CO experience thread
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Category: Long Hair Happenings
Forum Name: Long Hair Support
Forum Description: Growing it long takes commitment and support.
URL: /forum_posts.php?TID=39236
Printed Date: Jan 12, 2025 at 9:47pm
Topic: CO experience thread
Posted By: LadyFrog
Subject: CO experience thread
Date Posted: Jan 19, 2006 at 1:59pm
Yesterday, I washed my hair and did CO. No particular reason, just felt like it
I was expecting my hair to go funny and greasy but...it hasn't! It's
possibly a tad greasier then if I's shampooed it but mainly it just
feels like silk and really shiny! (See sig pic for proof-taken after
CO)
Does that mean my hair likes CO and wants to run and hide away from the
big scary shampoo bottle or something! I know it's early days yet but
it seems to agree with my hair! Well I suppose I barely used shampoo
anyway-I'd use heavily diluted baby shampoo.
Intrigued...
LadyFrog38747.434837963
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28.02.06 34 inches
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=43733 - Photos
Lifes a grave. Dig it.
-Wednesday 13
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Replies: 51
Posted By: LadyFrog
Date Posted: Jan 19, 2006 at 1:59pm
Yesterday, I washed my hair and did CO. No particular reason, just felt like it
I was expecting my hair to go funny and greasy but...it hasn't! It's
possibly a tad greasier then if I's shampooed it but mainly it just
feels like silk and really shiny! (See sig pic for proof-taken after
CO)
Does that mean my hair likes CO and wants to run and hide away from the
big scary shampoo bottle or something! I know it's early days yet but
it seems to agree with my hair! Well I suppose I barely used shampoo
anyway-I'd use heavily diluted baby shampoo.
Intrigued...
LadyFrog38747.434837963 |
Posted By: Hellfrozeover
Date Posted: Jan 19, 2006 at 2:17pm
Lovely new sig pic ! I might give it a go tommorow.
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Posted By: AnaisSatin
Date Posted: Jan 19, 2006 at 4:28pm
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Sounds like you're a CO gal. Lovely signature pic $$ )'```ara $).,`` %*,`r !,,!-- ,,)-% ! " $4
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Posted By: LadyFrog
Date Posted: Jan 19, 2006 at 4:33pm
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Thank you HFO and Anais
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Posted By: DaveDecker
Date Posted: Jan 19, 2006 at 7:49pm
I'm interested in keeping up with your experiment, LadyFrog. How
often have you been washing your hair with shampoo? And
ultimately, how often will you end up washing with CO? I think
this could help me too, but I'm not quite ready to gopher it.
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Posted By: missrini
Date Posted: Jan 19, 2006 at 7:59pm
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Hi Ladyfrog. I've been posting elsewhere about my CO experiments. I've just done my third attempt, but am giving up (again) probably for good. My hair just does not like CO AT ALL 
Your hair, however, looks (and feels?) good....so I'd say that's very encouraging. Even after the first try, that sounds good. My hair just went from bad to utter crap very quickly.
I'm sticking with CWC mixed in with some of the baking soda/ACV washes. If it aint broke, don't fix it  |
Posted By: LadyFrog
Date Posted: Jan 20, 2006 at 10:23am
Dave- I've been washing roughly once a week with the heavily diluted
shampoo. I'm not sure how often I'll wash with CO but I'm hoping that
I'll be able to do it once or twice a week
Go for it!
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Posted By: tdouty
Date Posted: Jan 20, 2006 at 12:40pm
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Your hair does look great, LadyFrog. I read one time in Anais' hair journal that shampooed hair looks nicer, but she loves the feel of CO hair. Jennifer and I tend to agree. Shampooed hair looks great, but feels dry. COed hair is just heavenly to touch and play with. It's for that reason that we have stuck with CO. Once in a while, we get the shampoo bottle out and just wash the top of Jennifer's hair. I hold the ends out of the suds bath until most of it is rinsed away. We still notice a difference in the way her hair feels after a day or two. It just feels drier and more brittle to the touch.
