What Is Co-Washing? (Updated)

In March 2016 when I started my blog, one of my first blog posts was “What Is Co-Washing?” For those of you who don’t know what this is, co-washing is basically washing your hair with conditioner (not shampoo) or a “cleansing” conditioner made specifically for co-washing the hair. I started using this method of washing my hair because I really could not find a shampoo that didn’t make my hair feel like straw (even after using conditioner) and I have been co-washing my hair for years now. The basis of washing your hair is to clean the scalp besides the hair and I have found that you don’t need to shampoo first (which in my opinion, can be damaging to hair) and then condition. Of course, the products I have used over the years has changed (my hair is dry and needs all the moisture it can get), so I thought I would share the products I have used and using now that I recommend if you are considering trying co-washing for yourself (these recommendations are for dry/damaged/mature hair. If you have oily hair and want to try co-washing, use a conditioner specifically formulated for oily hair):

When I made the decision to start co-washing my hair in early 2016, I used Tresemme Rich Moisture Conditioner ($6.99) because it was already in my shower and after my first co-wash with this, I was surprised! My hair felt soft, clean, and combed out easily and after that, I was hooked! I recommend this conditioner if you are just starting out with co-washing. It’s affordable, available pretty much everywhere and is great for dry hair.

The second product I used was As I Am Coconut Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner ($7.29). I switched to this because my hair was slowly changing (along with everything else thanks to my body entering the menopause stage of life at that time) and feeling drier and the Tresemme conditioner wasn’t working like it once did. I recommend this if you have really dry hair and need more moisture that a regular moisturizing conditioner.

The third product I used was As I Am Long And Luxe GroWash ($15.06). As I continued to spiral into the menopausal world, I began to notice that I was losing more hair than usual which prompted me to search for a product that I could co-wash with while helping with my hair loss and I discovered this product. This contains biotin and this really did help with the hair loss I was experiencing, and I recommend this for those of you who are experiencing the first signs of hair loss and thinning due to menopause or peri-menopause.

The fourth (and current) product I am using is L’Oréal Elvive Total Repair Power Restore Multi-Use Treatment ($9.99). I love this as a co-wash! Leaves my hair so soft, very moisturized, helps keep my hair loss to a minimum and my hair combs out like a breeze. I highly recommend this if you have very dry, damaged, or beginning to thin hair. It’s that good!!

If you are new to co-washing, here is how to co-wash your hair: 1. Saturate your hair with water and squeeze out the excess. 2. Apply your conditioner of choice to your hair in sections then massage to clean your scalp and hair. 3. After you are done “shampooing” your hair, comb the conditioner through your hair with a wide toothed comb then clip your hair up and continue with your shower. 4. After you finish, unclip your hair and rinse the conditioner completely out of your hair, towel dry, add your treatments of choice (after I towel dry my hair, I use one pump of L’Oréal Elvive Extraordinary Oil ($5.97) and one pump of Kerastase Elixir Ultime ($25 for 1.7 oz. $52 for 3.4 oz.) mixed together before combing my hair out. These two oils are wonderful used together) and style as usual. That’s it! You don’t need any special expensive “cleansing conditioner” to co-wash your hair and you don’t need to spend a lot of money either. You can use pretty much any conditioner (except deep or restructuring conditioners). I love how my hair looks and feels since I started co-washing six years ago.

So, the next time you need to wash your hair, don’t reach for your shampoo, reach for your conditioner instead and until next time, be happy, healthy, and beautiful!

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