Revisiting Old Habits

Photo credit: Google Images

As I look back at old post I realize that my hair is more healthy now than it has ever been. I credit this success being from the products I used, but most importantly the techniques I used. When I first started my hair journey I washed and deep conditioned my hair every week and moisturized and sealed often. Pre-pooing, or pre-shampooing is the one technique I feel contributed significantly to my health of my hair. Pre-pooing is a treatment applied to the hair before shampooing. 

The purpose of a pre-poo is to maintain or add moisture to your hair after it shampoo. Shampoo is known to strip the hair of it's natural oils. Pre-poo is most commonly done with an oil or conditioner. However you can use other things such as honey. I have used them all and I feel they all work great. If I had to choose a favorite it would definitely be honey. Although it can be messy, it leaves my hair amazingly moisturized! When I pre-poo with a conditioner I MUST follow up with a deep conditioner in order get the best results. 

Some time ago I cut out pre-pooing my hair. I started deep conditioning on dry hair and felt this was the same thing as pre-pooing. I failed to realized that I skipped a key step, following up with a conditioner after shampooing. Even though I use a sulfate free shampoo, some of my hair's natural oils are still stripped. This leave my hair not being as moisturized as it should be. I am currently 8 months into my transition. As my natural hair becomes more prevalent, I notice my hair is more dry. I need to do everything I can to retain as much of my hair's natural oils and thus I have decided to make a few changes in my hair regimen.

First I will go back to deep conditioning after I shampoo. This will ensure that I'm adding the moisture back into my hair after it is stripped from the shampoo. Next I will begin pre-pooing again. I will probably pre-poo mostly with oils and/or honey because these two work best. I'm hoping that by adding these two steps, my hair will become more healthy and moisturized during my transition. I will have a post on my "revised" hair regimen soon. 

What are some techniques that you simply can not live without during your wash day? Do you Pre-poo? What's your favorite product to pre-poo with?

Wash Day

Today's wash day went really well. I had plans to roller-set my hair, but they fell through due to lack of time. Here are the steps to my wash day.

1. Pre-pooed with a garlic and NTM conditioner mix. I finished the last of the NTM Daily Conditioner. I probably will not repurchase since I was using it as a conditioner rinse and may have found a substitute. I didn't mention this is my previous post, but my hair has been shedding excessively. This is my reasoning behind this particular mix.
2. Shampooed with CON Argon Oil Moisture and Shine Sulfate Free Shampoo.
3. DCed with ORS Hair Masque. Review coming later this week.
4. Rinsed out DC and applied Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Daily Treatment and rinsed after about 5 mins. I loved how smooth my hair felt. I think this will replace the NTM conditioner! So far I LOVE this stuff, but I will have a more through review after a few more uses.
5. T-shirt dried for about 5 mins then added Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In and sealed it with GVP's Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum. The combination of this serum with the PM SS Daily Treatment was a heaven send for my hair. It left my hair so soft, smooth, and shiny!! A+ combination! I just hope it works like this every time I use it.
6. I airdried my hair in a bun d/t a lack of time. I'm thinking about adding some bantu knots or flexi-rods to it tonight. I need to do something with my hair because on my days off I have not even touched my hair. It has been sitting all over my hair and my Honey told me it was wayyyy past time to do something to my hair. I definitely agreed with him.

Hair 100% dry at this point.

So with that being said I'm gonna try to stay clear of bunning my hair for a about a week or two. I may even flat iron it for Christmas. Lately I've been thinking of going to a salon to have someone else do my hair for a change. I'm not sure if I will be able to go through with it, but it has definitively been on my mind.

**Like my Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/Blutifulblaqhair**