The wash and go seems to be the bane of the natural’s existence. The name seems simple enough, you wash and you go. Yet, many women spend endless hours and a nice amount of pocket change trying to find the perfect combination of technique and products that will give them poppin’ curls. In this tutorial I will unlock the mysteries of the wash and explain why this “style” eludes so many.
If you notice in the last paragraph when referring to the wash and go the word style is in quotations, this is to denote the word is being used in a special way; in this case style is used loosely since the wash and go is not a style. This one very simple realization is the start of making peace with the wash and go.
As mentioned earlier the wash and go simply means you wash your hair and go on about your day. This means there is no drying or styling involved and the application of product is minimal (usually a moisturizer or anti-frizz serum). The wash and go is also sometimes referred to as the shake and go which further emphasizes the lack of actual styling involved.
The next and probably most difficult step in perfecting the wash and go is to know that everyone cannot achieve a result they will be happy with. What I am about to say will probably cause an uproar in the natural hair community but it needs to be said. If your hair lacks definition (be it curls or kinks) in its natural product free state and you are not happy with undefined curls, then the wash and go is not for you. The idea of the wash and go, once again, is to wash your hair and leave the house. If you are spending hours applying products and styling, you are no longer doing a wash and go.
Before attempting a wash and go ask yourself these questions:
- Am I happy with the way my hair looks fresh out of the shower with no product applied?
- Will I be happy if my curls/kinks are not defined and poppin’?
If your answer is no, then your quest for the wash and go ends here. If you answered yes then please continue reading to learn how I achieve my perfect wash and go.
Let me preface this by saying I’ve always been lazy with my hair…
I never combed product through. I would just hop in the shower, wet my hair, shake it out, and throw in some product. I can’t even remember what lol
No scrunching and no elongating. I’d just let it nap up as it pleased.
Me too!!! That’s what I thought going “natural” was. Just to find out it’s more money and time then a perm
I wash my hair, apply KinkyCurly Knot Today, then apply KinkyCurly Custard to about 4 big sections of hair ,work it thru with fingers, shake head HARD & bye bye , out the door. Total time; 15″ -20″. My summer regimen for past 3 summers !
This really help me understand why my wash and go doesn’t work for me. I don’t like the way the back spent curl the way the front does. Thanks.