Are Cleansing Conditioners Worth The Cost?

RossBoss · Sep 15, 2017

So I'm beginning to see a lot of products known as "cleansing conditioners", that claim to be ideal for cowashing. They seem to run about 12-15 bucks for 8 measly ounces. Are these worth the cost? I just use regular degular moisturising conditioners to cowash so what will these cleansing conditioners do that regular conditioners won't?

faithVA · Sep 15, 2017

I think it may depend on your hair. Conditioners tend 5o be too heavy for my hair and cause build up. They also don't have a cleansing ingredient in it so I can't wash my scalp with it.

Cleansing conditioners allow me to take a break from shampoo since they are gentler but at the same time they allow me to cleanse my scalpand hair. They also don't give me the build up that a conditioner does.

I may use a shampoo once a month, a cleansing conditioner on the weekend and maybe cowash with conditioner mid week.

Alma Petra · Sep 15, 2017

What are your favorite cleansing conditioners @faithVA?

faithVA · Sep 15, 2017

Alma Petra said:
What are your favorite cleansing conditioners @faithVA?

I haven't used a lot.

So far The Mane Choice is my favorite with Camille Rose Ginger whatever being second. But I haven't tried many.

I have tried As I Am and they were too drying. I can't remember the name of the one I tried from Sallys.

krissyhair · Sep 15, 2017

Not all cleansing conditioners are created equal.

Some are glorified conditioners, some are more like 2-in-1 cleaners.

For splurge, I like biolage cleansing conditioner for curly hair. It really washes and conditions. It even foams a bit.

For saving, I like suave daily clarifying conditioner. It's a quick rinse, more for moisturizing and rinsing away dust than cleansing.

faithVA · Sep 15, 2017

krissyhair said:
Not all cleansing conditioners are created equal.

Some are glorified conditioners, some are more like 2-in-1 cleaners.

For splurge, I like biolage cleansing conditioner for curly hair. It really washes and conditions. It even foams a bit.

For saving, I like suave daily clarifying conditioner. It's a quick rinse, more for moisturizing and rinsing away dust than cleansing.

I agree they aren't created equal. Many are so average I can't even remember the names of most of those I tried.

keranikki · Sep 16, 2017

I like tha As I Am Coconut Cowash, but I think DevaCurl's no poo does a better job at moisturizing your hair. For my hair, cowashing with regular conditioner has a tendency to make my hair feel spongy after a while. It's weird.

RossBoss · Sep 16, 2017

faithVA said:
I think it may depend on your hair. Conditioners tend 5o be too heavy for my hair and cause build up. They also don't have a cleansing ingredient in it so I can't wash my scalp with it.

Cleansing conditioners allow me to take a break from shampoo since they are gentler but at the same time they allow me to cleanse my scalpand hair. They also don't give me the build up that a conditioner does.

I may use a shampoo once a month, a cleansing conditioner on the weekend and maybe cowash with conditioner mid week.

I am going to go with some of the recommendations in this thread and try it out. I have the feeling that cleansing conditioners are products that are like 70%--80% light conditioners with the remaining being a gentle soap, so like a mixture of both soap and conditioner. If my hunch is correct then this is something that people can easily create themselves. Or maybe I'll buy one of the cleansing conditioners and it'll knock my socks off and I would just stick to that brand. I'll definitely report back in this thread once I have tried it.

RossBoss · Sep 16, 2017

krissyhair said:
Not all cleansing conditioners are created equal.

Some are glorified conditioners, some are more like 2-in-1 cleaners.

For splurge, I like biolage cleansing conditioner for curly hair. It really washes and conditions. It even foams a bit.

For saving, I like suave daily clarifying conditioner. It's a quick rinse, more for moisturizing and rinsing away dust than cleansing.

I will look into this suave. I already use suave conditioners for daily cowashings but I am worried about it not having a cleansing component to it which is why I am looking into cleansing conditioners. The way you described this Suave conditioner is exactly what I want my co-washing to do: rinse away daily sweat/dirt and moisturize.

RossBoss · Sep 16, 2017

keranikki said:
I like tha As I Am Coconut Cowash, but I think DevaCurl's no poo does a better job at moisturizing your hair. For my hair, cowashing with regular conditioner has a tendency to make my hair feel spongy after a while. It's weird.

The mushiness and sponginess happened to me when I was relaxed. I was cowashing my relaxed hair and when I went to a salon to have them wave my hair it couldn't hold the wave because it was so mushy. The guy who was waving my hair was befuddled as to why my hair wouldn't wave as he was a master waver and was successful at every head he ever waved. :lachen:

It was then that I put two and two together and figured out that my hair was overmoisturized from too much conditioner.