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Posted By: AnaisSatin
Date Posted: Jan 20, 2006 at 1:14pm
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 #d (,$$@ 0$D` hd
Hi Dave, I was a weekly washer too when I switched first to COW-CC, then to CO. I hope you decide to give CO a try $$ )'```ara $).,`` %*,`r !,,!-- ,,)-% ! " $4
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Posted By: missrini
Date Posted: Jan 20, 2006 at 8:06pm
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It's funny how different hair likes different things. My hair never feels dry or brittle with CWC....it looks and feels silky soft and shiny. My scalp just hates CO on it, so CWC is the perfect solution for me.
Good luck to all the COers out there |
Posted By: Alayney
Date Posted: Jan 21, 2006 at 12:15am
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Ladyfrog, I just wanted to say that I noticed how SHINY your hair was (well is!) in your new sig pic the other day (or was that yesterday? ... well, whenever you posted it). That's what REALLY stood out -- the SHINE! Pretty color too!
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Posted By: LadyFrog
Date Posted: Jan 21, 2006 at 3:49am
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Thank you Alayney I posted the new sig pic on wednesday evening.
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Posted By: Karen Shelton
Date Posted: Jan 21, 2006 at 1:06pm
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| !p`$ $ @ ``` $
Hi LadyFrog. I have been doing CO and heavy dilution for years. In fact, about 3 years ago I was at a seminar with the woman who wrote the Curly Girl book (Lorraine) and she came up to me at the break and said...you must do conditioning only washing...right? I asked how she knew and she said...the shine, the softness and how nice my natural waves formed in the back.
I have found that over time I can only do diluted shampoo about once or twice a month. I tend to CO every 5 days and then maybe on every 2nd or 3rd rotation I do DSO. Today I did a super heavy dilution with Phytojoba but it was the first time in 3 weeks that I used DSO. My last DSO was with Aveda Shampure and I cut back to 1/2 teaspoon to 1 quart. Which seemed to be good.
Most of the time my CO consists of Phytosesame or ARTec Smoothing. Lately I have been playing with RF Karite and just slathering it on.
Thanks so much for sharing your experiments. When I advise people to do either DSO or CO washing, they are very skeptical. It has been working for me for years and I know it is very good for super long hair. Karen Shelton38738.5475115741 !$ Shab` dbe ,%4 b` , 8bp - )%! )-% !$ -,$`r /2
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Posted By: Karen Shelton
Date Posted: Jan 21, 2006 at 1:09pm
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Hi Anais,
Can we list all the acronyms for anyone not familiar?
CO = Conditioning Only
DSO = Diluted Shampoo Only
Please add your acronmys.
Thanks. !$ Shab` dbe ,%4 b` , 8bp - )%! )-% !$ -,$`r /2
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Posted By: LadyFrog
Date Posted: Jan 21, 2006 at 2:14pm
Karen- if I'm doing CO, then would I still need to occasionally shampoo to 'clean' the hair?
WO-water only
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Posted By: Karen Shelton
Date Posted: Jan 21, 2006 at 2:59pm
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| !p`., @ !D `d &
Hi LF,
It depends on your hair and how you feel. The first year I "freaked" that I was not shampooing full strenght every day. Eventually my hair "adjusted" and I found that if I did use full strength shampoo my hair felt like total hell. Now I NEVER use full strength shampoo but it took me some years to get to this point.
For your hair...experiment. Try different things. I also..in the early years...diluted the conditioners I used so that my hair did not get greasy. Sometimes I would use diluted shampoo on the bangs but no where else and then use only water (OW) :-) or CO on the middle to the bottoms.
Also, seasons require different treatments.
So just take your time and experiment with different options and get to know the rhythm and moods of your strands. Your hair will LOVE you for it. :-)
And keep letting us know what you discover. Since it helps everyone figure out their own path. Right AS? :-) !$ Shab` dbe ,%4 b` , 8bp - )%! )-% !$ -,$`r /2
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Posted By: AnaisSatin
Date Posted: Jan 21, 2006 at 9:10pm
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Hi Folks
We have a lot of acronyms and abbreviations!
