The Co-Wash Debate

The shampoo vs ‘no poo’ debate is a popular one that we see circulating around social media. With many curly girls replacing shampoo washing with co-washing, we decided to write up the pros and cons for our Big Hair Beauties and give you the low down on the new craze.

Whilst co-washing is great as a refresher in between washes or as an extra step in your routine. It isn’t a replacement for regular shampooing altogether. In short, it’s as simple as that.

1. Shampooing is part of a healthy hair care regime.

It’s not shampoo that’s bad, it’s using poor quality shampoos that use cheap and ineffective ingredients that’s the problem. Harsh surfactants, such as sodium lauryl sulfates, that strip the hair and scalp of their natural oils are what contribute to dryness. Not washing in general.

2. Bacteria and dead skin cells.

Although our hair is dead, our scalp is very much a living organism. Even though we can’t see them, tiny bacteria live all over our bodies and we continuously shed dead skin cells. Ineffective cleaning allows these bacteria to multiply and the dead skin clog our pores, which can lead to serious scalp disorders and hair loss.

3. Effectively removing product build up

Good practices are essential to healthy hair and scalp. The removal of product build up reveals clean hair that can absorb fresh product when applied and a clean and a healthy scalp to promote hair growth. Applying product on top of current build up and/or dirty hair cannot moisturise, as it simply can’t get to the hair shaft itself to penetrate it.

Think about it like this, would you apply body butters and lotions daily and not wash your face or body? Then get in the shower and use body lotion to wash it off.

Or, would you put your clothes in the washing machine without any detergent and expect them to come out clean?

So why are you doing this to your hair and scalp?

Co-washing is great as an interim for daily shampoo washers, gym goers and those with thirsty hair that has a tendency to become dry. However, it should be combined with the use of a friendly shampoo.

Head over to our homepage to sign up to our newsletter so we can keep you posted on future blog posts, offers and news. Until then, keep shampooing in your wash day routine and consider switching to a friendlier shampoo such as our SLS Free Shampoo here.

Let’s start a healthy hair care dialogue. Connect with us on social media or leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

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