THE PROS AND CONS OF CO-WASHING NATURAL HAIR

Get to know what co-washing is, whether it’s for you and some of its pros and cons.

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Natural hair is prone to dryness because of its curls. The oils produced in the hair follicles travel more easily down the shaft of straight hair. If you shampoo too often it makes this problem worse, as each time you wash your hair the natural oils are stripped from it – and this is where co-washing comes in.

We asked hair expert, celebrity hairstylist and Lajawi Beaute Café salon owner Jawad Maphoto to help us break down co-washing. ‘Co-washing, which stands for conditioner washing, is when one uses a specially formulated conditioner to cleanse the hair,’ he says. It is made specifically for cleansing and is different to typical conditioners. It contains cleansing agents that remove dirt, but it still has the hydrating and nourishing benefits of a conditioner.

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Here are some pros and cons of co-washing:



PROS

• Co-washing saves time because you wash and condition at the same time.
• It leaves hair nourished and soft because it doesn’t contain harsh chemicals that strip moisture from the hair and leave it dry.
• Co-washing retains moisture in the hair and as a result helps retain curls.
• It is gentle on the hair and scalp.

CONS

• Because it doesn’t include harsh chemicals, co-washing doesn’t remove heavy products that contain oils and petroleum.
• When done incorrectly, co-washing can cause product build-up on the hair and scalp.
• Using the incorrect product can cause hair to be flat.

Maphoto warns that you shouldn’t use regular conditioner for co-washing because it is not meant for cleansing the hair and doesn’t have the same properties as those that are formulated specifically for co-washing. ‘If you use oils and petroleum-based products like hair food, alternate your wash sessions with a clarifying shampoo,’ he adds.

TOP TIP
If you use water-based products you can get away with co-washing your hair only – just be sure to use co-wash and not regular conditioner.



WASH IT WELL

To get the full benefits of co-washing, here’s how to do it:

1. Wet your hair with warm water.
2. Apply a liberal amount of co-wash product until your hair is saturated.
3. Starting at the scalp, gently scrub your scalp thoroughly, using your fingertips (not your nails as this could damage your scalp) to loosen dirt. Work from the middle of your head towards your hairline.
4. Then focus on the hair strands and work your way from the roots to the tips.
5. Thoroughly rinse the hair and repeat steps one to four.
6. Rinse hair thoroughly again, and dry.
7. Moisturise hair and style as desired.
8. Repeat this about twice a week, depending on how often you wash your hair (bearing in mind that washing too often causes hair to dry out)

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