CO= Conditioner Only
CWC= Condition, Wash, Condition
COW-C = ConditionerOnly + Wash + Conditioner (which is actually diluted shampoo with conditioner mixed in it, looks like a milkshake)
WO= water only (I tend to call it WO for Water Only because OW tends to be associated with COW)
Other abbreviations I've personally used, a few of which I better explain ..*sheepish.
BSL= Bra strap length
MBL= Mid back length
TB= Tailbone
ACV= apple cider vinegar
BBB= boar bristle brush
SM&H / Suave M&H= Suave Milk&Honey
SCS / Suave CS = Suave Citrus Smoothie
KLG= Kirkland Lemon Gingerroot
SUE= socked-up end, referring to occasions where the end of a braid is sock-curled
Karen, maybe we can start an FAQ thread of some kind... AnaisSatin38738.8856365741 $$ )'```ara $).,`` %*,`r !,,!-- ,,)-% ! " $4
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Posted By: Karen Shelton
Date Posted: Jan 21, 2006 at 10:28pm
| < 4@( $@* ( @ ,
Hi AS...yes, yes, yes.....would you like to start one that we can make a stickie? Or even better, I can put it at the top in announcements for people to check out.
Any thoughts?
Thanks soooooooooooo much. !$ Shab` dbe ,%4 b` , 8bp - )%! )-% !$ -,$`r /2
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Posted By: Alayney
Date Posted: Jan 21, 2006 at 11:15pm
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Posted By: Alayney
Date Posted: Jan 21, 2006 at 11:16pm
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Oh, and I almost forgot -- I'm SO glad you added the acronyms. I was just about to ask what they were or if you all could direct me to the place on the boards that they were previously defined. You read my mind!
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Posted By: SpecialKitty
Date Posted: Jan 27, 2006 at 10:16pm
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Hi, I thought I'd resurrect this thread - hope that's okay. Just wondering how the CO experimenting is going? I did CO this week and last (before that I did CO one day and diluted shampoo three or four days later). My hair feels a bit limp with the CO but seems very clean and shiny. No itchy scalp or dandruff either. The conditioners I'm using are alternating each CO with Aveda Curresence, Aveda Pure Abundance, Lush Veganese, with Giovanni Direct Leave-In at the end. Maybe the leave-in is causing the limpness? Hmmmm. |
Posted By: LadyFrog
Date Posted: Jan 29, 2006 at 4:45am
The CO is still kind of going. I washed my hair twice a week the first
week and the next I left it five days. I was using somerfield own brand
conditioner for fine/greasy hair as the cleaner and the own brand one
for normal hair as the conditioner. My hair was clean enough at the
roots and it wasn't greasy although it was kind of...coated. The thing
is, the outer layer of my hair was all kind of separating and looking a
little stringy. It looked fine when pulled back but nasty loose. So
this morning I did a diluted shampoo. I think I'll stick to CO but
maybe shampoo once in a while to get rid of residue. Wasn't there
someone else who does that who said so on here?
I was thinking, like Anais's list of useful threads, maybe we should
keep this thread up, posting about our own experiences of CO so that
people wanting to try CO can read about it without starting a million
threads on the same topic. What do you think?
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Posted By: AnaisSatin
Date Posted: Jan 29, 2006 at 2:23pm
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I like your idea of having a sum total thread. If you like, you can edit the title of your first post as "CO experiences thread" or a similar title, and that will change the thread name.
Anais $$ )'```ara $).,`` %*,`r !,,!-- ,,)-% ! " $4
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Posted By: SpecialKitty
Date Posted: Jan 29, 2006 at 6:50pm
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I finally broke down today and did an ACV rinse and DSO, then conditioned and used Giovanni Direct Leave-In as the final conditioner. The itchies finally came, and also much stringiness. I am going to try to go one week with only CO again and maybe just wear my hair up all the time. It sounds, from Karen's experience, that the more time and the longer the hair, the better CO works, so I'm going to stick with it for most washes. Thanks Anais and Karen for the abbreviations and making this a regular thread.
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Posted By: Sasumi
Date Posted: Jan 30, 2006 at 5:51pm
Ehhh, question about CO washing.
