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Pre-pooing or “pre-shampooing” is the process of preparing your natural hair for a shampoo wash. You want to pre-poo your hair and scalp to prepare it for some of the harsher chemicals that your shampoo may contain to clean your hair. There are many methods and products used to pre-poo natural hair and in this post; I’ll discuss some of the major benefits of preparing your hair for a wash as well as the basics on how to do it. For a more detailed, step-by-step tutorial on how to pre-poo your hair click here.
So, What Exactly is Pre-Pooing?
As I mentioned above, pre-pooing your hair is a preparatory technique that is part of the beginning steps of a [hair routine]. When you pre-poo your hair, you are basically applying some sort of oil or light conditioner to your hair and scalp and letting it absorb for a few minutes before you wash your hair. Applying the oils to your hair and scalp BEFORE you shampoo and wash gives your hair the opportunity to get some much needed moisture and helps to prevent a flaky, dry, scalp. Similar to how a sponge is able to absorb more liquids when it is dry than wet, your hair and scalp can absorb essential oils and moisture while it is dry before you proceed to wash out product build up.
What Products should I Use to Pre-Poo?
There are a number of products and “concoctions” you can use to pre-poo your hair. I recommend that you use a product that is in line with what you are looking to achieve for your hair. For example, if you want more shine you can use a honey mixture or for more strength, you can pre-poo using a protein treatment. I like to use EVOO[hover definition] on my scalp to prevent drying, flaking, and dandruff which is something I’ve always had a problem with. Sometimes I’ll do a protein treatment like AphoGee on the rest of my hair or I’ll experiment using coconut milk and avocado or some other products I find lying around.
Doing a pre-poo is a great way to use up some conditioners you don’t normally use or other products that didn’t work so well with other techniques like DCing or co-washing.
Here is a brief list of products that you can try to pre-poo with. They all have different benefits for your hair and will give you a good starting point until you’re comfortable experimenting with other things.
• Olive oil, my personal favorite which is used to combat dandruff and flakiness. I make sure to apply it directly onto my scalp and massage it in for the best results.
• Coconut oil, this is good as a moisture treatment and you can also mix it with olive oil or some type of light conditioner.
• Your favorite oil. Maybe you’re a fan of jojoba or castor oil. Try pre-pooing with your favorite oils or a mixture of some and see what kind of difference it makes for your hair.
• A light conditioner. Using a light conditioner like Suave or V05 that washes out easily is a great way to prepare your hair for a shampoo wash. It’ll allow your hair to absorb some moisture before you strip off the product build up.
• Honey. A lot of people are starting to use honey for the different benefits it provides. I’ve read that it can add shine and gloss to your hair. Try it as a pre-poo and see if it makes a difference.
• A Protein Treatment like AphoGee. Some people find protein to be too harsh on their hair after it’s been washed claiming that it makes their hair hard and brittle. If you’re protein sensitive, try using a protein reconstructor BEFORE you wash and deep condition your hair.
• A Home Concoction or Recipe. Sometimes I get bored of all the mainstream products and recommendations for my hair. When I feel like experimenting, I look around my house and throw some things together to put on my hair. Some things I’ve tried in the past include coconut milk, bananas, grapefruit, avocado, eggs, mayonnaise, and even yogurt. Don’t be afraid to try new things and experiment with your hair.
• Coconut oil, this is good as a moisture treatment and you can also mix it with olive oil or some type of light conditioner.
• Your favorite oil. Maybe you’re a fan of jojoba or castor oil. Try pre-pooing with your favorite oils or a mixture of some and see what kind of difference it makes for your hair.
• A light conditioner. Using a light conditioner like Suave or V05 that washes out easily is a great way to prepare your hair for a shampoo wash. It’ll allow your hair to absorb some moisture before you strip off the product build up.
• Honey. A lot of people are starting to use honey for the different benefits it provides. I’ve read that it can add shine and gloss to your hair. Try it as a pre-poo and see if it makes a difference.
• A Protein Treatment like AphoGee. Some people find protein to be too harsh on their hair after it’s been washed claiming that it makes their hair hard and brittle. If you’re protein sensitive, try using a protein reconstructor BEFORE you wash and deep condition your hair.
• A Home Concoction or Recipe. Sometimes I get bored of all the mainstream products and recommendations for my hair. When I feel like experimenting, I look around my house and throw some things together to put on my hair. Some things I’ve tried in the past include coconut milk, bananas, grapefruit, avocado, eggs, mayonnaise, and even yogurt. Don’t be afraid to try new things and experiment with your hair.
The Process
The process of pre-pooing natural hair varies from person to person and some people even pre-poo their hair overnight. I usually keep it simple and apply the product to my scalp and massage it in. Then, I cover my head with a plastic bag or cap with a towel and leave it in for about 15-20 minutes before washing my hair. Depending on what I use to pre-poo my hair, I may not even cover my whole head with the product. Sometimes I use the pre-poo as a scalp treatment which is usually what I do with the olive oil to prevent flakes and dandruff.
After your hair has “marinated” for a bit, you can proceed with your normal wash and care routine. Here is the link again to my step-by-step tutorial.
After your hair has “marinated” for a bit, you can proceed with your normal wash and care routine. Here is the link again to my step-by-step tutorial.
Other Things to Note about Pre-Pooing:
• Make sure that your hair is dry. If your hair is already wet, it defeats the whole purpose of pre-shampooing your hair
• Don’t over do it with the product. A little goes a long way when it comes to pre-pooing your hair. The last thing you want to do is make it harder to wash out your product build up.
• Focus on the scalp. Pre-pooing and shampooing is all about caring for and cleaning your scalp for healthy hair growth. Your deep conditioner, leave-in, and styling are where you focus more on the rest of your hair.
• Pre-pooing also helps to soften and condition your hair. In addition to regular co-washes, throw in a pre-poo before you shampoo your hair for easier detangling and softness.
• Don’t over do it with the product. A little goes a long way when it comes to pre-pooing your hair. The last thing you want to do is make it harder to wash out your product build up.
• Focus on the scalp. Pre-pooing and shampooing is all about caring for and cleaning your scalp for healthy hair growth. Your deep conditioner, leave-in, and styling are where you focus more on the rest of your hair.
• Pre-pooing also helps to soften and condition your hair. In addition to regular co-washes, throw in a pre-poo before you shampoo your hair for easier detangling and softness.
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