As I get more in tune with this Instagram thing (and now Facebook, yee!), I am beginning to get more questions about regimens and favorite products. I've said many times before that I don't have a particular regimen -- but rather that I listen to my hair. That still very much holds true. What I have decided to do over the next couple of posts (because let's face it, a list of favorite products from a recovering product junkie would be a loooooooooooooong post) is highlight some of my favorite products in each category.
It will go something like this:
Part I: Pre-Poos
Part II: Detanglers
Part III: Shampoos
Part IV: Conditioners
Part V: Leave-Ins and Styling Products
Ready? Let's go!
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I believe that pre-pooing is quite possibly one of the most underrated haircare/regimen practices. I have handled my transitioning locks with and without pre-poos, and there is a significant difference. When I don't pre-poo, my hair is more tangle-prone, feels weaker, more apt to breakage and knots. It also seems more difficult to detangle overall. When I pre-poo (anywhere from 2 hours to 2 days), my hair seems to become the polar opposite. Not to say that my tangles just melt and knots disappear, but my strands glide past eachother with more ease, less friction, and less breakage.
For those unfamiliar with the practice of pre-pooing, here is a little breakdown, courtesy of MopTop Maven:
Sidebar: She's going easy on the products. When I pre-poo, I slather it on like there's no tomorrow.
Anyway, when it comes to pre-pooing there are two products I enjoy:
1. Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil: One of the simplest, purest, inexpensive (if you shop at the right places) and nourishing oils you can ever apply to your tresses. Not only is it chock full of nutrients in its unrefined state, it has a unique molecular structure that only a few oils can hold a candle to. Not only does coconut oil penetrate your hair (making it a true moisturizer), it coats the hair aiding in slip, and mitigating protein loss and cuticle damage that happens during handling, styling, washing, and more. I pre-poo using Trader Joe's Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, costing a mere $5.99 per jar.
2. Vatika Oil: In truth, Vatika Oil is coconut oil enriched with goodies such as Neem, Amla, Henna, Rosemary Oil and more. All of the enriching ingredients work together to nourish, fortify, strengthen, soften and shine-up hair. If you have any sensitivities to added fragrance, you may want to put Vatika Oil down. It does contain artificial fragrance (at the end of the list), but I didn't find that it detracted from the oil's effectiveness. Vatika can be purchased online or from a local Indian grocer, around $5-6 per bottle.
When it comes to pre-pooing, here are a few tips I picked up along the way:
1. Pre-poo before detangling. It will be more difficult for nourishing oils to penetrate through layers of slippery product than it would if your hair were in its pre-detangled state. Plus, the penetrated oil will make it easier to detangle the hair.
2. Pre-poo overnight (or longer) if possible. Because the oil needs time to penetrate, at least 14 hours of pre-pooing is ideal. Don't worry -- you can rock a pre-poo bun and no one is the wiser...lol.
3. Protect your pillows (and your partner). When pre-pooing overnight, alllllways slap on a plastic cap, plastic bag, or covering of some sort. I can guarantee that if you sleep uncovered, you will wake up with the greasiest face on earth...and probably accidentally oil up your partner in the process.
Happy pre-pooing! What are some of your pre-treatment favorites and why?
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2 Comments
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ReplyDeleteHow often do you pre-poo? And do you do it even if you're going to wash your hair that day? or is just for co washing?
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