If i co-wash, why clarify?

So im in the shower washing my hair right and i just started thinking about random stuff as i usually do. Well today is my day to clarify my hair and as i was doing it, the thought hit me, if i need to clarify to remove product buildup every 6 weeks, then what is the co-washing getting rid of?

Well 1 thing is for sure, before i started cowashing, my hair was dry as the sahara and i know for a fact it made a difference as far as moisture but does it really clean if i need to get rid of product build up by using a shampoo or baking soda & conditioner (sometimes i alternate)?

I am aware that conditioners have surfactants in them which is the 2nd cleaning ingredient in shampoo but something must be lacking..... right?

Think of it like this...

Co-washing often is like sweeping your kitchen daily, good for keeping it fairly clean without too much effort.
Clarifying is like mopping - you wanna clean up everything and start with a new, fresh kitchen floor.

Make sense?

Co-washing is good for a light clean, moisturizing, and freshening your hair (frequent co-washing can cause some buildup). But clarifying will give your hair a deep clean, removing everything.

I think conditioners leave behind conditioning agents. Over time those will build up in your hair, thus the need to clarify.

robot. said:

Think of it like this...

Co-washing often is like sweeping your kitchen daily, good for keeping it fairly clean without too much effort.
Clarifying is like mopping - you wanna clean up everything and start with a new, fresh kitchen floor.

Make sense?

Co-washing is good for a light clean, moisturizing, and freshening your hair (frequent co-washing can cause some buildup). But clarifying will give your hair a deep clean, removing everything.

Click to expand...

This makes perfect sense

I personally co-wash to keep moisture in. Lock Dryness out. I clarify to remove the products that I use as daily moisturizers as well as the oil(s) I use to Seal.

I rinse my hair for a very long time, with plain water before applying the conditioner.

I feel that it gets my hair 'clean' while keeping it moisturized. And I don't have dry hair/scalp.

For me, Co-washing has been a life-saver. Shampoo's were extremely 'irritating.' Since co-washing, I don't have the irritation I once had w/my scalp.

robot. said:

Think of it like this...

Co-washing often is like sweeping your kitchen daily, good for keeping it fairly clean without too much effort.
Clarifying is like mopping - you wanna clean up everything and start with a new, fresh kitchen floor.

Make sense?

Co-washing is good for a light clean, moisturizing, and freshening your hair (frequent co-washing can cause some buildup). But clarifying will give your hair a deep clean, removing everything.

Click to expand...

Thanks... lol at the fact that i understood it like that..

Silicones (if you use them)

i dont think co washing is for cleansing(although some conditioners do have slight cleansing abilities) i think co washing is for mid week moisture.

For the most part I cowash to maintain moisture and clean my hair a little. Shampoo is to really clean my scalp since I am prone to build-up, itchies, etc.

When I want my conditioner to really cleanse my hair, I use Curl Junkie Daily Fix Cleansing Conditioner.

MsLizziA I've never thought of cowashing as cleaning the hair. I know many disagree with me but to me co-washing is conditioning your hair. Conditioners are supposed to add moisture to your hair and coat it to protect it. So if I CW, it's for moisturizing purposes not to clean my hair. To get my hair clean I use a shampoo. It is for this same reason that you'll never see me put conditioner on my scalp. It doesn't clean but coat IMO, and I love me a squeaky clean scalp. Whether conditioning or CWing, I skip the section of hair closest to my scalp when I apply conditioner.

I'm a big co-washer and I clarify with BS/ACV at least every month if not more often. I don't use cones but I still clarify it's part of my CG routine.

MsLizziA said:

I am aware that conditioners have surfactants in them which is the 2nd cleaning ingredient in shampoo but something must be lacking..... right?

Click to expand...

Usually the surfactants in conditioners don't really cleanse. They are there moreso for emulsification and by nature their positive charge allows them to "bind" if you will to the hair as opposed to negatively charged surfactants in shampoo that wash away easily. Thus why co-washing will never really cleanse your hair. My scalp also just feels icky if it hasn't been shampooed in a week.