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How Often Should You Co-Wash?

Co-washing can be done 3 to 4 times a week. Doing it too often can make the hair very oily when co-washing. Make sure to use a light conditioner to avoid oily and heavy hair. Many people that use conditioner to wash their hair often have very oily hair and don’t want it to get even more greasy.

Studies have shown that people that co-wash have less dry hair. Co-washing is very easy and takes less than 3 minutes, which is very important when co-washing it to rinse it out thoroughly. Leaving the conditioner in your hair can lead to problems later on.

There are many different conditioners that you can use. For every hair type, there are different conditioners. Here below is a of the best co-wash conditioners for every hair type.

Table of Contents

What Is Co-Washing?

Co-washing is washing the hair with conditioner. Normally people wash their hair with shampoo, whereas co-washing is washing with conditioner. People do this because shampoo often strips out natural oils from the scalp. 

Doing it too often can make the hair very dry and even cause dandruff. To avoid this, people start co-washing 3 to 4 times a week to avoid. Some people even do it daily, but it’s not recommended to do it daily since it can make the hair feel very heavy and greasy.

People have been co-washing for many years. It’s nothing new. The trend has been growing in popularity lately, and more people have started co-washing. It’s easy and doesn’t require much time.

Best Co-Wash For Oily, Fine and Curly Hair

Oily Hair – SheaMoisture Conditioner 

Image PRODUCT/ Features Rating  
Pure Jamacian Black Castor Oil
Apple Cider Vinegar

The SheaMoisture conditioner is great for co-washing oily hair. It makes the hair feel very smooth and moisturized. A huge benefit when co-washing with this conditioner is it has apple cider vinegar inside.

Studies have shown that this is very good for the hair. If you haven’t used this for your hair type yet, I highly recommend you do. This conditioner doesn’t make the scalp very oily, keep in mind to use a little bit and spread it out thoroughly before rinsing out.

Fine Hair – OGX Biotin & Collagen Conditioner

Image PRODUCT/ Features Rating  
Sulfate-Free
Vitamin B7

The OGX Biotin & Collagen conditioner is great for people with fine hair. Most people with fine hair that co-wash regularly have recommended this to me. At first, I was a bit hesitant, but after giving it, some thought I gave it a try. 

A tiny amount of the conditioner goes a long way, and when co-washing, it gives the hair extra strength. For the majority of people with weak hair, this is a great option. Another plus is that it smells amazing.

Curly Hair – Maui Moisture Conditioner

Image PRODUCT/ Features Rating Price 
Vegan
Silicone-Free
Paraben-Free
Coconut Oil

The Maui Moisture conditioner is one of the best for curly hair. The conditioner is vegan, silicone and paraben-free. Not many conditioners have these kinds of benefits, making it even better for co-washing.

The scent smells amazing, and it’s great for co-washing, many of my friends have been using this, and they love it. If you haven’t tried it out yet, I highly recommend you do.

Thick Hair – L’Oreal Paris Elvive Conditioner

Image Features Rating  Price
Protein and Ceramide for Strong Silky Hair

This conditioner from L’oreal Paris is very good for people with thick hair. Experts have been recommending this when co-washing the hair. It’s great for almost all hair types, from damage to thick hair.

The conditioner smells really good and is very affordable. It’s great if you have to stay within budget and co-wash often. What I really like about this shampoo is that it also works for people with color-treated hair.

Can You Co-wash Every Day?

Yes, you can co-wash the hair every day, but it’s not recommended. By co-washing, every day can build up a very oily scalp. To avoid this, it’s better to shampoo once or twice a week and co-wash whenever you feel like it’s too puffy.

Thousands of people co-wash every day but often go back to 3 to 4 times a week. This is better for the hair, and it doesn’t make the scalp very oily. If you feel like co-washing every day is something that you must do, no one will stop you, but studies have shown that co-washing the hair every day isn’t the healthiest.

Some people think co-washing is bad for the hair but, that’s not the case at all. If you don’t do it every day, it can’t harm the scalp. At worst, it could make it a bit more oily. So, if you’ve thought that co-washing is bad for the hair, it’s really not.

It might even be worth giving it a try if you haven’t been doing it already. Make sure to start out doing it once a week and see how it goes. If you don’t like it, stop doing it. However, the majority of people that co-wash do it 2 to 4 times a week, depending on their hair type.

Can You Co-wash The Hair After Henna?

Yes, you can co-wash your hair after henna. Some experts have shown that co-washing is one of the best ways to keep the henna soft and silky. What’s important is to use a sulfate-free conditioner.

Make sure to use lukewarm water because the worst thing you want happening is the hair dye coming out since the cuticles are open. 

Other people only use water to wash out the henna, but it often needs a long time before it’s all out. An easier way is to co-wash the henna and moisturize the hair after. Avoid shampooing the first few days because that can strip out the hair dye.

After 1 or 2 days, you can shampoo the hair slowly.

Conclusion

After reading the whole article, you’re probably wondering how often you should co-wash? Some studies have shown that co-washing the hair 3 to 4 times give the best result. It’s not recommended to co-wash daily since it can build-up a very oily scalp.

To avoid that, you want to co-wash every couple of days. If it gets too oily and heavy, shampooing is fine too. Co-washing after henna can be done but make sure to do it gently. You don’t want to rinse out the hair dye.

Written by Christina Bowler

We're a team of hair care enthusiast that have been in this industry for a very long time. Since 2019 we've been writing helpful articles to help you find the right tips, tricks, and products that you might want. Feel free to ask us questions on the contact page.

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