Curly girls and guys all over rejoiced when co-washing became a thing. It started as a trend promising a more hydrated mane, and now plenty of people swear by it.
But like everything else, co-washing has benefits and drawbacks, and you’ll want to know both before you change your wash day. In this article, we’ll walk through how to do it, how often to do it, how to choose a co-wash that actually cleans, and who may want to skip it.
What Is Co-Washing?
Co-washing means washing your hair with conditioner instead of shampoo. You can use a plain rinse-out conditioner or a commercial co-wash. A cleansing co-wash usually contains mild surfactants, cleaning agents that lift more oil and dirt than a regular conditioner can.
The idea behind it is simple. Some shampoos can leave curly hair feeling dry, while a co-wash uses conditioner, water, and gentle scrubbing to clean your scalp without removing as much of your hair’s natural oil. How well it works depends on your scalp, the products you use, and what your hair does between washes. We’ll get into all three below.
How to Co-Wash Your Hair Step-by-Step
Co-washing is a wash, not a conditioning treatment, and that one idea fixes most of what goes wrong with it. People sometimes treat it like a deep conditioner they happen to rinse out, then wonder why their hair feels heavy. If your hair feels coated when you step out of the shower, the problem may be how you washed it, not the conditioner you used. Here’s the whole process, start to finish.
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Section your hair while it’s still dry.
Four sections are enough for most people, but you may need six or eight if your hair is thick or hangs past your shoulders. Clip each section and leave it there until you’re ready to wash it. Sectioning helps keep your curls apart once they’re wet, which means fewer tangles to work through later.
Soak your hair all the way through.
Not damp, soaked. Dense hair, low-porosity hair, or hair coated with product may take longer to wet than you expect. Give the water enough time to reach your entire scalp before you add the co-wash.
Use warm water instead of cold. It helps loosen sweat, scalp oil, and some of the product sitting on your hair, so your co-wash has less work to do.
Put the co-wash on your scalp, not down the length of your hair.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends working shampoo into your scalp and letting it run down your hair as you rinse. The same basic approach works for a co-wash. Your scalp collects oil, sweat, and leftover product. Your ends are the oldest and most fragile part of your hair, so they don’t need as much scrubbing.
Scrub for a full 30 to 60 seconds with the pads of your fingers.
Use the flat pads of your fingers instead of your nails, which can scratch and irritate your scalp. A co-wash is gentler than shampoo, so your massage helps loosen oil and product. Cover your whole scalp in small circles, including the back of your head and your edges.
Detangle while the co-wash is still in your hair.
Use a wide-tooth comb, start at your ends, and work your way up in short passes instead of pulling from the roots. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends detangling thick, curly hair in the shower before rinsing out the conditioner. The slip helps the comb move past any potential knots instead of ripping through your curls.
Rinse for longer than you think you need to.
Under-rinsing is one reason your hair can feel weighed down after a co-wash. Co-washes are made to leave some conditioning ingredients behind, but too much residue can make your roots feel coated. Run your fingers through each section under the water until your roots feel clean and your ends still feel soft.
Add a regular conditioner only if your hair still wants one.
Most co-washes already clean and condition in the same step. Adding another rich conditioner can leave some hair feeling limp or coated. If your ends still feel rough after you rinse, apply conditioner to the bottom few inches and leave your roots alone.
Squeeze the water out instead of rubbing it out.
Gently press your hair between your palms, then wrap it in a cotton T-shirt or microfiber towel. Rubbing with a regular terry towel can increase friction, frizz, and breakage before you’ve even started styling.
How Often Should You Co-Wash Your Hair?
There isn’t one co-washing schedule that works for every head of curly hair. Your starting point depends on how quickly your scalp gets oily or dirty, how much product you use, how often you sweat, and how your hair responds after each wash.
