Lessons Learn't so far on My Hair Journey (Co-washing)

Over the next couple of months I am going to be sharing through a series of blog post, some of the experiences I have had, whilst being on my healthy hair journey as well as highlighting the varied lessons learnt. Today’s highlight features Co-washing.

What is Co-washing?

Co-washing is simply washing your hair with a conditioner instead of a shampoo. This helps to add moisture back into your hair without stripping the hair of its natural oils.

3 Different Ways to Co-wash?

1)      Wash your hair with a moisturizing conditioner and rinse

2)      Apply Deep Conditioner on dry hair and follow up with a moisturizing conditioner 

         and rinse [My preferred option]

3)      Wash your hair with a moisturizing conditioner then Deep Condition afterwards 

         and rinse [This method is basically a combination of options 1 & 2]

Now back in June 2012, when I started my hair journey I would rush home on either Tuesday or Wednesday evenings – the day really depended on my wash day being either Saturdays or Sundays [Tues & Sat or Wed & Sun] On the chosen evening [Tues | Wed]  after getting home from work I would  start my deep condition on dry hair, followed by co-washing with  Alberto Vo5 Moisture Milk Conditioner or Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship for Long Hair, so that by 7:00 pm or 7:30 pm my hair could be air drying.  My hair is usually completely dry, after air-drying for 1 ½ to 2 hrs with no issues.  There was this one time I got so frustrated by the top of my head [the thickest part of my hair] taking so long to dry, that I ended up going to sleep with damp hair, let’s just say I ended up with a cold two days later sigh.

The months of October through to December are usually cooler months of the year being the run up to Christmas even for us here in the tropics, the sun goes down a lot earlier therefore making for the dip in temperatures. I found that when I continued to air dry my damp hair outside in these cooler temps, even though it would dry completely within 2 hours, as with the warmer months of the year, the repercussions would be drastically different, I would often a day or 2 later, end up with a scratchy throat or mild cold We here in Barbados often tend to use a lot of remedies for colds and I use my trusted “grandmother remedy,” of applying medicated candle grease to prevent it from becoming a full blown cold *works for me every time* Even though I could end up finding myself fighting off the threat of a cold every week because of co-washing, I still persisted on doing co-washes as I love the benefits of it, however I was so paranoid with catching a cold after co-washes, that before I went to bed I applied candle grease on my throat just in case and again on the following day as well (my mom always says Prevention is better than Cure).

.Here are my co-washing conditioners and my trusted candle grease:

Please click image to enlarge

My hair has really thrived on co-washes, especially since it came a long way from a dry brittle
state; it therefore needed all the moisture it could get. Co-washing has once again added some life back into my hair, in addition to the real bonus of applying deep conditioning twice a week to my thirsty hair.

I have come to the realization that the cool air that was drying my hair is subsequently making me sick as a result. So I have decided that between the months of October to December I wouldn't be doing any co-washes and my regimen will remain the same except for the co-washes.  I will have only one wash day which will incorporate everything I normally do on Saturdays or Sundays whichever one is more convenient for me.

*Time is almost up for our POLL on the left, be sure to get your vote in before it is over*

Do you Co-wash & How do you Co-wash?

Be inspired…