What is co-washing?
Co-washing or 'conditioner only' washing is a method of hair washing in which you completely eliminate the shampoo from your routine. It has gained some popularity over the past few years, particularly for those people with high porous/ coily hair (ringlet curls).
How to do it.
With co-washing you conditioner replaces your shampoo meaning you rub the conditioner into the full lengths of your hair and focus on massaging into your scalp as you would do with your shampoo.
The key is then to rinse out for as least double the time you spent massaging it in! You'll also want to look for a conditioner or co-wash (as there are now brands that have brought out specific co-washes) that do not contain silicones as silicones can very easily leave build up on your hair leaving it looking limp and heavy over time.
You should co-wash your hair at the same frequency as you would have been washing your hair with shampoo. ie If you normally wash every other day then keep up with the same washing routine.
Who might want to co-wash?
As with all of these things, co-washing is better for some hair types than others. People who have drier, curlier or frizzier hair might find this method of washing more beneficial. Because of the structure of curlier hair, the cuticles on the hair shaft tend to rise up (as opposed to lying flat) meaning that water can more easily penetrate as well as leave the hair shaft. This tends to lead to drier hair, especially in hotter months, and conversely, frizzier hair when the surrounding air is damp. Loading this hair up with extra nourishment and moisture (through co-washing) can make this hair type very happy- protecting from too much breakage. Anecdotally I have friends as well as An'du customers who have curlier hair who absolutely rave about co-washing. "Game-changing" has been the term that I have heard used, more than once. If you have high porosity hair (this type of hair tends to be drier, more prone to breakage and frizz and tangles quite easily) then you may want to give this method a go.
Who might want to stick with shampoo?
People with finer hair or oilier scalps will probably want to stay well away from the co-washing method. Conditioner is not designed to remove oils and dirt and although some conditioners might have very small amounts of surfactants (cleansers) in them, their primary function is to nourish and smooth, not clean. This, combined with the oils often present in conditioners mean that finer hair might get weighed down quite quickly and not cleaned as thoroughly as you need. Straighter, finer hair means that oils from your scalp can travel down your hair shaft more quickly than coarser, curlier hair which can often result in it feeling oily or looking a bit limp. This hair type generally needs regular washing with shampoo to keep it looking fresh and to prevent it losing its volume.
My verdict
I actually tried this a long time ago with a very expensive, American brand, and absolutely hated it. My hair was left feeling dank, lifeless and oily. On reflection, I may not have spent as much time rinsing it all out as I should have, but I do also have an oilier hair type which wouldn't have helped. Like I said however, co-washing is not a one size fits all solution, so if you do have hair that needs a bit of extra moisture then this may be worth a shot for you!
A balancing act?
The last suggestion I have if you're on the fence, is to try co-washing but occasionally add in a shampoo. You could co-wash for example, every three out of four hair washes and then use your regular shampoo to get rid of any product build up from the conditioner or any oils or dirt left behind. Alternatively, you might want to wash with shampoo after exercise to remove any sweat, but just co-wash at other times when your hair doesn't feel as dirty.
There are also those who co-wash in order to avoid some of the harsher surfactants (cleansers) sometimes found in shampoos. These harsher surfactants can include sulphates (although some sulphates are considerably worse than others). If you are keen to avoid any harshness due to a sensitive scalp, but aren't sold on the co-washing, then simply looking for a shampoo that is sulphate free or free from SLS / SLeS (the two harshest sulphates) might do the trick for you instead. You will still get a good cleanse without any over-drying or irritating side-effects. To find out more about sulphates check out this blog post here.
We would genuinely love to know if you've tried this method of washing and if so, what you thought about it. Do let us know in the comments below!