Lightweight Vegan Co Wash
We have not researched the vegan status of this product.
—
Stated by brand
Worth checking on the label.
Lion Locs
Co-Wash
Co-wash / Low-lather cleanser, non-foaming
- Co-wash
- cream
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
Size8 fl oz
Price$17.97seen at one store · 8 oz
Price / oz$2.25/ozat 8 oz
Where to buy1 store · $17.97–17.97
Manufacturer page: lionlocs.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Cleansing strength
None
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Some
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Rich
Not in your profile
Fragrance
None listed
Not in your profile
Protein
Prominent
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
High
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
High
Not in your profile
Sulfates
None listed
Not in your profile
Show all 22 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
pH adjusted
No adjuster listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
17 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Masstige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand websiteOne channel
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, then reads every factor in this table against it — and tells you where this product fits, or what to use instead.
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Your avoid-list
Upper-mid price for a co-wash
$2.25/oz at 8 oz — more than 58% of the 94 co-washes , which mostly run $1.08–2.77/oz. The cost less.
Great for
no fragrance (parfum) on the label
Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
Frequent washerswho want gentler cleansing
Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Maybe skip if
Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
A squeaky-clean feelthis deliberately leaves conditioning behind
Regular clarifyingthere is no detergent here to clear residue
Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
Foam-heavy washesit barely lathers
What the formula actually does
Read from the label, not the marketing
Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.
Cleansing strength
None
No detergent — the conditioners do the cleaning.
Slip and detangling
Some
Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners.
Oils and butters
Present, high in the list
Oils sit high in the list — a softening, coating formula.
Water-binding (humectants)
High
Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.
Weight on the hair
Rich
Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.
Needs detergent to remove
Yes
Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.
Protein
Prominent
Protein high in the list — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one.
Fragrance
None listed
No fragrance is listed.
from the formula
stated by the brand
reported by reviewers
Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
Ingredients that matter
The ingredients that change a decision
The workhorse ingredients plus anything lower down that changes a decision. These chips name what an ingredient does — they are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic Aloe Leaf Juice | botanical extract | A plant extract, marketed as much as functional | Moisturizes |
| Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed OilJojoba oil | emollient | Softens and smooths the strand | Buildup |
| Argania Spinosa Kernel OilArgan oil | oil | Coats and softens the strand | Softens |
| Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed OilCastor oil | oil | Coats and softens the strand | Softens |
| Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Protein |
| PanthenolProvitamin B5 | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Detangles |
| TocopherolVitamins A & E | antioxidant | Protects the formula | Stabilizes |
| Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideMedium chain triglycerides | light ester | A light, silky feel | Softens |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein sits high: this is a strengthening step rather than a moisture one. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list.
Full ingredient list (17)
US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.
-
1
Organic Aloe Leaf Juice
General function
The juice pressed from Organic Aloe's leaf. Used in place of some of the water in a formula, so it often sits high on the list.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- botanical extract
- humectant
-
2
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
· Jojoba oil
General function
Not chemically an oil: about 97% of it is liquid wax esters, which is why it resists going rancid and sits close to the scalp's own sebum. It smooths without a heavy finish.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingA wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.
- emollient
- light ester
- oil
- wax
-
3
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
· Argan oil
General function
Argan oil. A medium-weight oil used for shine and softness on the outside of the strand.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May not suitFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
-
4
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
· Castor oil
General function
A thick, tacky oil used for sealing ends and for slick, held-down styles.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May not suitFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
-
5
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
General function
Wheat protein broken into fragments small enough to cling to the hair. It adds temporary strength and body; too much can feel stiff.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairFilling surface gaps evens out the cuticle, which is part of what makes damaged hair comb and reflect light more like undamaged hair.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairHydrolysed fragments are small enough to sit in the gaps of a worn cuticle for a wash or two, temporarily restoring stiffness and cutting breakage in combing.
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
-
6
Panthenol
· Provitamin B5
General function
Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairIt hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.
- humectant
- conditioning agent
- vitamin
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
7
Tocopherol
· Vitamins A & E
General function
Vitamin E. It keeps the oils in a formula from going rancid and is used at very low levels.
Estimated lower-concentration zonePubChemIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
8
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
· Medium chain triglycerides
General function
A light, refined coconut-derived oil that spreads easily and does not go rancid. It gives slip without a heavy feel.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
9
Glycerin
· Vegetable glycerin
General function
A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
Scientific ReportsMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairBinds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairWater moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.
