How to pre poo your curls

For centuries, oil treatments have been used to promote healthy hair growth. A pre-poo treatment is the perfect addition to your washday routine to stop you from stripping or drying out your curls.

What is a Pre-poo

The term ’pre-poo’ stands for a treatment you apply to your hair before using shampoo on wash day. The purpose of the can be to aid detangling, stop your hair being stripped of its oils and moisture and reducing hair fall. Typically most naturals will use an oil treatment to pre-poo, however some opt for other DIY conditioning alternatives such as Aloe Vera or Yoghurt.

Why should you pre-poo?

A pre-poo treatment can become a great addition to any hair routine for a magnitude of reasons. Struggling with dry hair? Well a pre-poo treatment is perfect to lock in some added moisture, especially with seasonal changes humidity and wind. Is your hair 'stripped' clean? If you love your harsh shampoo or you're using a medicated shampoo for a scalp condition and your hair is left feeling stripped clean, a pre-poo can help protect your hair and lessen the impact of your cleanser.

Need some extra TLC for knotty hair? A pre-poo prior to washing can help you detangle your curls and lessen breakage. Running out of conditioner or want to amp up the shine? As your hair is stripped of oils after using a shampoo, the conditioner you follow up with will simply be rebalancing the lost moisture rather than imparting any additional conditioning properties to your hair. A pre-poo treatment will allow your conditioner to treat your curls to more moisture and make great improvements to your hair’s texture and sheen.

Will a Pre-Poo work for
my hair type?

When considering using a pre-poo treatment, you might wonder if it will be good for your hair type. There are loads of things to consider such as your hair porosity, hair elasticity, density and strand thickness. Here are the hair types that I strongly recommend a pre-poo treatment for.

High porosity hair:
Now the reason a pre-poo treatment can be great for someone with high porosity hair is because this hair porosity loses moisture easily. By using an oil before washing your hair it can help prevent your hair from being stripped and keep that moisture locked in.

Fine hair:
Most naturals love to deep condition however with fine hair, your hair can be greasy or weighed down afterwards. A pre-poo treatment works really well for fine hair because it is applied before washing. After pre-pooing, just use a regular shampoo and conditioner and rinse.This can nourish your hair and leave it feeling softer post-wash, without feeling heavy and weighed down.

Limp hair:
If your hair is feeling limp and your curls have lost their bounce, it could be a result of hygral fatigue. This is when your hair strand is filled up with too much water and swells up, making your curls fragile and easy to break. A pre-poo can fix hygral fatigue and rebalance your hair elasticity by preventing too much water entering your hair.

Bleached or coloured hair:
In between colour sessions, a pre-poo treatment can be a great way of helping your colour last longer. With an oil treatment applied prior to washing, less of your colour will be stripped away by the shampoo. A pre-poo can also help with the damage caused by bleaching your hair which typically raises your hair porosity.

Although a pre-poo treatment is particularly beneficial for these hair types, it doesn't mean it won't work for you. A pre-poo treatment can be adapted to suit all hair types.

Paris Reveira

IAT Certified Hair Practitioner

Best oils to use for a Pre-Poo

When it comes to a pre-poo, this is a great chance to use rich and nourishing oils. Since your treatment will be washed away after 20 minutes, you don't have to worry about oils clogging up your scalp. Some great rich oils to use for a pre-poo treatment include:

Jojoba Oil - This oil is rich in vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin E, copper, and zinc. This oil is similar to our own natural sebum. As the oil moisturises the hair follicle, it helps to strengthen hair, prevent hair loss and promote hair thickness.

Castor Oil - Castor oil is a thick oil known for its abilities to help restore thinning hair, balding hair and strengthening the hair shaft for fast growth. It also moisturises the scalp, eases dandruff, and leaves your hair smooth and shiny.

Baobab Oil - Baobab oil is packed with nutrients such as omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin A, D and E, all known to trigger hair growth. Besides being great for hair growth it is a great moisturiser and can help your hair regulate extreme temperatures.

Buriti Oil - Rich in fatty acids as well as vitamins A and E, Buriti oil has strong hydrating properties. This makes it an ideal, natural ingredient for moisturising and defining dry, frizzy hair.

If you are looking for an all in one oil, try our best-selling Golden Hair Oil. It works as a great pre-poo treatment and moisturising sealant between washes.

Order the BEST pre-poo oil!

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