I have been doing this for almost 2 years...my hair has never looked better in my life. Sure, I still get some bad days, who doesn't? What I learned from Curly girl is to use glycerine soap too....I would keep a bar of it in the shower and the days I thought I needed it clean, I would lather up the bar and wash ONLY my scalp with the suds.
Also, my favorite favorite conditioner, Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Condtitioner. Smells good, reasonably priced, and great for think curly hair.
Also, dont give up, you have to give it almost 2-3 weeks before you start to notice a difference....it will be worth it, I promise!
fyi...i already notice a difference!!!!! I'm so excited! I have less frizz and my curls look healthier and are curlier!
ejc423- thanks for the info! I'm totally going to look into it! I hope I score, thats a great deal!!
i still haven't had time to do my homework on CG site. Was wondering if you gals can tell me when we should shampoo with our CG approved shampoo? I'm assuming when we feel we need to?
ejc423 - thanks! I never go into TJ Maxx, so I never would have known!
lizardbreath - oooo I'm glad we have an experienced CG in our midst! Good to hear it's working out for you. I'm really hopeful!
Tati - That's so exciting! Yay! From what I gather (I'm 100% a newbie at this, but I spent a couple hours googling this when I started this thread), you just use the shampoo when you feel like you need to. Some people go months between shampoos, or don't shampoo at all. Some people, with finer hair or less curly hair, seem to shampoo every week or 2. Some of them mix a small bit of shampoo in with conditioner and then use that like you would use a cowash.
-- Edited by Kelly on Friday 12th of June 2009 10:41:50 AM
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Fashion is art you live your life in. - Devil Wears Prada | formerly ttara123
I've already noticed a difference in my hair, too. I used to get little frizzies at the top and I don't have those anymore. My curl is also more defined. However, I got the Loreal Pro Vive Nutri Gloss (the one for med/long curls) to condition my length and I don't really like it. My hair looks kind of heavy and dulll and I think it's because of the added protein. I should have known better though; my hair generally doesn't react well to extra protein, even when it's drier. So tomorrow I'm going to use the suave stuff that I got to cowash on my length and see if that works better for me.
I might have to try this. I have curly hair that rarely behaves. I don't know if I could stand not washing my hair though. I washed it yesterday (I usually wash every other day) and it already feels dirty, though that might be from the mousse I used.
I think I'll read up on this.
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Know first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly. - Epictetus
k....I got my Suave conditioner and gels to use. Bought the Tresemme hairspray that is completly CG approved but when I came home to use it today, I realized I cant stand the smell! ugh! going back tomorrow to exchange it for Aussie spray, the purple bottle, hopefully I'll like that smell better.
any updates?
what products did you buy/ are using?
oh! and i was looking for a shampoo thats CG approved but couldn't find one.....anyone?
Even though I hadn't replied yet, I am joining the CG experiment, too! I shopped for products yesterday. I found Jason Organics shampoo and EOS shampoo that are CG approved, so if the TJ Maxx recommendation doesn't work out, you might try those. I got the Jason Organics aloe, in a pretty big bottle, for I think 6.99. More than Suave, but I like it (I washed yesterday to have a baseline for starting the "program").
And, since they recommend using a 1/2 tsp of shampoo diluted with some water for washing, one bottle is going to last foooreeeever.
Kelly, Thanks for the info on sulfate shampoo- I googled it. I'm basically doing a modified CG - just trying to wash once a week or so, when my hair feels like I need it. Yesterday, I "washed" with conditioner as described on that site, and my hair still feels great today. My hair is colored, but it feels so silky right now. Most of the stuff I tossed were things really high in silicone that I didn't seem to like anyway. I noticed that most of my go-to products contain protein or natural oils, rather than silicone, so my hair must really react well to protein products. I'm loving this new-found knowledge!
