Who here combines CO and CWC routines?

[Miss Catrina]

I've been trying to switch from ordinary shampoo + conditioner washing every day to doing CWC every third day. The problem is that 1: I really enjoy the getting-my-hair-wet aspect of showering and 2: I use product (gel, styling creme, hairspray - whatever) daily, which makes for a lot of extra crud sitting in my hair for a couple days, and I'm concerned that combing through old product is damaging my hair.

So tonight, I just conditioned. I don't work it in to the hair, I just kind of smooth it all around my head, so I don't think of it as washing. I'm thinking of changing my schedule to something like this:

Day 1: CWC
Day 2: No wash
Day 3: CO wash
Day 4: No wash

...and repeat.

Do you think that this would be less or more damaging than leaving product to build up in in my hair? I know washing is generally considered somewhat damaging - but there are so many practices that are considered washing here, I'm getting confused.

[Mommyof4]

I go through the same issues... I don't want to lose the moisture in my hair, but I can't resist wetting my hair when I take a shower, it's so relaxing and helps my sore neck to go away.

I have been doing this for a few weeks:

day 1: CWC
day 2: ACV rinse, then C
day3: rinse with water only
day 4: CWC
and so on...
this keeps me from looking greasy, and my ends stay soft and my curls looks normal :)

if you used product every day, you could try squeezing a dime-sized dollop of shampoo in a large cup, then filling the cup with water and pouring it over your head, then rinsing. That way, you will be cleaning the product out, but your hair will be getting much less of the shampoo :)

hope I helped :D

[Miss Catrina]

I go through the same issues... I don't want to lose the moisture in my hair, but I can't resist wetting my hair when I take a shower, it's so relaxing and helps my sore neck to go away.

I have been doing this for a few weeks:

day 1: CWC
day 2: ACV rinse, then C
day3: rinse with water only
day 4: CWC
and so on...
this keeps me from looking greasy, and my ends stay soft and my curls looks normal :)

if you used product every day, you could try squeezing a dime-sized dollop of shampoo in a large cup, then filling the cup with water and pouring it over your head, then rinsing. That way, you will be cleaning the product out, but your hair will be getting much less of the shampoo :)

hope I helped :D

I can't really tell if the product is hurting anything, is the problem. It doesn't make my hair knot up or anything (my hair isn't long enough to knot up), but I can feel it in there and the microscope images of hair with hairspray in it make me worry...

Water alone definitely gets it out. But since some people wash with water only, I worry that means I'm washing it too frequently.

[Mountaingrrl]

I do mostly CO (1-3x/week) with occasional CWC and ACV rinses as needed. I just try to see what my hair needs on a particular day - and sometimes the answer is nothing!

[Mommyof4]

I can't really tell if the product is hurting anything, is the problem. It doesn't make my hair knot up or anything (my hair isn't long enough to knot up), but I can feel it in there and the microscope images of hair with hairspray in it make me worry...

Water alone definitely gets it out. But since some people wash with water only, I worry that means I'm washing it too frequently.

Oh ok :)

In my opinion, if your hair isn't showing signs of build up, like breakage, dry ends, frizziness, or that gross feeling that build up usually brings, I wouldn't worry too much.

If the WO is getting it out, then by all means CO :)

You'll know when you need to clarify.

It seems like if you are washing it with water, then conditioning, then rinsing that out, there would be minimal build up left.

Just "listen" to your hair and go with what makes it feel healthiest :)

As long as your hair doesnt feel like you've dried it out or start shedding, I wouldn't worry that you are washing it too often. If you have chlorinated (tap) water, and you're concerned about the health of your scalp and hair because of the chemicals, you can always use a shower head filter.

Happy Washing and Growing :)

[Sundial]

I alternate CO with CWC. The frequency isn't fixed, I mostly go with how my hair feels. On days when I feel like I need to clarify then I do it via CWC. This happens about twice a week. The rest of the time I CO, and I wash my hair daily.

I agree with what Mommyof4 said. Everyone's hair is different and you probably know what's best for yourself :p If you feel that your current routine is fine then you don't have to worry too much about it

[Hotrox]

I wash every other day with a CWC. If my hairs needs a wash on a day in-between then I will do a CO - I figure it's not really dirty, it just needs a freshen up :D This is working well for me.

[Lissandria]

I alternate between CO and CWC... but I also just do it as required. I don't have a set number of days between, but I don't really use product or anything.
If my hair feels fine, ill leave it. If Im waxy/oily ill CWC or CO; If my scalp has been sweaty, ill do a tea rinse followed by C. I always ACV now every single time I wet my hair.

[shump76]

I do! But not on any set schedule. I probably CWC every 5-7 days, depending on when I think I need it. I've just started CO in between.

[swtchks0327]

I do....and barely only dry the roots of my hair on work days. I have found that my hair is much shiner and has more body (thank goodness). Its in a transitional stage right now as I am recovering from medication iduced hair thinning :(. But with kinder shampo methods, less blowfrying, a good conditiong/oiling onece a week it is beginning to come back. Ive been doing the CWC twice during the week and CO on the weekends. So glad I found this site....;)

[SoulOfTheSea]

I combine them. I usually do CWC, but if I need to have cleaner looking hair in-between, I'll CO. :) Just depends on how my hair feels.

[krissykins]

I combine them as well. My typical schedule is this:

Week 1: Clarify
Week 2: CO
Week 3: CWC with shampoo bars
Week 4: CO

Repeat as needed. :p

[Katze]

yes, all the time.

CWC once every couple of weeks, CO wash every 2-4 days as needed.

CO does my waves good, and makes my hair shiny - too much CO without a sulfate shampoo in between makes my hair dull and lifeless and my scalp crusty.

For a while I was doing WO too, but WO does not seem to get my hair 'clean.'

Fine wavy hair seems to be the hardest to please, especially if you also have a sensitive, eczema prone scalp on top of that!

[almond]

I combine them but don't follow a specific routine. I usually CWC once a week, and CO once or twice between washes. CO is great for my hair, but after 2 or 3 times my scalp doesn't tolerate it well, then I CWC.

[SpinDance]

I combine them as my hair seems to want or need.

[|Xei]

I combine S&C with CO sometimes (CWC and S&C does the same for me, so that's why I'm sharing :) ). I normally S&C every other day, but on the occasion that I want/need that extra wash in between, I would CO.

[patienceneeded]

I do CO wash and CWC. My general hair-washing schedule looks like:

Day 1 - CO
Day 2 - Nothing/Hair isn't wetted
Day 3 - CO
Day 4 - Nothing/Hair isn't wetted
Day 5 - CWC (no SLS shampoo usually)
Day 6 - Nothing/Hair isn't wetted
Day 7 - CO
so on and so forth...

It works well for me. I use cone-free conditioners and usually use an SLS free shampoo. I ACV rince about once a week, if I remember to grab it on my way to the shower. I also use a small amount of leave-in conditioner (Giovanni's) and a few drops of Argan oil on my hair when it is wet. I try to do a DT once every 2 weeks, and will use coconut oil pre-wash sometimes. I'm making it sound complicated, but it's actually pretty simple and easy.