THE CONDITIONER WASH METHOD 

Co-washing is short for “conditioner-only washing.” It means utilizing conditioner or conditioner-like products to gently lift dirt and buildup, whether you’re a daily or a weekly washer. The result is something between squeaky-clean and second-day hair—that is, smoother, softer, and easier to manage.

You’ll save shower space, as well as some time and money. The concept is simple: Instead of using shampoo to clean your hair, use conditioner instead.

Also known as conditioner-only washing, co-shampooing or conditioner rinsing, the method is great for dry or curly hair because it cleanses just enough without drying hair out, as many shampoos can (especially ones with SLS)

Candidate for co-washing? If your hair is curly or wavy or it’s dry, you are more likely to benefit from co-washing. Most conditioners contain trace amounts of detergents called cationic surfactants, or “quats” for short. (Some common types that you can find on your conditioner’s ingredient list are cetrimonium and behentrimonium chloride.)

When mixed with water, the quats pick up tiny amounts of dirt, leaving unshampooed hair feeling clean but not squeakily so. At the same time, the conditioner contains, well, conditioners. “Since unshampooed hair retains more of its natural oils than shampooed hair, the conditioner’s moisturizing agents will now leave strands even smoother and silkier than usual,” says Nicole Tresch, a senior colorist at the Rita Hazan Salon, in New York City.

Assuming that they have healthy scalps, women with color-processed hair are also prime candidates for co-washing, as it allows them to go longer between salon treatments. “Co-washing doesn’t strip strands of pigment the way traditional cleansing can,” says Los Angeles hairstylist Jen Atkin.

Whom isn’t co-washing good for? People with fine, straight hair, which could get weighed down. Those with an oily scalp or dermatitis should steer clear, too. “Co-washing alone doesn’t effectively treat either condition,” says Jeannette Graf, a New York City dermatologist. Stick with your regular shampoo-then-condition routine.

How can conditioner wash hair?

There is actually science and logic to support this hair care regime. Shampoos are typically composed of about 10-15% detergent. They use surfactants like Sodium Laureath Sulfate or Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate which do an excellent job of cleaning and removing oil from hair.
Conditioners also have detergents, but they are different than those found in shampoos. They use cationic surfactants (or quats) which have the tendency to stick to the hair, which is how they provide conditioning.

Common quats are Cetrimonium Chloride or Distearyldimonium Chloride. They’re used at levels between 1% and 5%. Although they do stick to the hair, these ingredients also have the ability to cleanse the hair, which is why the no-poo washing system can work.

Choosing a Conditioner

• Use a light-bodied conditioner so as not to weigh hair down too much.
• A silicone-free conditioner is best because it will lead to less buildup. A silicone-free conditioner is best because it will lead to less buildup.

A lot of conditioner favorites contain silicones that coat the hair and create slip, making it easier to detangle the hair. Be not wary; these silicones tend to be water-soluble and rinse right down the drain when all is said and done. The cone challenge comes into play if you frequently use thicker silicone-based serums regularly. Those can coat the hair and effectively block moisture from coming in (think anti-frizz/humidity serums), and require more than conditioner to get them gone.

• Don’t use protein-based conditioners to co-wash, as they can lead to breakage.
• Do not use deep conditioners and treatments to co-wash. These products tend to contain higher concentrations of the aforementioned cationic surfactants, and will likely lead to even more buildup than a regular rinse-out conditioner.
• Choose an inexpensive product since you’ll be using more of it than usual.

If your hair is THICK, the daily conditioner that’s already sitting in your shower may be all that you need. Just avoid those with silicones, such as dimethicone, in the ingredient list. These are often added to conventional conditioners to smooth hair. But if you don’t shampoo weekly, they can build up and weigh hair down. If your hair isn’t as thick, you may do better with a product designed for co-washing called cleansing conditioners, these contain more cleanser than typical conditioners do but in the form of natural ingredients (like aloe vera), which remove grit more gently.

