6 Best Co-Washes for Men: A Grooming Expert’s Picks

Finding hair products that actually do what you want is hard.

In an ideal world, my shampoo wouldn’t scour every last bit of natural oil from my hair and scalp. And as a result, my hair wouldn’t go from dry and frizzy to coated in oil overnight.

My ideal shampoo would regulate my scalp’s oil production so that my hair stays well-hydrated and manageable for a few days, but I have yet to find a shampoo that can do just that. 

We all have that one friend who has nicer than average hair. Tired of my hair getting ‘staticky’ and sticking straight to my forehead in the colder months, I approached my good-haired friend and asked for his secrets. 

His answer was simple: “Co-wash.”

At first, I thought he was recommending that I ditch my shampoo and wash with conditioner, but after a quick Google search, I found an entire new line of hair products. 

The best part? Co-wash does exactly what I’d been looking for in a shampoo.

In this article, I’ll unpack the six best co-washes that money can buy, so you can get frizz-free, strong, hydrated hair any time you want.

My Recommendations

Best Overall: Geologie Cooling Hair Co-Wash 

Coming in as our top, all-around pick is Geologie’s Cooling Hair Co-Wash. 

Geologie is a 27x award-winning skincare company recognized in publications like Men’s Health, Hypebeast, Byrdie, and Esquire. They recently made their foray into shower and bath products with shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and co-wash. 

Since Geologie is, first and foremost, a skincare company, they take a “skin up” approach to hair products, and their co-washes are a perfect example of this. These products are packed with skin-moisturizing and cleansing ingredients that nourish your scalp and create the right environment for healthy hair.

The Cooling Hair Co-Wash is formulated with Vitamin B5 and squalane to pack a hydrating one-two punch, and also uses menthol and tea tree oil to stimulate blood circulation to the scalp and unplug clogged hair follicles, which promotes healthy hair growth. 

Geologie also makes a Smoothing Hair Co-Wash, which is made with avocado and coconut oil to provide deep moisture and smooth coarse, dry hair.

These co-wash benefits aren’t exclusive to just the hair on top of your head, either. Use these co-washes as a beard cleanser and moisturize the hair follicles beneath for a beard that’s soft to the touch and flake-free.

Best for Straight Hair: Kiehl’s Rice and Wheat Volumizing and Conditioning Rinse

Straight hair is prone to getting oily quickly since it’s much closer to your scalp than wavy or curly hair. Your scalp produces oil, and that oil has much less distance to travel to coat your individual strands of hair.

A co-wash can help slow down this process by cleansing your scalp and regulating its oil production, and my favorite co-wash for that very thing is Kiehl’s Rice and Wheat Volumizing and Conditioning Rinse.

It’s formulated with jojoba seed oil and rice bran for powerful scalp hydration that can regulate your scalp’s oil production and keep your hair from getting too oily too fast. 

Since straight hair is also prone to being flat and thin, Kiehl’s co-wash uses rice and wheat proteins to give hair a thicker, fuller appearance and feel. This can add body to your hair to make it more manageable, and will also increase its shine and luster.

Great Value: Jack Black Nourishing Hair and Scalp Conditioner

Jack Black is a long-time player in the men’s self-care industry and brings their expertise in full force with their Nourishing Hair and Scalp Conditioner. 

Sporting a large product size and wallet-friendly price, this co-wash gets our pick for great value. 

While it’s packed with ingredients that cleanse and moisturize your hair and scalp, two standouts are sea kelp and biotin. Sure, scrubbing a chunk of seaweed through your hair probably isn’t your idea of a good time, but sea kelp is actually loaded with vitamins and minerals to promote shine and strength.

Biotin can also boost your hair strength, and has been shown to promote hair growth in those who are biotin-deficient. 

Best of all, Jack Black’s co-washes are made without parabens, sulfates, or other harsh cleaning ingredients that damage hair and upset your scalp’s natural oil production.

Best for Curly Hair: Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Co-Wash

Curly hair is prone to being dry and brittle, due to how much longer it takes oil to travel down the length of coiled or curly hair. 

Thus, those with curly hair are likely in need of a moisture boost, and Shea Moisture’s Coconut & Hibiscus Co-Wash is a great place to get it.

Like all of Shea Moisture’s products, this co-wash is formulated with organic shea butter that helps moisturize and detangle thick, curly hair. Coconut oil works hand-in-hand with the shea butter to strengthen curls and prevent hair from breaking easily, while also providing another boost of moisture.

As for your scalp, this co-wash uses silk protein and neem oil to hydrate the skin and hair follicles, which regulates oil production and also promotes new hair growth. Neem oil also helps to increase hair shine and smooths curls to keep your hair frizz-free.

Best of all, Shea Moisture’s co-wash won’t break the bank and comes in a product size that will last for more than two showers.

