Co-washing: Use conditioner as shampoo

Co-washing: Use conditioner as shampoo

As mentioned before, using shampoo is bad for your hair.  It can cause your hair to get all tangled up and dried out.  That is why I have previously suggested that you use less shampoo.  I know the thought of not shampooing can be quite scary for some of you out there.  So instead of just rinsing your hair out with plain water, I recommend that you try giving co-washing a chance.What is co-washing?  It is when you use conditioner to wash your hair instead of shampoo.  The cleansing agent in conventional shampoo is too abrasive and damaging toward your hair.  Meanwhile, conditioner is able to wash your in a much gentler fashion.  So it is more appropriate to wash with conditioner than with shampoo on a regular basis.

How often should you co-wash your hair?  That depends on your hair and your own personal preference.  You can use conditioner to wash your hair everyday, or you can opt to only co-wash a few times a week.  To find out what suits your hair best, test out different frequency of co-washing.  As of this week, I am washing my hair with conditioner six times a week.  Then on the one other day, I use both shampoo and conditioner. 

How much conditioner should you use?  Only use a small amount.  Using too much conditioner can weigh your hair down.  For my waist-length hair, I only use a nickel-size amount.  I leave the conditioner in my hair for about ten minutes, and then I rinse it clean.