STEPS.

Eliminating shampoo requires adjustments to how you rinse and condition your hair. Here are step-by-step directions for a smooth transition.

1. Fully saturate your hair with water. The strands should be sopping wet. The water loosens the debris, making it easier to rinse out eventually. This also helps distribute the product evenly throughout the hair.
2. Squeeze out a healthy amount of conditioner. For some people, this can mean using as much as a golf ball-size amount. This may seem like a lot, but don’t forget that you’re cleansing, not just conditioning.
3. Massage the conditioner into the scalp and distribute evenly through the ends. This will help break down oils and any residue left over from styling products. Then allow the conditioner to be absorbed for three to five minutes. If your hair is particularly dry or damaged, leave it in longer. It will act like a mask. Now rinse, dry, and style as usual.
4. Rinse hair thoroughly before applying conditioner to wash the hair. This makes the co-washing easier and more effective, and prevents the conditioner from just directly “sticking” to your hair.

PLEASE NOTE:
Use a clarifying shampoo once a week or every other week. Buildup—from sweat, stylers, or conditioner—is inevitable, regardless of whether you shampoo or co-wash.

Experiment with how frequently you need to clarify your hair. In general, a once-a-month or twice-a-month wash will cure dullness without drying. If your hair still feels weighed down after bi-weekly clarifying, alternate as needed between co-washing and shampooing. This should yield the benefits of co-washing but with more volume. Or, you can use clay or apple cider vinegar

Benefits of co-washing

• Co-washing is incredibly gentle on the hair
• It can gently lift light dirt and product buildup from the hair
• Conditioner can be used to cleanse and detangle at the same time
• Conditioners correct the charge of the hair and lay the cuticle flat, aiding in moisture retention and increasing strength and shine

Drawbacks

• Conditioners may not be strong enough to remove heavy buildup and clarify the scalp
• Conditioners contain cationic surfactants that are designed to stick to the hair, whereas shampoos contain anionic surfactants. Translation: co-washing has the potential to cause more buildup than it removes.

Although deciding to co-wash is an individual decision, the benefits and drawbacks listed above are best to keep in mind – especially the last point. The cationic (positively charged) surfactants in conditioners such as stearalkonium, cetrimonium, and behentimonium chlorides, behentrimonium methosulfate, and stearamidopropyl dimethylamine are designed to soften the hair and stick to it (because hair has a slight negative charge), which in theory could lead to more buildup.

But at the same time, they do possess some capacity to gently lift dirt and oil. Determining whether to co-wash & what to use lies in what works best for your hair.

THE LOW SHAMPOO METHOD

Basically, Low shampoo is what is known as a “no shampoo” shampoo. No kidding. A low shampoo is a “new” type of cleanser for your hair, that doesn’t have harmful chemicals like silicone and sulfates in them.

A low shampoo is like a cleansing cream – it has the consistency of conditioner, and it doesn’t lather up. In the long run, ones hair is much healthier and shinier (and not from silicone), and feels smooth.

Best Way to Use A Low Shampoo

Massage it into the scalp with your fingers in sections. Start at the top of your scalp, then work your way to the sides of your head, toward the lower back of your scalp, and then finally the length of your hair.

A Good Low Shampoo is;

• Sulfate-free
• Silicone-free
• Paraben-free

Why You Need A Low Shampoo

Dandruff is basically flakes of dead skin from your scalp and can cause hair loss. Most of the time, dandruff is caused by a dry scalp. When you use a regular shampoo, the sulfates strip your hair of natural oils, thus drying out your scalp even more, causing more dandruff. So when you use a low shampoo, a different, gentler cleansing agent is used and it doesn’t strip away all the oils.
An oily scalp is usually caused by a dry scalp. Let me explain, a dry scalp that has been stripped of all its natural oil, will produce even more oil to combat the dryness.

