The idea of pre poo seemed ridiculous when I first heard about it. Slapping additional products on your hair only to wash them out. Pre Pooing seemed ridiculous and unnecessary. I decided to research to see if there was any real benefit to Pre Pooing or if it was all hype.
Pre Poos help prevent breakage by protecting hair against hygral fatigue. The best pre Poos contain ingredients that penetrate the hair shaft. This strengthens the hair in preparation for wash day.
Have you ever stayed in a swimming pool or in a bath tub for a long time and noticed your nails were very soft and weak? This is hygral fatigue and when it occurs in hair, it is more prone to breakage.
Pre Pooing, the process of applying penetrating ingredients to the hair before shampooing, strengthens the hair before shampooing. The added layer of protection keeps the hair from becoming too weak during wash day.
Some common pre poos are oils, aloe vera juice, and coconut oil. Some strengthening treatments such as henna, rice water, and egg and mayo conditioner can be applied as pre-poos. Pre-poos have gain gained popularity and have become commercially available.
There is even a pre-poo on the market formulated to repair damaged bonds in your hair! Keep reading to learn more.
Using the right Oils as a Pre-Poo
Oils can either be penetrating or protective. Penetrating oils are able to penetrate the hair shaft and are the perfect choice for pre-poos.
According to Carol’s Daughter:
“Three that do are coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil. Not only are these tiny enough to get inside and replenish moisture, but they also each have other benefits that help boost hair health”
- Avocado Oil is high in fatty acids that can help strengthen hair.
- Coconut Oil contains protein that can help prevent damage.
- Olive oil is good for softening, detangling and increasing shine.
Choose your favorite oil or use a combination of all three as a pre poo.
Rice Water is a Strengthening Pre-Poo
Rice Water is a pre-poo and popular on YouTube. Rice Water is pretty simple to make, you soak rice in water. Then you apply the starcy water to your hair and allow it to sit for about 30 minutes.
According to Medical News Today:
Rice water is thought to contain many of the vitamins and minerals contained in rice. These include:
amino acids, B vitamins, vitamin E, minerals, antioxidants
Medical News Today
This Pre-Poo was traditionally used by women of south east Asian descent who have long healthy hair. It has since been adopted by the natural hair community, many naturals with varying hair types, have tried it and noticed stronger hair. Stronger hair means less breakage with more length retention. Some naturals also report that their hair is easier to detangle.
Rice Water is worth trying, but should only be used occasionally. Some have found that using rice water too frequently deteriorates the condition of their hair.
Henna as a Pre Poo
Henna is another treatment that can be used as a pre-poo, but should be used with caution. Two reason to be careful with Henna:
- It Permanently deposits a reddish color on to your hair:
- It may interfere with future chemical processes ( dyes, texlaxers, and relaxers)
I first heard about Henna from Curly Nikki. Here is what Curly Nikki has to say about Henna
henna helps fill in rough spots on the cuticle. With the cuticle rough edges smoothed over, the hair feels smoother and the cuticle takes a lot less damage during combing and manipulation
Curly Nikki
I’ve been using Henna since 2011 and I do notice a difference in my hair after a new application. The application of Henna is messy and for maximum effectiveness should be left on for at least 4 hours.
You should research Henna and perform a strand test
Beauty Supply Pre Poo
If you perefer to buy a pre-poo rather than mix one up at home, there are a few options.
Here are a few brands that Market:
My Favorite Pre- Poo s
I don’t pre-poo on the regular. However, I do use Henna treatments every 4 to 6 weeks. If I do incorporate pre-poo on the regular it will be using oils. I normally have avocado oil, coconut oil & olive oil