For those who CO

[julliams]

Was there a period where your hair just looked a bit greasy/lank and then got through that and went into those luscious curls I've seen? Or is it a case of - if it looks lank at the start - it always will? I've only CO'd twice in the last week but it's already starting to look a little greasy and lank and my scalp is starting to get a little itchy.

Not sure if I should continue or admit defeat.

[Sundial]

Not sure about the case for your hair type julliams, but when I see that happening it usually means:

(1) It's time for clarifying, or
(2) The conditioner I used for CO isn't suitable (this, especially if there's itching involved)

Are you using a conditioner with cones? I experience itching with some conditioners so it was pretty much a trial and error for me. I didn't just give up with the first bad CO experience I got.

You can perhaps revert back to your old washing method and come back to CO at a later time and maybe with a different conditioner. But be sure to clarify thoroughly before you test out any new conditioner or new washing method

[erialc]

My hair gets like that if there are cones in the conditioner, or if I don't spend enough time massaging it through and then miss rinsing enough. I need to rinse a lot longer than with shampoo and go section by section all through my hair to not miss a spot.

Then I know some people go through an adjustment time, and if that's the case for you I think you should give it a few more weeks.

[ccmso12]

If you jst started CO -ing and have only done it twice this wk shouldnt need to clarify yet. Increased greasyness at first is a normal reaction because your scalp is still overproducing all the oil it needed to becuase your shampoo was stripping your hair. No need to try to stretch your coing either and 'put up with it'. get in the shower and co:cheese:! woo hoo . .

[sharicat]

I'm the same, I get this when I need to clarify, I don't rinse well enough, or the conditioner is not right for CO (avoid cones for your 'washing' condish).

[duckhugger]

I started this method just a week ago. The first CO wash was spectacular! My hair was soft and silky smooth. The second time though it has become a bit greasy and not soft anymore. My scalp is not itchy though. I am assuming that I will have to go through a transition period for it to work properly.

[lapispimpernel]

My hair looked awful CO'ing until I switched to a different conditioner. The first one was too gloopy? runny? Anyway, it didn't work. The one I use now is a little stiffer and massages better. There wasn't a transition period, and I can finally skip a day between COs. I still clear up residual grease with a weekly diluted shampoo, though.

[patienceneeded]

The nice thing about COing is that you can wash everyday, since you're not stripping your hair with shampoo. I'm about 2 weeks into CO washing and can just now skip a day here and there. Hoping that my switch to cone-free allows me to stretch washes more, but if my hair looks lank/greasy, I'll just wash it again. I did clarify with a diluted shampoo before going cone-free 2 days ago and today my hair looks a little iffy - I figure I'll wear it up and CO wash it tonight. Keep at it, CO washing has been great. Try a ligher conditioner perhaps?

[monsterna]

I'm the same. I use cones and CO makes my hair lank and greasy, especially at the front. :( I'd love to try it again. I have GF Triple Nutrition in the shower, which has no cones, and I'm not using it. Maybe this weekend I'll try that and see how it goes.

Do you guys use two conditioners for CO? "Washing" and then conditioning one? I really need cones, or my hair is tangly and not easy to comb through. Should I use cone-free first and follow with my usual coney condish?

[Khiwanean]

There is some adjustment period. If you've only done it twice you're probably still adjusting. Don't worry too much about stretching washes at this point (if you are). It's perfectly fine to CO as often as you need to, which is likely dictated by your scalp.

Monsterna - Some people do use a second conitioner on the length to help with slip. I used to, though some of that was just trying to use up a conditioner that had good slip, but didn't work on my scalp.

[Sunshineliz]

I use 2 conditioners--Suave for the wash, GF Triple Nutrition for the length. I have to rinse really well though.

I get lankness, greasiness, etc. if I don't scrub the scalp enough, or rinse well, or use the wrong conditioner. For example, for me Garnier Pure and Clean was a disaster--itchy, hair felt lotiony; one of the VO5's worked, another didn't, etc. I think the runnier conditioners tend to work better for the scalp, and the creamier ones for the length. YMMV.

