will take your advice and just keep an eye on it. I plan to two step tomorrow, eyes on my hair for now!heh.

[TatsuOni]

OH BOY. And you know, I basically like, worship you and your hair so... I will take your advice and just keep an eye on it. I plan to two step tomorrow, eyes on my hair for now!heh.

Thank you! :flower: Good luck with it! :D

[Missmylonglocks]

I love CO wash. My curly hair is much more manageable

[emilynella]

So I thought I had hair that was damaged beyond repair... Because I had bleached it to feel like straw 3 months ago.. I tried many many masks.. deep conditioning treatments .. protien treatments , etc. My hair felt sticky while drying and then when it finally dried (which took hours unless I blasted it with the hair dryer) it felt good for a day and then it was dry and tangly the next day. Last week I stumbled upon the curly girl site and thought I'll give it one last go for something to help my hair ..So, I used sulfate shampoo one more time really well and then a cheap cone free conditioner and then a heavier cone free conditioner after. Towel dried and left it to mostly air dry which happened super fast! My hair was soft at the bottom.. it felt like hair . After a week of cone free conditioner only washes my hair is shiney!!! Light actually shines on my hair I don't think even my hair before all my bleach damage did that! I am totally amazed and my hair doesn't stick together anymore. Could it be that my hair on top of being damaged was having silicone build up? For a few weeks I was using sulfate free shampoo just because it was on sale and I was still using heavy silicone conditioner.. I'm thinking that might of what made my hair feel so sticky and coated feeling and dry underneath that!

Sorry for going on and on ... I really hope this keeps working so well because I'm amazed at what my hair is feeling like right when I was about to give up on it!!

[Beborani]

I shampoo once a year with regular shampoo, not any kind of special "clarifying" shampoo.

I don't necessarily "need" to shampoo my hair, I just figure that it doesn't hurt to really strip it clean once a year. I just hate the way my hair feels like a bale of straw/hay while I'm foaming it up... I can't wait to slather it with conditioner afterward to get it feeling slippery again!

This! I have actually stopped shampooing even occasionally (not done for over 2 years now) and don't miss it at all. I am not silicone free and and use a lot of oils and leave ins-- everything washes out clean without issues.

[01]

Hey guys. I have reverse problem than Rebecca. I absolutely LOVE how my hair looks after CO - perfect, big, 3a curls without using any leave-in or gel. Totally effortless, I just CO and that's it. But my body can't take it. I've been known to actually almost faint after using conditioner :/. Some of the 'better ones' just give me a rash. Meanwhile, my hair look like **** on WO (total dryness on first try, now totally oily absolutely all the time) but my scalp feels almost perfect and I've been feeling so well that I began to wash once every 1,5 or 2 weeks without any stretching washes, it just happened. When I clarify (rarely, with egg yolk) it still works - if I fingercomb then my hair are clean for about two weeks.

I don't expect medical advice, of course! But I noticed some people in various threads have my problem - their hair do well on one method but scalp hates it, while scalp likes another method but hair looks bad on it. Is there way out of this limbo? And, more importantly (and why I wrote in CO thread) does rash thing depends on the product? Did anyone had that problem and fixed it by choosing the right conditioner?

[Tosca]

A rash sounds like you have an allergy or sensitivity to an ingredient.

My hair is a-okay with shampoo, but it dries out my scalp and makes it flakey, a light coney condish for CO means my scalp is happy but my hair gets oily really quickly, and my current cone free CO is okayyyy but not perfect. So I feel you on the 'hair vs scalp' issue. Maybe I just need to suck it up and try stretching washes with my coney condish.

[lapushka]

I don't expect medical advice, of course! But I noticed some people in various threads have my problem - their hair do well on one method but scalp hates it, while scalp likes another method but hair looks bad on it. Is there way out of this limbo? And, more importantly (and why I wrote in CO thread) does rash thing depends on the product? Did anyone had that problem and fixed it by choosing the right conditioner?

Of course nobody *can* give you medical advice; but have you ever gone to the doctor to rule out allergies. It seems like torture not to be able to use any kind of product for fear of consequences. Seems like it would be worthwile to have it checked out!

[01]

I've been to doctors (a lot), they didn't help.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

So i think I may be leaving the CO thread guys! Been doing it for years but I think my hair really likes CWC more... I need the sulphates :* My hair turns to.. gunk, without them. I may be quitting the oils too but we will see.

[Crystawni]

I've been COing for about four months now after CWCing for a few years, and my previously itchy scalp (suspect sulphates, although direct heat--like the sun--is not my friend) and hair are loving it. But only if I use diluted Joico K-Pak conditioner on the scalp. Yup, my hair is a money-gobbling diva. Anything else leaves a residue, or I get helmet head and/or a case of the greasies fairly quickly. The K-Pak leaves my hair light, soft, clean and shiny for days; actually more days than I like to leave between washes. I'm glad I've found what works for me, but why does my hair have to pick the most expensive, hard to get conditioner for me to get? Pfft.

[gthlvrmx]

Hey CO washers, I am back and this time I mean it, I am back. I am ditching shampoo one more time and only clarifying as needed.

I don't remember why I stopped now. I just keep remembering my scalp smelled when I CO washed but I know why; I was not using enough conditioner and not manipulating/lathering it in enough onto my scalp. Once I did that, kaboom, I could last 2 weeks+ without washing and I wouldn't stink or need a wash! I spent about 2 years without many splits or breakage while CO washing. Now that I have switched to shampoo, I have even gotten a false stall, yes, a false stall, from what I am suspecting might be from dryness caused by the shampoo I use. So much breakage. So many splits. My ends feel dry. My hair does not agree with shampoo. I tried using regular shampoo and regular conditioner in my last wash, except I left the conditioner on for a longer amount of time, and I am amazed by the results. It's been months since I have had hair as soft and smooth as this, all thanks to conditioner.

I had a perfectly fine routine with CO washing before where I usually had such soft hair. Tangles were normal, I still have them while using shampoo, so what was the point? At least the solution was a clarifying wash, instead of snipping off individual ends of hairs. So back to CO washing it is.

[arelrios]

So i think I may be leaving the CO thread guys! Been doing it for years but I think my hair really likes CWC more... I need the sulphates :* My hair turns to.. gunk, without them. I may be quitting the oils too but we will see.

I am with you.... After all this time...Even when I haven't CO washed in months, I am officially leaving the thread because of the SD I developed (due to stress and CO might have even helped) ...

So, right now the only thing that touches my scalp is medicated 2% shampoo...

[lapushka]

I am with you.... After all this time...Even when I haven't CO washed in months, I am officially leaving the thread because of the SD I developed (due to stress and CO might have even helped) ...

So, right now the only thing that touches my scalp is medicated 2% shampoo...

Good luck! Stick with it until every symptom is fully gone. For me the itch usually is the first to get attacked / to go, then the rest, the flaking, the redness (which I sometimes have, other times no). When it's really bad I get redness.

[Salwety]

After 14 month of not using shampoo, I thougth that it might be time to do one shampoo wash. I didn't put much much or leave it for long, and it wasn't enough to lather. How I missed the smell of my old shampoo , I used to used it for years before.
But then I put on tons of protien conditioner and oil as leave in. See you shampoo after another year, or never.
Actually I wasn't feeling any build up before ( even if I had one, I would oil my scalp and hair and do a through co wash) , and the only effect after shampoo is a little more dry hair.