An overly oily scalp can actually cause dandruff (which causes excessive hair fall) as well. Since there are no sulfates in low shampoos, the scalp will not be overly stripped. The low shampoo will clean the excess oil off your scalp so your hair won’t look or feel greasy, but there will still be natural oils in your scalp that nourishes your hair.

THE SHAMPOO METHOD

There are misconceptions that kinky textures are unruly, defiant, rough & tough, and are a challenge to grow long. Kinky textures can also be perceived as not having any versatility. There is only truth to this if kinky hair is not cared for in a manner that is compatible or respectable to the natural characteristics of the texture.

Kinky hair has a spongy zig zag, coiled, springy pattern that has a lot of shrinkage. As a result it has a natural tendency to tangle and can become brittle and break. If you add improper hair care & thermal styling to the mix, you can damage and destroy the integrity of your natural texture, making it nearly impossible to see the true potential and beauty of your kinky hair. The truth is that kinky hair is the most versatile on the texture spectrum.

The key to washing natural hair is to

1. Reduce moisture and protein loss &
2. Limit tangling during the wash process. It’s that simple.

STEPS

Pre Shampoo aka Pre-POO

A pre-poo is a restorative treatment done to your hair prior to shampooing and keep stress on your hair shaft at bay. ( This information is from www.blackhairspot.com )

Typical treatments include:

• oil-based,
• protein-based, or
• plain moisture-enhancing.

Knowing what your hair is lacking prior to wash day will set you on the right path to optimal hair health as you fortify and replenish what is missing.

Assess your tresses.
If your hair is lacking moisture, it will feel dry and brittle. When extended, or elasticity is tested, it will snap off rather than snap back to its original shape.
If your hair is in need of protein, it will appear limp and dull. Some even say it will have a mushy feel to it. That is the direct result of a moisture/protein imbalance.

Lock moisture in with an oil-based pre poo.

Synthetic shampoos strip the hair and scalp of any natural oils (sebum) generated by the hair follicle. The result of this cleansing can leave your hair feeling dry and thirsty.

A pre-poo oil treatment allows you to coat the full length of your hair and provide a temporary shield of defense against drying. The oil coats your hair to lock in moisture and prevents direct access to the cortex, where natural moisture resides.

Try to think of it like wearing a raincoat during a monsoon. It won’t completely lock out the water but it will keep you more dry than if you hadn’t worn one at all.

If we apply that logic to a pre-poo oil treatment, it will prevent shampoo from completely penetrating your hair shaft and stripping away all natural moisture from your hair.

There are a number of different light-weight natural oils recommended:

• Coconut oil
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Argan oil
• Hemp seed oil

Although there are benefits to the application of any of these oil products, extra virgin coconut oil is said to have the most affinity to the chemical makeup of our hair. Because of this, coconut oil will have an easier time penetrating the cuticle and getting to the cortex where it can do its best work.

Give your keratin a kick with a protein-based pre poo.

Based on the symptoms outlined above, if you think you’re short on protein you need to pre-poo with your keratin in mind.

A couple of good natural choices for a protein boost include:

• Raw egg wash, especially since egg yolks are high in protein and fat. Use ½ cup of egg mixture. Leave on for 20 minutes and rinse with cool to cold water to prevent the egg from cooking on your hair.
• Beer, specifically the wheat, malt or hops leftover after the liquid has evaporated is high in protein. Put ½ cup of flat beer (pour beer into a container and let it sit out for a couple of hours to deplete carbonation) into a spray bottle & spritz on your hair. When the liquid evaporates, the remaining protein residue (from the wheat, malt or hops) continues to strengthen and structure hair. Rinse off & shampoo.

Pre poo to enhance moisture.

Although oil treatments fall into the moisture-enhancing category, most oil’s don’t actually deposit moisture. They work with your hair’s natural moisture production and lock it in so that it doesn’t get lost or washed away.

