how has pre-shampooing benefitted your hair

[youwillrise]

whether you do it with oils, conditioners, both, something else, dry hair, wet hair...whatever

how has it helped in your haircare journey.

the idea just still seems weird to me! after all these years...i feel like it'd be a waste of time.

after you use your prepoo treatment, what do you use to wash? what does your hair feel like with the treatment vs just washing alone?

 

[Miss AJ]

It makes my shower session less annoying. By deep conditioning on dampened hair first, I dont have to jump back in the shower or break my back rinsing it out underneath the tub sink. I just shampoo and quick condition like normal after I rinse it out.

 

[faithVA]

I have done other prepoos with oils and with oil/aloe vera. It's been a while so I don't remember how they work on my hair but they are great for my scalp. I also may prepoo with oil and honey. I like this one because it leaves my hair soft and more moisturized. But it can also be messy and take longer so I save it for once a quarter.

I usually prepoo with diluted conditioner. This works great for me because this is when I detangle and remove all of the shed hair. I try not to let water hit my hair before detangling to prevent my hair from matting. I usually leave the prepoo in for about 20 minutes or while I work out. By the time I rinse my hair is nice and soft and I can just comb through it.

I wash with a cleansing conditioner or with a mudwash. I don't know what my hair feels like with the treatment vs. without it because I have been doing it so long. Even when I cowash mid-week, I will apply conditioner to my hair outside of the shower before I get in.

It may or may not work for you. It really depends on your hair and your regimen. Others may do things like DC on dry hair or overnight DC. Some ladies may steam first. There are many options. None of those options work for me but they work for others.

If you already have a regimen that works for you, I say keep it as simple as you can. You could always try it yourself and see if it works when you have an extra 30 minutes.

 

[youwillrise]

i guess i was thinking more along the lines of people who pre-poo, shampoo and then follow with a dc.

 

[faithVA]

i guess i was thinking more along the lines of people who pre-poo, shampoo and then follow with a dc.

I do prepoo, shampoo and follow with a DC. I don't like doing my DC first. To me my hair feels softer and more moisturized when I DC last. I also notice almost no effect if I DC on dry hair or if I DC overnight. Those are wasted on my hair.

I think prepooing is done primarily for two reasons. One is to detangle and another is to preserve the moisture in the hair during the wash session.

 

[HoneyA]

I used to pre-poo regularly with olive oil or amla oil overnight to detangle my hair for wash day. It made the washing process a lot easier because my hair was easier to manage, especially as it got longer and thicker. I found that my hair also became darker which I welcomed.

 

[charmtreese]

My pre-shampoo is with some type of cleaner so it's beneficial for me. I do them to help remove build-up from my scalp and to detangle my hair. By wash day my hair has more than enough oil on it, therefore for me doing a pre-poo with oil is kindof redundant.

 

[crazytrish75]

I pre-poo with wheat germ oil. I looovveeee what this oil does for my hair, it adds some excellent shine and softness . However, I absolutely hate the smell. So, by prepooing, I get the benefits of it (it is also a ceramide oil) without the lingering smell. HTH!

 

[Ogoma]

I detangle before I shampoo so I slather on conditioner and oil a few mins before I begin the detangling/shampooing process. If I do an ayurvedic treatment, it will be prior to shampooing.

I always deep condition for a few mins to an hour after shampooing and leave my DC in. I am all about saving time. The jumping in and out of the shower does not work for me.

 

[iri9109]

I used to prepoo all the time but got really lazy.. i remember my hair did feel less stripped after shampooing... but some weeks ago I prepooed with coconut oil and my hair afterwards was just amazing.. it wasn't that my hair didn't get stripped or anything because I actually didn't even use shampoo, I cowashed. but my hair even after I styled just felt and looked healthier and shinier and my hair retained moisture better.. so now I do try to prepoo regularly.. I think prepooing before your hair gets immersed in water is beneficial whether you're shampooing or cowashing

 

[DarkJoy]

less wet breakage due to having to detangle during condish and less detangling time after. all this = more retention. i use oils.

