Co-Washing of Hair- Is It Worth?

Co-washing, often called conditioner washing, is the act of washing your hair only with conditioner. Many shampoos are formulated using sulphates and paraben, that clears your hair thoroughly but can strip off natural oils and moisture from your hair, which makes them dry, frizzy and more prone to breakage. Co-washing, however, refers to not just skipping shampoo but also applying conditioner in place of shampoo. By cutting down on the usage of shampoo, your hair can retain the natural moisture and keeps your hair shiny and frizz-free. 

BENEFITS OF CO-WASHING:

1. Hydrating effect—Co-washing your hairs with a correct conditioner, helps you retain hydration on your hair. Many people think the residue left during the co-washing process may not be good, but ultimately you are into a cleansing process while co-washing.
2. Retains natural oil and moisture—Conditioners are meant to smoothen your hair. So washing your hair with this regime, will never strip off natural oil and prevent your hair to strip apart from your scalp. Your hair remains stronger and healthier with better moisture retention and less breakage.
3. Makes the styling process easier—All those of you who have rough hair, do experience the difficulty of styling hair. But with this regimen, every day will be a good hair day for you. So if you want to seize that intricate hairstyle, co-washing is the best option.

HOW TO CO-WASH?

Step 1-Apply conditioner all over your hair.

Step 2-Scrub your scalp thoroughly. Friction scrubbing is essential. This ensures that you are removing dirt from your hair.

Step 3-Rinse your hair completely.

Step 4-Apply the second round of conditioner. Start with your ends, work mid-way to your scalp. This ensures that your hair gets detangled and conditioned. In this round, the product need not be applied on your scalp.

Step 5-Wash your hair until there is no product residue left.

Step 6-Repeat this process for 2-3 times a week.

DISADVANTAGES OF CO-WASHING

Co-washing is great for dry and frizzy hair, but it may not be a case for everyone. It has the following disadvantages:

1. Product build-up on the scalp—This is because not all conditioners are easy to take off from your scalp. If there is a product residue left on your hair, it may lead to dandruff formulation.
2. Bad odour—If there is the residue left on your hair, after 2-3 days it may cause a bad odour.
3. Itchiness—This can cause itchiness and irritation on your scalp and give your hair a flat and greasy look.

OVER TO YOU:

 Co-washing is a great way to smoothen your hair. Co-washing can replace your shampoos, but make sure that you use a proper conditioner which is meant for cleansing or co-washing. If you do not use those, it will lead to the above disadvantages. This technique is meant for people with curly, semi-curly, dry and rough hair.