You already know just how beneficial co-washing is to a natural hair. Moisture is the name of the game as well as keeping the harsh chemicals and products away from our hair as much as possible! I don’t think any natural would disagree with me on that.
I’m sure by now you also know how bad the effects shampoo can have on natural hair but it’s also necessary to properly cleanse the hair and scalp as well. Pretty much a double -edged sword and even with sulfate-free shampoos you still can be stripping too much moisture and natural oils.
Now, when I was relaxed, I washed my hair weekly. Just like now unless I’m a little too lazy and will stretch it to a week and a half or even two weeks before I finally shampoo. I used oils back during my relaxed days but none of them were virgin or pure.
Once it was time to shampoo, I knew I had to shampoo once to get the cleanser in my hair. I would rinse it out and do my ‘real’ wash with a second application of the shampoo. I would really feel the suds and know the dirt, grime, pollution and gunk leaving my hair. I never gave it a thought since the shampoo bottle clearly says shampoo ‘and repeat’ on every bottle I’ve ever purchased.
I had so many things going through my mind when I first went natural that I wasn’t concerned with how many times I would need to shampoo. I just expected to do the regular and required two washes. I noticed right away that I got the suds on the first application as well as it felt CLEAN. My hair was clean with one shampooing. NO REPEAT? No! It was actually noticeable.
Shampooing may still be a factor for many naturals. Hey, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that especially if you need a clarifying shampoo from time to time or you just don’t feel your tresses are getting cleaned with co-washing. What is not a necessary component for shampooing is the repeating. Most of us are not using harsh chemicals, non-water soluble silicones and if we are using them, it’s pretty sparingly, so do you really need to repeat your poo’?
This is just a “aha” moment. You know, the ones Oprah is so famous for. Sometimes we overlook the small things that change around us that mean more than their size. Something so small as, ‘no repeat necessary’ versus ‘repeat’ seems trivial but it means something to me. I have changed and so has my hair and my routine.
