Wash and Go’s seem to get mixed reviews. Some love them because they’re easy, convenient, and long-lasting once you get the right method and products down. Others find they’re a tangle-inducing, SSK proliferating nightmare. Ever since I discovered that I could indeed wash my hair and go, I did. As a transitioner, I had to wait until I reached the point where I had more natural hair than heat damaged, but I still rocked the heck out of the style. And when I chopped, I kept the good thing going. I’m now obsessed with defining products, day 3 and 4 hair and growth/length retention.
Wait, did I just say length retention? I sure did. One of the most commonly stated facts about length retention is that you can’t expect much when you wear your hair out regularly. While it’s true that you will always retain more length with protective styling, for some naturals length retention is possible without constantly twisting and tucking away the hair. Sometimes washing, applying product, and going (I’m not a fan of the diffuser) is all you really need.
But before I get too much further, let’s explore a few pro’s and con’s:
Pros:
Cons:
As you can see, there are some definite benefits and drawbacks to rocking the wash and go style. Beyond that, everything is completely unique to the individual. Some ladies can rock wash and go styles, and achieve amazing hair health and length retention. In these cases, wearing wash and go’s are totally worth it. Other ladies will refuse to wash and go, citing everything from breakage and splitting ends to shrunken unevenness and impossible tangles. These challenges have led some to believe that wash and wear hair simply isn’t worth those hefty prices.. I personally love the wash and go, and have literally lived in them especially since I chopped in December. Seriously. In the past three months, I have only done one twistout and one braidout. Everything else has been a wash and go.
The key to determining whether a wash and go will work for you is longevity. If you find yourself doing a wash and go every day, that somewhat defeats the purpose of the style in terms of being low manipulation and low maintenance. Getting 4 or more days out of your wash and go is optimal, because within that time frame you’re only touching your hair to moisturize/refresh, and to prepare for bed.
If a wash and go hasn’t worked for you, that’s totally okay! We all have to know and understand our hair, and do what helps it thrive. I personally cannot wear protective styles for longer than a week because of my scalp psoriasis, and the fact that my hair will fuzz up and render the style ruined by day 4. But sometimes, getting your wash and go at the top of its game is really a matter of products and methods. Here are some of my tips for achieving a long lasting wash and go:
1. Always figure out what products to use beforehand, and determine whether they’ll mesh or not. Some folks rely on mixing dabs of product on the back of their hand, or rubbing it in their hands to see if a white cast forms. Both of those methods are completely fine, and a lot less labor-intensive than what I do. I personally prefer to take a small section of hair, wash it, and layer on the products as I intend. Sometimes, I will take that section and split it in half, to see which leave-in or moisturizer I want to use. This method allows me to see what it actually looks like on my hair beforehand without any adverse consequences. Besides, I’m getting ready to wash my hair anyway!
2. Wash and go’s work best on clean, well-conditioned hair. The essence of the style is bedded within the name itself — wash and go. Be sure to cleanse your hair thoroughly to remove any product buildup that could potentially interfere with whatever you’ll be using to set the style. If I’m co-washing, I opt for Aussie Moist. For shampoo, I always use my trusted tgin Moisture Rich Sulfate Free Shampoo. Deep conditioning is vital. Not only do you want to moisturize and strengthen your hair prior to, deep conditioning helps cut down on frizz. Be sure to use a quality deep conditioner for at least 15 minutes. My personal picks right now are ApHogee Curlific Texture Treatment, Eden BodyWorks Jojoba Monoi Deep Conditioner, and tgin Triple Moisture Replenishing Conditioner.
3. Don’t skip the leave-in. After deep conditioning, you can opt to put some regular conditioner back in your hair as a leave-in. This can also help with taming frizz, smoothing hair, clumping curls and coils, and retaining moisture. Only do this if you know your conditioner won’t interfere with your moisturizer or styler, and cause white clumps later on down the line. If you’re not a fan of regular conditioner on your hair post-wash, ApHogee Curlific Leave-In, Koils By Nature Moisturizing Shealoe Leave-In, and Lawrence Ray Concepts Mega Bounce & Body Leave-In Conditioner are great options.