Best Lightweight: R+Co Analog Cleansing Foam Conditioner

Some of us struggle with heavy, dense product build-up that makes our hair feel perpetually dirty or greasy. Whether you have very fine hair or fluctuate violently between dry and oily scalp conditions, a lightweight co-wash can help achieve balance.

My favorite lightweight co-wash is R+Co’s Analog Cleansing Foam Conditioner.

Most co-washes have a thick, low-foam formulation, but R+Co made this lightweight and foamy to spread easily and won’t leave thick, impossible-to-remove gunk in your hair afterward. 

Argan oil, nettle leaf extract, and green tea help soften and condition the hair, which makes your hair more manageable and optimally hydrated. 

Best of all, the Analog Cleansing Foam Conditioner is color-safe, which makes it perfect for color-treated, coarse, and under-hydrated hair.

Best Premium: New Wash Original Hair Cleanser

If you’ve got some free cash and want to invest in a heavy-hitting co-wash, I recommend New Wash’s Original Hair Cleanser. 

Although the price can be intimidating, the all-natural, non-toxic ingredients guarantee the maximum benefits of a well-hydrated scalp and strong, frizz-free hair. 

Jojoba and peppermint oil clean grease and environmental dirt away while increasing blood flow to the scalp, which promotes new hair growth. Since there are no harsh detergents or sulfates used in the formulation, the moisture stays on your scalp and at your roots and ends.

All of this combines for healthy, luscious, salon-quality hair that won’t be frizzy, dry, or tired from overwashing and harsh products. 

2 Key Things to Consider When Choosing a Co-Wash

Your Hair Type

Some co-washes are formulated to treat specific hair types, like curly, straight, or coarse. If you have a distinct hair type that makes for disagreeable hair conditions, choose a co-wash that can help.

For example, Shea Moisture’s Coconut & Hibiscus Co-Wash is great for curly hair, while Kiehl’s Rice and Wheat Volumizing and Conditioning Rinse is great for straight hair. 

On the other hand, if you just want a great, all-around co-wash that works with all hair types, I recommend Geologie’s Cooling Co-Wash.

Your Budget

As you’d expect, some co-washes are wallet-friendly while others threaten financial ruin. Most guys need to dip the proverbial toe into a new hygiene product before diving in wholesale, so choose the co-wash you won’t regret purchasing if it’s not right for you.

How to Use Co-Wash the Right Way

Using co-wash the right way comes down to five simple steps.

Get Your Hair Thoroughly Wet

This lays the groundwork for a successful shower session, but it’s also easy to overlook. 

I’ve been known to jump in the shower, get my head under the water for all of three seconds, and then get co-washing, but this limits any shower product’s effectiveness. 

Spend at least 30 seconds working the water through your hair and making sure every strand (and your scalp) is soaked.

Coat Your Hair With Co-Wash

Squirt a nickel or quarter-sized dollop of co-wash (our go-to is Geologie’s Cooling Hair Co-Wash) onto your fingertips, work it between your hands, and then apply the co-wash to your scalp. Work the co-wash across every surface of your scalp (even behind the ears), and then get the ends of your hair if you haven’t already.

Massage The Co-Wash For At Least One Minute

Co-wash does its cleansing magic through the power of friction, so you have to scrub this through for a good long time. Using your fingertips, scrub in small circles across the top, sides, and back of your head, and feel free to make a few passes. 

Do this for at least a minute, and if you’re feeling bold, go for two.

Let The Co-Wash Sit For At Least One Minute

It’s as easy as it sounds—let it do its hydrating, nourishing goodness. 

In the meantime, feel free to soap up your body or whatever else you might enjoy doing in the shower.

Rinse Thoroughly

You guessed it—I recommend rinsing your hair for at least 30 seconds and ideally one minute. It’s important to not let product build up on your scalp or in your hair, as this can lead to clogged pores and damaged follicles.

Time For Better Hair

Now that you’ve got six of the best co-washes that money can buy at your fingertips, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding the right one for you.

If you’re after an all-around co-wash powerhouse that uses natural, potent ingredients, smells great, and also works on your beard, I recommend Geologie’s Cooling Hair Co-Wash.

Guys with straight hair that’s often oily will do well with Kiehl’s Rice and Wheat Volumizing and Conditioning Rinse.

If you’re after the value and don’t want buyer’s remorse, check out Jack Black’s Nourishing Hair and Scalp Conditioner.

Curly hair can easily be dry, and if this sounds like your plight, Shea Moisture’s Coconut & Hibiscus Co-Wash is right up your alley. 

If you’ve got superfine, thin hair that doesn’t do well with heavy products, I recommend R+Co’s Analog Cleansing Foam Conditioner. 

Lastly, if you’ve got money to spend and want a premium co-wash with all-natural, non-toxic ingredients, get your hands on New Wash’s Original Hair Cleanser.

If you know a guy with less-than-optimal hair and could benefit from co-wash, share this article with him! He’ll thank you when he’s getting recruited for hair product commercials.

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