 

[kupenda]

I used to prepoo all the time but got really lazy.. i remember my hair did feel less stripped after shampooing... but some weeks ago I prepooed with coconut oil and my hair afterwards was just amazing.. it wasn't that my hair didn't get stripped or anything because I actually didn't even use shampoo, I cowashed. but my hair even after I styled just felt and looked healthier and shinier and my hair retained moisture better.. so now I do try to prepoo regularly.. I think prepooing before your hair gets immersed in water is beneficial whether you're shampooing or cowashing

I did the same thing last week! I put coconut oil all through my hair, left it in for about ten minutes, then I cowashed. The result was super soft airdried hair. I considered not even using a leave in.

To answer you question OP, I only do a pre treatment when I'm not feeling lazy. Often times its with coconut and/or castor oil to help remove shed hair and detangle. I always get great results. It's surely worth the extra effort

 

[EnExitStageLeft]

Shampoo whether Sulfate or Sulfate-free can reaped havoc on the hair strand. What prepooing does for me is to lessen or even cut out the havoc, so that my shampoo process is a breeze. I notice that when I pre-poo before shampooing I have less tangles, my hair NEVER feels stripped, my cuticle layers are pretty smooth and its really easy to maintain proper PH balance. To Pre-poo I prefer ceramide oils like hempseed, wheat germ, grapeseed, rice bran and sunflower. These not only have a positive reaction with my cuticles layer, but it helps my hair receive protein soooooooo much better. My hair is noticably smoother and retains a hell-of-a-lot more moisture vs. when I lazy up and don't prepoo. I say try it and if its not for you don't do it anymore, but if it is STAY WITH IT .

 

[GreenEyedJen]

I used to prepoo all the time but got really lazy.. i remember my hair did feel less stripped after shampooing... but some weeks ago I prepooed with coconut oil and my hair afterwards was just amazing.. it wasn't that my hair didn't get stripped or anything because I actually didn't even use shampoo, I cowashed. but my hair even after I styled just felt and looked healthier and shinier and my hair retained moisture better.. so now I do try to prepoo regularly.. I think prepooing before your hair gets immersed in water is beneficial whether you're shampooing or cowashing

Me too (regarding the bolded)

I think it really helps me because I have fine hair, so it helps to keep my hair detangled during my wash session, and I get all the benefits of an oil without the extra weight and greasiness that oils usually add to my fine hair. I've only ever pre-pooed with oil; no conditioner or anything.

 

[spellinto]

For me, pre-pooing is beneficial because it allows me to use products I don't always have time to use...specifically my castor oil. Castor oil weighs my hair down/makes it greasy, so I don't typically apply it during the week (unless I'm not don't have anything planned). So on wash days, I detangle, mist my hair with water, then apply castor oil, and let that sit for a generous amount of time. My hair gets to absorb some of its softening benefits, which helps my hair stay detangled when I wash. But I can see why it may not seem necessary for some people

 

[offthechainliz]

i started doing and i definitely notice that my ends are not dry and crunchy anymore. My hair also doesn't feel stripped after shampoo.

 

[Froreal3]

I started prepooing with my DC (Aubrey's HSR or GPB) to detangle. The instructions say to use on dry hair anyway, so I was like, "Great, no showering twice to use this stuff." The conditioner easily detangles my hair like none other before I get in the shower. I then shampoo and get out. This is all done in 4 loose braids. It's just a time saver for me.

 

[RoseTintedCheeks]

I started off prepooing with oils because mixing them into conditioners doesn't work for me. I just slather on some coconut oil, rinse and follow up with a DC. Especially good in the winter months.

 

[Angelicus]

I pre-poo for a couple of reasons:

1. to give myself a scalp massage. Ahhh, the relaxing feeling of oiling my hair with my favorite oil and mixing it with a couple of drops of my favorite essential oil is euphoric! Massaging gets the blood flowing and I really think it makes a difference in my growth.

2. Because all the Indian women with long hair do it (hey, I know that they have long hair because of genetics but I feel grand when I do it).

3. Hair is less dry and feels moisturized after I am done styling.

My hair has truly improved once I started oiling my hair before shampooing.

 

[InBloom]

I notice my hair is softer, more manageable, just better conditioned. I notice less shedding, though I'm not sure why. Maybe because my hair isn't as tangled once I've pre-pooed, washed and quick conditioned.

My prepoo is a lot of conditioner with a bit of oil (hempseed or coconut). Then I wash and lightly condition with a matching duo. Nothing but good.

I pre-poo as though applying relaxer, and leave in for 30 minutes.