Bunnyhaslonghair · Sep 16, 2017

RossBoss said:
I am going to go with some of the recommendations in this thread and try it out. I have the feeling that cleansing conditioners are products that are like 70%--80% light conditioners with the remaining being a gentle soap, so like a mixture of both soap and conditioner. If my hunch is correct then this is something that people can easily create themselves. Or maybe I'll buy one of the cleansing conditioners and it'll knock my socks off and I would just stick to that brand. I'll definitely report back in this thread once I have tried it.

A good diy cleansing conditioner recipe would be great.

Saludable84 · Sep 16, 2017

For me, they are good but not worth it either. I cannot use CC in lieu of shampoo for mostly the same reasons as @faithVA I usually only use CC midweek if I really need to wash or refresh and mainly do a WNG to reduce shampooing. But I still need to shampoo.

The only effective ones I've used to date are Deva.Curl No Poo (original or decadence) and APB (all of them are great). Neither are expensive; roughly $20 for 16oz, but I usually keep one of them in the stash just in case.

ETA: a 16oz bottle can last me 6m-1y because I don't use them much.

IDareT'sHair · Sep 16, 2017

I'm a Cleansing Conditioner 'person' 99% of the time and I agree not all Cleansing Conditioners are Created equal. I have paid a variety of price-points.

And for me, Cleansing Conditioners are totally different from Cowash Conditioners and I use both.

A Cleansing Conditioner will give you a more thorough/deeper cleanse than a "Cowash" Conditioner. At least the one's I use. And some may have a very low lather or foam.

Here are a few of my favorite "Cleansing" Conditioners in no particular order:
Hairveda Amla Cleanse
Curl Junkie Daily Fix
Bel Nouvo's Detox Cleansing Conditioner
Darcy's Botanicals Cleansing Conditioner
DevaCurl No Poo
Hydroquench Systems *various*
Claudie's 3n1 and Claudie's Jojoba
Naturelle Grow's Cleansers *various*
Annabelle's Cleansing Conditioner
Keravada HydroMax (it might say Cowash, but it is a cleansing Conditioner)
J.Monique Naturals Cleansing Conditioner
Inashi's Cleansing
Various Clay and Mud Detoxifiers
VO5 Kiwi & Lime Clarifying Conditioner

Evolving78 · Sep 16, 2017

I would use a cheap silicone free conditioner before I would ever in life purchase and cleansing conditioner ever again!
I don't even understand the science behind it...

Evolving78 · Sep 16, 2017

RossBoss said:
I will look into this suave. I already use suave conditioners for daily cowashings but I am worried about it not having a cleansing component to it which is why I am looking into cleansing conditioners. The way you described this Suave conditioner is exactly what I want my co-washing to do: rinse away daily sweat/dirt and moisturize.

I would get a non sulfate shampoo. Suave is lighter than a lot of other cleansing conditioners. Cowash is really just to be able to rewet, and rinse you hair/scalp and throw some moisture in it.

InBloom · Sep 16, 2017

I have relaxed hair and don't mind cones. I tried and liked the Unwash and Briogeo brands very much but they were costly. I tried the As I Am but felt it didn't foam at all...and my hair felt coated afterwards.

The Pantene was decent, but not something I reach for.

My winner has been Eden Bodyworks. It foams, cleanses and detangles very well. Decent cost for the amount in the tub, and it's even better when I put olive oil in it.

Saludable84 · Sep 16, 2017

shortdub78 said:
I would use a cheap silicone free conditioner before I would ever in life purchase and cleansing conditioner ever again!
I don't even understand the science behind it...

Think of it like a gentle cleansing milk. It should have a detergent (because it's cleansing) but the detergent will only be mildly effective due to all the "emollient" agents. It's purpose is to lightly cleanse and it strip.

I will admit, I hated Deva.Curl when I was relaxed, it was terrible, but I revisited it about a year ago (?) and I like.

uofmpanther · Sep 16, 2017

faithVA said:
I haven't used a lot.

So far The Mane Choice is my favorite with Camille Rose Ginger whatever being second. But I haven't tried many.

I have tried As I Am and they were too drying. I can't remember the name of the one I tried from Sallys.

I thought the Camille Rose Ginger was a shampoo.

Evolving78 · Sep 16, 2017

Saludable84 said:
Think of it like a gentle cleansing milk. It should have a detergent (because it's cleansing) but the detergent will only be mildly effective due to all the "emollient" agents. It's purpose is to lightly cleanse and it strip.

I will admit, I hated Deva.Curl when I was relaxed, it was terrible, but I revisited it about a year ago (?) and I like.

I'm sorry, I do understand the chemistry, but what I don't understand the reasoning behind it. I believe it is a marketing ploy.

gorgeoushair · Sep 16, 2017

RossBoss said:
So I'm beginning to see a lot of products known as "cleansing conditioners", that claim to be ideal for cowashing. They seem to run about 12-15 bucks for 8 measly ounces. Are these worth the cost? I just use regular degular moisturising conditioners to cowash so what will these cleansing conditioners do that regular conditioners won't?

