How to Define Curls by
Co Washing Hair
| Co washing hair helps define curl patterns and decreases hair frizz. When you use the technique, it enhances curl patterns by thoroughly moisturizing hair. Moisturizing conditioners are a curl’s best friend! |
Wavy hair types will also benefit by using this method. Everyone knows that wavy hair can look a bit poofy and drab when waves are not well formed!
The bottom line is that curls need moisture to show properly! Lots of it! Without the proper moisture, curly becomes dry and brittle and is left prone to hair breakage. It is so important to pay attention to the ingredients in the products you use on curly or wavy hair. Drying ingredients like sulfites, sulfates, and alcohol, can contribute to dry hair. Using organic products will ensure that you’re getting the proper nutrients your hair needs to set your curls. Do check and make sure that the products you buy meet the needs of your curls, girls! If you are unsure, check out the bad product ingredients that contribute to dry hair. [Co washing hair is an abbreviation for conditioner washing. Its also the No Poo and Curly Girl method of taking care of curls!] Co Washing Hair TechniqueHair plopping (see below) is a technique that will decrease drying time and further help define curls. It is best to use your conditioner as a shampoo to help show off curls and waves. Before co washing hair, use a wide toothed comb or pick to completely remove tangles and knots. Rinse your hair thoroughly in the shower. Make sure all of your hair is fully saturated by gently moving your hair around in the shower. Squeeze a small amount of conditioner into your palm and apply conditioner to your entire scalp. The thicker your hair is, the more conditioner you’ll need. Use your fingertips to distribute and massage the conditioner over the entire scalp. This action helps to loosen and remove unwanted debris, dirt, and dead skin cells. Get another small amount of conditioner in your hand and distribute it to the rest of your hair. (How much you use depends on the thickness and length of your hair.) Use a wide toothed comb to untangle hair and/or use your fingertips to gently pull out tangles. Always start at the hair ends and work upwards when you untangle your hair. Leave the conditioner in your hair for a few minutes (*or longer) for the best results. Go ahead and part your hair with your comb or fingers. If you don’t have a mirror nearby, simply rake your hair to the back with your fingers and your natural part should fall into place or be easy to find by touch. Rinse your hair well but not thoroughly. (When I’m rinsing conditioner out of my hair, I count to 10 and then get out of the water.) You’ll want to leave a small amount of conditioner in your hair to make it more manageable. This helps increase shine and decrease frizz. If you can stand it, rinse with cool water to add even more shine and to help seal the cuticle of your hair. When your cuticles are properly sealed, your hair reflects more light. The more light your hair reflects, the shinier your hair will be!*You can leave the conditioner in your hair for a few hours if your hair is overly dry and needs more moisture. Simply get out of the shower, cover your hair, and then come back to shower and rinse. You can also use your thermal heat caps if you have one to deep condition, which helps a lot! After co washing hair, get out of the shower and wrap a towel loosely around your head to absorb excess moisture. When your hair isn’t dripping wet anymore (2 or 3 minutes), start applying products to your hair. You can choose whichever products you like, but it’s best to layer products that help define curls. Generally, start with a good leave in conditioner like Infusium 23 , and then apply curl defining mousse or gels to your hair. Don’t comb them through your hair though. Instead, use your fingers and gently graze the products through your curls. If your curls look flat near your scalp, be sure to apply products on your roots too. This helps bump them up and encourages them to curl. After product application, start scrunching your hair from the bottom up. Cup your hand, push your hair up, and gently squeeze your hair to create curls. Do this on all sections of your hair. You can wrap your curls around fingers to give even more definition. In hard to curl sections, use pin curls to help set curls. You’ll have to allow them to thoroughly dry though, before you take them down. If you want to prolong the effects of co washing hair and decrease the drying time, use the hair plopping technique.
Hair Plopping after Co Washing Hair Gently scrunch your hair with an old (clean) Tshirt or a micro-fiber towel to remove excess moisture. Most towels made of terrycloth can make your hair look frizzy. After five or so minutes so the hair can permanently assume its current shape. Spread the T-shirt you used to scrunch your hair, over the seat of a chair. Bend over and give your curls a good shake. That will help them bounce into their natural curl pattern. With your hair in the middle of the towel, your head touching the T-shirt, pull the back section of the shirt over the back of your hair, then stand up. Twist both sides of the cloth until they roll up. Bring the two twisted sides together and clip into place in the back. Wait about 20 minutes and remove the T-shirt. If any areas of your head look frizzy, use a spray gel to help defrizz your hair. Hair plopping works best after co washing hair because you’ve already started forming curls prior to plopping. Plopping gets better results on longer hairstyles. When done on short hair, curls can look strange and malformed. 
More Tips for Co Washing Hair Its best to avoid products that contain sulfates when you have curly hair but you can (and probably should) use products that contain silicones or dimethicones occasionally. Silicones have gotten a bad rap because many people believe that they can block moisture out by bonding to your hair or building up on your hair. There is no evidence however to back up this claim. Silicones are actually a conditioning agent so they can’t be all that bad for your hair. Like everything else in life, moderation is probably key. If you have a dry scalp, co washing hair can be done more frequently. If you have an oily scalp, check the ingredients in the products you use before co washing hair. You don’t want to use products that have a large percentage of oils in them if you already have plenty of oils naturally. If you co wash frequently, you are bound to get product build up, so clarify your hair a couple times a month. You can also use a clarifying shampoo or use a clarifying rinse. To make your own clarifying rinse, mix one part apple cider vinegar with four parts water. Pour the mixture onto your hair after rinsing your hair. You can also get rid of product build up by using a shampoo that contains a sulfite, which if used too often, will pull out curls. To help keep your curls well hydrated, spritz your hair with water occasionally. It will also help freshen curls. Organic hair products contain essential oils and natural herbs that help moisturize your hair. Use them more often to keep your curls well defined and hydrated. If your hair feels crunchy after it gets dry, scrunching your hair will help break it up. In the summertime, co washing hair becomes even more important. If you swim in the ocean or a pool, use detangling sprays after you get out of the water. This will make curls much easier to comb out. Also, be sure to shower and rinse your hair after swimming. Chlorine from pools and salt from water can dry hair out fast. Pull your hair up in a loose ponytail on top of your head at night. This will help keep your curls in place. For added moisture, try adding honey to your conditioner. You can add a few drops or a lot. (about half) Be sure to rinse your hair thoroughly though. Honey left on the hair can make it sticky and icky. Products that help define curls after co washing hair include: Graham Webb Curl Defining Gel, Kenra Curl Defining Cream, Moroccanoil Curl Defining Mousse, Mop C-System, C Curl Defining Cream, Got2b Kinky Curling Mousse. Take care of your curls by co washing hair when you can. Your curls will be more defined and you will be one happy curl!
Related Pages on This Site Using a Curling Iron to Create Smooth Silky Waves How to Create Loose Sexy Curls like Kate Middleton! How to Spiral Curl Your Hair Easy Ways to Create Wavy Hair Like Jessica Simpson Curly Hair Tips for Novel Curly Girls Get Rid of Frizzy Hair – Steps to De-poof Your Hair How to Get Smooth Silky Hair like Eva Longoria Find the Best Prices Curling Shampoos Shea Butter Hair Mask by Frederic Fekkai Nexxus Humectress Joico Leave In Detangler Bed Head, Power Trip Hair Gel Curl Defining Mousse John Frieda Go Blonder
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