Back to Basics: Pre-poo (A Hair Regimen Series)

On my natural hair journey, I am learning how uncomplicated a solid hair regimen can be. Often times we seek out information, products, and hair methods that further confuse us. I wanted to do a 6 part series spelling out the basic foundation to giving our tresses the care they crave.

Step 1: Pre-poo

What: Pre-pooing is applying a product (oil, conditioner or a combination of the two) to the hair and leaving it on for a period of time before you cleanse.

When: Before cleansing

Why: The purpose of pre-pooing is to condition and protect the hair.

How: Here are your options – Method #1 – You can start with dry or damp hair. Apply heated or unheated carrier oil (such as olive, coconut, etc) to hair and/or scalp. Cover hair with plastic cap and scarf/towel/cap. Wait at least 20 minutes before rinsing out (you can also make this an overnight treatment, rinsing it out the next day).

OR

Method #2 – You can start with dry or damp hair. Apply conditioner (or conditioner/oil combination) to hair only. Cover hair with plastic cap and scarf/towel/cap. Wait at least 20 minutes before rinsing out. It is NOT recommended to do this method overnight.

With either method, if you are doing a 20-30 minute session, you can incorporate heat from a dryer or heat cap.

Other notes: Honey and molasses are also popular pre-poo ingredients. They can be used alone or added to your oil and/or conditioner.

Thanks for reading. Be blessed!

CallaLily