Co-Washing Guide for Natural Hair
As a new mum, I've had little time for self-care and my usual long and frequent washdays have been sidelined for now. For the time being I am speeding up my hair washday by co-washing my natural 4c hair. Read on for more information on co-washing, the benefits, how to co-wash and my top recommendations.
What is co-washing?
Co-washing is essentially conditioner washing - so skipping shampoo and washing your hair with a conditioner or a specially formulated cleansing conditioner aka co-wash or no-poo.
Benefits of co-washing
Time-saving
It's time saving. Some co-washes are an all in one product so replace the need for shampoo, conditioner and leave-in.
Gentle on hair
Many shampoos can be stripping to hair particularly if they have sulphates. Co-washes are gentle on hair, non-stripping and help maintain hair's natural moisture levels.
Aids detangling
Rich, creamy co-wash formulas aid detangling.
Perfect for a mid-week refresh
When I was do a lot of running and weight training I would sweat loads and unable to wait until my main wash day because my scalp became itchy due to build up of sweat. So I'd co-wash mid week if i had been working out in the gym a lot or running a lot to help keep my hair and scalp refreshed.
Any conditioner will do
One of the good things with co-washing is you can use with a specially formulated co-wash product or any standard rinse out conditioner.
My natural 4c hair with a co-wash…
How to co-wash hair?
When co-washing I follow the below steps.
Saturate hair with water then add loads of product (be generous on the mid-lengths and ends if you have thicker hair) from root to tip.
Emulsify the product and work it into scalp as you would a shampoo to help remove dirt and build up from your hair and scalp.
Rinse.
You can leave a bit of the co-wash in as a leave in.
Depending on how your hair feels and how much time you have you can follow with a regular conditioner. Personally I don't always use a conditioner after as the co-washes I use are all very nourishing for my hair.
4 of the Best Co-Washes for Natural 4C Hair
In no particular order here are my top co-wash picks for natural 4c hair. I interchange between these depending on which one is in my product stash.
Mielle Organics Detangling Co-Wash
Key ingredients: Coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, vitamin e, marula oil. The texture of Mielle Detangling Co-Wash is quite lightweight compared to the others mentioned below but it's very hydrating too the scent is not overpowering. I discovered this beauty via TreasureTress but you can find it here.
Activilong Actiforce Black Castor Oil Co-Wash
Key ingredients: Coconut oil, hydrolyzed wheat protein, sapota seed butter, castor oil, shea butter. I've mentioned this Activilong cowash previously in my Activilong Actiforce Black Castor Oil range review. This Activilong Co-Wash has a strong scent and a little goes a long way. Does a great job at detangling too.
As I Am Long and Luxe Gro-wash
Key ingredients: aloe vera juice, pomegranate juice, coconut oil, passion fruit, castor oil, caffeine, biotin.
This As I Am Long and Luxe Gro-Wash is super creamy and detangles perfectly. I've mentioned this As I Am co-wash previously in my As I Am Long and Luxe range review. I still have the As I Am Coconut Co-Wash on my list to try so I will report back when I do… it's very popular with most naturalistas that I know and has great reviews online.
Palmer's Olive Oil Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner
Key ingredients: olive oil, vitamin e, Jamaican black castor oii, keratin, peppermint, sage, nettle, hyssop and rosemary. I love the super rich texture of Palmer’s Olive Oil Co-Wash and the blend of nourishing and stimulating ingredients in the formula, plus a fresh scent which lingers for days… It’s quite stimulating to the scalp too due to the presence of peppermint oil in the formula.
Whilst co-washing is great don't forget to clarify hair once a month if you have lots of product build up by using a gentle clarifying cleanser like Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Shampoo, Palmer's Natural Fusions Micellar Rosewater Clarifying Cleanser (Shampoo) or Camille Rose Sweet Ginger Rinse to give your scalp a thorough clean and remove buildup.
Do you co-wash your hair? Have you tried any of the co-washes mentioned in this post? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for stopping by!
Krista x
Post contains affiliate links.
Nylah Naturals kindly sent me their I Love My Hair Kit which includes a Strength & Shine Shampoo Cream, Super Botanicals Conditioner and Super Seeds Hair Oil to try out and I am impressed… Read on for more and my review of Nylah Hair Care.