- humectant
-
10
Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil
· Meadowfoam seed oil
General function
A very stable oil that forms a light, non-greasy protective layer.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
- 11 Mustard oil
- 12 Green tea leaf extract
- 13 Rooibos leaf extract
- 14 Activated charcoal
- 15 Ylang ylang
- 16 MSM sulfur
- 17 Fragrance (naturally derived)
What the whole list adds up to
- 5 emollients
- 4 oils
- 3 humectants
- 2 light esters
- 2 vitamins
- 1 botanical extract
- 1 wax
- 1 film former
- 1 protein
- 1 hydrolysed protein
- 1 conditioning agent
- 1 antioxidant
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-30. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 8 oz
Seen at
$17.97
Good value under
$11
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $11 line; products that do this job typically go for about $14 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 1 store
-
Lion Locs (brand DTC)
$17.978 oz · $2.25/ozAug 30Lowest per oz
-
Lion Locs (brand DTC)
$17.978 oz · $2.25/ozAug 30
Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.
How we work this out
- 8 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
- Seen at $17.97 is the price we have observed for the 8 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $11 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.35/oz; at 8 oz that is $11. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $14 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8 oz.
Formula
6
Formula score
6 of 10
Nothing separates this from the middle of the range for co-washes, on formula or on cost per ounce.
How the score is counted
- Costs more per ounce than 58% of the 94 co-washes we’ve priced
- No conditioning agents up front in the formula
- Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
- Masstige tier, sold at Brand website
- Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.3 pts
- Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
- Gentle or no detergentCleans without stripping the conditioning back off.2 pts
- A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
- No detergent-dependent filmNothing that needs a clarifying wash to remove.1 pt
- Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt
The formula score is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.
Does the same job
Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.
Urban HydrationClosest function
Breath of Fresh Hair Kids Co-Wash & Conditioner
$0.83/oz $1.42/oz less
- Fragrance-free
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Function
- Also
Jane Carter SolutionLowest cost per oz
Curl Drench Cleansing Co-Wash
$0.59/oz $1.66/oz less
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Gentle cleanse
- Function
- Also
Alikay NaturalsLighter feel
CoWash Me Cleansing Conditioner
$1.87/oz $0.38/oz less
- Sulfate-free
- Gentle cleanse
- Curly method
- Function
- Also
See more alternatives in the product library
These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget
Final decision
Should you buy it?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsBest user
People sensitive to fragrance who want a formula with no added fragrance and washing without sulfates
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for hair that stiffens on protein, oily scalps and fine hair, or anyone who wants a squeaky-clean feel
Best alternative if not
Nothing in our library matches it closely at a lower price.
We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.
Claims check
What the brand says, against what the formula shows
Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.
0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Shampoo and Conditioner for Dreads, Sisterlocks, Locks, & Dreadlocks
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
ABSOLUTELY NO: PARABENS, PHTHALATES, SULFATES, SILICONE, PEG'S, DYES, MINERAL OILS, WAX, RESIDUE, BUILD-UP, FLAKE
No over-the-counter anti-dandruff active appears in the list.
—
Stated by brand
Soothing, not an active treatment.
How to read this
We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula — not marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
Reviewers
What people report
Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.
Loc wearers — dreadlocks, sisterlocks and microlocs — repeatedly say it rinses out easily and leaves no residue or buildup, which is the specific failure mode they are watching for in a creamy cleanser
brand-site reviewers with locs at various stagesIt is described as lightweight while still softening: reviewers say locs feel soft and gain body rather than the dry, brittle result they report from other brands
brand-site reviewers, including one recovering hair after hospitalisation and one on a baby-microlocs journeyScent is among the most-cited reasons for repurchase, with reviewers saying their locs keep smelling fresh between washes
brand-site reviewersA recurring pattern is people using it as a conditioner, deep conditioner or leave-in rather than as a cleanser — one reviewer says outright that it does not cleanse her hair well enough to keep using as a co-wash but that she loves it as a conditioner
brand-site reviewers, several describing over a year of use as a deep conditioner or winter leave-inHow this page was made
- Everything above is generated from our researched product record — identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. No part of this page is written per product.
- The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
- Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
- The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
- 2 sources consulted for this product (2 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-30.
- Ingredient references are linked for 2 of 8 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
- We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
- Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
- Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
- This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
- Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-08-30.