How To Co-Wash

Hey everybody! It's been nearly seven weeks into the Curly Girl Method, and I've had some ups and downs. Co-washing is pretty much the center of the Curly Girl Method, so I thought I would devote a post to this topic.

Co-Washing is short for Conditioner Washing. Instead of using shampoo, Curly Girls use conditioner that is free of silicones to wash their hair on a daily basis. It is okay to use sulfate-free shampoo, but co-washing is more gentle on our hair. Popular conditioners that are Curly Girl Approved from the drugstore are the Suave Naturals Coconut Conditioner and the V05 Moisture Milk Conditioner in Strawberries and Cream, which both usually retail for under three dollars at most drugstores. It doesn't have to be these specific scents- any Suave Naturals Conditioner or V05 Moisture Milk Conditioner will do.

When you co-wash, it is important to start off with a good amount of product. I have pretty long hair- past mid-back but not quite to my waist yet. I use half a palm-full of conditioner, or about the size of two quarters. I distribute it everywhere on my scalp, at the forehead, the nape of the neck, sides of the face, behind the ears, crown of my head...everywhere. And then I start to scrub. I use my fingers and really work the product in. I notice that if I neglect one section of hair, my hair is oily the next day in that section. So I pay attention to really scrub every part of my scalp. Don't hurt yourself or scratch your scalp or anything, just get down in there and scrub. Remember that there are no sulfates to do the job for you. You have to manually remove the dirt and product from your hair. Even though I've used a significant amount of conditioner already, sometimes I'll come back and add more to the places I feel need it. As a curly girl, you go through a lot of conditioner. Luckily we can use ultra cheap ones that aren't a hassle to repurchase.

After I have scrubbed my scalp thoroughly, I rinse out the co-wash. When I rinse it out, I scrub some more. Work the water into each section and thoroughly rinse out your co-wash. By the end of my shower, my arms are a little tired from scrubbing. But that's what gets my hair clean, so that's what I do. Make sure to use your fingers as you rinse it out. Using your fingers is the key to this whole process.


After I have rinsed everything out, I put in my rinse-out conditioner, which is a separate, heavier conditioner that replenishes moisture. I use the Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner. This is a popular drugstore rinse-out. I use this product on about 3/4 the length of my hair. I don't put it on my roots, because I just spent so much time scrubbing my scalp clean.

I let it sit as I finish my shower, rinse it out, and then I'm done.

I am learning that being thorough is really the only way to get my hair feeling clean enough (for my liking) with co-washing.


What about you guys? Any curly girl tips out there?

Much love!

Gianna