[Salwety]

Amendment, it is not a little drier, it is a lot drier. I regret clarifying. I might stay WO for a whole month to restore my sebum base before trying even to CO again ..... ugh:(

[Kassie]

I just started a CO routine and so far so good. Still CWC once a week because my hair gets greasy but hopefully this helps with my ends being dry and frizzy. (:

[Ophidian]

Well, after ~7 months of WO, I decided to experiment with a new wash routine. I s&c'd a few times, which was ok but I started getting some dry ends and the length felt weird so I clarified and did an SMT. Through all of this, I realized that while I think I did have some build-up (cone-free so it would have been oils and/or sebum), my hair hates being "naked." So here I am :).

I did my first CO-wash on Sunday with Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle condititioner as my "wash" one and Desert Essence Coconut as my heavier conditioner. So far my only complaint is that my hair is too slippery to stay in an updo, which isn't a terrible problem to have ;)

[littlestarface]

Well, after ~7 months of WO, I decided to experiment with a new wash routine. I s&c'd a few times, which was ok but I started getting some dry ends and the length felt weird so I clarified and did an SMT. Through all of this, I realized that while I think I did have some build-up (cone-free so it would have been oils and/or sebum), my hair hates being "naked." So here I am :).

I did my first CO-wash on Sunday with Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle condititioner as my "wash" one and Desert Essence Coconut as my heavier conditioner. So far my only complaint is that my hair is too slippery to stay in an updo, which isn't a terrible problem to have ;)

Trader joes tea tree tingle is my most ultimate favorite cleansing conditioner. Glad you had success with it too.

[Ophidian]

Thanks littlestarface! I also like that it's on the cheaper side :)

[mizukitty]

Cowashed with my favorite Suave Clarifying conditioner and my hair is soooo happy. Restored all that stripped moisture, but the roots are still really lightweight and I have tons of volume. The face framing waves I have are defined and soft, it's so smooth overall. I've tried so many other Suave conditioners for this, and I swear nothing competes with this one. :love::love::love:

[Epie]

I shampoo once a week and co-was once a week. I cannot get away with co-wash only; however since replacing one of my two weekly shampoos with a co-wash. It has done wonders for my hair! Shampooing twice a week was way too much for my hair - but not shampoo at all turns my scalp into a mess.

So technically not a member of this club but...

All hail the co-wash!

[mizukitty]

I shampoo once a week and co-was once a week. I cannot get away with co-wash only; however since replacing one of my two weekly shampoos with a co-wash. It has done wonders for my hair! Shampooing twice a week was way too much for my hair - but not shampoo at all turns my scalp into a mess.

So technically not a member of this club but...

All hail the co-wash!

Yes, I do something similar. My scalp would hate me if I COwashed exclusively, but my length really benefits from it. So I mix it up and I think my hair is happiest that way.

[ElisabethS]

I wet my hair and scrub and then add the undiluted conditioner to my hair, scrub, let it sit and then scrub again. Then I rinse. Today I then did another round of conditioner and rinsed. I do wonder if I am rinsing good enough. Am I supposed to be diluting the conditioner?

i dilute my conditioner 1:1 and put it on dry hair with an applicator bottle, let it sit for maybe 5 to 10 mins and then hop in the shower.

[vpatt]

Has anyone found a good replacement for the Tresemme Naturals conditioner that was discontinued? I read somewhere that Perfectly Undone was comparable. Maybe I will give it a try.

[littlestarface]

Has anyone found a good replacement for the Tresemme Naturals conditioner that was discontinued? I read somewhere that Perfectly Undone was comparable. Maybe I will give it a try.

That and botanique is pretty good for cleansing, my ultimate fave for cleansing tho has to be trader joes tea tree tingle, that leaves my hair clean bouncy and smelling oh too good.

[vpatt]

That and botanique is pretty good for cleansing, my ultimate fave for cleansing tho has to be trader joes tea tree tingle, that leaves my hair clean bouncy and smelling oh too good.

Hmmm....seems I remember having the Tea Tree Tingle stashed somewhere. I tried the Botanique which I think had the best smell but did not clean my hair as well.

I've actually been playing with WO but pretty sure I will be combining with CO and diluted shampoo. Too many things to try, lol.

[littlestarface]

Hmmm....seems I remember having the Tea Tree Tingle stashed somewhere. I tried the Botanique which I think had the best smell but did not clean my hair as well.

I've actually been playing with WO but pretty sure I will be combining with CO and diluted shampoo. Too many things to try, lol.
Undone i'd say that would be the one to replace naturals it comes closest for sure.
Lol tell me about it

[vpatt]

I'm gonna check Wal-Mart, thank you!

[Katia_k]

I'm giving this a try. My very first journey into the natural hair movement was cowashing. But I did it without knowing about what silicones could do, and ended up with an itchy scalp and a lot of build-up. Assumed it was because of low porosity hair, and gave it up as a bad job, switched to a gentle clarifyer, and called it good. But lately I've gotten fed up with my dry-scalp flakies, and think I'm gonna give it a try again.

Gonna use teatree tingle tomorrow, and bought some MopTop on sale. I also didn't know about doing real scrubbing with cowashing the first time, so gonna give that a shot. May also keep an ACV rinse in the mix, just because my hair seems to like it and I need every bit of detangling help I can get. So...a cautious hello for now.

[nyia]

Has anyone found a good replacement for the Tresemme Naturals conditioner that was discontinued? I read somewhere that Perfectly Undone was comparable. Maybe I will give it a try.

I've found the Tresemme Naturals orange and lemongrass at Big Lots. There were a couple of other "flavors" as well, but I do like the citrus for my hair.

[Chiffon]

Hi all, I'm new to CO-washing. I avoided it for a long time because I have an extremely oily scalp (I mean OILY, if I wash in the morning, it looks greasy that night). Reading the testimonies of other oilies having success tempted me to try it. I just had another failed attempt and I'm wondering if this method is just not for me.

First try: I grabbed a random coney conditioner and it worked pretty well.
Second try: Tried a different coney conditioner, results weren't as good as the first time.
Third try: I decided to use a cone-free conditioner (V05 Sunkissed Raspberry). I stepped out of the shower with heavy hair that did not feel clean/looked coated once it dried. I did not scrub with the conditioner, just let it sit and rinsed out. I also didn't use enough.
Fourth try: I bought the V05 Kiwi conditioner since I read it is good. I used a giant handful and scrubbed and rinsed very, very well. Once dry, hair still felt dirty/heavy/weighed down but didn't look coated or greasy until the next day.

Most recent attempt: I made sure that my last wash was with a clarifying shampoo. Tried the same method as attempt 4. Stepped out of the shower and it is greaseball central now. :( Hair looks exactly what had scared me off from this method. My hair was wet before applying conditioner, in case that's important.

Can someone tell me if I'm doing something wrong or if I should move on from this method?

