How To Pre Poo Low Porosity Hair

There are so many conflicting opinions on how to pre poo low porosity hair that sometimes it is difficult to know what the best route forward for your hair is. This article looks at some of these different methods and provides you with a few recipes that will help you make the best choice for your hair.

Low porosity hair finds it difficult to absorb moisture. The cuticles surrounding each hair strand are tightly closed so it may take longer to get fully wet. Once wet, it can take longer to dry, and have difficulty taking on nutrients to keep it healthy. Pre poo’ing low porosity hair will give it the boost it needs to keep on looking at its best.

Pre-poo’ing your low porosity hair will help keep it in a wonderful condition, making it easy to manage and style. Your healthy and nourished hair will also look and feel great too.

Read on to find out the best way to pre-poo your low porosity hair.

How To Pre Poo Low Porosity Hair

The recent boom of the No Poo movement has led to hundreds of thousands of people looking more closely at their hair care routine.

Swapping out traditional shampoos with their man-made chemicals, in favor of natural ingredients, has grown in popularity, with countless numbers of followers raving about how much healthier the No Poo approach has left their hair.

Just in case you are not familiar with the concept of pre poo; below are the basics of what pre-pooing actually is:

• A method of conditioning and protecting hair before a No Poo wash
• Can improve hair softness
• Improves hair manageability
• Imparts moisture
• Nourishes each hair strand

For reference, these are the characteristics often associated with low porosity hair:

• Tight cuticles
• Does not take in moisture easily
• Takes time to dry
• Frizzy hair
• Hair breakage
• Prone to build up as product sits on top of the hair
• Dryness (source 1)

If you have low porosity hair you may experience any or all of the above. Therefore, learning how to pre poo low porosity hair correctly is going to be of great importance to you.

Most importantly, the method that you use to pre poo your hair may change depending upon your hair type, or its needs at the time of your wash. For example, your hairs individual needs often change across the different seasons.

So what should I use to pre poo my hair?

Take a look at the different hair types listed below to determine which matches your hair type, then follow the recommendations listed.

Dry Hair

If you suffer from dry hair then the best pre poo option for your hair type would be using a molasses and egg pre poo recipe.

Combine the following ingredients together to moisturise and strengthen your hair:

• Molasses
• Wheatgerm Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Egg Yolk

This pre-poo treatment is most suited to darker hair as the ingredients can have a staining nature which would not be ideal on very light-colored hair.

If you are interested in trying out this pre-poo recipe, here’s how to do it:

1. Mix molasses with coconut oil that has been warmed over hot water.
2. Add in egg yolk.
3. Whisk until all of the ingredients are incorporated.
4. Add in the wheat germ oil and mix again.
5. Dampen your hair
6. Smooth the mixture over your hair
7. Massage mixture into your hair until all the hair strands are covered.
8. Leave for an hour to sink into your hair
9. Rinse and wash your hair as usual (source 1).

Thin Hair

If you suffer from thin hair, here’s what you need to do.

One of the difficulties with fine hair (especially low porosity hair) is that conditioners and products can sit on the hair and weigh it down, making it look limp and lifeless.

Pre-pooing will help your hair because it adds moisture before the wash process and that way, the hair is moisturized and nourished, but not left weighed down and unmanageable.

How To Pre Poo With Oil

If you have thin hair but have been wondering how to pre poo with oil, then keep reading.

For thin hair, coconut oil (or another oil of your choosing) can be a useful pre-poo option.

Oil is beneficial as it can help make detangling your hair easier, which helps stave off breakage.

To use oil as a pre poo treatment on your hair, take a small amount of oil and run it through the ends of your hair. Then leave the oil on your hair for 10 minutes, and wash your hair with whichever No Poo wash method you prefer.

Oil can make all the difference to how manageable your hair becomes.

Curly Hair

Sometimes making your own pre-poo can seem a little daunting and time-consuming, however, if you have curly hair then you will want to take note of the following.

