
…because I’m on a mission to try all the conditioner washes!
DUUUUUDE. I’ve been co-washing since before it went mainstream, since I unraveled its secrets in a now-long-forgotten hair forum in a dusty corner on the Interwebz more than 10 ago.
Finding out about it was one of the best things to ever happen to my hair. Now I do it a few times a week between regular shampoo and conditioner sessions, and my hair’s the healthiest it’s ever been.
Needless to say, I’m a co-wash evangelist, and I love trying new ones and options.
Here are two I tried in June…
Joico Color Co+Wash Whipped Cleansing Conditioner for Color-Treated Hair ($23.99, 8.5 oz.)
Joico has three foaming Co+Washes in their line — one for dry hair, one for curly hair, and this one for color-treated hair, which I like. My hair and scalp feel clean after rinsing it out, and just like with R+Co Analog and Drybar Double Standard, my hair is full and lush and shiny the next day, not heavy.
If this were just a little more moisturizing, it would go from pretty good to totally great. Unfortunately, my ends do feel a little crun-chaaay afterwards if I don’t also use a leave-in conditioner. Also…it kinda smells like Downy fabric softener?

So, depending on your feelings about Downy, that could be a good, or a bad thing (I don’t mind it).
Overall, I like this co-wash enough to finish the bottle, and when I’m done, I want to try the dry hair version.
❤️❤️❤️ 3 1/2 out of 5 hearts. (Side note: why is there no half a heart emoji?)
Ingredients
Water/Aqua/Eau, Cetearyl Alcohol, Decyl Glucoside, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Isobutane, Ceteareth-20, Argania Spinosa Kernal Oil, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernal Oil, Aleurites Moluccana Seed Oil, Psidium Guava Fruit Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Pentapeptide-30 Cysteinamide, Pentapeptide-29 Cysteinamide, Tetrapeptide-29 Argininamide, Tetrapeptide-28 Argininamide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrolized Keratin, Keratin, Hydrolized Keratin PG-Propyl Methylsilanediol, Cocodimonium Hydroxyproply Hydrolized Keratin, Hydrolized Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Bis-Cetearyl Amodimethicone,Linoleamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate Dimethicone, Amodimethicone, Argenine, Citric Acid, Bis-Diisopropanolamino-PG-Propyl Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl Peg-14 Copolymer, Quaternium-91, Cassia Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hyaluronic Acid, Glycolipids, Allantoin, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Thioctic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Myristyl Myristate, Ceteareth-7, Ceteareth-25, Trideceth-12, Cetrimonium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Butyloctanol, Polyquaternium-55,Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Methylisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Nitrate, DMDM Hydantoin, Isopropyl Alcohol,Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Fragrance/Perfume.
Kristin Ess Frizz Management Cleansing Conditioner ($14, 8.45 oz.)
Kristin Ess Frizz Management Cleansing Conditioner is a thick, rich cream designed for curly girls, frizzy hair, and peeps seeking help with humidity control and/or a damaged mane — basically, anyone lacking natural moisture.
The good: great price, cute packaging, and you can find it at Target, so you don’t have to hunt to find it at a salon. I think it smells good, too, like luscious peaches and jasmine.
The not-so-good: dang, this stuff is weighty. My hair feels like it’s been coated in a thick layer of product, and I need to use a clarifying shampoo afterward to feel “clean” again. The mid-shaft and ends also look completely flat, and my scalp flaked after I used it a few times… Consequently, it’s been sitting on my shelf, untouched for a couple weeks.
❤️❤️ 2 out of 5 hearts.
Ingredients
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Behentrimonium Chloride, Fragrance, Acacia Concinna Fruit Extract, Algin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Balanites Aegyptiaca Fruit Extract, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carrageenan, Cetearamidoethyldiethonium Succinoyl Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Cetrimonium Chloride, Chitosan, Coco-Glucoside, Disodium EDTA, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Gypsophila Paniculata Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Keratin, Laureth-4, Litchi Chinensis Pericarp Extract, Panthenol, Polyquaternium-7, Propylene Glycol, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Sargassum Filipendula Extract, Sorbitol, Xanthan Gum, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Bummer about the weighty one but I feel like you’ll find the perfect product – you’re definitely close! I like the smell of Downy so I feel like that’s a positive. 🙂
I love cowashing too,but I’ve leaned to avoid Cetyl alcohol as a high ingredient as it is super thick and dense. Super cute dress or top you’re wearing too!
Thanks, Lisa! It’s a dress from Honolua. I got it a few years ago. 🙂
What are your favorite co-washes?
I like Pureology’s (fromTJMaxx). l’oreals ever pure something is nice, it I’m not a fan of the sandalwood fragrance
I can’t remember if I tried that Pureology one. Next time I see it on the shelf I’ll take a look! 🙂 Thank you!
Totally agree about the Kristin Ess cleanser conditioner! I’ve actually been debating throwing it out lol. I’ve seen several youtubers recommend As I Am Coconut CoWash so that will be the next one I try.
Hi Veronica,
It gets so many good reviews on Target, too! I’ve been seeing the Coconut CoWash pop up here and there… I might try it next.
Happy Wednesday!
Your hair always looks so healthy in your photos- now we know the secret! I am a longtime fan of co-wash, too and I am always looking for the next great product. It’s nice that it’s gone mainstream so there are more options now. Oribe’s Cleansing Conditioner is on my radar now, but hella pricey! So I am staying tuned to your blog for more posts about products to try. Thanks, Karen.
Hi Lorraine!
Yes, co-washing really helps. So does keeping the heat styling down to a minimum. Oh gosh, I love everything Oribe does, so I’ll have to try that Cleansing Conditioner eventually.
P.S. Let me know what co-washes you love so I can check them out. 🙂