Your curl pattern can offer a clue, but it isn’t a rule. Oil usually travels more easily down straight or loosely curled strands. On tighter curls and coils, it may stay closer to the scalp while the ends remain dry. That’s why the same head of hair can have oily roots and dry ends.
The products you use matter just as much. Heavy butters, creams, waxes, and gels can leave more behind, so you may need a shampoo or reset wash sooner. Sweat matters too, especially if you exercise often or wear headwraps for long periods.
In a small study of 22 women at a historically Black university, 80% of participants reported exercising less than 150 minutes a week, while 36% used hairstyle changes to accommodate exercise. If your hair routine makes you want to skip a workout, build your wash schedule around your exercise instead.
Use the finder below to get a rough starting point. Then watch your scalp and curls for two or three weeks, and adjust as needed.
The Pros of Co-Washing for Curly Hair
Co-washing comes with real benefits, and that's why so many people swear by it. Here are the ones that come up most.
Better Hair Hydration
If you’ve got curls, coils, or kinks, you know how hard it can be to keep them moisturized. All those bends and turns make it harder for your scalp’s oil to travel down the strand, so your ends may stay dry no matter what your roots are doing.
Shampoos use surfactants, which are cleaning agents that remove oil and dirt. That is exactly what shampoo is supposed to do, but some formulas remove more oil than curly hair needs. The result can be hair that feels dry and becomes more prone to breakage.
A co-wash uses milder cleansers or conditioner alone, so your hair may hold on to more of its natural oil. That can make detangling and styling easier. The benefits may show up in a few different ways:
Less breakage.
Properly conditioned hair is more flexible and easier to detangle, which can help reduce snapping during your wash and styling routine. When fewer strands break, you keep more of the length you grow.
Better feel.
We’ve all seen the dusty, thirsty look that shows up on dry hair, and it can make even a simple style hard to pull off. Softer hair moves better, styles more easily, and looks like it too.
More curl definition.
Moisture and conditioning can help your curls clump together and make your natural pattern easier to see. A co-wash won’t change your curl pattern, but it may help dry curls look more defined.
Easier Detangling
We've all put off detangling, and it only gets worse the longer you leave your hair alone. Tangles and mats set in while your curls sit untouched, and by wash day you're working through a week of them.
If you co-wash more often than you shampoo now, you'll spend less time on it. Why?
Because you're never going that long between sessions.
And even if you don't wash any more often than before, a co-wash leaves your hair softer while you work. Soft hair lets you ease a knot apart instead of fighting it, so you'll save strands as well as time.
Freedom to Wash Your Hair More Often
People with curly hair are often told not to wash it very much, and that advice comes from a real place. Some shampoos can leave curly hair feeling dry, especially when you use them too often for your hair’s needs.
A co-wash is usually gentler, so it may let you wash more often without the same stripped feeling afterward. That’s good news if your scalp needs cleansing before you’ve reached the end of a full week.
Less Money Going Toward Your Hair Product Stash
If you don’t co-wash now, your product stash is probably full of moisturizers, oils, and creams. Or you own only a few products but use a lot of each one to keep your hair from drying out by midweek.
With a regular co-washing routine, you may find that you need fewer products afterward because your hair already feels conditioned when you leave the shower. Pay attention to what your hair still needs before you replace anything. The goal is a simpler routine, not a different pile of bottles.
How to Tell a Real Co-Wash From a Conditioner
A cleansing co-wash contains at least one mild surfactant that helps lift oil and product from your scalp. A plain conditioner mainly softens and detangles. Both may feel thick and creamy, so the front of the bottle won’t always tell you which one you’re holding.
Surfactants work by helping oil mix with water so it can leave with the rinse. Shampoo usually relies on stronger cleansers, while a co-wash uses milder ones and leaves more conditioning behind. Some products labeled “co-wash” are much closer to conditioners and may not remove much buildup.
