Find today's shampoos too harsh?
Daily washing a bit much on your tresses?
Ever tried a vinegar rinse on your hair?
Brown sugar on your scalp?

Many of our members have wonderful washing and conditioning methods out of the ordinary, but
quite the impressive results with an open mind.

From washing with natural ingredients only, to
cleansing the hair with conditioner, even applying conditioner to the bottom section of your hair before applying shampoo to protect those delicate ends.
Don't scoff, you've got to see the beautiful results!

Following is my variation of the
CONDITIONER-ONLY WASHING METHOD

I work out a lot & I spend a LOT of time
outdoors in the elements, so my scalp gets sweaty and dirty & I must wash my hair frequently. I have found conditioner-only washing to be an effective & extremely gentle method of cleansing. Keep in mind conditioner-only washing will take longer than simply shampooing. I DID try the conditioner-only wash method in the past, and did NOT like the results - my scalp/hair did NOT feel clean. However once I treated CO washing as it's OWN method, not just an imitation of shampooing using conditioner, and added in the vinegar rinse & did 2 steps of washing with conditioner, I LOVED the results. For MY hair, using a weak vinegar rinse GREATLY compliments the conditioner only washing method.

For this cleansing method to be effective, I use a generous amount of conditioner. I stock up on an inexpensive conditioner I like when I see it on sale. I usually buy different types of conditioner at a Dollar store near me for .50 cents a bottle... The drugstore often has the same brands on sale for .99 cents, so shop around for the best price in your area. I find the results are MUCH better when using a thin conditioner (such as any of the conditioners in the line called "Suave Naturals") that I would normally consider too light (for adequate conditioning) for the washing steps, then I use whatever my current favorite conditioner is for the final conditioning step.

*Much of the following was inspired by very detailed posts written by LisaJaney, in addition to posts written by BlueSkyGirl/Stephanie sharing their experiences using CO washing. I played around with the methods they shared, added in some steps, and figured out how to make the CO washing method meet my own personal needs, as you should.
If you intend to experiment with CO washing, you'll benefit from taking the time to read LisaJaney's description of how she CO washes, located here: LisaJaney's Variation of CO Washing http://www.angelfire.com/empire/long_hair_community/LJ.html

Following is how I do
CONDITIONER ONLY WASHING:

FIRST STEP:
I rinse my hair very well in medium temperature water - just warm enough to be comfortable.
Then I apply a generous amount of conditioner to my scalp and hair... I let the conditioner sit on my hair/scalp for as much time as I have, or at least a few minutes to allow the conditioner time to soften/lift dirt, dead skin cells, products, etc.

SECOND STEP:
Rinse in medium temperature water.
Rinse some more.
Rinse again.
Oh, then rinse!

THIRD STEP:
I put a moderate amount of conditioner on my scalp/hair and gently massage it around as if it were shampoo.

FOURTH STEP:
Rinse thoroughly.

OPTIONAL STEP:
I always follow the CO wash with a WEAK vinegar rinse as I feel this really helps to get my scalp & hair clean when using the CO wash method.

FINAL STEP:
I then apply my favorite conditioner; I allow it to sit for as many minutes as I am able, then rinse with cool water, doing a final quick rinse with cold water.

For me, the key to success when CO washing is to use a generous amount of a thin conditioner, and do a LOT of rinsing, and I find the results are SUBSTANTIALLY enhanced when utilizing a weak vinegar rinse

Equestrian 24/36+/38 1bFii
Toffee blonde fine straight hair with a slight unnoticeable wave & many highlights/lowlights.

VINEGAR RINSES:
BENEFITS OF VINEGAR RINSES, pH, TYPES OF VINEGAR, WHEN TO APPLY A VINEGAR RINSE, HOW I MAKE A VINEGAR RINSE, HOW I APPLY A VINEGAR RINSE


BENEFITS OF VINEGAR RINSES
I use a weak vinegar rinse every time I wash my hair. I find it makes a tremendous difference in the shine/manageability of my hair.

Vinegar rinses are useful as a way to cleanse the hair & remove shampoo/conditioner residue, leaving the hair smooth and extremely shiny.

Vinegar rinses normalize the pH balance of the hair and scalp.


PH
The pH (per hydrogen value) of the hair and scalp is slightly acidic, with a pH average between 4 & 6.
My tap water tests at a PH of 7.4 to 7.6.
The brand of white vinegar I use has a 5% acidity and a pH of 3.

If you do not have a pH meter, you can use the following generalized recipes:

pH of 1 liter white vinegar = 3

pH of 100 ml white vinegar mixed with 900 ml tap water = 4

pH of 10 ml white vinegar mixed with 990 ml tap water = 5

pH of tap water = 6-7.6
pH of distilled water = 7

I have a pH meter (for use with my aquariums) and I have found the above amounts to be relatively accurate when using white vinegar.


TYPES OF VINEGAR
People with dark hair sometimes prefer to use apple cider vinegar, and those with light hair sometimes prefer white vinegar.


WHEN TO APPLY A VINEGAR RINSE
Some people prefer to apply their vinegar rinse as the last step during washing, after they have conditioned, without rinsing it out. Others use it in between shampooing and conditioning, as I do.

Those with dry hair tend to have better results applying the rinse in between cleansing and conditioning, while those with oily hair tend to have better results applying the vinegar rinse as the final step, after conditioning. Rinsing the vinegar rinse out or leaving it in is subject to personal preferance.


