I received this co-washing question from fellow Type 2c wavy Nadine.
Question
I also have 2C curly hair although recently I don’t know what’s happening to my hair. I started the CG method a few months back but co-washing my hair made my curls limp, even if I do occasionally shampoo it using a sulfate-free one. I’m thinking to stop co-washing for good and start washing with sulfate-free shampoo but I’m thinking that it probably would make my hair dry. What do you think? Can you please give me some tips how to bring my curls back? I really, really like to know what your curly hair routine is. I would appreciate your help a lot as I am new at this and I miss my curly hair so bad.
Answer
I find that co-washing leaves my hair kind of limp too, so I only use it when I want to condition my hair but it hasn’t been long enough for me to need to shampoo yet. Instead I use sulfate free shampoos most of the time, and I cleanse my hair about twice a week. I try to go as long as I can in between washes and refresh with a spray bottle of water and leave-in conditioner in the mornings.
I personally don’t follow the Curly Girl Method, but I do try to avoid sulfates because my hair is color-treated and damaged. A few of my favorite sulfate-free cleansers are Ouidad’s Cleansing Oil (which really doesn’t have an oil consistency”>, ApHogee Textured Hair Wash, and EDEN BodyWorks Peppermint Tea Tree Shampoo. I know that SheaMoisture is a fan favorite among curly girls but for my Type 2C waves some of their popular cleansers leave my hair feeling weighed down, which is true for many products that tighter curlies and coilies like.
When I do co-wash I simply use my daily conditioner and my favorite scalp brush to work the product in and lift the dirt from my scalp. If you don’t have a scalp brush you can easily massage your scalp with the pads of your fingers, just make sure not to scratch. The scalp brush helps me feel really clean even when I am using a conditioner to cleanse. A few of my favorite daily conditioners are DevaCurl One Condition, UR Curly Quinoa Conditioner, and Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner.
My last suggestion is to be sure and clarify your curls at least once a month. This will remove any product buildup you have that could be causing the limp curls. My favorite clarifying shampoo is Kinky Curly’s Come Clean Moisturizing Shampoo, which is still sulfate free.
I hope this helps, Nadine!
If you have experience with co-washing or the CG Method, share your tips below!
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