I think I'm starting into my rough period. My hair has been kind of limp lately and the waves are falling out easier...I'm leaving for a weeklong family vacation on Saturday though. So hopefully, I'll go through the ugliest part while I'm out of the country and with people who have to love me no matter what I look like
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Fashion is art you live your life in. - Devil Wears Prada | formerly ttara123
Since your original post I've been washing with conditioner only. I have been mostly pleased until today - hair feels a little, I don't know, heavy. It hasn't been quite as shiny as usual, though.
My hair is very straight and fine, so my experience will be totally different than curly girls!
I think I'm starting into my rough period. My hair has been kind of limp lately and the waves are falling out easier...I'm leaving for a weeklong family vacation on Saturday though. So hopefully, I'll go through the ugliest part while I'm out of the country and with people who have to love me no matter what I look like
Ugh, my hair has looked like crap the past two days. Yesterday it was like what Kelly described, just limp. Today I have a huge frizz halo.
I noticed a difference after cowashing literally one time! My hair is normally straight with a light wave, but this gave me really defined, loose curls. WOW!
I don't know if I want to commit 100% yet (I kind of like my straight hair) but its nice to know that this is an easy option for a different styling choice.
My hair is starting to get really curly. The past few days were a little rough and my hair ended up in a ponytail, but suddenly today, I have loose ringlets.
I've been using an organic conditioner and cowashing once a week with a light conditioner. I also use a teeny tiny drop of the organic conditioner as leave-in conditioner.
To style, I use a lightweight pomade and an organic sea salt/lavender oil spray when it's wet. I blow dry with a diffuser because my hair would take hours to dry otherwise. Then I mist it again with the sea salt spray. I think I still need a hairspray and a smoothing lotion, but otherwise, so far, so good.
I do have a hair appointment this Saturday and I'm sure my stylist will straighten it and use products with 'cones and sulfates. I hope this one straightening event doesn't wreck my weeks of work.
ILoveChoo and gossipgirl, It's John Master's Organics Sea Mist. I love it! I actually picked it up at Whole Foods, but you can purchase it from the website.
I have to say, I'm having a little bit of rough time with my hair right now. It's so humid where I live that it's turning into a giant frizz ball. I think I need some kind of oil to tame it. I used to use Moroccan Oil (that stuff is awesome), but it's full of 'cones. Before I started doing CG, I went away for the weekend and forgot my Moroccan Oil and I could totally see a difference in how (un)manageable my hair was and how frizzy it got. Must find a replacement. Otherwise, I'm not sure if CG is really going to work for me. I'm trying to stick it out, though.
-- Edited by kenzie on Monday 29th of June 2009 06:55:36 AM
I think thats my problem now too! my hair gets frizzy now! Its in the high 90's to 100 (yuck) over here! I haven't looked for anything yet, so keep me posted if you do please.
I think I've "rounded the bend" into pretty-hair territory. Every day it's looking better! Hooray!! And it almost seems like, some days when I fuss with it the least (when I just put in gel, scrunch, and walk away instead of plopping and diffusing) that it looks better than when I put the effort in. I've also been mixing in a tiny drop of my cowashing conditioner in with my gel every couple days.
Pollyjean - I don't swim in chlorine a lot, but last week I was on vacation and there was a pool available so I went a couple times. I think I did a pretty good job of getting the chlorine out with a really good cowash, but I did read a couple places that it can be really helpful to wet your hair and then put some conditioner in it before heading to the pool. Then your hair is full of conditioner and can't soak up as much chlorine.
I don't know from personal experience, though. I didn't do that at all because the idea of walking all the way back to my cabin just to put some conditioner in my hair and then walk around looking like I forgot to rinse it out wasn't so appealing to me...
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Fashion is art you live your life in. - Devil Wears Prada | formerly ttara123
I've been following this thread for the past few weeks and I'm very intrigued so I started co washing even though I have the world's straightest non-curly hair. So far I'm loving it, I took a few pics and wrote some nonsense on my blog if anyone's interested.