What is Pre-Poo? It is the process of applying an oil and/or conditioner to your hair prior to the cleansing process. Pre-pooing can be accomplished with the use of an oil, a conditioner, or a combination of both. The purpose of applying these substances to the hair is to protect the hair from being completely stripped of all oils, and to enhance moisture and/or conditioning during the cleansing process.
I have noticed that my hair is more manageable, supple, softer, and my styles are smoother looking when I pre-poo my hair prior to the cleansing process. Also applying the pre-poo mixture, that contains conditioner and oils, to my hair makes an excellent detangler. It use to take a very long time to detangle my hair until I decided to apply the pre-poo mixture on first, and then use my wide tooth comb, or just my fingers, to detangle my hair. I am now able to detangle my entire head in 10 minutes or less using the pre-poo mixture. Talk about wash day anxiety relief!
So, how do I pre-poo?
- Section off the hair:
- Sectioning the hair allows us to be able to work with our hair in smaller portions, having more control over the manipulation of it. The smaller the sections the easier it will be to detangle. 4-6 sections should be efficient depending on the thickness and length of hair.
- Mist the hair with water:
- Using a spray bottle with only water in it, spray the hair to get it moist. After you moisten the hair use your hands to massage and squeeze the water into your hair strands. Make sure to moisten the ends of your hair very well, but be gentle as this is the oldest and thus weakest part of your hair.
- Apply the pre-poo mixture:
- My pre-poo mixture typically contains coconut oil, olive oil, and a conditioner. Because of their abilities to penetrate the hair shaft, the best oils to choose from are coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil. Applying the mixture liberally will give you the manageability you need to detangle and cover each strand of hair.
- My measurements are not exact, although my mixture contains about:
- 1/2 cup of Coconut Oil
- 1.5 TBS of Olive Oil
- 3 TBS of Conditioner
- After applying to each section be sure to twist that section. This will keep the hair out of the way and keeps it from getting tangled again, as you work on other sections.
- Cover the hair with a bag cap:
- Allowing the mixture to sit on the hair for 15-30 minutes will allow the oil to penetrate the hair shafts to create a better protection against stripping the hair of all oils during the cleansing process. Stripping the hair of too much oil would leave it vulnerable to dryness and thus breakage.
- Proceed to cleanse the hair:
- Doing this in sections and re-twisting will make the process easier and keep the hair detangled.
Ok, now you can try this out on your next wash day and notice the difference it will make in your hair. Then, if you can, let me know how it worked for you in the comments below. Also, if you have any questions, about pre-pooing, leave those in the comments below and I will respond asap.
Your Crown is your Coils, wear it with pride!
Precious Ugbo
@Coily Hair Care
Article source: Coily Hair Care
Photo Credits:
Natural hair woman Untitled By: Dionysus Burton CC BY-ND 2.0
whipped aftershave balm shea butter coconut oil By: Nina Nelson CC BY 2.0