I'd appreciate any insight. :flower:

[Crystawni]

Chiffon, I had similar results when using (the US version) V05 and other non-coney conditioners on my scalp compared to coney ones. At the moment, my scalp HG is 4 pumps of Joico K-Pak diluted in a fair bit of water, and yet if I do that with V05--ickness. Even gobs of some of the V05s don't work without some sort of residual or oily/dirty feeling, unlike the consistently fresh, light and clean feeling of the K-Pak that stays that way for days. I've also tried TRESemmé Naturals Nourishing Moisture x Perfectly (Un)done (to stretch what I had left of the now-discontinued NNM), but find it's better on my lengths, with the V05s sometimes used as the first C on my lengths if doing WCC (wash, cond, cond). As the K-Pak is a luxury buy, I've been hunting for cheaper alternatives, especially those that are cone-free, but the ones I've found to work are now no longer available. Pfft. And some other coney conditioners just don't give the same results as the K-Pak. All up, if I stick with a consistent washing method and my crown takes a long time to dry compared to the rest of my hair, and feels coated, it's going to pretty much stay that way and look greasy (= cond. fail for me). Sooooo, all I can say is if you find something that works (like your first try), well, that's probably your go-to, cones, or not; diluted, or not. Good luck, and welcome to posting on the forum! :D

[Dark40]

I'm checking in today of co-washing using Alberto VO5 conditioner, and the results were awesome!!! I love co-washing my hair!!!! I do it 5 times a week.

[mizukitty]

Just a little update: I now go about my CO washing technique a little differently. I use my squeeze hair color applicator bottle and fill it with about 6oz of water and ~1oz of conditioner and shake it up. Then I apply the entirety to my scalp, and the emulsion is really slippy and foamy, and spreads so much better than glopping conditioner straight onto my scalp. I find it to cleanse a lot better and more completely, and I go through conditioner a lot slower this way. Love it.

[Kae612]

I tried CO this wash day. Ended up with more wave in my hair that lasted a bit longer which was nice. My hair feels just as clean, and my scalp seems fine. I did seem to use a lot of conditioner for my scalp, so I like the sound of diluting it next time.

[Tosca]

Chiffon, I had similar results when using (the US version) V05 and other non-coney conditioners on my scalp compared to coney ones. At the moment, my scalp HG is 4 pumps of Joico K-Pak diluted in a fair bit of water, and yet if I do that with V05--ickness. Even gobs of some of the V05s don't work without some sort of residual or oily/dirty feeling, unlike the consistently fresh, light and clean feeling of the K-Pak that stays that way for days. I've also tried TRESemmé Naturals Nourishing Moisture x Perfectly (Un)done (to stretch what I had left of the now-discontinued NNM), but find it's better on my lengths, with the V05s sometimes used as the first C on my lengths if doing WCC (wash, cond, cond). As the K-Pak is a luxury buy, I've been hunting for cheaper alternatives, especially those that are cone-free, but the ones I've found to work are now no longer available. Pfft. And some other coney conditioners just don't give the same results as the K-Pak. All up, if I stick with a consistent washing method and my crown takes a long time to dry compared to the rest of my hair, and feels coated, it's going to pretty much stay that way and look greasy (= cond. fail for me). Sooooo, all I can say is if you find something that works (like your first try), well, that's probably your go-to, cones, or not; diluted, or not. Good luck, and welcome to posting on the forum! :D

On finding a cheaper alternative to the Joico, I'm having success with Nature's Organics Fruits conditioner, the pink 'cleansing' one. The first 4 ingredients are Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Centrimonium Chloride, and Dimethicone. It's about $2 for 500ml at Woolies.

[Crystawni]

Ooooh, good to know, Tosca. Thank you! My grown daughters love the Fruits range (especially the scents), but I've never tried them. I think their other line, Organic Care, put me off after leaving my hair very coated, lifeless and rough. :justy: The pink one I've found at Woolies online is a "fine limp berry" (https://www.woolworths.com.au/Shop/Browse/toiletries-beauty-health-wellbeing/family-shampoo-conditioner?name=natures-organic-conditioner-fine-limp-berry&productId=104200) one, although the label says Wild Berry, as does the product website (https://www.naturesorganics.com.au/our-products/haircare/fruits/wild-berry-shampoo-conditioner). Typo, mayhaps--fine/limp hair x berry? :roll: I will be on the lookout for it when I next shop in store, and will keep you posted!

[Lauraes]

Count me in as a new CO washer! I love being able to wash daily without the harshness of shampoo. :) Once a week I am putting shampoo on my scalp, however (CWC method).

[Arctic]

Fine limp berry! :spitting:

[Crystawni]

Well, my hair has now experienced some fine limp berry, :suspect: aka Fruits Wild Berry. It didn't have the light, freshness the Joico K-Pak gives me, but also didn't have the degree of waxy-coatedness the other conditioners (like V05) leaves while drying. Today is the day-after wash day, and my crown is slightly waxy, but again, not like other conditioners that would leave it looking limp, separated and greasy. I'll try it diluted (like the K-Pak) next time and see where that gets me.

[Kae612]

I tried CO washing again for the second time. I've washed my hair 2x in the last 4 weeks, both CO washing with a "cleansing conditioner" from Snow Water Soap Company. It definitely seems to get my scalp clean, but washing once every 2 weeks isn't great. I'm being too lazy lol. It doesn't look terrible but the flakes start coming back around a week and a half. But I haven't really noticed a difference in "clean-ness" with CO vs shampoo. I'll shampoo eventually I think, because I am using some cones on my length (not my scalp) but it's an interesting experiment. :D I'll probably clarify everything when I'm ready to re-dye. I'm tracking everything I'm trying out in my blog, so if I have any new opinions, or I try a new conditioner on my scalp, I'll make a comment here. But it's pretty neat so far!

[JadedByEntropy]

I used the opportunity of running out of shampoo to try this-and loved it. Am looking forward to my hair's response to the changes and hoping for a lot more healthy hair.

It's always been dry and my scalp is always dry and i get build up long before grease..so i'm hoping this balances out my natural shortcomings.

[RedJen]

Hi! It's been a while since I've been around here, but I've been CO washing for a while now-- at least a couple years. I'm trying to encourage my natural wave/ curl. Occasionally, I do straighten my hair, which means a regular wash to get the protectants out, but usually, it's just CO twice a week. I love it! I'm going to try that trick with the squeeze bottle.

[Crystawni]

Well, my hair has now experienced some fine limp berry, :suspect: aka Fruits Wild Berry. It didn't have the light, freshness the Joico K-Pak gives me, but also didn't have the degree of waxy-coatedness the other conditioners (like V05) leaves while drying. Today is the day-after wash day, and my crown is slightly waxy, but again, not like other conditioners that would leave it looking limp, separated and greasy. I'll try it diluted (like the K-Pak) next time and see where that gets me.

Diluting was a bust--the results were the same as the conditioners that didn't work. Adding a dribble of shampoo to the diluted cond. for the scalp only worked okay, though. I should note that my length and ends are always cone-free or coney CO (often C--runny, C--heavier or CC C--mask), unless I'm clarifying.

Yesterday was a K-Pak day, and it's still the only cond. that works a treat on my scalp. Gah. Coming in 2nd, with the same dilution as the K-Pak, is the now-discontinued Woolies Everyday Apple Splash cond. (am using what's left sparingly), and 3rd would be gobfulls of Select Family Moisturising (dry hair, cocoa butter), or Refreshing (normal hair, aloe) conditioner.