4. Moisturize! Never start a wash and go without some type of water-based moisturizer after your leave-in, but before your styling product. Most curl definers and styling products have cast/film-forming properties and also act as sealants. To avoid hair that dries out quickly, always use a water-based moisturizer full of butters and oils first. Soultanicals Fluffalicious Curl Nutricious, Frizz Free Curls Curl Souffle, Rapunzel’s Hair Lotion, Camille Rose Naturals Curl Love Moisture Milk, and tgin Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer are all top picks for me.
5. Use the right amount of product and the right method of applying for your hair. There are literally tons of great products that will give your curls, kinks, and coils definition, shine, body, and hold for days. But they won’t work if applied incorrectly for your hair type. Some people can get away with a quarter-sized amount for their entire head, and have amazing wash and go hair forever. I’m not one of those people. I take a more heavy-handed approach to applying my styling products, ensuring that each section is coated evenly. The end result is that for days 1 and 2 my hair is super duper defined, has okay volume, and is a little crunchy. But by day 3, my hair begins defying gravity, is full of volume, is soft, defined (with just the right amount of frizz), and a little stretched (thanks to pineappling at night). If you want to see how I apply my product, check out my video all about it (FIY, if you’re curious about the evolution of that wash and go for days 2 and beyond, click here). I use a combination of raking and smoothing to achieve definition. My favorite stylers are TIGI Catwalk Curlesque Curls Rock Amplifier, tgin Twist and Define Cream, Aloe Vera Gel (I prefer Lily of the Desert brand), Soultanicals Curl Blaze Hair Glaze, and Obia Curl Enhancing Custard.
6. Refresh by day 2 or 3. If you’re hair is seeming a little out of sorts by day 2 or so, it’s definitely time to refresh. Especially if the air where you live is particularly dry. I recommend a refresher, or steam, using the same moisturizer you picked in step #4, and an oil or butter of choice for sealing (concentrating on the ends). I like to use my Q‑Redew for moisture, or a refresher spray like Jessicurl Awe Inspiraling, or Ella’s Concoctions Juicy Nectar Spritzer. I follow that up with whatever moisturizer I used in setting my style, and a little Rapunzel Hair Silk, Darshana Ayurvedic Oil, or Jojoba Oil lightly throughout my hair, and concentrated on my ends.
Everything else depends totally on how you work your wash and go! I preserve at night by banding some sections, and then using a scarf to pineapple (video here). You can band, scrunchie pineapple, bun, loosely braid, use a bonnet, or whatever method you prefer. Also, you will know best when to wash your hair. Usually by day 6 or 7 I’m throwing in the towel and starting all over again. If you choose to wash your hair every 4 days, or wait 2 weeks, that’s totally up to you! And as always, any of the products I mentioned are tried and true or holy grails for me — but by all means use whatever products will make your hair look amazing. With the methods and products listed above, I’ve been able to maintain moisturized hair that continues to retain length. I’m definitely becoming a lazy natural, haha!
Good luck washing and going, if you so choose!
Ladies, do you do a wash and go regimen? Have you been able to retain length with it? Share your experiences below!
For more transitioning and natural hair tips from Christina, check out her blog, The Mane Objective. You can also find her on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
I love wash and go styles! My 4c curls clump naturally, but Kinky-Curly custard and Nubian Heritage gel help set my clumps and keep my hair from becoming dry and frizzy. It’s easy to add moisture with a spritz of water or steam. However, if my hair becomes too dry, I condition it. Keeping my hair moisturized, keeps my hair de-tangled. For me, that means saturating my hair with conditioner every 2–3 days. The key to my length retention is low manipulation! I put away the combs and brushes. I have a full head of hair and finger de-tangling keeps it… Read more »
I have yet to see 4c hair which clumps naturally, could you please post pics?
