Wash with a cleansing conditioner

A co-wash may suit a wash day when shampoo leaves your hair feeling dry or rough. This method shows how to reach your scalp, work through loose lengths and rinse the conditioner out.

Hands-on time (estimate): 5–10 min
Waiting time: Keep any waiting time on the product label. No additional wait is required by this method.

When to use it

Co-washing means washing the scalp and hair with conditioner instead of shampoo. Traditional conditioner washing removes less oil; some products sold as co-washes add cleansing ingredients.

When you have chosen a rinse-out co-wash whose directions allow use on wet scalp and hair.

Loose hair whose scalp and lengths you can reach and rinse comfortably in your shower.
Often considered for curly or coily hair that feels dry after shampoo. Whether it leaves your scalp clean enough depends on the product and your hair-care routine.

Before you start

Traditional co-washing uses a plain conditioner without silicones or heavy oils. Some products labeled co-wash add cleansers, so their cleaning ability varies.
Read the full label before starting: amount, placement, massage, waiting, detangling, rinsing and any conditioner afterward. Keep existing treatment aftercare too.
Conditioner washing can leave oil and styling residue behind. Keep regular shampoo washes, and use a clarifying shampoo when needed. Water-resistant silicones such as dimethicone can need shampoo to remove their residue.
A clarifying wash about every couple of weeks is a starting point, not a fixed schedule. Shampoo sooner if your roots feel oily or coated, and follow the shampoo’s directions.
If roots still feel oily or coated after a complete wash and rinse, choose shampoo for the next wash instead of adding more co-wash. Flakes alone do not tell you the cause.
This sequence covers an ordinary cosmetic co-wash. Medicated cleansers, scalp scrubs and special treatment protocols need their own instructions.
Keep product out of your eyes. Use finger pads, keep pressure comfortable and release snags instead of pulling. Rinse off and stop using a product that irritates your skin.

What you’ll need

Your ordinary rinse-out cleansing conditioner or co-wash
Clean hands
Comfortably warm running water
A clean towel for blotting drips

Make it work for you

Check the situations below before you begin, then follow the steps with those adjustments in mind.

Dense or long hair

Work one reachable area at a time

Bring one side forward and move hair aside to reach underneath. Work around the crown, sides and nape when applying and rinsing; keep to the label’s amount.

Very short hair

Skip length separation

Apply and rinse directly over the scalp and short hair. Skip bringing lengths forward or detangling ends when there is not enough length for those actions.

Arms tire when raised

Alternate hands and lower your arms

Turn to bring each side under the water and lower your arms between areas. Arrange help or another wash setup if you cannot reach and rinse your whole scalp.

Step by step

STEP 1 OF 8
Wet the scalp and hair
- Put the co-wash and a clean towel within reach. Open or unlock the container before wetting your hands, then leave it upright on a stable ledge.
- Use comfortably warm water. Move hair aside so water reaches the crown, sides, nape and inner lengths; turn your body to reach each area.
Read the full product directions first so any waiting time, repeat wash or conditioner afterward is planned.
STEP 2 OF 8
Dispense the co-wash
- Move out of the water stream. Dispense the amount your label gives into one palm, using the other hand to operate the container.
- Set the container down before using both hands. The pictured dose is an example, not an amount for every product or head of hair.
STEP 3 OF 8
Spread it over your hands
- Gently slide your palms together to spread the product over your palms and finger pads.
- Keep your hands clear of the running water so the product stays on them until you apply it.
STEP 4 OF 8
Massage over the scalp
- Move hair aside with one hand. Use the finger pads of the other to work the co-wash over the exposed scalp with comfortable, gentle movements.
- Continue around the crown, sides and nape. Move to a new area rather than rubbing one spot harder; follow any added-water directions on the label.
Low lather can be normal. Finger contact helps loosen residue; do not add more product just to make foam.
STEP 5 OF 8
Smooth through the lengths
- Bring one side forward. Support a reachable section with one hand while the other smooths product through the lengths and ends.
- Repeat through the remaining hair, including inner sections. Keep to the label’s total amount; release any snag rather than dragging through it.
Keep the waiting time on your label, starting when it instructs. This method adds no extra wait.
STEP 6 OF 8
Detangle only if needed and permitted
- If your product allows detangling during use, hold a small section above the ends and gently separate the lowest tangles with your fingertips.
- Work a little higher only after the ends are free. Stop if the hair catches or pulls; skip this step if the hair is already untangled.
For more than a few easy snags, use the linked finger-detangling guide. Keep any required waiting or rinse time on your co-wash label.
STEP 7 OF 8
Rinse the scalp and lengths
- Return under the water. Lift hair so water reaches the crown, sides and nape, then guide the rinse through the lengths.
- Open thick sections to rinse the inner hair. Complete the label’s rinse until no visible cream remains; soft slip alone does not mean you must keep rinsing.
Complete any repeat wash or rinse-out conditioner your label calls for before finishing. Use any leave-in afterward as its directions say. The photo shows rinsing in progress.
STEP 8 OF 8
Blot drips and finish
- Rinse product from your hands and shower spills, then turn off the water. Replace the cap if there is one and leave the container stable on the ledge.
- Press a clean towel gently around the hanging lengths to catch drips. Avoid rubbing or twisting; clear any slippery floor spills before moving away.

About 5–10 minutes hands-on for wetting, application, a few easy snags, rinsing and cleanup. Add label waiting time; substantial detangling, repeat washing, separate conditioner and drying take extra time.

Practical editorial estimate, not measured. Creamy cleanser needs thorough rinsing; long or dense hair and a label-required repeat can take longer.

You’re done when…

The scalp and inner lengths have been rinsed, with no visible cream left. Any repeat wash or follow-on conditioner required by the label is complete. The hair can still feel soft rather than squeaky.

Step by step

Wet the scalp and hair

Dispense the co-wash

Spread it over your hands

Massage over the scalp

Smooth through the lengths

Detangle only if needed and permitted

Rinse the scalp and lengths

Blot drips and finish

You’re done when…

Related techniques

Shampoo your scalp

Apply conditioner to the lengths and ends

Detangle with your fingers