The moisture-enhancement we look at here involves using products that will inject moisture into the mix. Some natural products you can use to build moisture-enhancing masks at home include:

• Avocado
• Mayonnaise
• Sour cream or Yogurt
• Lemon juice
• Honey

Which pre poo is for you?

Depending on your pre-poo needs, your process for application will vary.

If your hair is in the healthy spectrum, your pre-poo intention is likely to maintain the balance you fought so hard to achieve. You’re going to want to use an oil pre-poo that locks in your current moisture. You can perform a heated oil application 30 minutes at the beginning of your hair wash day routine.

If your hair falls into the dry end of the scale, you’ll want to enhance your moisture content. Coconut oil does double duty in enhancing the moisture you have while protecting the protein.
You can also refer to any of the natural hair treatments listed above, particularly an avocado mask. Avocado is said to have an oil chemistry that most closely resembles the oils our skin naturally produces. That implies it will be easy to absorb. Follow the directions associated with the hair treatment you select.

If your hair feels overly mushy and limp, you’re probably in the over-moisturized category and require protein to restore balance to the hair shaft. Applying a raw egg wash or beer treatment will give you the boost your hair protein.
Benefits
Inserting a pre-poo stage into your hair care routine will ultimately help you to reclaim control of your mane. The benefits include:

• A conscious diagnosis of your hair health. It’s easy to fall into a rut with our hair and do the same thing from one wash day to the next. Putting pre-poo on your calendar will remind you to take a good look at how your hair is actually responding to your care.
• Increased manageability. Since you’re actively restoring what’s lacking in your hair, the improved balance will make your hair more pliable.
• Less breakage or improved strength and resilience. Adding moisture makes black hair more elastic and less prone to breakage, especially when it is done in moderation. You want to be careful not to over-moisturize and throw your balance out of whack.

PLEASE NOTE
Use restraint with your pre poo potions.
The one caution all pre-poo’ers need to keep in mind is balance. Balanced moisture and protein is the key to the healthiest, most responsive hair. One way to keep equilibrium at the forefront of your mind is to mark your pre-poos on your calendar. This way you will have a visual reference to what and when your last treatment was.

FOR THE CO-WASHERS & NO-SHAMPOOERS;

Co-washers and no poo’ers can pre poo too.

If you’re a co-washer or no poo’er , you’re not excluded from the pre-poo phase. Make your choice of pre-poo dependent on the cleansing method you are currently using.

You’ll want to be diligent as you assess the current state of your hair health. Remember that co-washers and no poos tend to have milder cleansing agents so some of the pre-poo options may not be necessary for your wash day routine.

Wash hair in sections

If you have 6 inches or more of natural hair length, washing the whole head of hair loose may not be the best way to do things. Try sectioning your hair into 4 or 6 sections that twisted or braided. Remove one braid or twist at a time and wash that particular section only. Re-twist or braid the section when the section is washed. This process takes a lot longer, but fewer tangles, knots and breakage is totally worth it.

 Lather Once With A Sulfate Free Shampoo

Shampoo is for cleaning the scalp and the run off of water and suds work to clean the length of hair. Apply a pea-size of shampoo to your scalp then massage using your fingers as your spread the shampoo down your hair shaft. You want to pay attention to your scalp to remove the product build up.

If you get the scalp and hair sufficiently wet, you should be able to get shampoo right to the scalp and work a good lather. Rinse well with lukewarm water and your hair should be clean. If you feel like you need another wash, opt for a conditioner wash (co-wash) instead.