I’ve been told 4c curls don’t clump, but I think most curls, regardless of size, will clump if you allow them to do so. My curls are the diameter of crotchet needle; so, that makes them 4c. Tiny curls and tiny clumps.
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What do you use (product wise) on your edges? Your hair is beautiful.
Thanks! Product-wise, I did a wash & go with Kinky-Curly custard yesterday; so, today I spritzed with water, smoothed them down with hands, and put on a scarf for 15–20 minutes. My edges are thin and fine, so it doesn’t take much to make them lie down :
Cute pic sis, but you hair doesnt look 4c to me, I could be wrong but I always took 4c hair to be kinky with no curls at all. Your hair have does not look like that to me.…just my opinion.
Thanks, but I was just going by the chart. I’m either 4a or 4c. I’ve seen 4a’ers on YT and their curls look gargantuan compared to mine. I read somewhere that 4c has the diameter of a crotchet needle; so that’s my guess. It’s not an exact science 🙂
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IDK majority of curls are waaaay smaller than hers and they do clump as well, and that’s just with water and coconut oil. I think it’s time we re-visit the whole 4c hair doesn’t clump.
4c can coil. I like the video CandidAnn on youtube did of what 4c hair looks like up close. My son has hair that’s identical- tiny little circles smaller than a pen spring. they clump into tiny spirals when wet but poof out and go fluffy with no definition when completely dry.
this category is characterized by the tiniest, tiniest of curls/coils 🙂 but i have read on various sites that sometimes there may not be definition or clumping present. i guess it depends on the head.
cacey, (i actually jus conditioned my hair and took a closer look at my hair) I have curls the size of the poster above, and a few smaller ones, plus huge ones (in comprasion) which are about 3c. When my hair is ridic dry, as in, in need of moisture, you wouldn’t think that i have coils at all. But once i wet it and put conditioner on, the coils are very visible. Mine do last if i do a wash and go (I define my coils with coconut oil and my fingers) and they shrink immensily, but they are… Read more »
Thanks for the feedback, silkynaps! I feel the same way — once I realized how wash and go’s were causing significantly less stress on my hair than any other style, I knew I’d be making them a mainstay. I might have to give that Nubian Heritage Gel a shot #productjunkie lol
That is interesting…I have notice a thinning in my hair recently. I wear a twist out 99% of the time. You have given me food for thought. Thank you!
There was a lady on YouTube whose twist outs were fly, but as her hair grew her ends became more and more thin and she’s wasn’t really retaining length. That made me notice my own thin ends. My hair isn’t exactly thick-thick; so, I had to modify how I style my hair. I need my hair to be as thick as possible.
I have not figured out how to not have to refresh a wash n go on short hair every morning. Usually, people who can make their wash n gos last for days have longer hair that can be pineappled in one or two pony tails. My hair is flattened when I sleep so there is no other way for me to refresh it other then wetting it in the morning. Small little pineapples elongate the curls too much and ruin my wash and go.
One of the best things about short hair — and one reason why I was all set to keep my hair short the last time I BC’d — is that you can WNG every day without a lot of drama plus it dries (or should dry) relatively quickly.
Also, as you noted, pineappling only applies to folks with a certain amount of length; it’s not a requirement.
idk how long your hair is, but i agree with you in that the ones that seem able to drag out their WNGs tend to have hair past APL/BSL. i’m like you in that my hair gets flat and lopsided at night, and just doesn’t look right, or it frizzes out on the side i sleep on. so generally i find myself having to redo it everyday. with that said though, last week i experimented with putting my hair in loose, loose twists, about six or so of them, so as not to disrupt the curls but at the same… Read more »
for reference, my hair’s about an inch or two from APL.
Yes!! That is my biggest problem with my wash and go. I would prefer to use the method for the days I am lazy, but I would like maintenance advance from someone with shorter hair. When my hair is stretched it’s only at my collar bone, of course even shorter when wet or curly.