Overall CO is working pretty good.:) I still feel the need to clarify sometimes though, even without cones.:shrug:

[ccmso12]

I started this method just a week ago. The first CO wash was spectacular! My hair was soft and silky smooth. The second time though it has become a bit greasy and not soft anymore. My scalp is not itchy though. I am assuming that I will have to go through a transition period for it to work properly.



There is a transition period for most and dont be afraid to co more frequently. you should give your co routine 2-3 full wks before trying to switch any products because you just started. What product sis you choose to start your co routine with?

[julliams]

HI everyone,
I really didn't provide you guys with any info there did I - doh!

My hair is thick, medium/coarse, wavy, just past waist length and lots of it. I had clarified before I started CO'ing this time. Ok, here is what I did:

1. Wet hair down really well
2. Took Tressemme Naturals (NO CONES) normal conditioner (so NOT the super moisturising one) and watered it down about 60:40 water. Used it all over my head and massaged it well on my scalp - being gentle but firm.
3. Put a shower cap on my head and went about the rest of my shower
4. Rinsed out then put more conditioner on the length only
5. Rinsed out very well with warm water
6. Turned shower off, tipped to the side and used the hand shower to do a final rinse in very cold water.
7. Wrapped hair in microfibre towel for about 5 min
8. Plopped hair with the same wet towel
9. Tipped head to the front and scrunched three squirts of gel through it.
10. Left to airdry

Now, don't get me wrong. My hair is fine and I could totally go out like this. But it just looks a little clumpier (which normally I'm all for clumps) and therefore has a bit of a stringy look to it. It's very soft and I like the feel of it. My scalp is not totally itchy but I have been scratching here and there and I don't normally do that so I can only attribute it to the conditioner.

The first time I tried it I didn't water down but the conditioner is quite thick so it made sense to me that it should be watered down.

I might try it again today and leave out the gel and see if this makes any difference. Perhaps the gel is just "making" it look greasy??

Sorry I'm not posting pictures - I'm not sure if this would show up - it's more just something I'm noticing rather than being totally obvious.

Thanks everyone!

[Erika_92]

My hair liked it from the very first wash but your hair might feel greasy the first weeks, that is very common.

[Jessibear2854]

When I switched from regular shampoo and conditioner to CO, there was definitely a greasy phase. Luckily, I was on maternity leave from work, so it really didn't matter what I looked like. I just lived with it and it went away in about a month. I think hair has to get used to not having the oils stripped from it daily.

[KwaveT]

I have been doing CO for about three months. My hair still gets oily if I wait a third day. I still get an itching sensation on the back of my head. It isn't too bothersome but I know it is there near constantly. It happens in about the exact same spot with the constant itching.

[callisa]

Kinky curly knot today is the best cowash i have ever used, because of the btms it gives me a mild shampoo froth which is good enough me being 4c my hair just sucks it up

Lady Azaleia, Ruler of the Acid Waters in the Order of the Longhaired Knights

[Kizuna]

I've notice that when I water the conditioner down it gets greasier faster and it doesn't clean as well. It's harder to get the normal conditioner in your hair, but it works better! Maybe you could get a conditioner that isn't as thick that might be easier to apply. :)

[Callque]

My hair was greasy when I first tried CO, but I was using cones.

Did you wash your hair with a sulphate shampoo or clarify it to remove all the cones from your hair before trying CO? You may have leftover cones in your hair.

You might just want to try a different conditioner. I found the Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Conditioner to be light, moisturizing, and non-greasy, and Suave Naturals Ocean Breeze Conditioner to be quite heavy-duty but my hair loves it and hasn't been greasy at all.

Are you really massaging your scalp well to unclog your pores?

I think you might want to just try a new conditioner, but it could just be an adjustment period.

[Lissandria]

To be honest I got better CO results with Alberto Balsalm (from IGA in Aus same as American Vo5) than anything TRESemme. CO with TRESemme seemed to make my hair more lank as you described and I would find a day or so later I would need to wash again. I find TRESemme condtioners seemingly light and such but they are actually pretty moisturising. So much so, that I use them for SMT (best SMT results to date). Perhaps although it is cone-free, it is not the best condish for CO washing? Just my thoughts. :)

[fridgee]

I use the same tresemme Naturals conditioner for COing and had a similar feeling when I started, but doing an ACV rinse really helped my scalp and it didn't get greasy so quickly.