The ingredient list can give you a clue, but it cannot tell you exactly how well the finished formula will clean. Ingredients near the beginning are generally present in higher amounts, although the list doesn’t show you the exact percentage. Look for a recognized cleansing agent rather than relying on the words “cleansing conditioner” on the front.
| On the label | What it does | Washes? |
|---|---|---|
| Cocamidopropyl betaine | A mild cleansing agent that helps lift oil and product so they can leave with the rinse. It is also used in many gentle shampoos. | Yes |
| Coco-glucoside | A mild, nonionic cleansing agent often used in gentle shampoos and co-washes. | Yes |
| Decyl glucoside | A mild cleansing agent from the same family as coco-glucoside. It is often paired with other surfactants. | Yes |
| Lauryl glucoside | Another mild cleansing agent that can help a co-wash remove oil and product. | Yes |
| Sodium cocoyl isethionate | A mild anionic cleanser that removes oil and dirt without relying on traditional sulfates. | Yes |
| On the label | What it does | Washes? |
|---|---|---|
| Behentrimonium methosulfate | Primarily a conditioning and detangling ingredient. Despite its name, it is not the type of sulfate people usually mean when discussing harsh shampoos. Do not rely on it as the main cleanser. | Very little |
| Cetrimonium chloride | Primarily conditions, reduces static, and helps with detangling. It is not a replacement for a dedicated cleansing surfactant. | Very little |
| Behentrimonium chloride | A conditioning ingredient that softens hair and improves slip. It does very little cleansing on its own. | Very little |
| Stearamidopropyl dimethylamine | A conditioning and detangling ingredient. It softens the hair but is not a cleanser. | No |
| On the label | What it does | Washes? |
|---|---|---|
| Cetearyl alcohol | A fatty alcohol that thickens the formula and softens your hair. It isn’t the drying type of alcohol, but it does not clean your scalp. | No |
| Stearyl alcohol | Another fatty alcohol that thickens the formula and adds softness. | No |
| Glyceryl stearate | Helps soften your hair and hold the formula together. | No |
| Dimethicone, amodimethicone | Silicones that add slip and shine. Some formulas rinse more easily than others, but regular shampooing can help prevent residue from collecting. | No |
| Shea butter, coconut oil | Rich emollients that soften the hair and reduce friction. They do not cleanse your scalp. | No |
The Cons of Co-Washing for Curly Hair
By now co-washing probably sounds like the answer, and for plenty of people it is. But before you decide, let's get into the drawbacks.
Your Hair May Not Feel Clean
The most common complaint is that hair still feels dirty afterward. A co-wash usually uses milder cleansers than shampoo, while a plain conditioner may not contain a dedicated cleanser. That means your hair may not have the squeaky feeling you’re used to after a wash.
For some people, that feels fine after a wash or two. For others, it is a deal breaker. If your scalp still feels oily, itchy, or coated after you rinse thoroughly, the product may not be cleansing enough for you.
You Could Develop Build-Up with Cleansing Conditioners
Co-washes may contain cleaning agents, but they’re usually gentle. Product residue can still collect on your strands from one wash to the next, especially if you also use heavy creams, butters, waxes, or gels.
When that happens, your hair may feel coated, look flat, or stop responding to products the way it usually does. Luckily, there’s a straightforward fix.
Start with a shampoo or reset wash every two to four weeks and adjust from there. You may need one sooner if your scalp gets oily quickly or you use a lot of styling product. If your hair and scalp still feel clean, you may not need a strong clarifying shampoo that often.
The Risk of Moisture Overload
We all know it can be bad to strip your hair, but too much conditioning can also leave some hair feeling overly soft, gummy, or limp.
That may happen when you co-wash often while keeping the same heavy moisturizing routine you used before. Pay attention to how your hair normally feels and behaves after a wash.
It also helps to let your hair dry completely before bed because wet hair is more fragile and more likely to tangle or break from friction. If your hair starts feeling gummy or weighed down, cut back on rich products and extra conditioner, then use a regular shampoo to remove any buildup.
