Co-wash conditioner recommendations

davidspd

Hi everyone

I've been co-washing for a few years now and have always used Boots Essentials Conditioner for normal hair. Much to my dismay it's now been discontinued. It was super cheap (about 65p for 500ml), not very gloopy and got a little bit sudsy when you rinsed it (which i like).

Can anyone recommend a replacement as all the ones i've tried so far are too thick and don't wash out as well.

Thanks

Sandhy

I use Sainsbury's coconut conditioner or Simple conditioner..

jenniewb

Lush do a bar which is designed as a co-wash. It's not got anything in it to foam so not as easy as a shampoo to use but should in theory cause less damage and as they are a more natural brand I'd expect would have less/no silicon build up which many conditioners can cause.

sam.4000

jenniewb wrote: »

Lush do a bar which is designed as a co-wash. It's not got anything in it to foam so not as easy as a shampoo to use but should in theory cause less damage and as they are a more natural brand I'd expect would have less/no silicon build up which many conditioners can cause.

It's called avocado co wash but it does contain sodium laureth sulphate. It's expensive at £ 9.95 per 100g, it is not easy to use and costs me about £1 a wash. It's okay but for me far too expensive to be used every wash.

davidspd

I've bought some cheapo Tesco coconut conditioner (85p for 500ml and probably very similar to the Sainsbury's one), doesn't seem too gloopy. Fingers crossed.

jenniewb

sam.4000 wrote: »

It's called avocado co wash but it does contain sodium laureth sulphate. It's expensive at £ 9.95 per 100g, it is not easy to use and costs me about £1 a wash. It's okay but for me far too expensive to be used every wash.

Wow! I didn't find I used it so fast! I've had mine about a month now and am almost halfway through (washing my hair 4-5 times per week, washing twice per time, my hair is just below what's called "bra strap" length). I also didn't know it had SLS in- I scanned the label to see but didn't see it on there- do they call it by another name now?


Would really like to know this as I've got really damaged and coloured hair. The colour fades so quickly because it's damaged and I'm trying to limit what else would leech the colour (so things like heat, hard water, silicones, SLS...etc). I had thought I was safer with this bar!


Having said that, I'd agree it's not so easy to use because I'm used to and like a lot of lather with my shampoo but you don't get this with the avocado bar which takes some getting used to.

sam.4000

jenniewb wrote: »

Wow! I didn't find I used it so fast! I've had mine about a month now and am almost halfway through (washing my hair 4-5 times per week, washing twice per time, my hair is just below what's called "bra strap" length). I also didn't know it had SLS in- I scanned the label to see but didn't see it on there- do they call it by another name now?


Would really like to know this as I've got really damaged and coloured hair. The colour fades so quickly because it's damaged and I'm trying to limit what else would leech the colour (so things like heat, hard water, silicones, SLS...etc). I had thought I was safer with this bar!


Having said that, I'd agree it's not so easy to use because I'm used to and like a lot of lather with my shampoo but you don't get this with the avocado bar which takes some getting used to.

SLS is the 5th ingredients on the list. It has less SLS than other products.

i have long hair (waist) but I think I get through it so quick because I put it in hot water to soften it first as I find this is the only way I can use it. I also find that you ant feel when you have enough and I really don't want to have to wash my hair again once it dried because it looks greasy. I probably am using too much and won't buy it again.

jenniewb

sam.4000 wrote: »

SLS is the 5th ingredients on the list. It has less SLS than other products.

i have long hair (waist) but I think I get through it so quick because I put it in hot water to soften it first as I find this is the only way I can use it. I also find that you ant feel when you have enough and I really don't want to have to wash my hair again once it dried because it looks greasy. I probably am using too much and won't buy it again.

Ah I see! That makes sense- I just scrub it onto my head. I take a shower so it's already warmed up so to speak and I find I only need to wash the roots of my hair, the strands are going to end up getting washed as I rinse through, but my hair is shorter than yours and I also have very (very!) dry hair so greasy hair isn't a problem I normally have to struggle with (the roots get greasy but the lengths are dry and frizzy).


Don't get me wrong- I'm no Lush fanatic, the shampoo bars are lethal on my hair and are awful despite what people say and the conditioners though great are way too over-priced (Kerastase works out cheaper!) but the Avo-bar seems not as bad on my hair.


I had seen in Boots -though not tried it, a co-wash product by Grow Gorgeous which is supposed to be a co-wash conditioner, but it's not cheap and though I've heard good things, I've also heard people can get through it fast but this could be because they are expecting a lather or to feel the product saturated through their hair when that's not how the products work- a little can go a long enough way and there will be a certain amount of adjusting that hair/scalps have to get used to as much of the oils our heads produce isn't about dirt it's about a reaction to the drying SLS and other products.


The theory goes (and people have said to have proven themselves- I'm not one of them because I am too chicken!!) is that within anything from 2-6 weeks your head naturally stops producing as many oils and you not only need to wash less but can use fewer products because your hair has gotten used to them and has stopped trying to over-compensate with so many oils.


Good luck with your search though.

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Hi

I have been co-washing for about 6 months now but have always bought specific co-wash products, didn't realise you could use ordinary conditioner.

I started off with Wen which although great is very expensive. Have since tried Hair One and more recently Palmers. They all work well and smell nice although the Wen definately wins on fragrance but thats not enough to justify the price difference.

I never use as many 'pumps' as they recommend as I find this excessive, I have almost shoulder length hair and use three pumps for the first and second wash and that is plenty.

I will read with interest which 'ordinary' shampoos people recommend for co-washing.

321 xxx

jenniewb

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog wrote: »

Hi

I have been co-washing for about 6 months now but have always bought specific co-wash products, didn't realise you could use ordinary conditioner.

I started off with Wen which although great is very expensive. Have since tried Hair One and more recently Palmers. They all work well and smell nice although the Wen definately wins on fragrance but thats not enough to justify the price difference.

I never use as many 'pumps' as they recommend as I find this excessive, I have almost shoulder length hair and use three pumps for the first and second wash and that is plenty.

I will read with interest which 'ordinary' shampoos people recommend for co-washing.

321 xxx

That's interesting that you wash twice with a co-wash, have you ever tried just washing once? I was hoping to one day get to a stage where I only need to use one product once so using less and carrying less if I'm going to the gym for example. I have very dry hair so product build up and grease don't tend to hit me before day 2 or 3 without washing.


I used to wash my hair every day and am trying to reduce this because my hair was so damaged! (It's not just the products and hot tool styling which causes damage, it's also hot water and hard water especially which causes dryness and damage hence trying to cut back). I've not got to the stage where I can co-wash a full week yet though.

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

jenniewb wrote: »

That's interesting that you wash twice with a co-wash, have you ever tried just washing once?

Hi Jenniewb, I tried washing once last night, used four pumps of the Hair One co-wash, my hair feels just as soft and clean and lighter than it usually does, I think it dried quicker too which was an unexpected bonus! Will see how it feels after another day as I usually wash my hair every 2 days.

321 xxx