Hi Shanna! There’s nothing wrong with refreshing daily. Because I like to sleep until the last minute, I usually do my refreshing at night before I pineapple. But to better suit your hair’s needs, refreshing with a liquid spray/water in the morning is just fine! In the article I meant that hopping in the shower, washing, conditioning, and setting your hair every morning might be doing too much and defeating the purpose 🙂
I’ve only worn wash and go’s as they work for me. My hair is somewhat thin so twistouts and braidouts are not good for me. Those styles seem to thin it out too much causing too much loosening and flyaways and my hair will not hold a twistout as the unraveling begins. I enjoy the simplicity of the wash and go method. I keep my hair conditioned and refresh each morning with a small amount of water plus moisturizer as needed.
Wash and goes never last for more than a few hours for me.
Tyler
onelittleblackdress.com
Hi Tyler! I don’t know the specifics of your hair, but if you could elaborate on your process & products, I might be able to help!
This article is right on time for me. I have retained significant length over the last four years wearing primarily protective styles. But, I want to master a wash and go routine that doesn’t sacrifice the health of my hair for two reasons, (1) what is the point of length I rarely get to utilize, and (2) setting a protective style and taking it down is time consuming. I have been doing the wash and go as my base style. I’ll wear it out for a few days. I usually bun it or do twists at night to remoisturize and… Read more »
I’ve always fancied the WnG and did them year round last year. However, I recently started doing dry twists on my hair once my WnG curls loosen up after a few days. I mainly focus on re-moisturizing sealing my ends. This styling method has really held me down this winter, allowing me to stretch my wash sessions as long as two weeks or more (if I’m lazy). Plus, I’ve noticed a MAJOR reduction in SSKs (WIN!). My hair is not very dense, so other than a bun, updo or some twists (which I cover with a turban or scarves) protective… Read more »
How are you re moisturizing?
DId the wash and go work on your hair??
The only wash n goes that work for me is Napptural85’s method.
My wash and goes be looking like wash and locs
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i think your hair looks pretty. doesn’t look bad at all! what are you expecting it to look like? lol
Gorgeous!
Your hair looks awesome! That is how mine looks. Let it dry and then fluff and separate or you can blow dry it a few minutes to separate the curls.
Shake like crazy. That changed everything for me
Your hair is beautiful!! I love wash and goes, but I can’t really wear them at work because I wear a hardhat, smh…I still haven’t found a good leave-in for my 3C/4A hair!
I’m a wash-n-go girl for the exact reasons that the author mentioned — they’re easy, convenient, long-lasting, and they look great. For me, they last a full week and are extremely low maintenance. I wear a shower cap when bathing and sleep on a satin pillow; but aside from that, I do absolutely nothing to my hair (expect organize the curls in the morning) until day four when I refresh it with conditioner. My hair has retained lots of length(probably owing to the leave-in conditioner) and it’s extremely healthy. Initially, I did experience a problem with SSKs; but once I… Read more »
I was beginning to think I couldn’t do a WnG. I always had the misperception that the style required light product application and would only last a day or two. This article has debunked those myths, so I’ll be trying the WnG again soon 🙂
Hi Lauryn! Glad I could help! I thought the same thing too, based upon all the videos I saw where folks would use the recommended amount lol.
Wash n Go’s is how I will spend my summers. I love it. Canadian winters are too harsh for wash n gos though, but for 5–6 months of the year, that is all I do
I agree with the majority of this article: I love my WNGs but ONLY (!!) because I finally figured out what products/ingredients and application techniques work for me (#5). Recently I learned the hard way what happens when I go off my basic routine: I ended up with small MATS that I had to pick out with a sharp object. My hair is always teaching me something…
Maybe I will give WnG’s another try. After reading post and comments I realized maybe I haven’t been using enough products or evenly distributing throughout my hair.
