PRE POO: WHAT IS IT AND HOW DO YOU DO IT?

Hey guyssss!!

How are you?? How’s your week going?

So the other day, I posted about my wash day routine on my Instagram story (if you don’t follow already, you should. I frequently post hair tips and routines – @natureslocks). The first step of my wash day I posted was about a pre-poo and I got loads of messages asking what this was and what it does for your hair. You guys voted for a post on it so here we are!

To put it simply, a pre-poo is a pre-shampoo treatment. I personally saw a huge difference in my hair when I started pre-pooing. My hair felt wayyyy softer, it was shinier and detangling was much easier than it previously had been. I also noticed more length retention because my hair wasn’t being stripped by the shampoo and it was absorbing the vital nutrients from the oils.

The benefits of a pre-poo treatment include:

• Softens the hair and makes it more manageable – the oil makes the hair more pliable, increasing manageability
• Aids detangling therefore shortening wash day – I’m sure we’ve all gotten into the shower to detangle our hair and noticed that the tangles worsen the second water hits our strands. This helps to reduce that issue
• It stops your hair being stripped of necessary natural oils when you shampoo – some shampoos can really strip your hair of the natural oils and, whilst you want clean hair, you don’t really want dry, stripped hair
• Adds shine to the hair – well oil is shiny so this one is self explanatory!
• Certain oils contain vital nutrients for the health of your hair – many oils, such as olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil and others, contain vital nutrients like vitamin E, vitamin C, antioxidant properties, antimicrobial properties and more

So how do you even pre-poo? There are different methods when it comes to pre-pooing but the more common ones are using a conditioner and an oil, using just oil or using oil and a hydrating agent (e.g. water, aloe vera juice). My preferred method is to spray my hair and scalp with water or pure aloe vera juice and then I apply my Nature’s Locks Reparative Hair Growth & Sealing Oil to the scalp and hair. You should massage these products into your scalp and distribute throughout all the hair, making sure to focus on the ends of your hair. You can use this opportunity to lightly detangle your hair and remove some of the shed hair. You then cover your hair with a shower cap or plastic bag for a minimum of 30 minutes (I keep it on overnight sometimes) before shampooing and carrying on with your routine. You should try to create some heat by using a heat cap or a scarf to make the treatment more effective. I try to do this every time I wash my hair, which is usually once a week, but sometimes I stretch the pre-poo to once every 2 weeks.

The reason I personally prefer to use the Nature’s Locks oil is that it contains olive oil and coconut oil, both of which are the only oils (along with avocado oil) that can penetrate the hair strand so the nutrients really go deep into the strands and do their work. You need to really saturate your hair in the oil – like your hair should be shiny! Fret not, when you shampoo, your hair won’t be greasy. But that’s kind of why this may not be the best thing if you’re just co-washing with a conditioner. I only do this when I’m using a shampoo or a proper cleansing conditioner (e.g. Camille Rose Naturals Sweet Ginger Cleansing Rinse).

That’s about it guys!! If you’ve never tried a pre-poo, I strongly recommend giving it a go regardless of if you’re relaxed, natural or transitioning! The benefits are clear to see – even after just ONE wash. Seriously! It will leave your hair soft, smooth and bouncy. And it will leave your scalp healthy and nourished (remember, healthy scalp = hair growth + healthy hair). Try it and let me know what you think!!

Love,

Tara xXx