If you're familiar with some of the common lingo in the curly natural hair community, you're likely no stranger to the term pre-poo. And, if you’re new to all this hair care stuff and this is your first time hearing that term. Welcome, we've got all the answers you're looking for.
Pre-poos, AKA, pre-shampoo treatments have become an increasingly popular addition to the routines of many people with curls and coils. But, what exactly is a pre-poo? What does it do for your hair and is it really necessary or just another extra step to make your wash days drag on? We've got answers and we're spilling them. Read ahead, to learn why a pre-poo might just be the game-changer your curly hair needs.
What Is A Pre-Poo?
A pre-poo is a popular term coined for any treatment done before shampooing your hair. This treatment is often used to hydrate the hair and infuse it with a boost of nourishment to help offset the dry feeling that often comes after you wash your hair. However, it serves several other purposes and can be a very helpful addition to your routine depending on the needs of your curls.
Benefits Of Pre-pooing Natural Hair
Boosts Hydration
If you have dry curls that feel brittle and lacklustre no matter what you do, a pre-poo can help infuse your hair with some much-needed hydration.
Improves manageability
Pre-pooing your hair can help make it soft and more manageable. This is especially beneficial for damaged curls that have a lot of split ends as it helps to reduce breakage.
Helps With Detangling
A pre-poo can be really helpful for detangling type 3 and 4 curls that often take time to detangle and are not as easy to comb through while you're in the shower.
How Often Do I Need To Prepoo
Every wash day: Doing a pre-poo every time you intend to wash your hair is one of the best ways to reap the benefits of this hair treatment. However, it is not entirely necessary.
Once a month: If you are too busy to include a pre-poo in your routine every wash day, then try to do it at least once a month to help rejuvenate your curls. You can also do it whenever you feel like giving yourself some TLC and treat it as a moment of self-care.
Types Of Pre-Poo
The great thing about pre-poos is there's no one way to do it. You can pre-poo your hair with different products. However, some of the best options include the following:
Oils
Oils blends like our Hair & Scalp Oil are great for pre-poos because they not only improve your hair shine and add slip to the hair for easy detangling but they also create a protective barrier around the hair that helps keep it from being stripped of its natural oils when you apply shampoo.
Conditioners
If you want a hydration-focused pre-poo treatment that helps to soften and gently detangle your hair, conditioners are a great pre-poo formula for you. However, it is very important to use a deeply nourishing formula like our Moisture Rich Conditioner with humectants that will help to boost hydration.
Humectant Gels
Humectant gels like aloe vera and flaxseed gel are deeply hydrating and have a lot of slip. So they are also great options you can use as a pre-poo.
How To Pre-Poo Your Natural Hair
What You'll Need:
Sofnfree's Hair & Scalp Oil or Moisture Rich Conditioner
Manuka Honey Shampoo
Wide-tooth comb or Detangling Brush
Pre-poo Steps:
- Divide the hair into 4-6 sections ( you may need more or fewer sections depending on the thickness of your hair).
- Working one section at a time, grab your pre-poo product of choice and apply a generous amount to your hair. (You can use our Hair & Scalp Oil or the Moisture Rich Conditioner).
- Work the product thoroughly into your hair from ends to roots and gently finger detangle to remove all knots and tangles.
- Use the comb/ brush to lightly detangle the hair.
- Repeat steps 2-4 until you cover the whole head.
- Cover the hair with a plastic cap for 30-60 minutes or according to the instructed time on the product packaging.
- Remove the plastic cap and rinse the hair one section at a time before following up with our Manuka Honey shampoo to cleanse and continue the rest of your wash day process.
Pre-poos are an amazing way to nourish and hydrate your hair in preparation for a smooth shampoo process. However, they are not entirely necessary. So don't feel pressured to always do them on every wash day. If you feel like giving your hair that extra TLC or if your strands are extremely matted, feel free to include a pre-poo in your routine. However, if you don't have too much time on your hands and just want to get your wash day over with as fast as possible, you can skip the pre-poo, and your hair will still be perfectly fine.