Once I heavily oiled my hair with olive oil, and I tried just rinsing it out with water, and then applied conditioner and rinsed it out (without shampooing) and the next day my hair was terribly oily.
So, do you use shampoo on days when you oil?
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Posted By: SpecialKitty
Date Posted: Jan 30, 2006 at 7:52pm
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I'm not oiling right now - it didn't work great for me. I use a very light spray with some oils in it (it is Burt's Bees carrotseed oil face spray) - the oils are carrotseed, sandalwood, patchouli, and rose oils. I mostly use it for the fragrance but I think the light oiling helps with dryness. I think if you use a heavy oil like olive that you would have to use shampoo or ACV to keep your hair from being greasy all the time...Anais? (by the way, Sasumi, your hair is beautiful and shiny!) |
Posted By: PurpleBubba
Date Posted: Jan 30, 2006 at 8:00pm
I pretty much can use whatever method I feel like.
I either do S+C or I do a method of CO
I don't think I've done a CWC though.
I think I have a thread that lists my washing methods on this long hair board.
Probably titled PurpleBubba's Routine or something like that.
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Posted By: Karen Shelton
Date Posted: Jan 30, 2006 at 8:29pm
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Hi,
Little tip about oiling...before you wash...apply a tiny bit of unconcentrated shampoo into the palms of your hands. A tiny bit should work...just enough to cover your palms lightly.
Then pat the shampoo covered palms along the top of the oiled hair.
Get into the shower and turn on the lukewarm water. Or you can use the clean bottle-of-water-over-the-head approach. Drizzle water onto the shampoo and pat lightly to form a slight lather. Keep drizzling water until you have a full lather and then let the suds gently float down over your strands to the ends.
Then rinse really really well with lukewarm water.
The shampoo applied to the dry oiled hair will cut the oil instantly and if you are careful, the undiluted shampoo doesn't undo all the great advantages of the oiling process.
I love oiling my hair but often worry that the effort at getting the oil out undoes all the benefits. :-)
Try it and see if it works for you.
I do not advise that anyone use Castor oil on their hair. I did that years ago and spend literally weeks trying to get it out. YUCK. Karen Shelton38747.8550347222 !$ Shab` dbe ,%4 b` , 8bp - )%! )-% !$ -,$`r /2
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Posted By: AnaisSatin
Date Posted: Jan 30, 2006 at 9:16pm
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I've used shea butter a lot (not as much lately, though) and I had no problem removing it with CO. However it does depend on how long you wait, and the absorbency of your hair. It helped that they were small leave-in oilings, 2 days before a wash... then the shea just got SUCKED in after awhile! I do ACV with each wash and it helps "a bit".... i.e. I'm not sure if it really helps, but ACV prevents my itching.
Anais $$ )'```ara $).,`` %*,`r !,,!-- ,,)-% ! " $4
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Posted By: SpecialKitty
Date Posted: Jan 31, 2006 at 9:17am
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Great info, Anais and Karen! Wow, that castor oil experience sounds horrid.... I think I am definitely more of a shea butter person than an oil person. I also think the ACV rinses help with my itchy scalp, though I notice my hair seems dry the day or two after an ACV rinse. Does this happen to you Anais? Thanks again. |
Posted By: AnaisSatin
Date Posted: Jan 31, 2006 at 8:15pm
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I dunno..... slather on more conditioner than usual after that ACV rinse?
Hugs
Anais $$ )'```ara $).,`` %*,`r !,,!-- ,,)-% ! " $4
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Posted By: SpecialKitty
Date Posted: Jan 31, 2006 at 11:09pm
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I'll give it a try |
Posted By: LadyFrog
Date Posted: Feb 18, 2006 at 4:12pm
Ok, this is the third week of my second CO attempt and everythings
going fine. I washed my hair once a week and it looked...good! My hair
doesn't seem to get greasy, just a little piecy occasionally. which is
good I guess, easier to hide!
