Once upon a time, I tried a wash and go on my 4a/4b natural hair, and then swore I’d never try it again. My curls ended up so tangled and matted, and I was left with a lot of breakage.
Then, if you caught the below picture on Instagram, you ‘d know I went back on my word. As they say: never say never.
My First Wash and Go Experience
A few years ago, I spiralled deep down the YouTube rabbit hole. This inspired me try a wash and go. All the YouTubers looked so BOMB with their defined curls and gorgeous shrinkage.
But when I tried it, nearly everything about the process was unpleasant. It took me AGES to coat my hair in product, and it took way longer to dry. After all that, I only really got one “good” day out of the style. I say good, but really, the look was decent looking at best.
The true nightmare began the next day when I saw the mangled state of my second-day hair, realized I needed to start from scratch by washing it, and tried to detangle it. To this day, I still mourn the amount of hair I lost in that detangling session. The damage was pretty comparable to the time I tried a Twisted Coil-out.
Needless to say, the failed wash and go traumatized me. I found comfort in other Natural Hair Bloggers who proclaimed that “Wash and Go’s just simply weren’t for everyone”. Time passed, and I stuck to Braid Outs and Twist Outs. Honestly, for two years I never really saw the full potential of my shrinkage in action.
My Second (more successful) Wash and Go
I don’t really know what changed my mind, but this year I found myself curious about wash and go’s again. I started doing research and watching YouTube videos again.
Then, on a whim early on a weekend morning, I decided to try again. It only took about an hour to cover my whole head, and I was incredibly pleased with the finished result!
So why did the hairstyle work this time?
Overall, I think the wash and go worked because I worked in smaller sections, and worked A LOT MORE product into my hair. Specifically, a lot more gel.
I also made sure each section of my hair was completely wet before working on it. Then, when I put the product in, I ran it through my pressed palms over and over again until the curls were fully saturated, and the definition started popping. (I’m pretty sure I used a wide tooth comb the first time around).
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- Before
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- After (The Shrinkage is REAL!)
The Hair Products (In Order of Application)
- Mello Hair Leave In Conditioner
- Cantu Leave In Conditioner
- Shea Moisture Manuka Honey and Mafura Oil Twist Defining Custard
- Aunt Jackie’s Don’t Shrink Flaxseed Gel
Related: Review of two top Shea Moisture Deep Conditioners
I’ve been wanting to cut my hair for awhile now, and the shrinkage I had with my Wash and Go has helped me curb that desire. I can’t wait to try the hair style again!
As always, you guys can find Comfy Girl with Curls on social media!