Without doing this, I have a lot more shed hair and detangling is a bit more difficult. My new growth seems softer when I pre-poo vs. when I don't.

 

[divachyk]

-Better hydration
-Less breakage
-Saves time when I don't feel like hopping in/out of shower

 

[halee_J]

-Acts as a buffer during the shampoo process

-Allows me to easily detangle and section my hair -this is major since I don't comb my hair between washes.

- Stronger and more hydrated hair, its more resilient during the wash process which results in less breakage.

 

[youwillrise]

thanks everyone...great stuff here

i was just kind of thinking "wait, why am i doing this is im just going to wash it away?" but i assume that not all of the product will be washed off (unless using a clarifying shampoo or one that had stronger cleansing properties)

maybe i'll try it with a shampoo bar or a non-sulfate shampoo sometime and see if it makes a difference.

 

[JudithO]

I pre-poo (with coconut oil), shampoo, and then DC weekly.

Hair is not so stripped after shampooing, scalp stays nice, and I believe my hair is softer.... Now with all the benefit of coconut oil that science shows (better protein retention, reduced hygral fatigue etc).... I believe it's serving me more than I can actually see....

My retention is not bad at all... been retaining at least 75%of my growth... BUT I also moisturize and seal every other day, bun 99.9% of the time (easy hair), and DC weekly so I'm sure that is contributing too...

I'm relaxed, very fine hair... with damage due to overprocessing... Im sure people who are natural, thicker hair or have an even relaxed texture will see more benefits..

 

[Dayjoy]

Does anyone mist or dampen their hair before applying the prepoo? For some reason I think that would be necessary.

Even though the hair is dirty, the prepoo actually penetrates and still works on the hair?

 

[divachyk]

Does anyone mist or dampen their hair before applying the prepoo? For some reason I think that would be necessary.

Even though the hair is dirty, the prepoo actually penetrates and still works on the hair?

Dayjoy, I typically don't but think Nix08 does. I overnight prepoo with evco the night before wash day. On wash day, I will then apply a conditioner concotion mixed with a lot of oils. It's applies on my hair without issues, thus I don't dampen/mist it first. I feel the prepoo works on dirty hair. My hair remains much softer and detangled throughout the wash process. I can tell a difference when I do/don't prepoo.

 

[Nix08]

@divachyk hey girl!!!

@DarkJoy yes and no...I do dampen my hair before washing but I call my pre poo a DC (because that would mean that I never DC). I do not DC again after washing/cowashing. I use to dampen with AVG but now I dampen with a tea blend of: Hibiscus, marshmallow root, rosemary, fenugreek, burdock, thyme, fennel, catnip, oolong and green tea.

 

[southerncitygirl]

here's what i have observed when i pre-poo:

hair retains more moisture and is not as dry
i detangle my hair faster, even though i use a leave-in with slip, a shower comb and detangle in sections
hair is less tangled, even though i wash in sections.
i have less breakage


i mist my hair with water and apply any mixture of the following to my strands in 4-6 sections:

conditioner
oil
aloe vera gel
honey
molasses


sometimes i sleep with it in overnight or other times i sit under the dryer for 30-60 mins or hang out around the house with a plastic cap on for several hours. there is a huge difference when i skip pre-pooing.


deep conditioning before you wash and pre-pooing is the same thing......i have seen posters try to act like its not....but whatever.

give it a try girlie, you will be pleased. there's a thread floating around somewhere where chicoro makes a pre-poo mix of aloe vera gel and oils.

 

[tenderheaded]

I pre-poo with protein, Ojon or grapeseed oil/castor oil. It loosens scalp debris when I scritch before washing. My hair feels so good after the actual poo, I can skip any other con, but I don't!

My hair is relaxed with a tight curl pattern. It gets mad if I don't pre-poo!

 

[DarkJoy]

@divachyk hey girl!!!

@DarkJoy yes and no...I do dampen my hair before washing but I call my pre poo a DC (because that would mean that I never DC). I do not DC again after washing/cowashing. I use to dampen with AVG but now I dampen with a tea blend of: Hibiscus, marshmallow root, rosemary, fenugreek, burdock, thyme, fennel, catnip, oolong and green tea.

Halllooooo Nix08!

Ahem... I think you meant Dayjoy! Don't freak us all out... confusing the light and the dark.

soooo funnnyyyy!