[JadedByEntropy]

Letting my scalp dry in a top bun, the baby Wisps are now ringlets. They fall out when I touched them, but I didn't know my hair had actual curly curls in it! I'd thought it was all kinks! Now I'm wondering about CO potential. I may, because of swimming, have to put shampoo in my conditioner those days, but now I've sprained my foot so I've got a few weeks to keep trying it

[Dark40]

Just checking in saying that I've COwashed my hair today with Pantene CO-wash conditioner, and the results are amazing!!! I've been COing for a long while. I would say for a good 10 years, and my hair loves it. I do use a cone free clarifying shampoo once a month to get rid of build up, and I also use a sulfate shampoo once or twice a week to also get rid of build up.

[Dark40]

[QUOTE=JadedByEntropy;3386361]Letting my scalp dry in a top bun, the baby Wisps are now ringlets. They fall out when I touched them, but I didn't know my hair had actual curly curls in it! I'd thought it was all kinks! Now I'm wondering about CO potential. I may, because of swimming, have to put shampoo in my conditioner those days, but now I've sprained my foot so I've got a few weeks to keep trying it[/QUOT

Hey there! :) I'm so sorry to hear about you spraining your foot. I know the feeling. I really think I've sprained my leg walking on my treadmill by putting too much strain on it. Oh, I love COing my hair!! And, my hair loves it too!!! I really think your beautiful thick long hair would love COing!!!

[JadedByEntropy]

Hey there! :) I'm so sorry to hear about you spraining your foot. I know the feeling. I really think I've sprained my leg walking on my treadmill by putting too much strain on it. Oh, I love COing my hair!! And, my hair loves it too!!! I really think your beautiful thick long hair would love COing!!!

thank you, i've just discovered the CO thing isn't weird at all, and enjoy what CO is doing so far <3 oh, yeah, i'm gathering a list of injuries x( hope you heal back soon. <3

[WillOTree]

I think I may have found a routine. Oiling, shampooing and condish one day a week, skip a day of washing, then CO wash every other day (every day if I need it). My hair loves it so far. :cheer:

[Lauraes]

I think I've found my routine as well! I'm CO-washing every day and clarifying with sulfate shampoo once a month followed by a CO-wash. My hair doesn't seem to like deep treatments very much, but I use leave-ins every day (cone-y leave-in conditioner and EVOO).

[Synester]

i've been redirected to this thread, whats everyones favorite conditioner for co washing. i used to use a panteen cleansing conditioner and wondered whats the difference between regular conditioner and cleansing conditioner. do they both cleanse? i dont know much about the topic

[littlestarface]

i've been redirected to this thread, whats everyones favorite conditioner for co washing. i used to use a panteen cleansing conditioner and wondered whats the difference between regular conditioner and cleansing conditioner. do they both cleanse? i dont know much about the topic

Try suave naturals any flavor you like I use coconut one mixed with honey a great cleanser. Trader joes tea tree tingle smells great and really cleans my hair of all the oil I put on, As I am coconut cowash works great as well.

I use those^ with very much success and I don't even need to ever shampoo my length.

The reason is you want something light, no heavy stuff that can coat the hairs too much becuz if its too heavy of a product then it wont clean all the oils off properly, so you want a lighter conditioner to cleanse but moisturize at the same time.

[Crystawni]

i've been redirected to this thread, whats everyones favorite conditioner for co washing. i used to use a panteen cleansing conditioner and wondered whats the difference between regular conditioner and cleansing conditioner. do they both cleanse? i dont know much about the topic

I've mentioned mine a few times recently: Joico K-Pak conditioner. I use 4 squirts from the monolithic bottle into a smaller squirt bottle (ex-liquid soap) and dilute that with about 100ml water, giving it a decent shake up before applying it to my scalp.

V05 is quite popular, but doesn't work for me (my thoughts here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2898&p=3375759&viewfull=1#post3375759)). And the only cleansing conditioner I've tried, Fruits Wild Berry, didn't work as well as the K-Pak. The other conditioners I use are mentioned in this post (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2898&p=3385147&viewfull=1#post3385147).

[JadedByEntropy]

littlestarface thanks for the tip- the swave cheapies worked better than my thick conditioners!

This is the first time I was able to wash well-overdue hair ONCE and feel clean! I'm a little shocked..and grateful to have this community . I'm more than hooked on the CO.

I do have a question, since I do workout..is it okay to wash often? I'm shedding the same amount whether I wash once a week or every other day

[Crystawni]

littlestarface thanks for the tip- the swave cheapies worked better than my thick conditioners!

This is the first time I was able to wash well-overdue hair ONCE and feel clean! I'm a little shocked..and grateful to have this community . I'm more than hooked on the CO.

I do have a question, since I do workout..is it okay to wash often? I'm shedding the same amount whether I wash once a week or every other day

CO washing tends to be gentler than shampooing, with less stripping of the hair. I think you'd only have to worry about frequent washing if you feel it's too much handling (mechanical damage), or that it could cause hygral fatigue (hair is like timber, and expands and contracts with moisture), or if you're an infrequent trimmer going for the longest lengths you can (so need your ends to be babied). I like to feel fresh (dealing with constant humid heat, workouts, swimming), and trim my hair about 3x a year, so don't have a worry washing every couple of days. Actually, before I joined LHC a few years ago, I washed every day (s & c), and my hair was as good as it is today. It's my scalp that prefers CO, though.

[JadedByEntropy]

CO washing tends to be gentler than shampooing, with less stripping of the hair. I think you'd only have to worry about frequent washing if you feel it's too much handling (mechanical damage), or that it could cause hygral fatigue (hair is like timber, and expands and contracts with moisture), or if you're an infrequent trimmer going for the longest lengths you can (so need your ends to be babied). I like to feel fresh (dealing with constant humid heat, workouts, swimming), and trim my hair about 3x a year, so don't have a worry washing every couple of days. Actually, before I joined LHC a few years ago, I washed every day (s & c), and my hair was as good as it is today. It's my scalp that prefers CO, though.

Oh, thank you! i might be going through a shed (along with my schipperke). CO has created much less handling since i'm not rewashing a minimum of twice because of shampoo! I'm a once-a-week hair washer that has had to adapt to a much shorter schedule because of humidity/workouts/swimming (wow we're so alike! haha). Just making sure i'm not overdoing it.
BTW: How do you get chlorine out? its so sticky and crispy after the pool :(

[reilly0167]

Not to deter the recent post, but I have a question. I just bought herbal essences cleansing conditioner. One is the naked version with the calming scent if herbal mint fusion and the other is the color me happy one. Has anyone use these?

[Crystawni]

Oh, thank you! i might be going through a shed (along with my schipperke). CO has created much less handling since i'm not rewashing a minimum of twice because of shampoo! I'm a once-a-week hair washer that has had to adapt to a much shorter schedule because of humidity/workouts/swimming (wow we're so alike! haha). Just making sure i'm not overdoing it.
BTW: How do you get chlorine out? its so sticky and crispy after the pool :(

Hahaha, we are alike! As for swimming, I normally pre-oil my hair with coconut oil until my hair is damp to create a barrier, then twist-bun it up high, securing it with a Flexi-8 XL. But with my current salt-water pool that also self-chlorinates, I don't have any issues (no pre-oil needed). I find either way, conditioner works well enough, although I clarify almost monthly, depending on how things feel.

[jaquelines]

I've found your post while I was searching on google about the product (which I occasionally use -smells nice and leaves my hair smooth) to make sure it has no cones ( I am a no/cone user) and someone on a site mentioned it is filled with cones??