Buildup, and the Reset Wash That Keeps It Away
Buildup is what remains when the products you use don’t rinse or wash all the way off. Co-washing can make it more likely because mild cleansers may leave behind residue that a regular shampoo would remove. That isn’t necessarily a reason to stop co-washing. It means a shampoo wash still needs a place in your routine.
Conditioning ingredients are made to cling to the hair. Some carry a positive charge that helps them attach to damaged areas of the strand, which is part of what makes your hair feel soft. Silicones, oils, butters, and styling products may add more layers over time.
You’ll often feel buildup before you see it. Your curls may stop clumping, your roots may look flat sooner, your hair may take longer to dry, or products may stop working the way they did before. Flakes deserve a closer look too. The American Academy of Dermatology says common reasons for flakes include not shampooing often enough or using the wrong conditioner, oil, or scalp moisturizer.
Put a shampoo wash on your schedule instead of waiting until you remember. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends shampooing dry, textured, curly, or thick hair when needed and at least every two to three weeks. That does not mean every shampoo wash must be a strong clarifying wash. Use a regular shampoo for routine cleansing and reach for a clarifying formula when ordinary shampoo no longer removes the residue.
For many people, a stronger reset every two to four weeks is a reasonable place to start, but it isn’t a rule. Use it sooner if your roots feel coated or you use heavy styling products. Follow with conditioner, and use a deep conditioner if the clarifying wash leaves your hair feeling dry.
The printable below is a month of wash days on one page, so you'll see when your hair needs a reset.
One myth is worth clearing up here. Washing more often does not appear to train your scalp to produce more oil. One older study found that changing shampoo frequency from once to three times a week did not significantly change how quickly oil returned to the hair. Co-washing helps because it usually removes less oil during each wash, not because your scalp learns to make less.
When Co-Washing Isn't Working
Most co-washing problems have a few common causes. Find your hair in the list below and start with the simplest fix.
Your hair feels coated or greasy right out of the shower.
You may be under-rinsing, or the formula may simply be too rich for your hair. Rinse each section longer and work your fingers through your roots under the water. Try that for two wash days. If your hair still feels coated, look for a lighter co-wash with a recognized cleansing surfactant.
Your roots are flat and your curls stopped clumping.
That may be buildup. Wash with shampoo this week and condition afterward. If your curls bounce back, move your next reset wash closer and see whether that schedule keeps the buildup away.
Your scalp itches or flakes.
Do not try to fix an irritated scalp by scrubbing it harder. Rinse thoroughly and use a shampoo that cleans your scalp. If the itching or flaking continues, dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, or another scalp condition may be involved. Those conditions may need a medicated shampoo and are worth discussing with a dermatologist.
Your hair feels gummy or limp, or takes forever to dry.
Start by removing the extra conditioner and cutting back on rich creams and butters. Use a regular shampoo to clear away residue, then give your hair a week or two with a simpler routine. Do not add a protein treatment automatically; whether protein helps depends on the condition of your hair and the products you’re already using.
Who Should Skip Co-Washing
Co-washing can suit many people with curly, coily, or kinky hair, but it isn’t for everyone. There’s no prize for sticking with something your scalp or curls clearly don’t like.
Skip it, or use it only occasionally, if you have an oily scalp and loose or fine waves. A mild wash may leave your roots flat sooner than you want.
Skip it if you regularly use heavy gel, wax, pomade, or grease. Those products often need shampoo to come off completely.
Skip co-washing on its own if your scalp stays flaky, itchy, or oily no matter what you try. Those symptoms can have several causes, including seborrheic dermatitis, so don’t try to diagnose them yourself. Seborrheic dermatitis is associated with Malassezia yeast and is often treated with a medicated shampoo. Leaving shampoo out completely may allow the flakes to keep coming back.
Skip it if a dermatologist is treating your scalp with a medicated shampoo. That shampoo has a specific job to do, so don’t replace it with a co-wash unless your dermatologist tells you to.
