How To Wash Your Hair With Conditioner (AKA Co-Poo or Co-Washing)

When I climbed aboard the natural hair care train years ago I did a lot of research about what products to use, how to properly wash your hair, how often to wash your hair, and more. I learned a lot to say the least.

One of the “trends” in natural hair care that caught my eye was Co-Washing, also known as the Co-Poo method.

This is basically where you wash your hair with conditioner instead of shampoo. It was all the rage among those women (and a few men) who had curly hair and lots of it.

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While my hair is curly, I didn’t really see the need to switch to a routine where I used conditioner only. Then when I learned about and become a devoted user of the Morocco Method line of products my hair was so amazingly healthy and manageable that I forgot about this whole wash your hair with conditioner concept. Until…

A reader of my site had just purchased my book Coconut Oil For Your Skin. She said she had made one of my shampoo recipes and thought it was very “conditioner like.” She loved that about it. However, she wondered if there was a way to thicken it up any. I honestly didn’t have the time to figure out how to amend the recipe to make it thicker like a conditioner but it did get me thinking… “what would I recommend to people who were not just looking for a conditioner but possibly looking to wash with conditioner and not shampoo.

As I said before, I use and love the Morrocco Method line of products. I have enjoyed their Pearl Essence Cream Rinse for years. It is a product that I don’t need to use every time I wash which not only saves me money but saves me time. It is hydrating and offers a lot of restorative benefits to hair and based on my experience, would work for any hair type. I’m so devoted to it in fact that I never bothered to try their Floating Lotus conditioner. Silly me right?

On a quick side note – I finally tried the Floating Lotus conditioner and love it! I actually think that for me, it might be more hydrating. Who knew? Now I will put both conditioners into rotation, alternative one with the other each washing. I can see how they work synergistically together. Be sure to read all about these Morrocco Method conditioning products here.

Recently I decided to toy with the idea of using the two Morrocco Method conditioners for the co-washing method. Would they work? Was it economical? This is what I set out to learn.

I have two friends who agreed to help me get to the bottom of “how to wash your hair with conditioner,” specially the Floating Lotus conditioner and Pearl Essence Cream Rinse from Morrocco Method. They both already used the product line and had the conditioners on hand.

Armed with our knowledge of how the Morrocco Method line of products work, we did some research on co-washing in general and came up with the method my friends were going to use. Now I am sure you are wondering why I wasn’t the guinea pig in this experiment. Simply put – I have really long hair right now, it is in a happy place in terms of my Morroco Method hair care routine, and I didn’t want to goof it up. So yeah – basically being selfish here. Darn it, it took me over a year to get my hair care dialed in.

I digress.

How To Wash Your Hair With Conditioner

The process is relatively easy and as my friends discovered less time consuming then when you are using the proper hair washing method. Let’s take this step by step so you too can have a successful co-washing experience.

It is important to note that this method and washing your hair with conditioner in general will work best if you hair is anything but thin and fine. Thin, fine hair will get weighted down by the co-washing method. This isn’t to discourage you if you do want to wash your hair with conditioner. However, it might not be ideal.

Step 1. Soak your hair with water. You want your hair sopping wet. The water helps loosen debris in the hair so the wetter it is, the better.

Step 2. Squeeze out a significant amount of conditioner. You will need to play with the amount based on your own hair length and thickness but trust me, you will need more than that dime sized amount the commercial product companies try to convince you of. This is because you are both cleansing and conditioning and you need to do so from roots to tip.

Step 3. Massage the conditioner into the scalp. Really get it in there. You want to dislodge as much of the styling product residue, dirt, and pollutants as possible. Work the remainder of the conditioner through your hair strands and down to the ends.

Step 4. Leave the conditioner on for 2-3 minutes then rinse it out thoroughly.

Step 5. This is optional and best for people with really thick, curly hair or people who have really damaged or dry ends. Apply additional conditioner to your ends, working it up the shaft about 2 inches. Let it sit for another 2-3 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.

When you are done with your shower it is best to gently squeeze the excess water out of your hair with a microfiber towel. Do not wring out your hair. This causes breakage and splitting. You may then style as usual.

The Results

Both my friends were incredibly surprised at how well the co-washing method worked but they were even more surprised at how well it worked with the Floating Lotus conditioner and the Pearl Essence Cream Rinse. Because these products offer some pretty intense healing and conditioning, they were both concerned that it would be too “heavy” of a conditioner for the co-washing method.

Quite the contrary. Both my friends said their hair has never looked or felt so good. While they won’t give up their Morrocco Method shampoo rotation, they will alternative with the regular hair washing routine and co-washing.

If you are interested in trying the co-washing method, please consider Floating Lotus conditioner and Pearl Essence Cream Rinse. My suggestion would be to rotate the two for your best hair possible.

If your hair needs additional healing, a little something extra to tame the frizziness, or some assistance in the detangling department, I would suggest following up co-washing with one of the Morrocco Method mists. The Diamond Crystal Mist contains highly energized liquid crystals from the Himalayan Mountains of India, natural herbs and rare oils that sooth your hair, leaving the hair feeling soft and healthy immediately after use. It is light and great for all hair types.

The Sapphire Volumizer Mist is a spray on, leave-in hair conditioner that adds luster, shine, and detangling power. This spray conditioner is enhanced with natural grapeseed extract, making your hair look thicker and fuller soon after use, and promoting long-term thickening results.

Stay tuned for a fun post on all of the other uses for these mists. I was shocked to discover just how versatile they are!