HOW I MAKE A VINEGAR RINSE:
I add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to 1 quart of water. Inclusion of essential oils is optional.

Experiment with the ratio of vinegar to water and mix the strength to your liking & perhaps add essential oils and/or a few tablespoons of honey... I always add essential oils to enhance the effects of the vinegar rinse. This is something I am continually playing with as far as ingredients.


HOW I APPLY A VINEGAR RINSE:
I usually apply my vinegar rinse to my hair/scalp after cleansing and before conditioning.

I pour the rinse over my hair/scalp, allowing the runoff to fall into a large bowl, swish my hair/scalp around in the bowl for a minute, pour the rinse contained in the bowl over my scalp/hair. Then I rinse my hair.


Equestrian 24/36+/38 1bFii
Toffee blonde fine straight hair with a slight unnoticeable wave & many highlights/lowlights.

I am posting this because the link that Equestrian so kindly gave is now dead. I have followed this method for well over a year now, with only occasional "shampoo-washes" and the results are very very good for me. I find that my scalp stays cleaner longer when I use conditioner-only, than when I use shampoo followed by conditioner. Go figure. I MUST give credit where credit is due, however, and will now publicly thank Steph for posting about this method so long ago. It was from HER testimony that I devised my "plan", and from that plan, Equestrian came up with her wonderful (and thorough!) variation. Either one will work beautifully; feel free to experiment and vary aspects to come up with your own fabulous routine. So, without further ado, my routine:

I cleanse my hair three times a week, generally on Mondays, Weds or Thurs, and Saturday. I get in the shower, get my hair (and the rest of me) wet, then I wash my face. It's a compulsion that drives me to wash my face first, as I fear that the oils from my forehead will re-grease my hair if that face isn't cleansed first. So, now that my face is clean, I wet my hair again and get out the conditioner. I use an inexpensive conditioner to do this, partly because I am going to use quite a bit of conditioner, and partly because I have TRIED fancier/more-moisturizing conditioners and they just don't work as well. So, for me, White Rain Classics conditioner, Extra Body, is the one I choose, hands-down. Great stuff. I put it into one of those catsup-bottles, the kind you see on picnic tables across the country, with the needle-nose. That way, I can squeeze the conditioner RIGHT ONTO my scalp, in stripes. Otherwise, just load up as much conditioner as your hand can hold, and start applying it. You're gonna need at least two good handfuls, if you don't have the catsup bottle. Begin working that conditioner through the hair. How to know that you have enough conditioner on there? I know I have enough when the hair feels slick all over. Prior to that point, there will be portions of hair that want to "grab" my fingers, and still feel dirty. When EVERYTHING's slick, I know I have enough, and I finger-comb it through for a moment. Now, we are just to let that conditioner set and soak while we (as Steph put it) "attend to our other showerly duties". This will allow the conditioner to work the dirt and oils out of our hair for several minutes. Wash, shave, whatever, and let your hair soak in that conditioner. The conditioner has surfactants that are going to loosen and lift dirt and oils (as opposed to "stripping off dirt and oils", which the typical shampoo detergent does to your hair). Your hair and scalp will be clean, but not STRIPPED and dry.

When you have taken care of your 'showerly duties', it's time to return to the hair. Put your head under the spray for a short second, to add a bit of water to the mix. Then, begin working that conditioner in again. This time, it will almost begin to make a thin "lather". This is good. Now, it's time to rinse, and it's a long process. Rinse and rinse and rinse. And then rinse some more. The ONLY times my hair has NOT felt clean after CO washing, is when I've:
1) used too fancy/heavy/moisturizing a conditioner
2) not used ENOUGH conditioner, so that I still had dirty, "grabby" spots
3) NOT RINSED WELL ENOUGH
So rinse and rinse and rinse. And when you think you've got it all out, rinse another thirty seconds. I like to follow this with a small dollop of Mastey's FreHair creme rinse (really a wonderful anti-static, detangling conditioner. I can't say enough how well I LOVE this creme rinse) and then rinse that out. It's such a nice little finishing touch, and you don't have to let it soak in more than a moment; it works fast!

You may wish to follow the conditioner-wash and the FreHair with a cold water final rinse (I do!). You may also put a bit of vinegar in the cold rinse-water (I do that about once a month, just in case I am getting buildup; but honestly, I cannot feel ANY buildup. The WHite Rain is Cone-free, and the FreHair is oil and wax free, and will NEVER buildup)

About once a month, I use shampoo and conditioner, and my hair gets greasy faster that time. But, old habits die hard, so I do 'wash' occasionally. My s/c of choice is Clairol's Fruit Fusions, because it gives the hair lots of slip and keeps it from tangling, regardless of gale-force winds. Nice stuff, and cheap, and cone-free. I used to love Finesse, but have found that the cones in it make my hair SO slick that I cannot maintain an updo; it slides right out.

For oils, I use jojoba with Lavender EO in it, just on the ends (from earlobes down) and it finishes moisturizing the ends. But washing with conditioner has kept any moisture my ends have IN them, IN them. It does NOT strip the oils out of the hair like shampoo does.

Give it a try, see how YOU like it!

Thanks,



4/32/35
2aFii, med brown with a reddish cast

That worked well in the summer for me.

Ann

???-33-37.5
Vit: flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, msm, and a daily.
2a-M-iii (5 inches around a pony tail!)