Methods of washing hair: WO, CWC, CO-ing, OWC

Recently, I have been trying out a few different methods of washing my hair, namely water-only(WO), conditioner-water-conditoner(CWC), conditoner-only washing(CO-ing) and finally oil-water-conditoner(OWC). Here's my take on each of the above mentioned methods:

WO didn't work for me at all. My hair was a tangled mess after washing with water, and i couldn't run my fingers through it while it was still wet. So, I toweled dry and waited for it to become damp before trying to detangle again. However, even after applying leave-in conditioner and oil, there were still masses of tangles that took me very long to carefully pick out. This is definitely something I will not try again.

CWC was much better compared to WO. In fact, it is one of my favourite methods, other than OWC, but more on that later. I used a rather cheap conditoner for the first C, coating my hair from ear down and massaging in to loosen dirt and buildup. Then I shampooed my scalp and washed both shampoo and conditioner away at the same time. For the next C, I used my usual conditioner, once again coating from ear down, and rubbing the leftovers lightly over the scalp area. This method keeps my hair tangle-free and much less dry than a normal shampoo + conditioner wash would do.

Following my success with CWC, I decided to try out CO-ing, where only conditioner and no shampoo is used. This did not work for me as I have a oily scalp and the conditioner could not clean it properly, thus leading to and itchy scalp. Also, the conditioner built up on my hair very quickly, leaving me with white flakes whenever I brush.

Lastly, i tried a modified version of CWC, the OWC. I applied coconut oil liberally to my hair from ear down, and left it in for at least an hour before proceeding to wash. During the wash, I shampooed my scalp and let the suds flow down to the rest of the hair when I rinsed. After that I followed with conditioner as per the method in CWC.

Both CWC and OWC left the best results, but I think I would probably use OWC more often, as I like to use coconut oil in my hair as a deep treatment.

Protecting Your Hair When Going Swimming

Swimming is great for a full body workout but chlorine in swimming pools can be a killer for your hair. So how should we protect our hair when swimming? Well, before heading into the water, cover your hair with a layer of hair conditioner or oil. Oil might be a better option as it doesn't get washed off easily while conditioner will get washed off as you swim. I personally use coconut oil for my hair but you can use olive oil or baby oil too if you find the smell of coconut oil too strong.

Also, it is best to invest in a swimming cap for added protection. Though the cap doesn't totally prevent water from entering, conditioner or oil on your hair will stay on longer with the cap. However if you have longer hair and find it hard to fit all your hair into a swimming cap, you can always braid it instead. Or else, swimming caps specially catered to those with long hair are available too, though they might be a little hard to find.

After your swim, head to the shower immediately! Don't let the chlorine water sit in your hair. Be sure to shampoo well to get all the oil/conditioner out of your hair. After toweling your hair till it's damp and not dripping wet, spread a leave-in conditioner evenly throughout to repair damages. Run your fingers through your hair or use a wide-toothed comb to ensure the conditioner is applied to the inner layers of hair too. Be sure to always condition hair after swimming to prevent hair from turning into hay!

Longer and Stronger Hair With a Coconut Oil Treatment Spa

Is your hair brittle and dry, never seeming to grow any longer no matter how you wait and hope? Well this just might help you grow a luscious lock of hair.

What you need to start is 100% pure coconut oil, a tablespoon, a large bowl to contain hot water, a smaller bowl to contain the oil and a small towel to wrap around your head. I personally use Parachute brand coconut oil, it's cheap and great, but you are free to use anything you can find easily. For shoulder length hair, slightly less than 2 tablespoons of coconut oil should suffice. Measure the amount of coconut oil required and pour this into the smaller bowl. Then place it into the bigger bowl, which should have been filled with hot water. Use the spoon to stir the oil around a bit to let it heat up.

When the oil is warm, carefully spoon some up and drip along your parting, massaging your scalp as you do so. Sweep your hair over to expose a different part of the scalp and repeat. Do this until your whole scalp is covered in the oil. You don't really have to apply a lot, just a few drop for each part should do. Massage your scalp for at least a minute before moving on to the rest of your hair.

Using the spoon, pour some of the remaining oil in your palm and briefly rub your hands to spread it on both palms. Then run your hands down the length of your hair, coating it with oil. Repeat this until your whole head of hair, including the inner layers, is oiled. By now, the hot water would have cooled down a little. Soak your small towel in the warm water and wring it out till it's damp. Then pile your hair on top of your head and wrap the towel firmly in place. This gives your hair a sort of spa or steaming effect, promoting blood circulation to the head.

After 1 hour, remove the towel and proceed to wash and shampoo your hair. Be sure to shampoo properly after this treatment or you'll end up with an oily scalp. I do this about twice a week and it provides such a good environment for hair growth that I have to trim my fringe about once every 3 weeks to maintain it. Before I could even go months without trimming!