Happy Monday Naturalista’s!!! I think this is one of the most important parts of wash day. I did not used to do this but, I have learned that my hair benefits from it greatly. I know some of you have no idea what pre poo is or need a better understanding. Pre-pooing is basically when you apply conditioner or oil such as coconut oil, to your dry hair prior to your wash. The purpose is to prepare your hair for the shampoo and conditioning process.

The dry, squeaky feeling hair can have after washing is a common concern among naturals. But the solution is simple — pre-pooing with a penetrating oil (such as coconut oil) Plus, it can help with pre-wash detangling. Try a quick 20 minute pre-poo before your next detangle and wash. Not only will your hair feel softer after washing, you’ll also see a reduction in breakage and shedding that occurs during detangling and washing.

Yes the product applied during the pre-poo will be rinsed out during your washing process. But, there are a lot of benefits to pre-pooing. First, the wash routine is very stressful on the hair. There is a lot of  manipulation that tends to take place when we wash, deep condition and style our hair.  

We can avoid damage to the cuticle layer by simply making sure the hair is conditioned before the excessive manipulation takes place. Pre- Pooing is the answer to the problem of wash day manipulation.  With the pre- poo your hair will feel less stripped after you wash.

I like to use coconut oil for my pre-poo.  It has the ability to penetrate and add protein to your hair. I found these directions via Curlynikki.com on how to pre-poo using Coconut oil:

How does using coconut oil for pre-pooing work? When coconut oil is applied to the hair as a pre-shampoo or pre-wetting treatment a small amount of the oil can be absorbed into the hair and can penetrate under the cuticle when the hair fiber swells. Coconut oil has a strong affinity for hair proteins and can protect the hair by binding to these proteins. This reduces the protein’s ability to bind to water molecules resulting in less swelling, less contracting and less trauma.- curlynikki.com

Try using coconut oil as a pre-shampoo treatment the next time you cleanse your hair. Coconut oil is typically solid at room temperature so you’ll need to heat it to liquefy it.

How to Pre-poo: (via curlynikki.com)

1. Apply coconut oil to the hair in sections.

2. Place a plastic cap over the hair and allow the oil to penetrate into the hair
shaft for at least 30 minutes.

3. Shampoo and condition as usual!
Pre-shampooing your hair with coconut oil will  improve the ability to maintain moisture, shine and softness to your hair. From my experience I have noticed a difference with less shedding and less breakage over time

More info here: http://www.curlynikki.com/2012/10/the-art-of-pre-poo.html

and here: http://www.curlynikki.com/2012/06/why-you-should-add-pre-pooing-to-your.html

Have a Happy Monday Naturalista’s!! Do you Pre-poo? What do you use?