The CO (conditioner only) washing thread

[AJoifulNoise]

What do you all use to clarify? Ive been COing once a week or so, just to keep m hair up until I wash with GR shampoo and condish once a week. I think my hair likes it and I may try COing exclusively at some point, but Ive tried the BS thing and it did NOT work for me.

I've been using the shampoo counterparts to my conditioners. So, I use Hello Hydration and None of Your Frizzness HE conditioners. However, that's mostly because I'm still trying to use up the 3 bottles I had before I started CO in July! Someday, months from now I will use these up and try something else.

[amaiaisabella]

I have just started CO, and LOVE it.

My question is, do you need to shampoo every once in a while to really "deep clean"? My hair feels clean but a couple of people have commented that it's lying a little flat on top.

Other than than, my hair feels so much more moisturized, and I actually feel like I have real hair!

[pariate]

I just can't seem to get the right time down for the first C.I usually try to keep the first conditioner in for 10-15 minutes but the next time I CO with that same amount of time,it doesn't work.

Hi

When you say it doesn't work, do you mean that it doesn't clean your hair enough? Does it leave you with greasy/dirty looking hair? Are you massaging the "washing" conditioner into your scalp or just letting it sit? I find I have to apply a little pressure to the scalp to help lift the dirt.

[Patrycja]

yup.It feels rather dirty and greasy afterwards.I take off the shower cap add a little water and scrub deep with my nails.Its like my hair says "wow..hey-I like this" and the next time it goes "um...no."It doesn't know what it likes LOL

[pariate]

Maybe it's the nails that are the problem - I have quite long nails but I am very careful NEVER to scrub my scalp with them. You need to use the pads of your fingers and go firmly but gently and slowly. If you use your nails you're probably damaging the strands and your scalp. The pads of your fingers will be much more effective at loosening the dirt IMHO.

Try that, see how it goes. You might also need to rethink your choice of CO wash conditioner.

[pariate]

My question is, do you need to shampoo every once in a while to really "deep clean"? My hair feels clean but a couple of people have commented that it's lying a little flat on top.

Hello!

I'd say yes. I use cone-free conditioners for my CO but even they can build up after a while. You need to clarify every so often (I usually do it every 6-8 weeks, depending on how my hair looks and feels) to prevent build up. While LHC was down I fell in to very bad habits and forgot lots of important points about my routine! I hadn't clarified my hair since December and my hair looked thin, lifeless and felt like a brillo pad! I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong... until I posted an SOS on LHC and had lots of COers tell me that it sounded like build up and I probably needed to clarify! I used a clarifying shampoo today. My hair is almost dry and I can already see a HUUUUUUUUUUGE improvement.

Hope that helps

[shell78]

Me! I've been CO for a year and stay away from silicones. (My impression was that if you used silicone conditioners as CO that you run the risk of buildup?)

My favorites are Suave Naturals Coconut and Devacurl No-Poo.

[Riot Crrl]

Me! I've been CO for a year and stay away from silicones. (My impression was that if you used silicone conditioners as CO that you run the risk of buildup?)

I always thought it depended on the silicones. There are ones that are soluble in water, or things like alcohols which may be present in the conditioner itself. If that's the case, I think it would be OK.

[Loops]

Hiya -

I don't know if this helps, but I went through a build-up stage with my hair (after about a month of CO only). I pushed through it without clarifying, with the addition of essential oils and a bit of vinegar to my washing conditioner and no more build-up. I was using an amodimethicone leave-in conditioner at the time as well.

I also find that some types of protein in conditioners can build up on me. I didn't know why my hair was feeling dry and brittle until someone mentioned this. I switched to protein-free conditioners and a protein-free leave in and everything felt much better. My hair absolutely detests soy protein, but I have a l'anza leave in that has human hair keratin - it is actually a protein leave-in - and I get very nice results with this (it also has dimethicone copolyol).

Polyquats also build up on me and make my hair feel disgusting.

I also find jojoba oil tends to dissolve build up for me. A light oiling with this, then COed out does the trick if you don't want to have to shampoo.

Loops

[Ohio Sky]

What are some of the best CO conditioners?
I have used VO5 Vanilla Mint Tea and it smells so good