Co-washing: Is It for You?
You might’ve heard the term “co-wash” and may be wondering, is it for me? With all of the buzz surrounding co-washing, it can be challenging to navigate and decide whether or not to incorporate it into your regimen. There are numerous definitions, ideas on how to do it, and opinions on products that are best for co-washing—or even products labeled as a co-wash! Good news, we’re here to give you the down and clean truth about co-washing.
What is co-washing?
Co-washing is the process of cleansing your hair with water before re-conditioning. It’s not something you use, it’s something you do.
Why is it important?
The process of co-washing helps clarify your scalp and hair while preventing dryness, tangles, and breakage. When you cleanse with water, you’re keeping your scalp balanced in between washes by gently clearing out the residue from products and environmental stressors. Conditioning after adds moisturize back into your hair so your texture is left with a healthy glow.
How do you co-wash?
Successful co-washing can be completed in a few simple steps, making it easy to incorporate into your daily routine.
01
Saturate
Thoroughly saturate your hair with water.
02
Condition
Once completely soaking, take your favorite conditioner and apply it to your hair from scalp to tips.
03
Massage
As the length of your hair is soaking up all the moisture from your conditioner, massage your scalp gently in circular motions. Take a minute or two to really break up anything that might be gathered on your scalp.
04
Rinse
When finished, rinse your hair from roots to ends and enjoy a refreshed scalp with hydrated locks!
Product recommendations
Not only is the conditioner you use important but so are the other products you use on your co-wash and regular wash days. Here are the Hair Rules products we recommend to get the most out of your co-wash:
Quench™ Ultra Rich Conditioner
Enrich your co-wash process with this deeply hydrating conditioner. Its texture is creamy for your ends while being light enough that it won’t cause heavy build-up on your scalp.
Aloe-Grapefruit Purifying Shampoo
For curly to kinky textures, clarifying with this shampoo one to two times every month will ensure your hair absorbs the benefits of consistent co-washing. For all other textures, this gentle shampoo is a great option as a main cleanser that you can use 2-3 times a week, depending on your hair pattern and strand thickness.
Nourishment Leave-in Moisturizer
After co-washing, seal in the burst of moisture you just gave your hair with this weightless moisturizer. It’ll help you hair maintain its hydration and volume throughout the day, too.
No Suds Cleansing Cream
No Suds is a go-to for naturally dry textures, such as curly and kinky textures, and even wavy textures. This cream can be used multiple times a week and is highly moisturizing. Combined with co-washing, you’ve got a dynamic duo on your hands and scalp!
Co-washing itself is simple and effective. Knowing how to best add it to your routine is based in big part off of the details of your specific texture. We hope the details of co-washing are a little bit more clean and clear now, but the knowledge doesn’t stop there! Learn about your texture and explore what other products will compliment co-washing for your unique hair with our texture specific pages: straight, wavy, curly, and kinky.
