For curly girls, cowashing is often the answer to avoiding dry, lifeless and damaged curls. While shampoo can certainly get your hair clean, it often can overclean, which results in more problems than it’s worth.
i.pinimg.com
However, in order to reap the benefits of cowashing, it has to be done the correct way. Here are some suggestions on what not to do if you want to avoid the pitfalls of cowashing incorrectly.
Not finding the right cowash: Like any curl care product, not all cowashes are created equal. While it might seem tempting to tranform the conditioner you already have in your shower into a cowash, it might not work like you want it to. Invest in a product specifically for cowashing or craft your own.
Not clarifying your curls: As much as we’d like to avoid it, your curls still need to be clarified. Clarifying is necessary on occasion to remove stubborn build up and chemicals from your curls. You should also always clarify your curls before coloring or chemically treating them to ensure your strands are ready to receive the treatment.
Not rinsing out your cowash: Some curlies leave a small amount of conditioner behind after they shampoo their hair but this isn’t recommended with cowashes. Cowash works similiarly to a shampoo, which means it needs to be completely rinsed out to remove all the gunk from your hair.
Not completely saturating your curls: Before cowashing, you need to make sure your curls are completely saturated with water. It takes 1-2 minutes for hair to be completely soaked. Once you’ve used your cowash, make sure your curls are completely rinsed and resaturated before leaving the shower to ensure everything that needs to be is removed.
Not paying attention to your scalp: While the strands get all the attention, your scalp is hugely important to your cowashing process. When using your cowash, make sure you massage it into your scalp. Use your fingertips to gently but firmly massage the product into your scalp, which will help break up any lingering build up, product or oils.