How do I do a wash and go

[DW4u]

I’ve been trying to learn how to do a wash a go and what products I should use and how I can make it last I have 4c/4b hair and need advice on what I should use

[WinglessOne]

@DW4u  This really depends on your hair. Most of us tend to focus on curl pattern, which is really all the “NumberLetter” thing is. My hair falls mostly into 4a with a little 3c mixed in, but that says nothing about my hair type or behavior. It’s just my hair pattern. Example: my hair is mostly medium thickness yet coarse at the crown; I don’t have many fine strands. But someone else with my 4a/3c curl pattern might have mostly fine hair, so the products I use for my wash & gos could end up weighing their coils down enough to obliterate their curl pattern. 

Generally though, most people do this for wash & gos: 

1. Wash - shampoo & conditioner. Some people use a leave-in conditioner, or just leave some of their rinse-out conditioner in their hair. I often do the latter. 
   
   
2. Apply curl enhancing product - this step can include hair mousse, cream, gel, and/or lotion. Which one(s) depends on your own hair type/behavior, and finding the right-for-you one(s) will probably take some trial and error. Whichever you use, apply it while your hair’s wet: either in the shower (or at the sink, if that’s where you wash your hair) or after using a water misting bottle to wet down sections of your hair. My hair needs to be soaking wet for this step, but yours might be fine just dampened with a misting bottle. 
   
   
3. Use a tool to distribute product - this can be your hands, a brush designed to use on wet hair, a wide tooth comb, etc. Folks with fine hair might prefer to just use their hands if they find brushes and combs cause too much breakage. 
   
   
4. ”Break the cast” - eh, not everyone does this. It’s helpful if you use a gel that sets to a hard crunchy finish. Some people prefer to keep that crunchy finish intact because it can extend the life of a wash & go. Others like to scrunch oil into their hair to break that crunchiness down and soften the finish. Knowing how my hair behaves, I try to avoid creating a hard crunchy finish in the first place, so I don’t need this step. 
   
   
5. Dry - you can let your hair air dry or use a hairdryer. If you choose the latter, I recommend always using a diffuser attachment and a low temp setting, or even the cool setting on your dryer. On cold days, or at night before bed (I haaaate sleeping on wet hair), I normally use a Dyson Supersonic dryer with diffuser to get the job done fairly quickly. But on summer days, I’m more likely to just run out the door and let my hair air dry. The crown of my head is where my hair is coarsest and lowest porosity; it can take 12+ hours for that section to fully air dry. 🫠 

I’ll come back later and list products I normally use. Though remember, what I use might not work well for you. If you can get samples foils and travel/mini sizes of various products, I recommend using them to test what plays nice with your hair. 

[danielledanielle]

Usually you want a shampoo and a conditioner, I would go for a clarifying shampoo and heavy conditioner.  Then, depending on your hair, whatever regimen you need to help seal in moisture and define your curl pattern

I was lucky to see a demo at Sephoria, and I really liked Fenty Beauty by Rihanna The Rich One Moisture Repair Shampoo 10 oz / 300 ml and Fenty Beauty by Rihanna The Comeback Kid Instant Damage Repair Hair Treatment 5 oz / 150 ml .  But, everyone's hair is different, so I would also look for minis and samples to try it out.

Spoiler

There's also a beauty insider challenge, so if you need moisturizer and have a store near you, you can get some extra points, so this is also a good way to test out a shampoo or conditioner your curious about.

[Updated 10/3] Introducing Beauty Insider Challenges, the NEWEST way to earn points! 

I am loving a few things from Ceremonia at the moment, such as Ceremonia Hair Oil Mist con Aloe Vera 2 oz / 60 mL and their Ceremonia Guava Rescue Hair Heat Protectant Spray 6.7 oz / 200 mL  @DW4u .  They also have a great scalp oil,  Ceremonia Aceite de Moska Pre-Shampoo Scalp & Hair Oil 2 oz / 60 mL