For most of my life I used shampoo. Like most people, I thought shampoo was the best thing to use to wash my hair. After years of trying to figure out why my hair was so just dry, I switched to cleansing conditioner. Since ditching my shampoo, my hair has become softer and stronger. I’ve tried different co-washes, but my favorites are those made by Shea Moisture. The two cleansing conditioners going head to head are Shea Moisture’s Coconut and hibiscus co-wash conditioning cleansing vs Shea Moisture’s Mongongo and hemp seed oils high porosity moisture seal co-wash.

The first co-wash I ever tried from Shea Moisture was the Coconut and hibiscus cleansing conditioner. This product is the most widely available out of all the cleansing conditioners and is available at Target, CVS, and your local beauty supply store. I purchased it from Target for $11.99. It doesn't have a strong coconut smell, the fragrance is muted and very pleasant. Once you apply the product to your wet hair it is easy to massage in. Sometimes, I find that I need a lot of product to wash my hair which is a few inches short of bra strap length. The texture of the co-wash is creamy and silky, however my hair feels hard when the product is in my hair. After rinsing it out my hair feels soft. I still need to deep condition for my hair to reach it's optimal amount of softness. Since only 8 ounces of product come in each container, using this to wash your hair every time can be very expensive. For each bottle I only get four separate washes from it. These are my pros and cons of Shea Moisture's Coconut and hibiscus cleansing conditioner:

Pros

Makes dry hair soft

Has a great smell

Cons

Has to be used with a deep conditioner every time

Each bottle last for only about four washes

The second Shea Moisture co-wash I tried was Shea Moisture’s Mongongo and hemp seed oils high porosity moisture seal co-wash. Although I had stop using shampoo, I found my hair was still so I started looking for new products to try. While shopping one day I came across The high porosity line and decided to try the co-wash. Hair with a high porosity means that your hair strands have a hard time retaining moisture, leaving you hair feeling dry and prone to breaking off. I loved this co-wash as soon as I started using it. I felt my hair become instantly become soft, moist, and more manageable. The smell is amazing and a small amount of products will coat all of your hair. Once I let my hair air dry I found it so much more manageable and less hair was coming out into the come. This product can be used alone or with a deep conditioner because it leaves your hair so moist. I definitely will continue to wash my hair with this product. Below are my pros and cons of Shea Moisture’s Mongongo and hemp seed oils high porosity moisture seal co-wash:

Pros

Stops breakage

Smells great

Makes your hair moist and shiny

Made hair feel soft

Cons

Doesn't come in a larger size

The Winner: Shea Moisture’s Mongongo and hemp seed oils high porosity moisture seal co-wash wins for me specifically because I have struggled for years with high porosity hair. This co-wash helps to keep my hair moist and it has eliminated any signs of breakage. This is my new favorite co-wash.

To learn more about your hair's porosity, click here.