0 Pre-pooing Before Shampooing; Is It In Vain?

Shampoo and conditioner aside, any product you place on your hair is going to coat the strand, somewhat, causing varying amounts of buildup. This is why we shampoo our hair, to rid our hair of buildup. For some shampoo can be too stripping, meaning, it can take away the hair's natural oils leaving the hair very dry even after conditioning.

To remedy the drying effects of shampoo many women do pre-poo treatments. The basis of a pre-poo treatment is to add some type of oil or conditioner to the hair so that after shampooing the hair, some of the oil is left behind. Natural Hair Haven just did an awesome post about this subject.

Essentially, I  look at it as adding more build up to already dirty hair (dirty as in product heavy) to make it so that the shampoo can't clean the hair thoroughly. For example, I wouldn't come home from the gym, put lotion on and then hop in the shower. To most people that would be gross, well essentially you are doing the same thing to your hair. Here's why:

You already have:

• Leave-Ins
• Oils or Butter for sealing 
• Stylers
• and Dirt on your hair. 

 No matter what you add on top of that, it probably isn't going to sink in very far. At least not far enough to make it to the hair shaft.
So, what exactly is the shampoo leaving behind when you pre-poo? Obviously it gets what closet to the surface first and leaves what's under that layer on the hair strand. Imagine doing this for weeks upon weeks? This may be why some natural experience build up, dull looking hair or even why some have to clarify due to products having no effect on the hair.

To me, the best answer to avoid or remedy having stripped hair after shampooing is to;

1. Dilute the shampoo: Try doing 1:1 ratio of shampoo to water. You may even need to change to a shampoo that doesn't contain any sulfates as these can be very stripping.
2. Deep Condition: Try doing your deep conditioning after you shampoo; you can even use your regular conditioner. Just saturate the hair with conditioner and put on your shower cap. Finish washing and then rinse. Most conditioners only need 15 mins. (more or less) to work. (Great time to soak in the bath a bit!)

If the above still leaves your hair stripped, it may be time to change shampoos. In my opinion, leaving behind dirt and buildup on the hair isn't the best idea. But, as with all things, if it works for you, do it! This is just my opinion on the subject.

Do you pre-poo? With what? How is it working for you?

For Your Body & Hair Butters Visit:DIY Hair Care Products