Social media has been on fire lately with yet another co-wash (this time, it’s DevaCurl but lines like Wen before it) is being blamed for causing hair loss. And unlike Monat, it’s not one offending ingredient that causing the issue, it really is how co-washes (short for “cleansing conditioner” works) that will eventually cause issues. It’s especially unfortunate because DevaCurl products are the holy grail of a lot of Curly-Girl method groups.
Cleansing conditioners are more parts conditioner than sulfate, soapy cleansers. They don’t strip hair with surfactants and bubbles, they soften and condition the hair shaft over time. I remember the first time I used one and I thought, “Wow my hair feels amazing and well…it LOOKS clean. Maybe I’ve been doing my shower routine all wrong.” However, over time, when customers ONLY use co-washes, the hair follicle can’t breathe and get clogged…and in some people, they will experience hair loss.
You wouldn’t sleep in your makeup every night, you wouldn’t wash your hands in just hand cream, etc. Your scalp needs to breathe just as the skin on your hair does. And so, my friends, I’m here to tell you: Don’t throw out your co-washes just yet. As with anything in life, it’s moderation.
Our tip:
Wash your hair and scrub your hair with a generous amount of foaming shampoo every third co-wash (especially if you use additional styling products.)
It’d be a shame to see truly good companies who don’t test on animals like DevaCurl and UnWash go down because people aren’t using them correctly - however, it may be time to add some additional information on the label to help customers out.
Remember, you may co-wash exclusively and still not have any problems. I feel like everyone knows someone whose mom has been “washing” her face with Pond’s cold cream every night and has the best skin, you know? Some people’s hair follicle is less resilient. I know my old hairdresser who’d bleach my hair white to go pastel told me that things she does to my head would have melted most people’s hair off!
