My hair tends to get very crispy at the ends, sadly.
I don't dye it or straighten anything other than my bangs, I use a cold-air blowdry setting/dry off with a fan, and maybe once a month (not in the last month though) I'll use a heat iron to "clamp" my curls and make them set - special occasion, twindrills-style.
So it does confuse me about how dry and crispy it gets at the ends, and on some of the back layers. Overall it's kind of rough, except for my bangs and the underlayer... (Maybe it's the hard water in SD?)
I got a haircut recently however, and I didn't want to waste my nice fresh new ends!
I got a haircut recently however, and I didn't want to waste my nice fresh new ends!
So I had asked friends for recommendations on moisturizing slightly curly, thin hair.
Among them were to not wash my hair as often, to wash only with water, wash with water and sun-dry, use hot coconut oil treatments, and to use "cowash".
Given that I've tried the water-only and every-other-day methods before, and I have heard about coconut oil making your hair fall out, I decided to test out cowash first.
(My scalp tends to get greasy and have that "hair" smell if I use water only, or if I wash every other day...which also gives me hairline zits. Yikes.)
"CoWash" is a cleansing cream/conditioner, that's coconut based.
Often you can find this in an organic version - AsIAm is not, but there are options.
I picked this particular cowash because it was the best-smelling (AKA no oily sunscreen coconutty scent, which I don't like but which my mom and bf both actively hate). AsIAm has a nice, rich, slightly tropical perfume-y smell, very exotic but clean. It's also pretty thick and creamy-beige colored.
The instructions say to use conditioner after washing with the CoWash, but I find it's already really moisturizing - instead, I'll use it the same way I use shampoo. I take a clump of it and massage my scalp & hair from top to ends, then I'll leave it in for about 5 minutes so it doubles as a conditioner.
The instructions say to use conditioner after washing with the CoWash, but I find it's already really moisturizing - instead, I'll use it the same way I use shampoo. I take a clump of it and massage my scalp & hair from top to ends, then I'll leave it in for about 5 minutes so it doubles as a conditioner.
REVIEW:
I've been using this for about 3 weeks, every day, coupled w/ my normal cold-blowdry and bangs straightening routine.
(+1)
It definitely does NOT make my hair greasy after washing (like it did when I tried using normal conditioner as a cowash). I was pretty worried about this. It's really crucial to rub it into your scalp like it was a normal shampoo, and comb through to the rest of your hair.
(+1)
It smells very pleasant but subtle after it's rinsed out. The smell fades away completely after a few hours and leaves nothing but the scent of clean fresh hair! I've not yet gotten a comment about a coconut-smell from anyone. I don't mind fragrance that stays around for a while, but this is REALLY nice, especially recommending this for people w/ sensitive noses. Very unisex as well, both the scent and the fact that it fades.
(+1)
The crown of my head & my bangs are lovely and glossy, and still maintain volume/fluffy factor! There isn't a single bit of grease or residue up there, which I'm thankful for. The clean feeling lasts through the day (and even after a workout!).
(-1)
However, I haven't noticed much of a change in the ends/back of my hair. It might just need more time, or maybe is more damaged than I thought. I haven't tried not blowdrying my hair, simply because I feel really uncomfy going out w/ wet or damp hair.... that may be the factor that helps the cowash succeed.
I did notice that the ends actually clump together more often than before, and if I don't braid my hair at bedtime I'll wake up with baby dreads at the tips.
(neutral 0)
I read a lot of reviews wishing this came in a pump, and I definitely agree. It doesn't seem very sanitary to stick my damp hand into the tin every day, and leave traces of water in there...although I may use it up fast enough that it won't matter. Anyway I don't think it's worth knocking off a point, I can just get a pump and put it in myself (I'm not THAT lazy).
____
After three weeks I definitely do see a change in my hair!
It's not drastic but it's noticeable, it's much softer and I have less greasiness issues.
I can still usually go a day between washes, it's still a bit greasy but that's natural.
Ends have been well maintained since having my haircut (back in mid-September), it's
definitely a long cry from how choppy they were pre-cut.
(For reference my hair is darkbrown, but the ends had gone dirty/dark blonde from being dried.)
Note that this is a gentle cleanser - as in, a VERY gentle cleanser.
So if you use hairspray, gels, mousse, waxes etc....basically anything that likes to stick
around, it might be a good idea to shampoo before using CoWash. Or you could
wash twice with CoWash which is usually what I do (I don't use sprays or gels as a rule, but
sometimes I have a little more buildup post-workout or after a couple warm days).
I also used shampoo & conditioner once a week (BODY SHOP's Banana shampoo and conditioner),
to clean out any buildup or grease when CoWash couldn't do it.
____
After three weeks I definitely do see a change in my hair!
It's not drastic but it's noticeable, it's much softer and I have less greasiness issues.
I can still usually go a day between washes, it's still a bit greasy but that's natural.
Ends have been well maintained since having my haircut (back in mid-September), it's
definitely a long cry from how choppy they were pre-cut.
(For reference my hair is darkbrown, but the ends had gone dirty/dark blonde from being dried.)
Note that this is a gentle cleanser - as in, a VERY gentle cleanser.
So if you use hairspray, gels, mousse, waxes etc....basically anything that likes to stick
around, it might be a good idea to shampoo before using CoWash. Or you could
wash twice with CoWash which is usually what I do (I don't use sprays or gels as a rule, but
sometimes I have a little more buildup post-workout or after a couple warm days).
I also used shampoo & conditioner once a week (BODY SHOP's Banana shampoo and conditioner),
to clean out any buildup or grease when CoWash couldn't do it.
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