Hi Taylor! I hope you give it another try! Keep us updated on how it turns out 🙂
I’ve been natural for a year and eight months. I tried it once and hated it. I couldn’t figure out a night time routine to save my life.
I have had two different regimens… I was natural for 2 years and most of what I did was wash n go’s and then as my hair got really long I changed to braid outs and wigs…i found that ny hair retained length but not as much length as now after doing a 2nd BC I have protective styled 90% if the time.wearing my hair away m‑f and out on ss with washes being every 2 weeks. I have def. Retained more length…but that is to be expected…both methods one can retain length but the question is HOW much length… Read more »
I personally think wash n goes work best on those with loose curl patterns type 3 hair! They dont have major issues with shrinkage and dont need tons of products to define what they have naturally…curls.
I just started trying wash-n-go’s again–usually I fail and go back to twists. These are really encouraging tips. Christina, or any wash and go masters out there, how do you get your hair to set as it is wet? Its kind of a broad question, but I have 3c/corkscrew/low porosity hair and after DCing and using a leave-in, my hair looks and feels great, but after applying styling products, (Curly Magic, at the moment)it dries like a completely different head of hair. I’m not referring to shrinkage; it feels like the moisture instantly leaves my hair when it dries and… Read more »
Lol @ undercarriage!! I call it that too!! What works for me is leave-in, oil, gel (in that order). I skipped the oil once and it was an undefined dry mess. I’m currently using Paul Mitchell The Conditioner (leave-in) with the gel and it gives good results.
Now I’m looking forward to wash day! Thanks, Shantay!!!!
Other factors you may want to consider are 1) the leave in you are using: it may not provide that lasting moisture & softness that you are looking for so you may need to try another and 2) if you are not applying products in sections, I would suggest trying that, especially if the “undercarriage” is getting undefined and frizzy. That may mean the product is not reaching it. I had that problem initially with my wash and gos. When I started applying my product in sections, it made a world of difference in how long the style lasted and… Read more »
Thank you for the tips! You guys are wonderful!
I have to cosign the “heavy-handed” thing. I used to think LI conditioner didn’t work for my hair. Then it hit me! I use a literal handful of conditioner per side (2) when I cowash my hair, right?
So why would I use a dime sized amount of LI to style? Now I don’t use a whole handful of LI, but I use A LOT more than I used to.
For reference, I have 3c hair.
Thanks for this. Its that time of the year again when I begin to loathe two strand twisting because I’ve been doing it all winter long. I wash n go’d my 4c hair this morning and it was a nice welcomed relief. I would like some more wash n go product info for us 4cs. I don’t have curls to define so a styler is unnecessary but some moisturizing and shine products would be nice.
I had to get in on this. I’ve been on a length retention journey for a couple years now wearing twist, flat twists, etc. I’m at the point now where I’m taking things back to the good old days of just a simple wash n go. It took me a while, but I think I’ve finally found my groove with it. As a type 4 mix, I was always concerned with ssk and matting, but I remember getting the most length when my hair was left alone. So, I plan to incorporate the wash and go back into my regimen.… Read more »
last spring, i coudnt wait to find a leave in and go thru the summer…it took me til now, almost a year to realize my hair hardly grew. after 3 years, and at 15 inches, i was so sad, so what did i do differently, wash and go! so i’m unfortunately back to twist outs, and in one month there has already been a length change. as much as i dont want to be a slave to twist outs, wash and go, with various products doesnt work for me. Currently I am doing a twist out with leave in, which… Read more »
you’re saying that after 3 yrs you had 15 inches of growth and you were SAD?!? 15 inches of hair for me would fall almost at MBL. Don’t be so hard on yourself!
