CO and VO5 Kiwi Lime Squeeze

[Thenolegirl]

Hey everyone!

I'm new so I'm not sure if this is a redundant post. Please forgive me if it is and correct me!

I'm new to CO washing and read that someone else was having trouble with greasiness. I see that many people tend to use Kiwi Lime Squeeze from the VO5 line, and I love it! It smells great and isn't thick. My hair is softer and has improved texture (not crunchy at the ends anymore). But....

Problem: Becoming a total grease-pit by midday (wash at night, damp bunning, then air dry down the next morning). It looks like I didn't wash my hair at all (after a week :confused: )

I then read on another thread the CO method, and realized I wasn't leaving it on for minimum two minutes for it to really clean. So, I just got out of the shower, and I used a total of three big palmfuls all over my head and length. I made sure my scalp was clean and really tried to rinse everything out as best I could.

I stepped out, thinking I did a great job - and I ran my hand down the top to mid-length. My hand had a veeeeery thin layer of film and it felt almost waxy. My fingers definitely smell like the Conditioner. I combed it out with a wide comb, and letting it air dry down my back.

Am I doing something wrong? Is this normal? I have school tomorrow (college) and I really don't want to look greasy. I wear my hair down with braids in it often.

Help and comments would be appreciated!

[summerstarlet]

I think I may have started that thread! I ended up not using the V05 Kiwi Squeeze just because I didn't have it at the time. I used the passion fruit moisture milk instead. I use about the same amount of product as you but I do leave it on a little longer. I'll shave or exfoliate with the water off while I just let it soak in my hair. Then I rinse it out until it feels like my hair is really clean. Probably 2-3 minutes. I also rinse with cool/cold water towards the end. I'm new too CO washing too, so you're not alone :D I find that I really, really have to work it into my scalp to get it completely clean. It is a learning curve. It's totally based on your hair.

[Talula]

VO5 conditioners have never worked for cleaning my hair, no matter how stubbornly I tried to make them work. Suave, White Rain (even with cones), & Organix work much better for me.

See my old Kiwi Lime thread from a couple yrs ago:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=44605

Keep trying different brands till u find one that rinses out ok. Good luck!

[Laylah]

I had a similar problem when I did CO. I used VO5 too, but it was the Free Me Freesia one. It made my hair feel waxy. Shampoo/conditioner works a LOT better for me. If shampoo is too drying for you, you can try CSC - coat the length of you hair before shampooing just the scalp, then conditioning as usual.

[Thenolegirl]

VO5 conditioners have never worked for cleaning my hair, no matter how stubbornly I tried to make them work. Suave, White Rain (even with cones), & Organix work much better for me.

See my old Kiwi Lime thread from a couple yrs ago:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=44605

Keep trying different brands till u find one that rinses out ok. Good luck!

Thanks everyone for the comments!

Talula I did look at your thread =) I'm in college, and let's just say college apartments have gross hard water. I have to use Borax when washing clothes because they never seem to get clean.

Even as my hair is drying, I can feel the wax, yet I don't really have build up on the scalp (which used to be the concern with crunchy dry ends). Hair is temperamental lol It's a shame because like you, I have so much conditioner left. At least it's just one bottle. I'm going to give KLS one more try. I just don't want to spend $4-5 on a bottle when it won't clean my hair. I might try the CWC again (no luck the last time I did).

Any recommendations for CO brands?

[Dragon Faery]

I leave it on for a minimum of 5 minutes, sometimes up to half an hour.
One big key with CO washing is to really massage it into your scalp (and length, too, if your length is greasy or oily).
The next big key is rinsing. I kind of massage it back out with my fingers while I rinse. This makes a big difference. And if my hair doesn't feel clen enough after the rinse, I put in more and leave it for a bit, then rinse again.

If you do all that and you're still getting greasies, then try different brands. If it still doesn't work, then perhaps CO is not for you. If your hair isn't dry after using shampoo, then shampoo doesn't hurt your hair. If you feel you need more moisture, try a deep treatment for 2-12 hours before you wash.

Good luck! I hope you find what works for you!

[californiagirl]

I tried using the Kiwi Lime VO5, and I hated it for the exact reasons you do. It just did nothing for my hair, and I had the greasies by midday.

Needless to say, I used the rest of the bottle for shaving my legs...

[Thenolegirl]

I tried using the Kiwi Lime VO5, and I hated it for the exact reasons you do. It just did nothing for my hair, and I had the greasies by midday.

Needless to say, I used the rest of the bottle for shaving my legs...

I do that too lol!

Thanks for the feedback =]

[Dragon Faery]

Thanks everyone for the comments!

