cowashing scalp question

hambo02 · 02-06-2013, 03:03 PM

Latley i've been dealing with alot of dry scalp. Like when i shake my head or put my head on my pillow, flakes. Alot of flakes. Once a week i must use a sulfate because I get bad build up. Then i'll cowash every other day. The other days Ill use everyday shea shampoo. its the huge 32 ounce you get at whole foods. It says it doesnt have sulfates of any kind. its gentle on my hair and doesnt strip it, but sometimes its making my scalp be more flaky I guess?? My question is. When I cowash my scalp feels better. Alot less flakes. It isn't itchy. And im using Vo5 so its just a really cheapy cheap conditioner. I dont get it.

dusalocks · 02-06-2013, 03:20 PM

I don't understand the question. Are you saying you have to sulfate shampoo because of buildup but then you sulfate free shampoo the rest of the time? And are you saying you cowash occasionally and that seems to be beneficial? If it is, then I say cowash. It makes your scalp happier. And maybe you could post your whole routine and what stylers you use so the experienced curly girls might be able to pick out what you're using exactly that is causing the buildup. Then you could drop those buildup causing products and cowash more often.

hambo02 · 02-06-2013, 04:21 PM

my question was why does cowashing make my scalp less flakey and less build up then sulfate shampoo or a non sulfate shampoo. I have to use a sulfate once a week cos i get build up bad. it just shocks me that a conditioner is cleaning my scalp better then a shampoo. my products are

cowash is vo5 the black berry tea one
my hair is short so I don't really use a rinse out anymore but when I do I use garnier pure clean.
my leave in is kinky curly knot today
I seal with olive oil on my ends.
my styler is herbal essence mouse. its non drying so i have to use it. but that might be causing the build up

Lynaea · 02-06-2013, 04:35 PM

If by everyday shea shampoo you mean the one by Alaffia, I think you should read this post:
Everyday Shea Moisturizing Shampoo from Whole Foods
(I hope I did that right

)

I was using their curl enhancing shampoo until I realized what saponified meant, it made my hair feel heavy, stuck together and weird. Essentially it's a soap based cleanser which is most likely alkaline. I know those who use soap bars on here do regular ACV rinses, that might help if you want to continue using it. I stopped using mine because I didn't see a benefit over using a 'regular' lo-poo.
The routine you listed is CG (I think all HE mousses are) You might want to cut out the shea shampoo and just use the sulfate poo or a lo-poo as needed. I lo-poo with shea moisture once a week, they are relatively inexpensive and have natural ingredients.
HTH

Ericachristina · 02-06-2013, 04:36 PM

Maybe it's just because the conditioner is less drying and more moisturizing than any type of shampoo. I've read a lot about coconut oil being great for helping with dry flaky scalp and dandruff, maybe you should give that a try.

dusalocks · 02-06-2013, 08:32 PM

Maybe your scalp is just very dry because you're regularly dehydrating it (once a week) with sulfates and then the rest of the time using (admittedly) less harsh surfactants when there's no need. Why don't you try just co-washing throughout the week and waiting and see if you still get buildup? (You already said you got less.) If and when you do get it, you can use your gentler natural shampoo instead of conditioner. If that isn't enough and doesn't work for you, then use the sulfates but don't use it as often as you were if you can help it. Co-washing seems to help a lot of people balance out their sebum levels. Also I'm not sure if the herbal essences mousse has silicones or polyquats or anything else that will make you prone to buildup but believe it or not water is a powerful cleansing agent all by itself and conditioner and proper scalp massage will help lift a lot of dirt, debris, and product residue from your hair. That's why it's working I believe and you should do what's beneficial for you.

hambo02 · 02-07-2013, 12:07 PM

thanks guys Ill check out that link as well and try this stuff!