And skip it as your only cleanser if you swim often. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends rinsing immediately after swimming, then washing with a swimmer’s shampoo and following with a deep conditioner.
If more than one of these sounds like you, low-poo washing may suit your hair better. It uses a gentle shampoo instead of conditioner, so your scalp gets cleaner without leaving your hair feeling stripped.
One last thing: research on co-washing itself is limited, and we couldn’t find a clinical trial comparing it directly with shampoo. Most of what we know comes from how cleansers and conditioners work, along with what women with curly hair report after trying it. So think of co-washing as something to test on your own curls, not a method that science has proven better than shampoo.
Related Articles
What Is a Co-Wash?
A co-wash, short for conditioner wash, is a wash you do with conditioner instead of shampoo. A plain rinse-out conditioner mainly softens the hair, while a cleansing conditioner contains mild cleaning agents that remove more oil and dirt. Co-washing is most popular with curly, coily, and kinky hair because it may cleanse without leaving the hair as dry as some shampoos do.
How Often Should You Co-wash?
There isn’t one schedule for everyone. Some people co-wash every few days, while others do it once a week between shampoo washes. Base your schedule on how quickly your scalp becomes oily or dirty, how much product you use, and how your hair responds. You still need shampoo periodically because a co-wash may not remove all oil and buildup.
Is Co-washing Good for Your Hair?
Co-washing can be good for curly hair that becomes dry after shampooing. It uses conditioner or milder cleaning agents, so your hair may hold on to more of its natural oil. The tradeoff is that it does not clean as thoroughly as shampoo. If your scalp feels oily, itchy, or coated, add a shampoo wash rather than continuing to co-wash.
What Is the Difference Between Shampoo and Co-wash?
The main difference is how much each one cleans. Shampoo contains surfactants designed to remove oil, dirt, and product buildup. A commercial co-wash usually uses milder cleansers and leaves more conditioning behind, while a plain conditioner may contain no dedicated cleanser at all. Shampoo is better at clearing buildup, while a co-wash may leave dry curls feeling softer.
Can Co-washing Damage Your Hair?
Co-washing is usually gentle, but using it as your only cleansing method may allow oil and product residue to collect on your hair and scalp. That buildup can leave your curls flat, coated, or dry and may worsen scalp irritation for some people. Regular shampoo washes and careful attention to how your scalp responds can help prevent those problems.
Do You Condition After Co-washing?
Usually, you don’t need to. Most commercial co-washes clean and condition in the same step, so adding another rich conditioner may leave some hair limp or coated. If your ends still feel rough after rinsing, apply conditioner to the bottom few inches instead of covering your roots again.
Does Co-washing Cause Hair Loss?
Co-washing is not known to cause hair loss. Washing loosens strands that have already shed, so you may notice more hair in your hands when you go longer between wash days. If you’re seeing thinning, bald spots, scalp pain, or persistent itching and flaking, see a dermatologist rather than assuming your wash routine is the cause.
Sources
- American Academy of Dermatology. Healthy hair care tips. Last updated 12 August 2024. View source
- American Academy of Dermatology. 10 hair care habits that can damage your hair. View source
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- Felix KH, De Souza B, Uwakwe LN, Subash J, McMichael AJ. Sweat and hair: online interventions for improving physical activity in African-American women. Skin Appendage Disord. 2020;6(3):147-150. View source
- Lewallen R, Francis S, Fisher B, et al. Hair care practices and structural evaluation of scalp and hair shaft parameters in African American and Caucasian women. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2015;14(3):216-223. View source
- D'Souza P, Rathi SK. Shampoo and conditioners: what a dermatologist should know? Indian J Dermatol. 2015;60(3):248-254. View source
- Gupta AK, Landells I, Talukder M, et al. Understanding the scalp: dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. J Cutan Med Surg. 2025;29(5_suppl):20S-26S. View source
