Q1: How long do your wash n gos last before you shampoo or co-wash?
A1: It really depends on what I am using and what my intentions are. I’m not a person who tries to stretch their hair for as long as possible so they don’t have to deal with their hair all week. I live in a fairly warm climate, so I don’t need to worry about walking outside with wet hair in the freezing cold, even in winter. Also, wash n Gos take me probably around 10-15 minutes to do, so it’s not a lot a effort and time. Plus, I enjoy conditioning my hair and getting it wet in the shower….and…I have reviews to do, lol, and a lot of people don’t like it if I review something while that product is not in my hair so they can see first hand how it turned out. But, if I’m using conditioner only or a very light product without much hold (like the Mixed Chicks Kids LI I just reviewed), at the most I get a couple of days out of it, or I can add one more day by putting my hair up in a ponytail puff. If I’m using something heavier and with more hold, like KCCC or Eco Styler, I can probably get up to five days without conditioning/cleansing my hair again. Here’s my night/refreshing routine – doing this I don’t need to wet my hair everyday.
Q2: I am using a leave in that has 2 cones (dimethicone and cxclomethicone). Can I add moisture on top of a cone? Will moisture(oyin hair dew) actually penetrate to the hair?
A2: Yes, you can use moisture on top of a silicone. Silicones do not put a vice grip on our hair like I’m sure some people picture when they think of their hair being coated. The moisture/water able to penetrate the hair will be less on top of a cone due to their coating properties, but they certainly do not block all moisture from the hair. If that were the case, silicones would be the key to keeping hair from getting frizzy in humid weather, and we all know that doesn’t totally work. Remember, there are many ingredients that we use that basically coat the hair, like the natural oils that do not penetrate such as sunflower and jojoba oil, it’s not just silicones and mineral oil/petroleum.
xoxo
questfortheperfectcurl.com 
I’m sorry, I’m so confused. How can you do your hair in 10-15 minutes? I have maybe 2 -2 1/2 inches of hair (BC’d 2 weeks ago) and it takes me maybe 25 min. to apply KCCC all over (hair is a little thick). A lot longer than I expected. And lately (lol as if it has been so long) it’s been a bit more frizzier than normal. This must be a practice thing.
It’s never taken me more than 20 minutes to do my hair, and when it was shorter, I didn’t section and it took maybe 5 minutes. My hair is thick, but I only do 8 sections or so. Ultimately, it depends on how many sections you do, when I do more sections, it takes longer.
This is great info. Your blog is so interesing. It’s easy to stretch wash n gos when your hair is shorter, like mine. I just rewet daily and put a little more Long Aid in it.. I imagine it will be much harder later on.. say a year from now. 🙂
Jen
Actually, I find that my wash and gos are easier to stretch now that my hair is longer – it doesn’t get so smushed against my scalp like it used it. When my hair was shorter, at the MOST, I did 2nd day hair, and now I can get five days if I feel like it (which I rarely do, lol).
Thank you so much for the information. Where can I purchase that hood scraf from?
Ricky’s NYC
I have eczema and use shampoo bars, I tend to shy away from products w/ silicon in it because I’ve heard the poo bars aren’t strong enough to remove them. With the products that you have tried so far is there a shampoo that is more on the natural side but strong enough to remove cones from the hair? I can use non natural products, I just have to wash them out the same day or my scalp is itching like crazy, then my poor little ears and face break out. Blah..it sucks not being able to where wng’s longer than that.
My favorite shampoo is Creme of Nature Argan Oil Moisture & Shine, and it removes cones. It’s not all natural though. Donna Marie Super Latherlicious also removes cones.
great info! especially on the cones!
I was almost ready to give up the WnGos this summer, b/c I was starting to have very bad hair days (pouffy). Then I found a new combo that worked fab for me, CJ Smoothing Lotion and Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie. I made sure to apply the smoothie in small sections, like you say, and voila, it looked awesome,good definition, control, good clumping and very shiny. I also made a point to shake out the curls a few times and flipping my head down, which helped to separate the curls. I put a little CJ Curls in a Bottle on top just to prevent any frizziness, and it held up beautifully. I’d never used the CES this way, b/c I thought it would be too heavy, but after seeing a few ladies on youtube apply the product, I gave it a shot. Thought I would share in case it helps anybody. My hair is very thick and high porosity and I live in a high humidity/high dew point area.
i like your answer about the silicones, they are not as “devilish” as people think lol 🙂
Lol! Yea it’s like, no….silicones don’t put a vice grip on your hair, and they are also diluted with other ingredients in products, so it’s not as if you are coating you hair with straight silicone anyway.
Did you ever refresh your wash n go when your hair was a lot shorter?
Yep, I would spray it with a water bottle in the morning and shake it back out. And then I pineappled it for a little bit. I have a video on that.