Some cheap ones you can try are As I Am Co wash and Eden Bodyworks. Also you try the Suave and V05 Clarifying Conditioners.

faithVA · Sep 16, 2017

shortdub78 said:
I'm sorry, I do understand the chemistry, but what I don't understand the reasoning behind it. I believe it is a marketing ploy.

You have very tolerant hair. It would be harder for you to understand. When you have hair more like mine that really finds most things quite drying, it is easier to understand. Even if I sat here and explained it to you, it wouldn't make sense because you won't ever have the experience of it. Think of it as woolite for hair :lol:

I need something gentler for my delicate hair :yep:

but I still need to clean it. I'm not going to try to clean my sweaters/knits/etc with fabric softener which is what conditioner is for my hair but washing them in tide every time would destroy them.

faithVA · Sep 16, 2017

uofmpanther said:
I thought the Camille Rose Ginger was a shampoo.

It's a cleansing rinse which I consider more of a cleansing conditioner than a shampoo. It's somewhere in the middle.

MilkChocolateOne · Sep 16, 2017

uofmpanther said:
I thought the Camille Rose Ginger was a shampoo.

it is

IDareT'sHair · Sep 16, 2017

uofmpanther said:
I thought the Camille Rose Ginger was a shampoo.

MilkChocolateOne said:
it is

@uofmpanther @MilkChocolateOne
I returned it for this reason.

IDareT'sHair · Sep 16, 2017

I think As I Am "Cleansing Pudding" the Cleansing Conditioner. As I Am Cowash, is simply that.

For me, since I use these 99% of the time, there is a stark difference between a basic Cowash Conditioner and a Cleansing Conditioner.

Cleansing Conditioners will generally have natural surfectants and other properties to cleanse the hair.

Saludable84 · Sep 16, 2017

faithVA said:
You have very tolerant hair. It would be harder for you to understand. When you have hair more like mine that really finds most things quite drying, it is easier to understand. Even if I sat here and explained it to you, it wouldn't make sense because you won't ever have the experience of it. Think of it as woolite for hair I need something gentler for my delicate hair but I still need to clean it. I'm not going to try to clean my sweaters/knits/etc with fabric softener which is what conditioner is for my hair but washing them in tide every time would destroy them.

This is a perfect explanation and also explains why I don't use them much.

uofmpanther · Sep 16, 2017

For the same reasons as FaithVa, there are only a few Cleansing Conditioners I can use, and I cannot co-wash with straight conditioner though I know that works for some people. Typically, I look for Coco Beatine as the cleanser.

Some co-washes I like:
- Camille Rose Sweet Ginger Cleaning Rinse (my favorite) - thanks @faithVA for the clarification
- Curl Junkie Daily Fix
- Camille Rose Carmel Co-wash (but only if I don't have buildup)
- As I Am Coconut Cowash Cleansing Conditioner
- SheScentit Blueberry Co-wash Cleansing Conditioner

faithVA · Sep 16, 2017

I define things more by how my hair and scalp like them versus what the label says. It's the only way I can do it.

The label can say sulfate free and my hair ends up in a not. Then I can use something like Nexxus shampoo with sulfates and I can come my hair with it in. :perplexed:

It's the same with cowash and cleansing blah, blah, blah. It would be nice to narrow it down but I don't think there is enough consistency in the market to go by the names for me.

I've used both of the As I Am products and had to stop using both of them because they were both too stripping. :ohwell:

faithVA · Sep 16, 2017

uofmpanther said:
For the same reasons as FaithVa, there are only a few Cleansing Conditioners I can use, and I cannot co-wash with straight conditioner though I know that works for some people. Typically, I look for Coco Beatine as the cleanser.

Some co-washes I like:
- Camille Rose Sweet Ginger Cleaning Rinse (my favorite) - thanks @faithVA for the clarification
- Curl Junkie Daily Fix
- Camille Rose Carmel Co-wash (but only if I don't have buildup)
- As I Am Coconut Cowash Cleansing Conditioner
- SheScentit Blueberry Co-wash Cleansing Conditioner

I need to remember to look for the Coco Beatine.

IDareT'sHair · Sep 16, 2017

Yes, some Cowash Conditioners clean better than others.

If I know I've been using a lot of: Butters, Pomades, Oils, Cremes, I will nine times out of ten reach for a Cleansing Conditioner.

If I need a quick, light little something and I have minimal product in my hair, I can get by with a Cowash (Conditioner Wash).

And at that point, it doesn't necessarily have to be "Labeled" a Cowash just a regular R/O and that's when I use stuff like HV. SSI, Oyin Honey Hemp. SD's Destination Hydration, Curls Coconut Sublime and a bunch of other R/O Conditioners which for me, effectively cleans my hair and keeps it moisturized.

Are Cleansing Conditioners Worth The Cost?

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