I'm wondering if anyone can see something in this conditioner that might not work with CO-washing? There are so many ingredients I have no clue what they are... (The conditioner is Le petit Marseillais "au lait de karité et au miel" (shea butter? and honey) )

Ingredients: Aqua, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Linolenic Polyglycerides, butyrospermum Parkii butter, Mel, sodium levulinate, cinnamic acid, levulinic acid, glyceryl caprylate, lecithin, ceteareth-20, glyceryl stearate, polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate, isopropyl alcohol, xanthan gum, citric acid, sodium not work with CO-washing? As far as I see I don't see any mineral oils, cones or parabens, but I might miss something else phytate, sodium benzoate, parfum, linalool, benzyl salicylate, Cl 17200, Cl 19140

[ghanima]

Do you guys know if Franck Provost - Expert Nutrition+ Après-Shampooing Soin Professionnel Pour Cheveux Epais, Très Secs Ou Frisés (https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B005GZHZ20/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1X6FK5RDHNB96) would be good for co-washing? I couldn't find the composition to paste here, in the description it's said not to have silicones. It is recommended for mediterranean hair, which is my type of hair, being italian.
Any other products sold in France that you feel like recommending? My only experience with co-washing, positive so far, is with Timotei Après Shampoing Pure Nutrition & Légèreté (https://www.amazon.fr/Timotei-Apr%C3%A8s-Shampoing-Nutrition-L%C3%A9g%C3%A8ret%C3%A9/dp/B019JWQZKI/ref=sr_1_5?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1492242933&sr=1-5&keywords=timotei+apr%C3%A8s+shampoing). I used it both for washing and for conditioning, just to simplify.
Here in France, where I live, many CO products I've read about aren't available.

[lapushka]

ghanima, I have used the Franck Provost as a regular conditioner. If your scalp is very dry, I'd recommend it. If oily, not so much. It is a conditioner I liken to my Herbal Essences Hello Hydration, which also is for dry damaged hair. I only use it on my lengths though.

I don't know about you, but if you have Syoss conditioners available to you, then I'd go with those. They are less "powerful" for detangling and might be better at "cleaning".

[ghanima]

Thank you Lapushka, yes my scalp is very dry. So it could be working for me?

Do you mean something like this (https://www.amazon.fr/Saint-Algue-Syoss-Apr%C3%A8s-Shampooing-Repair/dp/B005GZH1RE/ref=pd_sim_194_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=SQ41XHE7RP8R0ARPX9JS)? great, it's also cheap!
Composition / Ingrédients
Aqua, sodium laureth sulfate, disodium cocoamphodiacetate, peg-7 glyceryl cocoate, peg-12 dimethicone, prunus armeniaca kernel oil, panthenol, niacinamide, sodium chloride, citric acid, polyquaternium-10, glycol distearate, laureth-2, sodium benzoate, parfum, hydroxypropyltrimonium hydrolyzed wheat protein, laureth-4, hydrogenated castor oil, salicylic acid, peg-55 propylene glycol oleate, cocamidopropyl betaine, glycerin, peg-14m, propylene glycol, limonene, hexyl cinnamal, butylphenyl methylpropional, benzyl salicylate, linalool, mica, benzyl alcohol, CI 77891.

I know very little, just that both peg-12 dimethicone and polyquaterium-10 are water soluble. Are there other cones here that could give trouble?

[Arctic]

^ That looks like an INCI of a shampoo, not a conditioner. :flower:

[lapushka]

^ That looks like an INCI of a shampoo, not a conditioner. :flower:

Yep, that's what I thought.

Yes why not give it a go (the Franck Provost). They have this one in Belgium too, and I quite like it.

[ghanima]

Ha! lol this is just to show how little I understand of this chemical stuff...
the composition was given by a costumer, I'll see if by chance I can find the correct one

[ghanima]

Ok, I found it:
Aqua - Cetearyl Alchool - Quaternium-87 - Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine - Citric Acid - Dimethicone - Distearoylethyl Hydroxylethylmonium Methosulphate - Isopropyl Myristate - Hydrolized Keratin - Prnus Armeniaca Kernel Oil - Panthenol - Glycerin - Propylene Glycol - Phenoxyethanol - Dimethiconol - Sodium Methylparaben - Parfum- Polyquaternium-10 - Hexyl Cinnamal - Butylphenyl Methylpropional - Benzyl Salicylate - Linalool -Benzyl Alcohol - Limonene -Potassium Sorbate.

I think I can't use it for CO-wash? which isn't a must for me at all, I have still no idea if it's the good thing for my hair, after two weeks I am still just experimenting. Initially my scalp was rather unhappy, some areas felt a bit sore, but then it rapidly calmed down and it looks maybe healthier and less dry than with shampoos. And the hair feel less dry than usual.

I will now look for the composition of the conditioner of Provost just to be sure - I enjoyed the zen exercise of copying these names from a picture...

[ghanima]

Aqua/water, cetearyl alcohol, elaeis guineensis oil/palm oil, behentrimonium chloride, glycerin, Cl 19140/yellow 5, Cl 14700/red 4, stearamidopropyl dimethylamine, chlorhexidine dihydrochloride, cocos nucifera oil/coconut oil, isopropyl alcohol, citric acid, hexyl cinnamal, butyrospermum parkii butter/shea butter, benzyl alcohol, benzyl salicylate, parfum/fragrance (FIL C50583/1). Sans silicone.

[rouxlala]

Just checking in saying that I've COwashed my hair today with Pantene CO-wash conditioner, and the results are amazing!!! I've been COing for a long while. I would say for a good 10 years, and my hair loves it. I do use a cone free clarifying shampoo once a month to get rid of build up, and I also use a sulfate shampoo once or twice a week to also get rid of build up.

They make conditioners specifically for CO washing?

[littlestarface]

They make conditioners specifically for CO washing?

Yea theres one I use called As I am coconut cowash but usually anything lightweight will clean it.

[reilly0167]

They make conditioners specifically for CO washing?
Yes they do, like the one mentioned before( as I am) just recently used herbal essences naked cleansing conditioner. I did the roo ( rinse out oil method) with it and I'm sold on it:) I went out and stock up on more bottles of this.:cheer:

[lapushka]

Ok, I found it:
Aqua - Cetearyl Alchool - Quaternium-87 - Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine - Citric Acid - Dimethicone - Distearoylethyl Hydroxylethylmonium Methosulphate - Isopropyl Myristate - Hydrolized Keratin - Prnus Armeniaca Kernel Oil - Panthenol - Glycerin - Propylene Glycol - Phenoxyethanol - Dimethiconol - Sodium Methylparaben - Parfum- Polyquaternium-10 - Hexyl Cinnamal - Butylphenyl Methylpropional - Benzyl Salicylate - Linalool -Benzyl Alcohol - Limonene -Potassium Sorbate.

I think I can't use it for CO-wash? which isn't a must for me at all, I have still no idea if it's the good thing for my hair, after two weeks I am still just experimenting. Initially my scalp was rather unhappy, some areas felt a bit sore, but then it rapidly calmed down and it looks maybe healthier and less dry than with shampoos. And the hair feel less dry than usual.

I will now look for the composition of the conditioner of Provost just to be sure - I enjoyed the zen exercise of copying these names from a picture...

Why can't you use it for a CO wash? You'll just have to use it and see if you like it or not.


