Co-washing, which stands for “only conditioner washing”, consists in replacing the conventional aggressive shampoo with a repairing and nourishing treatment.
This method has been promoted since the end of the 1990s by hairdresser Lorraine Massey, who is also the inventor of the “Devacut” curly hair cutting technique. For hair that is highly porous, very dry, brittle or damaged, the use of shampoos that destroy the hair’s natural sheathing can make the situation worse and require the use of large amounts of care products to compensate for the damage.
With the co-washing, the hair is washed with a hair mask or a conditioner. The mask is applied to damp hair and left on for 20 minutes, allowing the active ingredients to penetrate the hair and rebalance it. It is advisable to massage the scalp to mechanically remove dandruff and dead cells. The impurities present on the hair will be removed when the product is rinsed out.
For a really effective co-washing, the mask should contain cleansing agents such as clay or betaine combined with plant oils and butters that reconstitute the hair’s sheath. The mask is applied once a week or once every 10 days. Between washes, the hair is regularly rinsed with lukewarm water or with vinegar diluted in lukewarm water.
Co-washing may not be suitable for very fine hair or hair that tends to be oily. In this case it is advisable to alternate co-washing with the use of a gentle, sulfate-free clarifying shampoo.