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I love wash and go I have type 3b/3c and since one month I use the curl enhancing smoothie by Shea moisture and I love it, it smells good and redefine my curls if it was in a bun or braided before (which destroy my curls). When I have enough Time I do a no poo half a week but it depends on my motivation and time most of the time…
When its pretty cold outside (parisian Weather) I always band my hair in a bun 🙂
I dont understand the need for so many products. It makes me really confused to think about when and how to wear them. I dont know what a styler or a moisturizer are, nor do i know when to use them. I wash my hair a little less often than once a week with shampoo only. I finger detangle it while it has shampoo in, its easier, faster and it breaks less. After the shower, with damp hair i apply a deep conditioner and massage my hair. I then braid my hair in two braids and sleep with the conditioner on…… Read more »
i’m the same way. i use next to nothing, and can get away with using nothing but good ol fashioned H2o on my hair if i wanted.
I only use conditioner and an oil on my hair. that’s it. products make my hair break off so i tend to avoid them unless i’m going for a strictly fluffy look. i’ve never understood these looooong product lists many of these women have lol if it floats their boat but for my hair waaaay less is more, more, more!
What type of hair do yo have?
I only use three products leave in,oil and aloe Vera gel. My wash and go,last 7–10 days . I do refresh every morning with my spritz bottle(water,aloe Vera juice and oil)
I retained more length last summer with wash n go’s. Wearing protective styles or doing braid outs are actually worse for my hair as far as ssk & breakage
Once the warm weather hits, I’m all about the wash and go (or water spritz and go). My summer routine is: 1. Either start with freshly washed hair or use my water bottle sprizer 2. Divide hair into 4 sections (2 on each side, and 2 in the back) 3. Apply Shea Moisture Restorative Conditioner to each section and seal with extra virgin olive oil 4. Run Shea Moisture curly gel through each section to lock in waves, twirls and curls and don’t touch until gel set. Viola, I’m done and have a head full of shiny, bouncy, big curls! If I want… Read more »
I can’t do all the products. I am a PJ without a doubt, but, when my 4c hair rocks the wng I use suave 2in1, coconut oil, and ecostyler olive oil gel. I wash in four braids and with each section I finger detangle with coconut oil and gel. I have the least hair loss I have seen since I started my natural hair journey five years ago. I can’t tell if my hair has grown or not but I don’t really care. The shinkage is my favorite part. Each morning I refresh with enough water to make my hair… Read more »
I have a mix of 3c and 4a. I like wash and gos but my hair is on the dry side. I know my hair does,best when i leave it alone for a week at a time but i feel like i have to cowash more than once a week to maintain softness and moisture.
My question is how often should I cowash in between wash days. I dont think i could go a whole week just refreshing, Id get build up
I tried a wash n go before and I HATED it. my hair shrunk up to above shoulder length, and it felt so messy and matted. I used leave-in a and a gel, coating section by section and I think that may have been my mistake. the other day, I needed a wash badly but I didnt have time to style so I cowashed my hair (which was a frizzy mess from being straightened) and when I got out of the shower I didnt even detangle it. I spritzed some tea tree oil and smoothed maybe a handful of leave… Read more »
I just moisturize and seal the ends of my hair every other day. It keeps my ends moisturized, no single strand knots and retaining length ans growing it long isnt a issue for me. I deep condition with a super moisturized hair mayo and then my next wash with a light protein deep conditioner. So i alternate. I wear my hair out mostly only in the summer time and i keep a protectivr style during the winter months. Mostly my havana twists i leave in for several months and i redo them and wash them once a month along with… Read more »
i recently switched to a wash and go regimen and i can honestly say my hair has be thriving. i clarify and deep condition for 30 min every week and recondition midweek. its so much easier to detangle now and to total process only takes about 30 min to an hour
I did crochet braids and wigs for my first 2 years. At the end of the 2nd year, I started doing the wash and goes. After the first 2 years my hair grew to my collar bone about 8.5″ which would be a net of about 4.25″ per year. This last year with only the wash and go I have a net growth of about 5″ and I did cut it 3 times during that time. I estimated that I cut a total of about 2″ — 2.5.” I transitioned and non of the first 2 years growth was cut.… Read more »