Aqua/water, cetearyl alcohol, elaeis guineensis oil/palm oil, behentrimonium chloride, glycerin, Cl 19140/yellow 5, Cl 14700/red 4, stearamidopropyl dimethylamine, chlorhexidine dihydrochloride, cocos nucifera oil/coconut oil, isopropyl alcohol, citric acid, hexyl cinnamal, butyrospermum parkii butter/shea butter, benzyl alcohol, benzyl salicylate, parfum/fragrance (FIL C50583/1). Sans silicone.

What's this last one? The Provost?

Honestly, I don't think anyone can give you the "outcome" of a conditioner, of how it's going to perform on your head just based on the ingredients alone. You have to experiment with these things on your own. No 2 heads of hair are alike.

Good luck!

[ghanima]

Ah ok, I thought that cones were universally a no-no for CO-washing, unless water soluble? I would honestly love getting past this condition as I feel good about CO-washing but I would rather be free to try out all conditioners in the market instead of just the cone-free minority.

The last formula is the Provost, yes.

[rouxlala]

Ah ok, I thought that cones were universally a no-no for CO-washing, unless water soluble? I would honestly love getting past this condition as I feel good about CO-washing but I would rather be free to try out all conditioners in the market instead of just the cone-free minority.

The last formula is the Provost, yes.

I thought sulfates and 'cones were both damaging, no? Or is this just if you have color-treated hair?

[ghanima]

No, not necessarily. A lot of people, the majority I'd say, do really well with cones, as long as they clarify every now and then.

[rouxlala]

No, not necessarily. A lot of people, the majority I'd say, do really well with cones, as long as they clarify every now and then.

Okay! So what is the purpose of avoiding cones? Does it have more to do with color-treated hair? Or course vs fine, etc?

[lapushka]

Okay! So what is the purpose of avoiding cones? Does it have more to do with color-treated hair? Or course vs fine, etc?

It has nothing to do with colored hair. Only sulfates (in shampoo) can wash color out faster because it is a harsher formula than a sulfate-free formula or a CO-wash. But silicones have no effect on color that I know of, and it doesn't matter one way or the other. It is largely a personal preference.

[rouxlala]

It has nothing to do with colored hair. Only sulfates (in shampoo) can wash color out faster because it is a harsher formula than a sulfate-free formula or a CO-wash. But silicones have no effect on color that I know of, and it doesn't matter one way or the other. It is largely a personal preference.

Gotcha! Thanks so much! You're a wealth of knowledge!! :bowtome:

[GRU]

Okay! So what is the purpose of avoiding cones? Does it have more to do with color-treated hair? Or course vs fine, etc?

Silicones can build up on your hair -- most are not water-soluble, so you need harsh shampoos (sulfates) to remove them.

The 'cones themselves don't harm the hair -- it's the harsh ingredients needed to remove them that are the problem.

Some people don't notice a build-up problem with 'cones. Some people notice build-up with 'cones but just wash with sulfates periodically periodically to remove it.

There is no "one right way" to do it -- just do what works best for your hair and your schedule.

[rouxlala]

Silicones can build up on your hair -- most are not water-soluble, so you need harsh shampoos (sulfates) to remove them.

The 'cones themselves don't harm the hair -- it's the harsh ingredients needed to remove them that are the problem.

Some people don't notice a build-up problem with 'cones. Some people notice build-up with 'cones but just wash with sulfates periodically periodically to remove it.

There is no "one right way" to do it -- just do what works best for your hair and your schedule.

Yeah.. that's what I'm trying to figure out, now! haha. I'm taking it since you are a fellow hennahead that it works decently on henna.. and I'm a 2C/3A, and also C... so if it works well on yours, it may do well on mine. What kind do you use?

[rouxlala]

Okay. Just bought my first CO wash product. It's by Shea Moisture. Hoping for good things because I go back to work tomorrow after a three-month hiatus due to health reasons!

[Dark40]

My hair appears to love all products equally, from oils to conditioners to deep treatments. I switch between coney and cone-free for co-washing, occasionally throwing in some shampoo (like once or twice a month). There's no difference! Haven't met a conditioner yet that I didn't like - except one leave-in that made my hair dry and crunchy.

Mine too also loves any kind of hair products out there! Especially, for CO-washing. I always use a shampoo once a week, and a clarifying shampoo once a month.

[rouxlala]

Okay, so, is it normal for a CO-wash product to not really lather-up very much?

[GRU]

Yeah.. that's what I'm trying to figure out, now! haha. I'm taking it since you are a fellow hennahead that it works decently on henna.. and I'm a 2C/3A, and also C... so if it works well on yours, it may do well on mine. What kind do you use?

I mostly use Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut conditioner.

I put 2-3 ounces in the bottom of an 8-oz color applicator bottle, then add 4-5 ounces of shower water, put my thumb over the hole, and shake it up.

I then use the pointy end of the applicator bottle to apply the solution directly to my scalp all over, then after my scalp is covered I squirt the remaining product on my length.

Next I rub my scalp (gently -- no need for excessive scrubbing or digging in with fingernails, etc.) to wash it, then I brush through from roots to ends with a Tangle Teezer brush. By the time the conditioner is worked through all my length and all the tangles are out, it's really pretty foamy.

I leave the foamy conditioner on my head while I complete my other showerly duties, then rinse completely. When done, I work a small amount (size of a quarter) of conditioner through my hair for leave in, then detangle one more time and plop into a Turbie Twist type towel.

Been doing this since I joined here, and my hair's never been happier, healthier, or longer.

Oh, and I only wash with shampoo once a year (although I kinda forgot last fall, so it's been about 18 months since my last shampoo). I read labels religiously and never put 'cones on my hair, so I never have to use harsh cleansers to strip them off.

[Dark40]

thank you, i've just discovered the CO thing isn't weird at all, and enjoy what CO is doing so far <3 oh, yeah, i'm gathering a list of injuries x( hope you heal back soon. <3

you're welcome. oh, ok cool. No, I never thought that it was weird at all either, and I also enjoy it too. Well, my knee has heeled, and it's back to normal. <3. Now, I'm glad that I can get back to excercising on the treadmill again!!! how is that hair of yours holding out???

[rouxlala]

I mostly use Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut conditioner.

I put 2-3 ounces in the bottom of an 8-oz color applicator bottle, then add 4-5 ounces of shower water, put my thumb over the hole, and shake it up.

I then use the pointy end of the applicator bottle to apply the solution directly to my scalp all over, then after my scalp is covered I squirt the remaining product on my length.

Next I rub my scalp (gently -- no need for excessive scrubbing or digging in with fingernails, etc.) to wash it, then I brush through from roots to ends with a Tangle Teezer brush. By the time the conditioner is worked through all my length and all the tangles are out, it's really pretty foamy.

I leave the foamy conditioner on my head while I complete my other showerly duties, then rinse completely. When done, I work a small amount (size of a quarter) of conditioner through my hair for leave in, then detangle one more time and plop into a Turbie Twist type towel.

Been doing this since I joined here, and my hair's never been happier, healthier, or longer.

Oh, and I only wash with shampoo once a year (although I kinda forgot last fall, so it's been about 18 months since my last shampoo). I read labels religiously and never put 'cones on my hair, so I never have to use harsh cleansers to strip them off.

