Are Natural Hair Wash and Go’s For Everyone? Pros and Cons

Dianne Austin
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Dianne Austin

Dianne is the co-founder of Natural Haircare News and Coils To Locs.com. She's been blogging about natural hair ever since she made the decision to break free of the creamy crack in 2012.
Dianne Austin
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Latest posts by Dianne Austin (see all)

If you’re a woman with natural hair, you’ve likely tested a wash and go on your natural tresses at least once.

Based on the abundance of advice on the topic – from blogs to You Tube videos – a wash and go can be an easy, carefree way to maintain your natural hair. No twist outs, braid outs, or bantu knots.  Just wash, condition, and go.

Wash and go hair… it’s the luxury of time that women of color have been unaccustomed to with relaxed hair.

For women who want to save time with their haircare routine, it’s a great alternative.   But, just because your hair is natural, does that make it suited for wash and wear hair?

That depends…

Wash and Go Pros:
  • It’s a time saver.
  • Wash and go styles look great – no matter your curl type.
Wash and Go Cons:
  • Most curl types tangle easily, but the curlier your hair is, the more it will tangle and mat when dry.  And tangles equal breakage.
  • It’s harder to grow your hair if you want to gain length when your hair is breaking off because of tangles and matting.
  • Some women don’t like the shrinkage that occurs when they let their hair dry naturally.  If you have natural tresses in the 4a, 4b, or 4c range, your natural curls may shrink up to 75% of its length when wet.

Wash and go’s are a great styling alternative, but don’t feel like you should be wearing a wash and go because of its popularity in the natural hair world. If you love wash and go’s, don’t ditch this styling method.  Just be extra careful and be sure to condition, condition, condition!  You’ll also want to take the time to use a good de-tangling conditioner before washing so that your hair doesn’t mat together when wet.

Remember, what might work well for some naturals may not be the best for you. Opt for maintenance styling that is easy on your hair and gives you the look that you want.

Author: Dianne Shaddock

Comment on this article“Changing attitudes about natural hair” is what we do at Natural Haircare News. Through informative articles, podcasts and videos, we go beyond just sharing the latest advice and tips on kinky, curly, wavy haircare – We shake things up and focus on the realities of wearing our hair natural. 
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