I'm using the co-poo method

[hairyscarey]

I think that's what it's called...washing hair with conditioner. So far, so good but can you tell me whether I should use a clarifying shampoo on occasion (or any other shampoo on occasion)?

Thanks

I think you mean either no-poo or co-wash :)

Thought this was a new type of toilet training for a minute!

thanks...

Why would you use conditioner to wash your hair? Surely it will build up and leave a residue? I use gentle shampoos like Dr Organic or Child's Farm from Holland and Barratt. They're sls and parabens free, but leave my hair clean and glossy.

I co-wash every couple of days to freshen my hair and refresh the curls and then wash with a gentle (sls free) shampoo about once a week to remove any buildup. Everyone’s hair is different though, so it’s just a process of trial and error so find what works for you.

I have fine hair and I find us getting conditioner before I shampoo makes it glossy and bouncy.

@Clionba google The Curly Girl Method and that will explain the premise of co-washing. It's not for everyone, but for people who have curly hair who really want to learn how to manage and care for their curls, it's an absolute way of life!

I do the conditioner first, then shampoo method on my curly but straightened hair. I swear by it.

I co-wash - you can use a shampoo occasionally if the mood takes you; you need to make sure it is a silicone free one. Usually baby shampoo is sis free so that can be a cheap option. Some die hards use washing up liquid, I couldn't go that far myself. Co-washing has done wonders for my curls, that and a good curly hairdresser.
Definitely try a few brands out as some can be too heavy or light for your hair. I liked Tresemme Undone, Yes to Blueberries (and yes to carrots) and the Cantu range when I lived in the UK.

I'm delighted with my results so far. I have the type of hair that it shouldn't work with...fine and very soft and I'm using a conditioner that I would never even consider if I hadn't tried a sample in a hotel. Molton Brown Kumudu.

Violetwillow - why does the shampoo have to be a silicone free one please?

I think it's because you're going sls free, and sls is what removes the silicone that coats your hair.

I've just started co-washing and my curls are so much better. I do need to get a decent conditioner though so I am loathe to buy something new so will ride this out for now.

Lush do a solid co wash, a bit like their soaps. I was tempted

The conditioners need to be silicone free too, otherwise you'll need a shampoo to wash the silicones out so they don't build up.

Google Curly Girl Method. It explains the reasons you need to avoid certain ingredient.

Just switching to washing with any random conditioner isn't likely to work.

I have hair like yours hairyscarey.
I co-wash in cold water to maintain my coloured hair. I’ve been doing it for a couple of years now and find my hair doesn’t get nearly as greasy as it used to. I only ever use shampoo if I’m changing colour and want to fade the colour a bit.

Like pp I condition every other day approx and shampoo and condition once a week ish. This has made an amazing difference to my thick frizzy wavy hair. It is shinier and waaaaay easier to manage.

I haven't read the Curly Girl Method in a while, but iirc it was to do with the silicones coating your hair and so the moisture can't get in. When you aren't shampooing you can't strip the hair of the cones, basically. So you need silicone free conditioner (and silicone free shampoo) to remedy that.

I cowash only nearly 100% of the time for the last 2-3 years. As long as you are sure all your products are safe (no silicones, waxes, mineral oil etc) and you scrub your scalp with your fingers with the conditioner on and rinse thoroughly then you should be fine never to shampoo. Some people like to clarify occasionally by mixing the juice of a lemon into their conditioner for cowash or mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water, tip over hair and scalp and scrub then cowash as normal.

I very occasionally use a shea moisture no sulphate shampoo (I bought it as my curls were getting a bit stringy and I wondered if a full cleanse might help) but I don't think it really makes much difference at all.

For conditioners I use superdrug extracts (all cowash friendly), Wilko happy hair (all cowash friendly), tresemme botanique coconut one, Garner ultimate blends white (rice and oat). For styling, I leave in a little of one of the above conditioners and/or use umberto giannini curl jelly. In the mornings I use a little Boots Botanics hair serum (no silicone and smells amazing and is really light).

thanks for all the info. It's confusing isn't it. And to confuse matters more I've just read the ingredients of the conditioner that I'm using...Molton Brown Kumudu. It says silicone quaternum. So I suppose that's silicone. It's working for me though.

I clicked on this thinking it was a novel method of potty training - dc and parent simultaneously trying poo, dc on potty next to parent on toilet..........

@Liskee thanks for the suggestion! I'll give it a go

I switched to silicone-free shampoo and conditioners last year - it’s been revolutionary. What was my fine lank greasy hair is now bouncy and soft with a slight curl and can go 3-4 days between washes - it’s pretty clear that the lank greasiness was just a chronic silicone build up on my fine hair

I found this page of information about silicones...away to try and digest it all now

science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/silicone-ingredient-solubility-list.html