For most people, shampoo is a staple product. We use it routinely, keeping us all from becoming greasy-haired messes, and in turn it makes us feel clean and confident. However, shampoo may not be the Holy Grail of hair care products we all see it as. Nearly 50% of all hair damage is caused by shampoo and the lather process, making it especially hard to keep your hair healthy and strong. This is where co-washing comes in. Co-washing, or conditioner washing, is a recently discovered alternative to traditional shampoo cleansing, and is praised for its ability to revive dry and damaged hair. While it may seem intimidating at first, going “no poo” can save your hair, your time, and your money, as long as you know your way around the method.
Explaining how co-washing actually works is probably a good place to start. Many of us associate conditioner with weighing hair down rather than actually cleansing it, but this is a total myth. Conditioner can only do good things for your hair, as long as it is used properly. Co-washing works through the process of repulsion. The oils in conditioner make your hair slippery and repel all the unwanted gunk out of your hair, without stripping its natural oils and proteins. It is less harmful to your hair because it’s formulated without all the harsh sulphates, detergents, and fillers that shampoo has.
The most important part of co-washing is getting the right conditioner. It’s important to look for lighter conditioners without silicone products in them, or else you won’t get the desired cleansing effect and you’ll just end up with extra greasy, weighed down hair. Some conditioners are specially formulated for co-washing; these are always a good place to start if you’re unsure about which conditioners will work for your hair. You can find tons of affordable cleansing conditioners at drugstores, online, and pretty much any beauty/hair specialization store. Some I would recommend are Suave Naturals conditioner (found at Walmart and on Amazon), Mane ’n Tail conditioner (actually intended for horses but still a damn good conditioner), and Renpure Black Label Coconut Mint Cowash (this one I actually use myself, it can be bought online).
Co-washing definitely veers away from the traditional lather and scrub method of typical shampoos. A lot of the time, when things don’t lather we assume they aren’t working properly, but that is entirely untrue. The sulphates in shampoo, which are actually more damaging than helpful to hair, is what give it that lather; conditioners don’t include any sulphates so you won’t see the same effect. Instead, to get the best use out of your conditioner, you want to apply a generous amount from root to tip, massaging it throughout your scalp and hair. Make sure you rinse it more thoroughly than with regular shampoo, so you don’t end up with leftover conditioner stuck in your hair (yuck). It is best to condition at the beginning of your shower/bath so the conditioner has time to sink in and do the job. The longer it is in your hair, the better it works.
Co-washing is great option for ladies (and gentlemen) with all types of hair, leading to healthier and softer locks that are way easier to manage. You’ll no longer have to drop precious dollars on shampoo and you won’t have to wash your hair nearly as often, saving you time and money, two things us Collegiettes are often short on.