This last wash, I wet my hair with cold water, then wa5rm water and
combed through a load of conditioner, massaged, put it in a stickless
bun and let it sit whilst I finished my shower. Then I rinsed it out
and finished with a blast of cold water. I put a bit of leave in on the
ends and used a hairstick to lift my roots. It seems to have left it
clean and it looks like it did with shampoo, just less flyaway.
Are you still attempting CO SK?
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Posted By: SpecialKitty
Date Posted: Feb 19, 2006 at 11:09am
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Hi LadyFrog, yes I am still doing CO most weeks with good results. Last week, however, I used some diluted shampoo because I was speaking at a conference and wanted my hair down, and the "piecy-ness" you speak of I have as well. So that was the first shampoo I've used in a couple of weeks. I also cleaned all my hair tools at the same time.
I'm going 3-4 days in between CO's and my hair is wavy, soft, and not greasy at all. No itchies either. I've found CO works far better for me than oiling or using butters. If I use either, I have to then use shampoo to wash out the greasies. If I only CO, then my hair is not greasy at all.
I am still using the Burt's Bees Carrot Seed Oil Spray in between washes to dampen for braiding, and that is such a light spray that it is really almost like using water. As for method, I just wet my hair in the shower, use Aveda diluted conditioner, let it sit, rinse, then Lush Veganese conditioner, rinse, then Aveda for the final, then rinse. I alternate using leave-in every few washes.
LadyFrog, can you tell me how to use a hairstick to put volume in your roots? I'd like to try it! |
Posted By: LadyFrog
Date Posted: Feb 19, 2006 at 1:19pm
I comb my hair and then use a hairstick to trace lines across my head,
lifting and separating the hair as I go. It means the roots aren't
plastered against my head. There is a proper article on how to do it on
long hair community but the sites being redone and not all the links
are there yet.
I hope the instructions are clear enough-I didn't know how else to describe it!
I'm glad your CO is going well
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Posted By: SpecialKitty
Date Posted: Feb 19, 2006 at 2:15pm
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Great info, thanks LF! I'm glad your CO is going well also. I will try to find that link soon. |
Posted By: AnaisSatin
Date Posted: Feb 20, 2006 at 10:18am
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Hey ladies, just this week I tried out Chagrin Valley natural shampoo bars. They work wonderfully for that once-in-awhile wash in between CO'ings and I don't get the "piecyness". The scalp didn't itch until about the 5th day.
Just throwing that out in case anyone is looking for a natural shampoo alternative too... I'd been considering CV for a long time, in place of my first CO conditioner to avoid slathering something on the scalp. It worked really well so far (although I miss the CO slickness)
Anais $$ )'```ara $).,`` %*,`r !,,!-- ,,)-% ! " $4
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Posted By: SpecialKitty
Date Posted: Feb 20, 2006 at 10:34am
Cool! A soap for shampoo - that would really help me since I travel a great deal for work. Thanks Anais |
Posted By: Sugaree
Date Posted: Feb 27, 2006 at 1:46pm
I tried CO last week...not too good. I found my hair felt very greasy, dull
and weighed down at the roots. It felt nice though...kind of heavy in a
way. I'm not sure if it's for me. I like my hair to lift at the roots, and CO
made it very flat at the top. But, today I shampooed with Citre'Shine (citra,
citri whatver) and my hair looks shiney and feels soft. I only use it once in
a while, when my hair starts to feel weighed down. I think after all that
COing and then a good cleansing...resulted in soft yet light clean-feeling
hair. So perhaps I'll stick with that routine and see how it goes.!,% hed t`` !, $`p ).4 ` '. , -%
, -,
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Posted By: LadyFrog
Date Posted: Feb 27, 2006 at 3:52pm
My hair's a bit piecy now  I'm at
a bit of a loss as to what to do-just carry on COing or do a diluted
shampoo, or see if just rinsing with water would unpiece it (my Mum is
convinced that it's the residue from conditioner that's making it clump
together.)
Suggestions?
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Posted By: SpecialKitty
Date Posted: Feb 27, 2006 at 6:19pm
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Probably a diluted shampoo is in order.....have you been shampooing at all or just CO for the last few weeks? I am thinking about using the Chagrin Valley soaps Anais mentioned, since that piecy-stringy thing keeps happening to me after awhile. |
Posted By: LadyFrog
Date Posted: Feb 28, 2006 at 9:50am
Just COing for the last month. Oddly, it doesn't feel as piecy today.