Thanks, GRU! I love your hair in your avatar so it must be working! We have similar (not exact) hair types, so maybe that will work for me, too. The thing is, I used a wash specifically for cowashing... so I'm confused.. it really never lathered (but I don't even know if that matters?)... Also, I have read that some people apply to scalp and some don't.. so I'm confused about that, too! lol :(

[Katia_k]

Thanks, GRU! I love your hair in your avatar so it must be working! We have similar (not exact) hair types, so maybe that will work for me, too. The thing is, I used a wash specifically for cowashing... so I'm confused.. it really never lathered (but I don't even know if that matters?)... Also, I have read that some people apply to scalp and some don't.. so I'm confused about that, too! lol :(

Re: the scalp thing, if you're just cowashing, you have to apply to scalp. If you're doing shampoo and conditioner then it's YMMV. But something needs to get onto the scalp to clean it. (Sorry if I misunderstood and that wasn't what you were asking.)

[Crystawni]

My scalp conditioner never lathers, but that could be a water thing, too. We have soft water here.

I haz a happy, btw! I think I found another conditioner to rival my K-Pak--TRESEMMÉ Botanique Restore & Shine (https://www.priceline.com.au/tresemme-botanique-restore-shine-coconut-milk-aloe-vera-condition-750-ml) (coconut and aloe), that's meant to be a replacement for the Naturals line. I'd tried the TRESEMMÉ Perfectly [Un]Done Conditioner (https://www.priceline.com.au/hair/hair-care/shampoo-and-conditioner/tresemme-perfectly-un-done-conditioner-750-ml) previously, but that was too rich for my scalp and left it with a coated feeling that turned oily within hours, so that was relegated to length only. This seems to be a drier formula by the feel of it, while still giving my hair softness (good slip), great shine and root-lift. The only thing I'm not too keen on is the strong artificial coconut fragrance. It's similar to the smell of OGX Coconut Milk Cond, but is missing some sweetness to mellow and beachify it, so I've tweaked it with some Frangipani, Ylang Ylang, Poison and Opium EOs. My hair doesn't seem to be fussed by cones (K-Pak) vs no cones (Botanique), but I'm happier to be conefree. Plus there's the massive dollar difference between the two. :lol: And I can dilute it like the K-Pak, so it ends up lasting even longer. For longer overall performance, time will tell...

[GRU]

Thanks, GRU! I love your hair in your avatar so it must be working! We have similar (not exact) hair types, so maybe that will work for me, too. The thing is, I used a wash specifically for cowashing... so I'm confused.. it really never lathered (but I don't even know if that matters?)... Also, I have read that some people apply to scalp and some don't.. so I'm confused about that, too! lol :(

Different products lather a different amount. For me, most conditioners lather better if they've been diluted with water first.

And I apply to my scalp to wash it. Some people get scalp reactions from applying conditioner to their scalp. I don't. (I get reactions from applying shampoo to my scalp, however, which is one of the reasons why I don't do it anymore!)

There is no "one right way" to do any of this. Some people don't wash their hair at all. Some only wash with water. Some only wash with conditioner. Some alternate washing with shampoo one time and conditioner the next. Some only wash with shampoo. Just do what makes your scalp and your hair the happiest.

[rouxlala]

Thank you! Yeah, I'm in the experimentation phase, so I'm trying different things to see what my hair likes best. So far, I do know it likes henna. It feels so much stronger and shinier. And it seems to like heavy oilings, as long as wash them out the next day. I'm excited about all the different techniques to try.

[Crystawni]

:scissors:

And I apply to my scalp to wash it. Some people get scalp reactions from applying conditioner to their scalp. I don't. (I get reactions from applying shampoo to my scalp, however, which is one of the reasons why I don't do it anymore!)

:scissors:

Yup, same for me! My scalp would burn with most shampoos--I suspect sulphates, so check everything nowadays as even conditioners can have them. :brains:

As for my diluted Botanique Restore and Shine discovery (labelled as Nourish and Replenish in the US and mayhaps elsewhere), it's a definite winnah for my scalp! I would even say it works better than the K-Pak (which is actually pathetic on my length, so was a happy last-ditch experiment when I tried it diluted on my scalp) as my hair is sooooo shiny! And the bonus is, the Botanique R&S works wonders on my length, too.

[Dark40]

Just checking in saying that I've just co-washed my hair with Pantene Pro-V Infusion Moisture Balance Conditioner. My came out so amazingly soft, and healthy feeling!!!!

[JadedByEntropy]

you're welcome. oh, ok cool. No, I never thought that it was weird at all either, and I also enjoy it too. Well, my knee has heeled, and it's back to normal. <3. Now, I'm glad that I can get back to excercising on the treadmill again!!! how is that hair of yours holding out???

knees are so important! glad yours is feeling better. <3 I can't do without exercise very long- i go crazy.
I went through an oily spell from having done ACV rinse once after the pool. It should be clearing up soon, but it sure changed how my hair reacts to CO. I'm still very on board with keeping it up without ever going back to shampoo, but it did interrupt the old tricks i used! D: :D

[LoneStarfruit]

Hi lovely people,

I've currently started co-washing my MBL hair and my cone-free conditioner just isn't cutting it... My hair has been bleached to high heck (which got me started on co-washing) and will continue to be touched up (for the foreseeable future). It really sucks up moisture!

I'd love suggestions for cheap silicone-containing (no haters please ;) ) conditioner which anyone has successfully used for co-washing. I'm currently using Herbal Essences for my scalp and Garnier olive 'hair masque' for my length. It's been 10 days and I was expecting a bad transition period (pre-bleaching, my hair was having none of it) but I'm currently co-washing every other day and it looks & feels great. I do have extremely hard water, but this seems less of an issue with co-washing (at least for me).

I'm in the UK, but should have access to any of the global brands (ie Dove, Tresseme, etc). I'm open to places like Lush but considering how much conditioner I have to use (handfuls at present...) I really want to keep things reasonable :)

Any suggestions are much appreciated!

[lapushka]

I'd love suggestions for cheap silicone-containing (no haters please ;) ) conditioner which anyone has successfully used for co-washing. I'm currently using Herbal Essences for my scalp and Garnier olive 'hair masque' for my length. It's been 10 days and I was expecting a bad transition period (pre-bleaching, my hair was having none of it) but I'm currently co-washing every other day and it looks & feels great. I do have extremely hard water, but this seems less of an issue with co-washing (at least for me).

I'm in the UK, but should have access to any of the global brands (ie Dove, Tresseme, etc). I'm open to places like Lush but considering how much conditioner I have to use (handfuls at present...) I really want to keep things reasonable :)

My HG conditioner is the HE Hello Hydration conditioner. Also the Garnier Ultra Doux / Loving Blends / Ultimate Blends olive conditioner is a good and very moisturizing one as well as the HH is. Fully recommend both!

[LoneStarfruit]

My HG conditioner is the HE Hello Hydration conditioner. Also the Garnier Ultra Doux / Loving Blends / Ultimate Blends olive conditioner is a good and very moisturizing one as well as the HH is. Fully recommend both!

