It seems almost every naturalista is a fan of SheaMoisture products including myself. Sheamoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Co-wash Conditioning Cleanser was no different.  I was very excited to try this one.  Ingredients like Shea Butter and Coconut Oil are two of the best moisturizers for my hair. Unlike other cowashing conditioners, such as As I Am, that only have conditioning ingredients, SheaMoisture’s product also has cleansing ingredients such as Kaolin Clay and African Black Soap extract. This makes it a true conditioning cleanser.  As I Am Co-wash Coconut Conditioner  left my hair heavy and scalp itchy after about 2 days, so I was hoping this would not be the case with SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Co-Wash Conditioning Cleanser.

INGREDIENTS: Deionized Water, Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut)*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter*, Cetyl Esters, Kaolin Clay, Grapeseed Oil, Simmondsia chinensis seed (Jojoba) Oil, Behentrimonium Chloride (Conditioner), Hibiscus, Sabdariffa Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) Seed Oil, Sorbital Esters, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), African Black Soap Extract, Sea Salt, Rosemary Extract, Caprylyl Glycol

DESCRIPTION: This detergent-free conditioning cleanser removes impurities without stripping hair of naturals oils. Lightweight moisturizers soften and control frizz in one easy step. Leaves curls vibrantly bouncy.

SUGGESTED USE: Massage in for 3 to 5 minutes working from root to ends. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Repeat as needed.

Suggested Retail Price: $9.99

How I Used This Product

Upon using this product for the first time I was about 3-4 days post shampooing session. I shampoo my hair weekly with a sulfate-free shampoo.  This cuts down on build up on my hair and scalp.  On shampoo day, I did a twistout with only coconut oil and shea butter. No styling product was used.  My regular hair regimen consists of all natural ingredients. This is important to note because natural ingredients wash out easily with water and gentle cleansers.

Whenever I’m using a product for the first time I always apply as directed. I parted my hair into 4 sections in the shower.  I rubbed the conditioner on my scalp with the pads of my fingers first.  Then I smoothed the conditioners on my ends and applied to the rest of my hair. I detangled each section with a shampoo comb and twisted, then rinsed the conditioner out thoroughly.  Four days later I repeated the same process to rehydrate my hair.  I also wanted to test the product twice before giving my review.

Pros

Results: My hair and scalp both felt clean and moisturized after using SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Co-Wash Conditioning Cleanser.   The product was easy to apply, it had a medium consistency that’s perfect for fine or coarse hair types, and there was nice slip for detangling.  The next day I noticed that my hair still felt both soft and moisturized.  I also did not feel itchy dry scalp in between co-washing.

 Better Than Others On The Market: I want to emphasize that this is a co-washing conditioning CLEANSER and not simply a conditioner.  It actually leaves your hair and scalp clean instead of simply coating the hair with conditioning ingredients.  This is the biggest advantage of this product compared to some other products marketed as co-washes.

Cons

Price: I have a lot of hair and that 8 oz bottle was half gone after one use! Okay, I’m exaggerating.  I used about a half dollar size amounts per section which is still a good amount per use of any product.   The suggested price of $9.99 is the average price for most SheaMoisture products.  While I believe the price point is fair, this product was only 8 oz compared to other SheaMoisture products that are 12 oz for the same price. I’m sure I’m not the only one who needs and wants this product in a bigger bottle.

Product Usage: It’s important to keep in mind that this is a co-washing cleanser.  It’s best to use a cowash to hydrate curls in between shampoo sessions, not to use as your sole cleansing product. I also believe that my consistent use of natural products did have an effect on my experience with this product. It’s possible for someone who use products that create buildup or have synthetic ingredients such as mineral oil, petrolatum, or silicones will have an negative experience.  Shampoo is needed to remove these things. As always, it is best to use natural products in your hair as much as possible.

Additional Conditioner May Be Needed:  My hair felt soft and moisturized without any additional conditioners.  However you can also say my hair was pre-treated with both Coconut Oil and Shea Butter, so my results may not be typical. I used SheaMoisture Coconut & Hisbiscus Co-Washing Conditioning Cleanser as my sole cleanser and conditioner for the purpose of this review (as directed on product’s label). But next time I will follow up with a rinse out or leave-in conditioner. Here are two reasons why: 1.) This product doesn’t leave your hair as soft and supple as a rinse out conditioner; which makes sense because its not one.  2.) I tested the pH and it’s slightly acidity.  This means it slightly raises the hair’s cuticle to remove unwanted particles.  A rinse out or leave-in conditioner will restore the pH of your hair and scalp, closing the hair cuticle and leaving hair softer and more moisturized.

My Final Thought

This may be the only co-washing conditioning CLEANSER in major retailers right now. As I mentioned before others are not formulated to clean your hair and scalp.  If you are looking for a gentle cleanser, this is it.  Make sure to rinse out thoroughly and follow up with a conditioner.  I’m sold on the performance of this product, but not the price. It would be a better value for me to buy one of SheaMoisture’s shampoo and conditioner combos.

I tried to be very thorough in this product review but if you still have question please ask them in the comment section below.

Disclaimer: I did receive this product as a freebie. But don’t worry thoughts and opinions are still true to my experience.