 Follow Up with Conditioner

You will need to replenish the moisture back into your hair, as well as detangle your hair with a moisture rich conditioner. Due to the shape and texture, conditioning is essential because natural scalp oils are not spread throughout your hair as much as straight or wavy hair. Usually, brushing hair helps to spread scalp oils. Ensure to pick a good quality brush or wide tooth comb. It is recommended to use your fingers to detangle too.
Apply conditioner correctly. Apply conditioner to the length of your hair and avoid applying near your scalp. Conditioner at the scalp can weigh down your hair making it look flat while the rest of your hair stays puffy. Try to keep conditioner for as long as you can because it will moisturize as long as it is applied

 Deep Condition

Apply a liberal amount of deep conditioner to wet hair after it has been washed and cleaned. Focus on the ends of your hair as they can be dry and fragile. Wear a plastic cap & leave the conditioner for 15 minutes to 1 hour as you shower as the steam aids the conditioner in penetrating your hair. Rinse the conditioner out with cool or cold water but do not shampoo because you want any oils to remain in your hair.

Conditioner will continue to work until the next time you use shampoo to wash your hair. You might also try sitting under a heated dryer while the conditioner is on, with a plastic cap..
[ I’ll talk more about this while exploring and breaking down the building blocks that make a wash hair day]

Dry Hair With A Microfiber Towel or T-shirt

Traditional cotton towels can really tangle and break hair due to the structure. Try a microfiber towel or plain t-shirt to dry the hair instead. Be sure to squeeze and blot the water out of the hair and avoid rubbing.

Choosing the right shampoo & conditioner.
Read the labels to ensure you limit the use of alcohol. Products with high Alcohol content tend to create crunchy curls as they suck the moisture out of your hair and can even lead to breakage. Use water-soluble gels as an alternative. They should not feel sticky to the touch. You may also use aerated mousses or foams.
Aerated foams and mousses will resemble beaten white foam once dispensed. Any product that provides lift and hold usually contains alcohol. While gels and mousses tend to contain a significant amount of alcohol, hairspray usually contains the most.
Ensure you buy shampoos that are sulfate free, paraben free & silicone free.

REMEMBER (this is from www.wikihow.com )

· A little bit of breakage while washing or doing anything to the hair is inevitable, but be sure to keep an eye out for excessive breakage. Give yourself a good protein treatment, balance your hair out with moisture and assess your diet in this case.

· Shampoo less often with less product.
Shampooing frequently may be damaging to your hair regardless of the type as it can dry it out.

An average person may wash her hair about every 2 or 3 days. Watch for signs that you should wash your hair such as an itchy scalp, flaking, or if your hair is visibly oil.

Sebaceous glands secrete an oily substance to help moisturize your scalp and hair and are most likely responsible for making your hair feel dirty. Wash your hair when it feels dirty or follow these tips

If you have thick hair, tight curls, or kinks, you just need to wash your hair about once a week or until it feels dirty. Daily washing will make your hair feel dry. You may use a dry shampoo or conditioner between washes to help refresh your hair.

If you have medium curls, kinks, or waves, you may shampoo every few days as your curls will look fine with a small amount of the natural oils from the sebaceous glands. Use low-foaming shampoos or a shampoo bar. You may also need to use conditioner in between shampoos if you are active and workout a lot. You may also just use water to massage your scalp in between your shampoos as well.

If you have fine curls or waves, you probably use styling products everyday that makes your hair feel oily. You may shampoo every day to keep your hair looking clean and use a good conditioner to keep it moisturized.

The quality of the water of your city will affect your hair. Generally, hard water is the worst for hair because it counteracts the shampoos ability to cleanse the hair.

TO CHOOSE WHICH METHOD TO USE TO CLEANSE YOUR HAIR;
· Let your hair needs and goals be a guide to what method to use.

· Be patient. It may time for your hair to get to your goal.

· Do research. I know this isn’t advisable especially because there’s a huge pool of information on the net.

· Remember to be attentive to subtle changes in your hair. In all cases, we need to do what works best for our personal hair care needs.

This marks the conclusion of how to clean your hair. I hope this was informative. I am compiling all questions asked and will address them. The next topic we dive into is “BUILDING BLOCKS THAT MAKE A WASH HAIR DAY.” And because of how practical this is, videos on the same will be on my YouTube Channel.
With love,