Thanks! I last used Hello Hydration when I was still +poo, so I might need to revisit it--same with the Garnier Ultra Doux camellia; do you have a fave from that line? I looove the Ultimate Blends olive masque/deep conditioner in the tub, but I still need three rounds with it to get slip. It's about the closest to something that works for me at the moment. :)

[Crystawni]

Hi lovely people,

I've currently started co-washing my MBL hair and my cone-free conditioner just isn't cutting it... My hair has been bleached to high heck (which got me started on co-washing) and will continue to be touched up (for the foreseeable future). It really sucks up moisture!

I'd love suggestions for cheap silicone-containing (no haters please ;) ) conditioner which anyone has successfully used for co-washing. I'm currently using Herbal Essences for my scalp and Garnier olive 'hair masque' for my length. It's been 10 days and I was expecting a bad transition period (pre-bleaching, my hair was having none of it) but I'm currently co-washing every other day and it looks & feels great. I do have extremely hard water, but this seems less of an issue with co-washing (at least for me).

I'm in the UK, but should have access to any of the global brands (ie Dove, Tresseme, etc). I'm open to places like Lush but considering how much conditioner I have to use (handfuls at present...) I really want to keep things reasonable :)

Any suggestions are much appreciated!

If you're okay with protein, you may like Tresemmé Botanique Damage Recovery Conditioner with Macadamia Oil & Wheat Proteins. I used it once and found it was good, but the hydrolysed wheat protein was a no-no for my scalp, so that was the end of that. Its cone-free sibling, Botanique Restore and Shine is my HG now, and even surpasses the coney Joico K-Pak that had been the only successful CO conditioner I could use.

[LoneStarfruit]

If you're okay with protein, you may like Tresemmé Botanique Damage Recovery Conditioner with Macadamia Oil & Wheat Proteins. I used it once and found it was good, but the hydrolysed wheat protein was a no-no for my scalp, so that was the end of that. Its cone-free sibling, Botanique Restore and Shine is my HG now, and even surpasses the coney Joico K-Pak that had been the only successful CO conditioner I could use.

I'll definitely give Restore & Shine a try; along with HE Hello Hydration (another coconutty option--apparently all the good stuff has to smell like coconut these days), these might be summer options. I have a hard time with very strong sweet coconut scent but it may be worth it for shine & slip!

I picked up L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Clay and John Frieda Beach Blonde conditioners yesterday because I needed a break from strong fruity/floral smells, so here's hoping they're ok. Will give one of them a try tonight. :) When it warms up properly, I'll be into all the coconut ones!

[LoneStarfruit]

I'll definitely give Restore & Shine a try; along with HE Hello Hydration (another coconutty option--apparently all the good stuff has to smell like coconut these days), these might be summer options. I have a hard time with very strong sweet coconut scent but it may be worth it for shine & slip!

I picked up L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Clay and John Frieda Beach Blonde conditioners yesterday because I needed a break from strong fruity/floral smells, so here's hoping they're ok. Will give one of them a try tonight. :) When it warms up properly, I'll be into all the coconut ones!

So! I tried L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Clay on my roots yesterday and John Frieda Beach Blonde on my length. I loved the Elvive! The texture was perfect: thick enough to easily work down into the scalp without being so thick that it feels like glue, just really pleasant to work with. It got rid of my greasy roots (I'm in early days, so definitely in the transition phase and washing every other day when I need to be out and about) without leaving my sensitive, dry scalp at all irritated. The Beach Blonde smells amaaazing: minty, not cloying, not too 'sharp' minty either, just a really lovely unisex/genderless scent (which I prefer). It gave me the slip I hoped for on my overprocessed length; I did use two rounds of it, but found I didn't need much to do the job (unlike the handfuls of conditioner I normally find myself using). Definitely a winner, and I'll probably use it once more before seeing if I can get away with just the Elvive. I'm understandably wary of the silicone in it, but on the flip side I've lost nearly 50% of my ponytail diameter thanks purely to tangly, dry hair in the past couple months, so frankly, I think it needs it (at least now). I'm not sure if I should be doing anything like a protein pack (I wouldn't know where to start!) or any other treatment to help prevent mechanical friction & tangling on bleached ends?

[Siv]

So! I tried L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Clay on my roots yesterday and John Frieda Beach Blonde on my length. I loved the Elvive! The texture was perfect: thick enough to easily work down into the scalp without being so thick that it feels like glue, just really pleasant to work with. It got rid of my greasy roots (I'm in early days, so definitely in the transition phase and washing every other day when I need to be out and about) without leaving my sensitive, dry scalp at all irritated. The Beach Blonde smells amaaazing: minty, not cloying, not too 'sharp' minty either, just a really lovely unisex/genderless scent (which I prefer). It gave me the slip I hoped for on my overprocessed length; I did use two rounds of it, but found I didn't need much to do the job (unlike the handfuls of conditioner I normally find myself using). Definitely a winner, and I'll probably use it once more before seeing if I can get away with just the Elvive. I'm understandably wary of the silicone in it, but on the flip side I've lost nearly 50% of my ponytail diameter thanks purely to tangly, dry hair in the past couple months, so frankly, I think it needs it (at least now). I'm not sure if I should be doing anything like a protein pack (I wouldn't know where to start!) or any other treatment to help prevent mechanical friction & tangling on bleached ends?

Oh! I've been curious to try the Elvive Clay one! In the end I bought a ≈1 GBP for 0.5 L from the supermarket because I'm tight on money ATM :P The Elvive is supposed to have some natural clays in it - I'm not sure about the actual amount - but I was curious if it cleanses better than regular conditioners because of this. It would be nice to be able to get a clay product at the supermarket rather than having to go to a small store on the other side of the city or ordering online... I've also looked up their pre-shampoo mask which is more expensive but should contain more clays. I'm curious to hear from anyone who has them in a CO-washing routine!

[ShilvaA]

Tried CO washing for the first time today... I don't think I rinsed thoroughly enough as my hair dried kind of sticky.

It's really hot here so I jumped in the shower to blast myself with cold water after a walk... rinsed my hair again and am currently waiting to see if my hair feels okay when it dries! Haha

[Dark40]

Today I've co-washed my hair was Pantene Pro-V Infusion Moisture Balance. I'm letting it air-dry for 4 or 5 hours. I'm noticing so really nice results!!! It really feels so nice, soft, and moisturized!!! Plus, it smells good too!!!

[MakeupMornings]

I didn't know what to search for to get advice on this..
I've just ordered some CO friendly conditioners to get started with this conditioner only method! I also had to get a "last schampoo" I believe they are called.
Now how do I use this last schampoo before getting started with CO? Do I just use that one on it's own and apply it throughout the entire hair skipping conditioners after?
I wonder because I always see people do before and after photos where they show their hair really dry looking after the last schampoo wash. My thought is, "Well if they used a conditioner (CO friendly one) after their hair would not look as dry? Sorry if this is confusing I just don't get it! Haha! :shrug:

[TatsuOni]

I didn't know what to search for to get advice on this..
I've just ordered some CO friendly conditioners to get started with this conditioner only method! I also had to get a "last schampoo" I believe they are called.
Now how do I use this last schampoo before getting started with CO? Do I just use that one on it's own and apply it throughout the entire hair skipping conditioners after?
I wonder because I always see people do before and after photos where they show their hair really dry looking after the last schampoo wash. My thought is, "Well if they used a conditioner (CO friendly one) after their hair would not look as dry? Sorry if this is confusing I just don't get it! Haha! :shrug:

Clean your hair well with the shampoo once or twice and then just use a CO friendly conditioner :)