Talula I did look at your thread =) I'm in college, and let's just say college apartments have gross hard water. I have to use Borax when washing clothes because they never seem to get clean.

Even as my hair is drying, I can feel the wax, yet I don't really have build up on the scalp (which used to be the concern with crunchy dry ends). Hair is temperamental lol It's a shame because like you, I have so much conditioner left. At least it's just one bottle. I'm going to give KLS one more try. I just don't want to spend $4-5 on a bottle when it won't clean my hair. I might try the CWC again (no luck the last time I did).

Any recommendations for CO brands?

V05 is the only brand I've used as a first step. (I do a two-step wash, first with the lighter V05, second with something really thick and yummy.) I think the Articles section may have recommendations, or else the product reviews section. You could also try watering the conditioner down first.

I'd recommend working through the length (gently) with your fingers in order to get it in there, and then just give it time to really grab onto the gunk on the shaft. Try at least a 10-minute wait, if you can. (This may mean putting it on dry hair before your shower, or else wetting your hair and applying it before you shower.) In the V05 line, the purple Free Me Freesia is also pretty light. The others are milkier, which may actually coat your hair more than the KLS.

People seem to like the Suave coconut conditioner, if I remember correctly. I had such good results with the V05 myself that I haven't experimented with anything else yet.

But again, good luck!

[Miss Maisie]

I didn't care for that VO5 conditioner, but I did love the Vanilla Mint Tea one and the Champagne one.

The first time I tried Suave ones I hated them. Still hate the coconut one. But lately I've had GREAT luck with the Suave Juicy Green Apple. It's just a crapshoot, I think. My hair is...finicky. I usually wash with diluted shampoo, then condition, but I try to just see what my hair wants that day :) I was having dry/itchy scalp issues, so I've been CO for the past few days. I think I last used shampoo on Friday (I wash daily).

Good luck finding what works for you!!

[Talula]

Thanks everyone for the comments!

Talula I did look at your thread =) I'm in college, and let's just say college apartments have gross hard water. I have to use Borax when washing clothes because they never seem to get clean.

Even as my hair is drying, I can feel the wax, yet I don't really have build up on the scalp (which used to be the concern with crunchy dry ends). Hair is temperamental lol It's a shame because like you, I have so much conditioner left. At least it's just one bottle. I'm going to give KLS one more try. I just don't want to spend $4-5 on a bottle when it won't clean my hair. I might try the CWC again (no luck the last time I did).

Any recommendations for CO brands?

Yeah, I wondered if it might be my water, since the Kiwi works for so many people.

You can use up the CO conditioners you don't like by just using them as an after-shampoo conditioner, or with CWC washes, COW washes, to help rinse out henna if u do that, or just condition from the ears down with it, and then use a better CO conditioner to cleanse the scalp. Or as mentioned, for shaving. Or give them away to friends/family who aren't picky.

The Organix, yes, is $4-6 unless on sale (check CVS for regular sales), but I dilute mine. The Organix Coconut cleans my hair almost TOO well, like a shampoo. The way other people say the Kiwi does for them.

But to go cheaper... several of the Suave Naturals have worked for me, including the Tropical coconut & the Aloe & Waterlily. And several of the White Rains (I have an old supply from before they added 'cones, but I also tried the W.R. Coconut with cones and it worked for me too). I LOVED the White Rain Water Blossom, but haven't been able to find it since I used up my first bottle. I think I tried Ocean Mist? of White Rain, and Lavender Vanilla. All White Rains I've tried have worked for me, they're my favorite. I tend to get richer-looking hair with those. But who knows if they'll be a good match for you? At least they're cheap! The Suave is pretty cheap too, especially on sale, which I see frequently.

Post back when/if u find one that works for you! Lots of luck.

[sycamoreboutiqu]

Are you applying the CO to dry hair ? I think that is a key step to getting good results.

LOTs of a thin, cone free brand really slopped all over your scalp and length. For my length I use about a 1/3 of a bottle per wash. I saturate the scalp first massage in in good, then squeeze through the length. If I haven't worn my hair down all week then the length doesn't need as much applied. Then I put it up in a shower cap and wait a min of 20 min sometimes an hour.
Massage well again and rinse, massage, rinse massage.

Because I am wurly/wavy I feel the need to follow this with a heavier conditioner left on the length for a few minutes rinse and then squeeze a dime/quarter sized amount through the wet hair and leave it in. Results are soft hair and more defined waves.

I can usually go a full 7 days between washes this way with no greasiness - but when the scalp acts up I shorten that to 4-5 days.