I just had my first pre-poo treatment last week when I washed my hair with shampoo for the first time. For my pre-poo mixture, I used a simple EVOO + EVCO mix. A lot of you commented on how you also will incorporate conditioner in your pre-poo as well. So, while on The Natural Haven, I came across this really interesting article on the use of oil or conditioner for pre-pooing.
By JC of The Natural Haven
Browsing through forums, vlogs and blogs, hair care can rapidly get complicated. I am all for simplifying your routine and making hair care more pleasurable!
One very grey area is the pre-wash treatment of hair (or prepoo meaning pre-shampoo for the uninitiated). I have seen a whole string of concoctions to prepare hair but I will narrow it down to two main groups
1. Oil applied to hair prior to wetting
2. Conditioner (or a conditoner/oil mix) applied to hair prior to washing
So, should you go for an oil or a conditoner or a conditioner oil mix? Well let us see what you get with each!
Oil
Role 1: I have previously talked hair damage caused by hair expanding when wet then contracting again when dry (hygral fatigue). Certain oils like coconut oil and olive oil are known to penetrate slightly under the cuticle and help reduce the expansion of hair when wet (J Cosmet Sci, pp 169-184, 2001).
Role 2: Shampoos work by lifting oil off from the surface of hair (see diagrams here). However for some people this leaves the hair feeling stripped. A prepoo treatment with oil is essentially creating greasy hair. Greasy hair usually means that one shampoo application will still leave some oil behind. This little bit of oil allows hair to not feel ‘stripped’.
Role 3: Hair treated with coconut oil as a pre-wash has been shown to be less susceptible to breakage after washing. (J Cosmet Sci, pp 327-339, 1999)
Words of caution for Oil Prepoo – Not all oils can prevent or reduce hygral fatigue. Oils require several hours to penetrate the hair. Some people have naturally greasy hair and will not like the feel of extra oil on hair.
Conditioner Mix
Role: Conditioners have a high component of water (usually over 50%). Applying a conditioner or a conditioner oil mix to hair prior to shampoo is therefore unlikely to be as effective in reducing hygral fatigue compared to an oil on its own. However there is no research on this at the moment.
The principle role of conditioner applied to hair prior to washing is to create a greasy layer similar to role 2 above.
Words of caution for Conditioner Prepoo – Build up can occur as a result of the different charges in conditioner (positive) and shampoo (negative) (J Soc Cosmet Chem, pp 263-278, 1993). Wherever possible rinse out the conditioner thoroughly before using the shampoo. Applying one directly over the other can create build up.
What are your thoughts ladies?
Which method works best for you? Pre-pooing with conditioner or oil?
Pre-pooing with oil works the best for me. It helps me finger-detangle befor shampooing without my hair shrinking up too much. It's also easier on my scalp than conditioner. I usually use coconut oil but I want to try a coconut oil/castor oil combo for fall/winter.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I have the time and Im in the mood to, I prepoo with EVOO. As the commenter before stated, it allows me to finger detangle and then twist in big sections before washing with the shampoo. I have EVCO but I hate melting it down and putting it in my hair, I wish it was just liquid all the time! lol
ReplyDeleteI prepoo with EVOO, the night before washing. It's a little messy but i love the results. I would like to try using EVCO next.
ReplyDelete