Here is one of the simplest pre-poo instructions for curly haired gals and guys. Advocates claim it keeps their hair healthy in a No Poo friendly way.

1. Firstly, you should mix the flesh of one avocado with a good few tablespoons of honey.
2. Massage the mixture into your hair and scalp thoroughly.
3. Leave this pre-poo treatment on your hair for up to an hour
4. Rinse mixture off hair
5. Clean your hair with a No Poo wash

Thick Hair

If you have thick hair, then I am already insanely jealous of you!!! (joking!!).

To pre poo your hair, use the coconut milk or coconut oil pre-poo low porosity hair recipe listed below. This is one of the best pre-poo method for individuals with thick hair, and thought to really boost your hairs health:

1. Smother either coconut milk or coconut oil all over your hair.
2. Leave to soak into hair for 10 minutes.
3. Clean your hair with a No Poo wash.

If you want to give your hair a really intense pre poo treatment, leave the coconut oil on your hair for a couple of hours.

Leaving coconut oil on your hair for a few hours is very effective because the oil is given more time to thoroughly penetrate through each hair strand.

You can then rinse the coconut oil off your hair and wash your hair as normal.

Scalp Problems

If you suffer from scalp problems and have low porosity hair, then this recipe could help solve your hair worries.

Not only will this homemade recipe help moisturize and nourish your hair, you can also select an essential oil that will best help heal your scalp (should you have any issues, i.e. dandruff).

Some No-Poo’ers do not consider using essential oils as No Poo, but the benefits of essential oils have long been known. As a natural ingredient, such oils should not be overlooked.

If you are not sure what the benefits of each essential oil is, take a look at my guide No Poo Essential Oils For Hair to see which essential oil could help your existing hair woes.

For example, tea tree or rosemary oil are both well worth trying as they can help with multiple hairs and scalp problems.

Below is a pre-poo recipe suited to individuals suffering from scalp problems (source 1):

1. Pour 3tbs of sweet almond oil into a bowl.
2. Add a whisked egg yolk
3. Mix thoroughly.
4. Add a few drops of your chosen essential oil.
5. Wet your hair.
6. Massage the mixture into your damp hair and scalp
7. Leave in your hair for 20 minutes
8. Rinse mixture out
9. Clean hair with a No Poo wash as normal

Aloe vera pre poo for low porosity hair is another popular ingredient that is often used for pre-poos.

Aloe vera can be grown at home, or purchased from any good health store. It has many beneficial properties, including:

• Soothes the scalp
• Moisturizes
• Good for greasy hair
• Cleanses the hair
• Strengthens strands

It can be used on its own or mixed with other natural ingredients to promote hair growth and improve scalp health.

What Is Pre Poo?

Pre poo is simply a method used before No Poo washing to moisturize and protect the hair.

There are many benefits to using a pre-poo. Here are some examples:

• Fine Hair: Pre-poo can add the necessary moisture without weighing down fine hair.

• Natural Hair: Using the right pre-poo can help your curls elasticity.

• Dandruff: The right pre-poo with antibacterial and antifungal properties improve scalp health.

• Itchy Scalp: Soothing aloe vera can help your scalp and soothe any itching.

• Hygral Fatigue: Pre-pooing can reduce the likelihood of hygral fatigue by making sure that your hair only takes in the moisture it needs, therefore reducing damage caused by excessive moisture uptake and release.

• Tangles: Adding moisture and ‘slip’ can help untangling hair easier.

• Breakage: Healthy and strong hair is less prone to breakage.

Can You Pre Poo Dirty Hair?

Most pre-poos are carried out before a normal wash, so it is likely that your hair will be dirty when you pre-poo it.

If you are at all concerned, wetting your hair first will remove some of the dirt and allow the pre-poo to work to its best ability.

Most pre-poos work best on wet or damp hair, and some are specifically designed to take out excess oils.

How Do You Pre Poo With Oil?

