Before I get into what the terms are that bloggers have created, let me address the ‘spreading misinformation’ part. The coolest thing about the natural hair movement is the comraderie among women who come together to share experiences centered around a new found love for natural hair. A great blogger will share her experience, her successes, her failures and more often than not we are all given the opportunity to see the blogger’s progress for our selves through pictures,video or meetups through the years.
With that said, when a person shares an ‘experience’ especially a positive one, it attracts like minded individuals who want to hear or read about it. Granted it might not be rooted in formal education or science but does that mean it should be discounted and considered misinformation, or second hand? I am sorry but there is nothing second hand about my own hair successes based on my own regimen that I have shared on my own blog!
Which brings us to the one thing that Camille thinks will lead to sudden death of our strands.
What Camille Reed says about Cowashing
This is where bloggers and vloggers are instructing readers and subscribers to forgo using shampoo and “wash” their hair with conditioner.
The problem with this method is that it promotes the misuse of product. Within Cosmetic chemistry, certain products have certain roles. The shampoo, with either its surfactants or saponins, opens up the hair cuticle in an alkaline state to release dust, dirt, lipids (fats) and other products from the strand. The cleaners are molecularly attracted to these items and adhere. Water comes in as a solvent and removes both the shampoo and residue. Conditioners come in at an acidic state to relax the cuticle and bring pH balance back to the skin. Commercial conditioners (the ones people are using for these co-washes) contain an additional number of mild chemical sealants to add a bit more protection to the hair strand. It is designed to mimic the natural fat that comes from our scalp, called Sebum (also slightly acidic).
Misuse of conditioner leaves several layers of film on the strands that, after a few months, will start to retard the cuticle from opening properly to allow the strand to swell with water. The result is a low-porosity strand that becomes increasingly fragile and starts to break.
The good thing for ladies in this current hair care market is that companies are making sulfate free shampoos and organic shampoos that contain saponins (natural, non chemical cleansers) that will get your hair clean WITHOUT over-stripping. Understand that all of these other methodologies need to be carefully scrutinized and compared to actual cosmetic science before they are co-opted.
I agree co-washing is not a scientific term, however I disagree with the term ‘misuse’ within the context of what she is trying to explain. I think the natural hair community knows exactly what the roles of shampoos and conditioners are, after all we have been using them for years, relaxed or not.
As a matter of fact the very reason she has stated that the fats used in conditioners are designed to mimic the natural fat that comes from our scalps is why we have chosen to use conditioners more often than we would shampoo! Black people produce a lots less sebum than other races so using more conditioner than shampoo makes sense.
Additionally if she listened carefully enough she would also hear terms like clarify, cleanse or ACV rinses which indicate that women are aware of any film or any layers that will need to be removed after using conditioner on a consistent basis.
Oh and don’t be fooled, we know about the use of protein as well to fix any porosity issues we may develop and we even read and research the ingredients on the back of our products to ensure that we keep up to date with ‘cosmetic science’.
To add to this manufactures are making new hybrid products to help women who choose to forgo shampoos. They have now started to create cleansing conditioners for the co-wash that way we can condition and cleanse all at the same time, go figure! But maybe its just the term ‘cowashing’ that is the problem. If that’s the case the easy fix is just find another name, I will leave that to the professionals!
Camille E Reed says
Greetings,
I just recently became aware of your article while a relative was doing a web search. I stand by every word that was written in Patrice’s (Afrobella) blog. Please, by all means stick to what works for you and I will continue in my extremely successful 14 year career as a professional natural stylist, educator and state board licensed Cosmetologist. Noire Salon has been booming since we opened our doors in 2006, and continues to set the bar quite high enough to have been recently recognized by the Smithsonian Museum of African Art.
Here are even more important question for each to ponder as each of you consider who is deemed qualified to advise you:
The person sitting in their bathroom, experimenting without proper research or understanding of hair science or chemistry? Or the many experienced natural stylists out there who do anywhere from 20-40 heads a week, who treat the whole client holistically, who have spent many years giving sisters the tools for healthy hair and self empowerment?
Do you go to a plumber for dentistry? Do you ask your Physician to prove the value of his years of accumulated skill? I’m so sorry that many have been LITERALLY burned by bad stylist. However, they don’t represent all of us. Look into and research the Masters. Diane C Bailey, Maria Thompson, They were honored this year in October in Brooklyn.
Have a peaceful day!
Emily CottonTop says
Hello Camille, let me first say thank you so much for commenting, I have heard about your salon and about your work and can appreciate the fact that not all stylist fit the category of ‘poor’ or ‘unprofessional’ . However there are many stories of disappointment from women who have sat in the salon chair over the years. While we can’t all come and see you at Noire Salon or any of your colleagues that you know are great at their work, we depend on our local shops to do the best with our hair. We all just want a great experience and after years of trying to get that many of us start researching and figuring this thing out ourselves.
I personally do not think that there is anything wrong with that and as social media technology would have it we are now more engaged with the girl in the bathroom experimenting with her hair. Hair science can be understood by anyone as long as you seek the information. This however does not take away from the years of study or work that professional cosmetologists have done
Instead of asking the question of who is more qualified, I would rather ask you as the person qualified for ideas on how we can bridge the gap between the girl who has faithfully gone to a salon, paid hard earned money only to watch her hair get shorter and shorter every year, or the girl who goes to the stylist only to find herself with bald patches the following day (that was me) and her stylist. How do we build trust again and how can we get educated on our own hair so that we can know how to spot bad advice and avoid a bad experience. With that said I would love to extend an invitation to you for an interview which will be published publicly here where you and our over 150,000 plus readers can dialogue about what we think is a real issue. Let us know if you think that would be feasible for you and we can exchange contact information.
We think it would be great for our readers who have a ton of questions daily. Thanks again for commenting!
Sincerely
Em
Camille E Reed says
I think it’s a great idea, let’s put it into action. My email is above. Thanks so much!
Andrea D Brayboy says
Both ladies provide good information based on their own experiences.
Ileah Collins says
Lol ok I get sock of these “hair stylists” hatin’ on natural hair bloggers who put them put of business. Step your game up and be the change.