Maybe it's reabsorbed or something? I don't know but at least it's
looking better
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Posted By: tdouty
Date Posted: Feb 28, 2006 at 10:16am
Sorry we haven't participated lately in the forum. We're around, but just reading. It's strange, but with Jennifer's hair, we knew the CO was making her hair feel nicer, although the itchy scalp was driving her crazy from time to time and she was having flakes from scalp buildup. Once in a great while, we'll use shampoo on her hair (yes even on the ends, I know ... BAD! ... but it's too tempting) and immediately it's light and fluffy, but a day or two later it begins to feel like straw. It's nothing the conditioner can't fix in a few days. The CO definitely makes her hair feel much healthier. We've been trying to use ACV rinses each time we wash her hair lately and the itchiness and flakes are beginning to diminish so maybe this is good. I still give her head and good scratching every day or two. I don't know if it helps anything, but she enjoys it so it's doing some good. I have a couple new pictures so I'll be updating her signature here soon. LadyFrog, it's good to hear your hair looks better today. If you can stick with it and find solutions to the problems, the CO will be worth it.
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Posted By: AnaisSatin
Date Posted: Feb 28, 2006 at 4:36pm
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SpecialKitty, I love the waves in your sig hair
Tdouty, good to see you around!
Anais $$ )'```ara $).,`` %*,`r !,,!-- ,,)-% ! " $4
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Posted By: SpecialKitty
Date Posted: Mar 2, 2006 at 3:26pm
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Thank You Anais! |
Posted By: SpecialKitty
Date Posted: Mar 8, 2006 at 12:03pm
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I finally broke down today and used a bit of shampoo after an ACV rinse. I just had too much conditioner build-up in my hair - it was totally lifeless. The ACV rinse had been so drying that I added a tiny bit of conditioning shampoo. I will go back to CO but just needed that little boost of shiny bouncy hair for a bit to resist my urge to cut it all off! |
Posted By: tdouty
Date Posted: Mar 8, 2006 at 12:31pm
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SpecialKitty, do you use a clarifying conditioner once in a while to remove the buildup? We just use Suave Clarifying Conditioner once every week or two and it does the trick.
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Posted By: LadyFrog
Date Posted: Mar 8, 2006 at 2:46pm
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I have to admit I shampooed last wash. My hair looked so much better
and lighter afterwards. I think that I may go to CO one week and
shampoo the next or something similar. My hair doesn't get greasy
though now!
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Posted By: SpecialKitty
Date Posted: Mar 8, 2006 at 3:47pm
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Hi Tdouty and Jennifer, Thanks for the recommendation for a clarifying conditioner. I will check it out. I think the ACV rinses may be too harsh for my hair (they definitely clarify though!). I'm probably going to do what you're doing, LadyFrog, and do CO one week and shampoo the next. It's really an ongoing experiment. |
Posted By: tdouty
Date Posted: Mar 9, 2006 at 7:04am
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It's still an experiment for us too. We use primarily CO; however, we still use shampoo on Jennifer's hair from time to time as well. We have found that when we shampoo her hair, it gets very dry so we have to do more oiling to add some moisture to it. As you say LadyFrog, the shampoo does leaves her hair much lighter looking and feeling. CO leaves her hair clean, but feeling heavier and not so fluffy. Overall, we both like CO better.
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Posted By: LadyFrog
Date Posted: Mar 9, 2006 at 10:16am
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as you say, COing makes the hair heavier and darker. My hair is quite
heavy to start with though so I really don't want to make it weight
more! You're right though-it's all an ongoing experiment!
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Posted By: ataraxy
Date Posted: Mar 17, 2006 at 9:28pm
when i CO, mine feels soft. it doesn't feel heavy like others are
describing tho...it actually feels alot lighter. i also have alot of
breakage through my hair right now, which all seemed to flyaway and
reach for the sky. nothing a little mayonaise didn't fix 
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