I’ve been asked the following few questions about pre pooing quite a few times now, so thought I’d share these questions with you:

• Do you pre poo on wet or dry hair, when using oil?
• Can you pre poo on dirty hair

I decided to do some research on the matter, but was interested to discover that the answer seems to differ depending upon the source you use.

What I can tell you though, is that:

• Pre-poo works best on damp or wet hair, and this simple action will remove much of the dirt present.

• Pre poo ingredients are often also cleansing, and an oil pre-poo will soften dirt making it easier to remove during the No Poo washing process.

• Pro-pooing with oil is probably the easiest pre-poo to do. In its most basic form, smoothing warmed coconut oil through your hair and letting it sit for an hour will moisturize and protect your hair.

You can also add almost any other ingredient to the base oil depending upon the results you wish to achieve.

See my article about the benefits of each essential oil.

What Is Low Porosity Hair?

Low porosity hair does not take up moisture easily and can become frizzy, dry, and difficult to manage.

Since low porosity hair doesn’t take up moisture easily, products tend to sit on the top of the hair, weighing it down and making it look dull and lifeless.

If you are not sure whether you have low porosity or high porosity hair, do this simple check.

See below for details:

• Pull out a strand of hair.
• Drop it into a glass of water.
• Wait for 2 minutes.

Look at the glass of water, and determine what has happened to your hair strand.

Did it sink or float?

• Low Porosity: Your hair will remain on, or near the top of the water.
• Normal: Your hair will sink to midway down the glass of water.
• High Porosity: After a couple of minutes your hair will be at the bottom of the glass.

Before you try this test, make sure that your hair is:

• Clean.
• Not covered in any product.
• Not freshly washed (24-48 hours after your normal wash is preferable).
• Not oiled or product styled.

Knowing the type of hair that you have will mean that you can make sure that you use the best and most suitable products for your hair.

Should You Pre Poo Low Porosity Hair?

Low porosity hair can benefit from a pre-poo just as much as any other type of hair.

In fact, if you have low porosity hair then pre-pooing may help to avoid weighed down hair or frizz.

Another benefit of pre-pooing your hair before a No Poo wash, is that it will reduce hair breakage.

Low porosity hair, because of its tight cuticles, takes some time to absorb nutrients and moisture. Pre-pooing can increase the time that the hair has to take up the goodness from the pre-poo and really make a positive difference to how your hair looks and feels.

Regardless of whether you have low porosity hair or any other hair type, a pre-poo can leave your hair:

• Softer
• Easier to detangle
• With more shine
• Looking healthy
• More manageable

Scalp health can also benefit from pre-poo’ing as many of the popular ingredients have soothing and antibacterial properties.

With No Poo, there are so many ingredients and methods to choose from that finding a pre-poo method may take some time.

However, once you find the method that works for your hair type, you will naturally wonder why you didn’t start no-pooing earlier.

How Often To Pre Poo Low Porosity Hair?

This is an awkward question to answer.

When you No Poo, the aim is to improve the condition of your hair by using natural ingredients rather than traditional shampoos.

As with most of your No Poo journey, you may have to experiment for some time (maybe even months/years) before you find the right method and ingredients that suit your individual hair.

Every individual is different, and what works for one individual may not work as well for another, even with similar hair types.

Generally speaking, No Poo’ers tend to try to lengthen the time between washes to allow the scalp to optimize its sebum production to nourish and moisturize the hair naturally.

Your hair type and lifestyle may mean that your hair needs washing more frequently than you would like.

However, you do not have to pre-poo every time you wash your hair. Instead, you may want to pre-poo once a week, or once a month.

Whatever gives you the best results with your hair is the way to go!

Once you have found and settled into a routine that suits you and your hair, remember that you can always alter your schedule, or try a new pre-poo recipe if your hair looks like it needs extra help at that particular point in time.

Keep in mind that different seasons can mean that your hair needs a different regime.

