by Michelle of Radiant-Brown-Beauty.com
You see, lots of ladies co-wash their natural hair with a conditioner. Hence, the term “co” aka "conditioner" wash. Today, there are lots of products on the market meant specifically for co-washing. Yet, it’s still very popular to wash the hair with a regular rinse out conditioner.
Well, I got to thinking about the purpose of a conditioner…
Read On!>>>
A CNN article quote by celebrity hairstylist Juan Carlos Maciques of the Rita Hazan Salon in New York City:
“The truth is, “all conditioners smooth the cuticle, soften hair, add shine, and restore moisture”
All other information aside, I was paying particular attention to the “soften hair” part. If one purpose of the conditioner is to soften hair (which is evidenced by the common practice of applying conditioner after shampooing and hair strengthening treatments like protein) then it would stand to reason that applying the conditioner to the scalp would soften it as well, right? Okay, stay with me.
If you apply a conditioner to your scalp on a regular basis vs. just applying it to your hair, could it be that the hair follicles are softening and releasing the hairs prematurely? (the operative word being “regular”)
It’s been decided amongst hair enthusiasts and gurus alike that you should apply shampoo to the scalp and conditioner to the hair. But what if you don’t shampoo? If you co-wash only and use a regular rinse out conditioner vs. a co-wash product, should it also be applied to the hair only and not the scalp? Could it be due to the softening effects of the conditioner? If so, then is it possible that extreme softening meant for the hair can lead to the scalp shedding the hair prematurely from the scalp?
Here’s a pic of the instructional/benefits on a couple bottles of store bought conditioner.
Do you co-wash with contact to your scalp regularly?
If so, do you ever notice an increase in shedding?
*********************
CN Says:
Very astute observation! I noticed more intense shedding when I was doing the curly girl method and I remember entertaining the idea that it was the co-washing. Makes sense to me. Although I still co-wash (using Aussie Moist) from time to time, I shampoo more often than I used to.
Also, while we're on the topic of shedding, remember the caffeine article? I've been meaning to share that I always thought it was the henna itself that kept my hair from shedding when I was using it bi-weekly, but looking back, it was probably the green tea!!!! Duh. Even though I don't always do full henna masks any more (with tea and honey), I'm going to find ways to incorporate tea into my routine. It really does stop excessive shedding in its tracks!