How To Get The Perfect Wash and Go on Type 4 Hair

I had the pleasure of getting a step by step tutorial on how to do the infamous “Anthony Dickey wash and go”, which for the record, is a name he did not come up with himself. This method was coined with his name because of its effectiveness with curly hair types.

Anthony Dickey is the owner of the haircare line and salon “Hair Rules” and was the first to open a multi-texture salon with key focus on curly, kinky, and frizzy hair types and textures.

Since beginning my natural hair journey in 2010 I had heard of his work, but hadn’t given this method a try until earlier this year when I decided to try a wash and go for the first time. Admittedly, I didn’t think a wash and go would yield me good results until I gave it a shot. There’s been much trial and error, but today Anthony agreed to come on camera and show us how it’s done.

Step 1 – Shampoo

• Anthony prefers clients use a no suds shampoo whenever they typically wash with shampoo.

Step 2 – Condition

• Use a LOT of conditioner – as much conditioner as you have hair.
• The hair should be weighed down and soaking wet.
• Conditioner “relaxes” the hair enough to detangle.

Step 3 – Rinse

• Rinse conditioner out.
• Leave hair soaking wet and stay in the shower.

Step 4 – Style with moisturizer

• Apply a curling styler liberally.
• Again, use as much product as you have hair on your head. If you have dense hair that means A LOT.
• Continue to detangle.

Step 5 – Wet hair with more water

• Run head under shower quickly to wet and reactivate the styler.
• Be careful not to rinse the product out.

Step 6 – Redistribute Moisturizer Through Hair

• Anthony advised me to roll or twist my hair in large sections to distribute the products better. You can see this step at 11:40 in the video above.

Step 7 – Shake it Like a Salt Shaker

• Shake hair vigorously to separate the coils.
• This step works best in the shower.

Step 8 – Layer on Mouse

• Layer mouse on top of styler.
• This helps speed up drying time.

Step 9 – Shake it Like a Salt Shake

• Shake hair again.

Anthony recommends repeating steps 2-9 daily. Yes, daily. He believes wash and gos are meant to be done in the shower as apart of a person’s shower routine everyday. When it comes to drying the hair he suggests using sit under dryer, diffuser, or letting the hair air dry.

I won’t lie, this method can be expensive. I got two washes out of his Curly Whip styling product and I need to purchase more or find an alternative. He does recommend using cheaper conditioners for the daily wash and go if his own products are out of your price range, so I’ve added some alternatives to shop above. I must be honest, I haven’t tried them all yet, but based on the descriptions and reviews they seem to be worth trying.

My results were fantastic, however as a busy mother I’m not sure this style fits into my life on a daily basis. Lord knows my son doesn’t have the patience to wait for me to do this hour long process (including drying time). I do think the process would get faster over time, just like anything else, but I’d have to commit to doing this for a few weeks before reaping the “fruits” of the labor. I’ll keep you updated, trust me.