For example, your hair will be affected differently in winter due to the dry indoor heat compared to the stark outdoor coldness. The opposite is true during the summer months though, when your hair gets used to hotter weather and perhaps higher levels of humidity too.

The moral of the story therefore is to try not to be set on one method all year round when flexibility and adaptability are the key.

How Long To Pre Poo Low Porosity Hair?

The length of time that you should leave your pre-poo products on depends both the type of hair that you have, and the product that you use to pre-poo.

Oil Based Pre Poo

If you have dry hair (or even just dry ends) and use an oil-based pre-poo, then leaving it on for an extended period of time, even overnight, should not be anything but beneficial for your hair.

The minimum time to leave a pre poo in your hair would be half an hour. Any less than this time length would reduce the benefits gained.

If you are going to use a pre-poo overnight, then do not forget to do the following to protect your bedding from being stained by greasy residues:

• Cover over pillowcases
• Use a shower cap

Non Oil Pre Poo

Leaving non-oil pre-poos in your hair for up to 2 hours is more than sufficient for the nutrients and moisture to penetrate.

Combing through your hair halfway through your chosen time frame can also help distribute the pre-poo effectively and help make sure that your hair has every opportunity to take up as much moisture as it likes.

Be aware though, even in just one individual’s head of hair, there may be sections that need more help than others. Massaging or combing part way through, redistributes the mixture and allows the very neediest strands of hair to benefit twice from the natural ingredients.

Butter Based Pre Poo

Pre-poos that are butter-based or use ingredients other than oils are possible to leave on for extended periods of time, but can be more troublesome if left overnight.

Best Pre Poo For Low Porosity Hair

One of the most difficult things about low porosity hair is that anything you put on your hair tends to simply sit on top of your hair, rather than soaking in.

This can mean that you suffer from weighed-down hair that looks dull and lifeless and needs regular washes to bring it back to life.

Too much washing can damage your hair though, so pre-pooing to reduce hygral fatigue and to protect the hair from overwashing is a must.

The best pre-poo for your hair may not be the best as reported by others since all our hair is different, and will therefore react quite differently to each ingredient.

The following factors will all have an impact upon how the pre-poo works in your hair:

• Climate in which we live
• Type of lifestyle we lead
• Water softness (or lack of it)

Your choice of pre-poo should be determined by:

• What your hair tells you it needs
• If your scalp appears to require attention

Rosemary essential oil, tea tree oil, and honey all have soothing and antibacterial properties that will both help your hair and improve the condition of your scalp.

With a healthy scalp, your hair will grow to its full potential and be as strong and healthy as possible.

Low Porosity 4c Hair

If you are looking for the best pre-poo for low porosity 4c hair then look for a pre-poo that also has light cleansing properties.

Yogurt is good as a 4C pre-poo, as is coconut oil. Both can help your hair become softer, shinier, and strengthened (source 1).

Natural Hair

There are many thoughts on how to pre poo natural hair, but the most important thing is to find what works for you and your hair, rather than rely on what should/has worked for others.

Pre Poo Recipes For Low Porosity Hair

Pre-pooing with coconut oil is one of the most popular pre-poos as it can be left on for as long as you like, or however long your hair needs.

The following ingredients have been said to improve hair health:

• Honey
• Avocado
• Yogurt
• Mixture of onion oil and garlic (source 1)

Conclusion

The variety of ways reported for how to pre poo low porosity hair are almost as wide-ranging as the number of No Poo wash recipes that you hear about!

Pre-poo is an absolute necessity for low porosity hair to keep it strong, nourished, and healthy.

Pre-poo will also help to reduce the likelihood of breakage and frizz.

It seems that whatever you have in your garden or pantry can be used to pre-poo.

Related Questions

Pre Poo For High Porosity Hair

High porosity hair absorbs moisture far better than any other hair type. Coconut oil is one of the most favored pre-poo for high porosity hair as it penetrates the hair shaft more effectively (source 1).