So, the latest trend or should I say new addition to the block of already emerging hair care ideas is co-washing. Is it really good for your hair?
Every other day new inventions, discoveries or trends keep making the rounds. While I am not against change, I am definitely a bit traditional, or rather believe in taking up methods that have been around and are proven to work. What is my take on co-wash?
What’s Co-Wash?
Basically, it is washing hair with conditioner instead of Shampoo! It is more popular with women who have curly or dry or coarse hair.
Now we’ve got that cleared up, let’s move further. Is co-washing good or bad? That’s the real question here, right? Unlike dry shampooing, this has a one-word answer – NO!
Wondering why?
We use different hair care products – moisturizer, gel, oil, serum and what not! Depending on one’s hair type and requirements, there are many products that we use. While most of us typically use hair oil, and probably styling product(s), moisturizer, serum and whatnot, are used by those with dry or damaged hair. Besides these products, dirt and grime get accumulated with time and what about sweat? Can a conditioner really wash off these? Absolutely Not!
Contrary to popular claim, a conditioner is NOT a substitute for Shampoo and can never be. A conditioner’s job is to replenish lost moisture and applying it to the scalp is a strict no, in most cases. So, how can conditioner be used to wash the hair?
Case in point – women with natural hair, especially when it is curly, dry or damaged, find hair becoming more frizzy or dry or unmanageable after washing with shampoo. They find their hair looking frizz-free and shiny and needless to say, moisturized after “washing” their hair with a conditioner. However, it in no way substitutes a shampoo by any stretch of imagination!
Undoubtedly, Shampooing a lot can leave your hair dehydrated and dry. But that’s where mild shampoos and probably ones that don’t leave your hair high and dry come into play. There are other options than swapping your Shampoo for Conditioner!
There’s something called a cleansing conditioner, after many raised objections and a few hair experts spoke against co-washing. Even leading actors, actresses, models and hair care brands have taken up a liking to this trend and launched conditioners that also cleanse. Even so, while shampooing can be delayed, it can’t be avoided altogether!
Women also claim that their color lasts longer when opting for co-washing. But the truth is – conditioner cannot remove accumulated dust, grime and products and you would need a clarifying shampoo every now and then, to get rid of the accumulation!
While women with curly, damaged or dry hair love co-washing for the moisturizing effect it has on their hair, it isn’t for other hair types. Or even for those with curly or dry and damaged hair, to start with! Also, it is particularly NOT GOOD for those with scalp conditions including scaly or oily scalp!
In short, Co-Washing is NOT OK and you should use a Shampoo – at least once in two – three weeks! We will be answering more questions on Co-washing and other hair care trends, so stay tuned! We haven’t covered all about co-washing, so we will be adding more on this later. Till then, stay tuned and write to us about your questions, suggestions and any requests you may have for recipes or hair care topics that need addressing. Don’t have time for DIY Recipes for hair care? Try HY Vitamins Hair Care products for your requirements.
