What Is A Co-Wash for Hair?

If you’re looking for a new way to cleanse your hair while also improving moisture, manageability, shine and condition, a co-wash for the hair might be the perfect upgrade. From wavy, curly, and coily hair types to dry and frizz-prone strands — co-washing occasionally skips the shampoo step and replaces it with conditioner to improve the look, feel and finish of your hair. Curious if co-washing is a good fit for your hair type? Keep reading.

Co-washing, also known as conditioner-washing, is a hair care routine that involves swapping your normal shampoo and conditioner for a conditioner-only cleanse. While some swear by utilising their normal conditioner, others have found better results from conditioning treatments or products specifically created to co-wash, like RE.STORE.

RE.STORE gently cleanses impurities from the scalp and hair while treating and repairing. As a non-foaming cleansing and repairing treatment that is an ideal product for co-washing natural texture. Formulated with Green Pea Proteins and combined with Enzymes from Papaya and Pineapple to help renew and restore dry, damaged or frizzy hair.

For those with highly textured, coily, curly or wavy hair that can experience dryness and frizz, a co-wash can be used routinely, but not as a permanent replacement for a wash and rinse. How often usually depends on your personal hair type and needs.

Co-washing is largely determined by the frequency of your current shampoo routine and your hair type. As a rule of thumb, you should take both the condition of your strands and scalp into account when creating a co-wash routine. This is because, when the hair and scalp are not properly cleansed it can lead to product buildup and irritation.

Due to this, a “co-wash cycle” is as unique as each person's hair. Usually, the more highly textured and coily the hair, the more plant butters, esters and oils the hair needs in order to dry frizz-free.

• Similar to shampooing, you’ll want to wet the hair and apply a good amount of RE.STORE. 
• For highly textured hair, apply RE.STORE from the scalp to the ends, massaging the product in circular motions as you would with a shampoo, then begin to rinse with warm water while gently scrubbing the scalp to remove oil and product buildup. 
• *When using a conditioner-only wash, be sure to thoroughly rinse your hair and scalp — more than you would with a normal shampoo and conditioner — to ensure there is no leftover product or buildup. 
• Once rinsed, towel dry using a blotting motion to avoid friction and frizz. Apply your desired KEVIN.MURPHY product and allow it to dry naturally.

When utilising the REPAIR regimen as part of your co-wash routine, both shampoo and condition your hair with REPAIR.ME-WASH and REPAIR-ME.RINSE on a normal basis. Then, on the third wash you can cycle in RE.STORE as a replacement for your shampoo + conditioner.

If your strands have been feeling dry or you are experiencing excess damage, co-washing is a great way to enhance hydration, prevent breakage, and cut down frizz, especially for wavy, curly and coily hair types.

With less shampooing, those with colour-treated hair will also notice an improvement in repair and less colour fade due to a reduction in shampoo frequency.

While co-washing can be a great hair care routine for those with wavy, curly, coily or dry hair, it is not recommended for anyone with fine or straight hair or anyone with a scalp condition like irritation, flakes or excess sebum.

This is because those with fine or straight hair might notice their hair become weighed down when using a conditioner-only wash. Additionally, if you have any scalp concerns, you should skip co-washing to ensure you are treating your scalp properly and there is the risk of excess product or debris buildup.

Co-washing is not recommended for fine hair because excess product buildup and rich moisturisers can weigh down the hair.

As long as your scalp and hair type permit, co-washing can be a great idea for colour-treated hair. Not only can it aid in repairing the hair, but it helps stretch the time between touch-up appointments by cutting down on your frequency of shampooing.

The jury is still out on the effectiveness of oil training for your scalp. Some schools of thought believe that by utilising a conditioner instead of a shampoo, you allow the natural oils to remain on the scalp, which in turn causes your scalp to produce less oil or sebum. The issue remains that some dermatologists believe that the amount of oil you produce actually comes down to your genetics and cannot be swayed by product usage. While there is no clear-cut answer, what we suggest is trying out various routines to see what works best for your hair type and texture.

Moisture plays a vital role in the health of your hair and on your ability to cut down on frizz. When hair is overly dry or dehydrated it seeks out water from the environment, which is what causes your hairstyle to become frizzy. And, when it comes to highly textured hair types, moisture is of the utmost of importance in ensuring wavy, curly, and coily hair types thrive. If your strands have been feeling a bit parched as of late, swapping out your normal shampoo and conditioner for a co-wash is a great option to upgrade your at-home routine and cut down on frizz.

If you’re dealing with scalp issues, we highly recommend incorporating products to specifically address the health of your scalp like the SCALP regimen. Formulated with Micelles and Celery Seed Extract, this regimen gently removes impurities from the scalp without stripping hair of natural oils. Whether you’re using this weekly or as needed, consider adding this to your co-wash cycle!

To help you create an at-home routine for your strands, speak to your KEVIN.MURPHY stylist about what suits your hair best. If you can’t get to a salon, try our Product Matchmaker to help you decide on products, and happy co-washing!

*Note: You might not need to wash your hair daily, but remember to always use REPAIR-ME.WASH and RINSE for two consecutive washes even if they are apart, and then replace both with RE.STORE for the third wash