How to Co-Wash

Curly hair rarely follows the rules. The one thing I can count on with curly hair is that there are no guarantees. Some curly hair gets curlier as it gets longer, while another person's curly hair weighs down and straightens out with length. One person can cut off an inch from their curls and only look like they cut off an inch. Someone else, well they will look like they cut off seven inches if they cut off one. With that being said, keep in mind that this is a starting point. Try this for a few weeks, then start making small changes, one at a time, to see what your hair likes best.

You will want to start with dry hair. This will allow the hair to soak up more moisture from the conditioner instead of water. Hair naturally soaks up more of the first thing it is wet with.

To start with the co-wash process, pour a generous amount of an approved conditioner into the palm of your hand.

I like to use my fingertips to apply the conditioner to my scalp only. I have thick hair, so this makes it easier to get under the rest of my hair. As you are applying the conditioner to your scalp, rub the conditioner into your scalp. If you feel like all the conditioner disappears, add more to that spot. Continue this all over your head.

Now that you have conditioner on your scalp, pick a spot. Front or back? Start making little circles on your scalp with your fingertips. Work in rows to be sure you don't miss a spot. Don't forget the sides, behind your ears, and around your hairline. Once you have massaged your entire head with your fingertips, do it again, and again. You want to do this for 5-10 minutes. This will increase blood flow to your scalp and stimulate hair growth.

You can now rinse. You will have best results if you rinse in cool water. While you are rinsing, be sure to use your fingertips to rub your scalp to ensure you remove all the conditioner from your scalp. This is a really important step. This will keep your hair from being oily once it is dry.

To cleanse the ends, add some conditioner to the rest of your hair. Use your fingers to detangle, working from the ends up. Once you have all the tangles out, rinse the conditioner in cool water.

It is usually best if you leave some conditioner in the ends of your hair. You will have to experiment to see how much is right for you. A general rule... the curlier your hair, the more conditioner you will want to leave in.

Finally, wrap your hair in a t-shirt or a microfiber towel (without rubbing) to prevent frizz.

Give it a try! Give it some time. it takes a while to really see how it is going to work for you. And let me know how you are doing with it.

Happy Co-washing!!!