What is Pre-Pooing?

You’ve probably heard the term before, or you’ve not. Nevertheless, pre-pooing is a beneficial hair practice you may want to know about. Pre-pooing basically involves applying a treatment or oil to your hair before you can begin your shampooing routine. The term “pre-poo” essentially comes from “pre-shampoo.” It’s the prep you do before subjecting your hair to the cleansing agents in shampoo.

What Are the Benefits of Pre-Pooing?

1. Moisture retention: By treating your hair with a treatment or an oil prior to shampooing, you create a protective barrier that prevents the stripping away of natural oils and moisture during shampooing. This is especially beneficial for people with curly or coily hair which is prone to dryness.

2. Reduces the risk of breakage: Coating your ends and lengths with a nourishing oil minimizes friction during shampooing, greatly reducing the risk of hair breakage. So if you’ve been having to deal with breakage on wash day, you can benefit a lot from pre-pooing.

3. Enhances detangling: Pre-poo treatments add slip to the hair, making it easier to prevent and remove knots and tangles in hair as you wash it.

4. Improved scalp condition: Massaging a pre-poo oil treatment into your scalp promotes blood flow and helps nourish the hair roots. This can greatly improve the condition of your scalp and stimulate healthy hair growth over time.

How To Pre-Poo

Reaping the benefits of pre-pooing is pretty easy, just follow these simple steps:

• Select a pre-pop treatment of your choice. You can pick from popular choices like coconut oil, aloe vera, argan oil, or olive oil, among many other options that easily penetrate the hair.
• Divide your hair into 4-6 manageable sections. Warm the oil between your palms and use your palms to apply it to small sections of your hair in a downward smoothing motion, from root to tip. Make sure that all the strands are coated. Use your fingers to remove any tangles and add more oil if needed.
• After coating a section of hair, secure it into a twist to separate it from the rest. When you eventually shampoo, this will make the process easier as you’ll be shampooing each section one by one.
• Ensure to massage the scalp so the treatment can reach the hair roots and nourish them.
• Allow ample time for absorption. Let the pre-poo treatment seat in for about 15-30 minutes before you can start shampooing. You can even leave on the treatment overnight for deeper penetration and shampoo the next day. Make sure to cover your hair properly so as to prevent absorption of the treatment into your bedding.

And that’s it! Pre-pooing isn’t nearly as complicated as many people think it is. It simply involves applying a pre-poo oil or treatment prior to shampooing. By taking this extra step before shampooing, you can prevent problems like breakage and dryness that may occur during and after shampooing.

If you’re considering giving pre-pooing a try, we wish you all the best!