Inspired by the post I did on the importance of penetration in our hair journey, and having thought back to my hair analysis results which revealed that my hair was suffering from product buildup, I opted to reach for my trusty clarifying shampoo. I've yet to do a formal review on Neutrogena's Anti-Residue Shampoo but I love this little bottle so much. It has fantastic cleaning power without over stripping the hair. Only wish it came in a larger bottle.
Anyhow, I began by creating 5 large sections and creating a series of loose buns with each section. I stepped into the shower and proceeded to take down each bun and wash the sections individually with the Anti-Residue Shampoo. Once that was done, I stepped out of the shower and allowed my hair to dry to around 70%. (*Side note- Next time I follow this process, I'll be using a moisturizing shampoo after the clarifying to see if it's beneficial to adding moisture back in).
Once my hair was mostly dry, I began the official "pre-poo" by applying coconut oil the hair like I would normally. Allowing the coconut oil to sit on the hair for an hour or so allowed for better penetration. If I'm ever short on time, I may hop under the hooded dryer for 15-20 mins. I jumped in the shower and applied WEN Honey Fig and cleansed (adding the moisture back in my hair). After allowing the hair to dry again to around 70%, I added a blend of Kanechom Shea Butter mixed with Silicon Mix Pear Protein, Kanechom Intense Care and a capful of Baby Face Pure Protein.
It felt like I was rinsing melted butter out of my hair. That's how creamy and soft everything was. While standing in the shower, I thought about how glad I was that I clarified first so my hair could receive the full benefit of this wonderful blend of conditioners and protein. I lost much less hair than usual during my roller set and I could tell immediately that my hair was stronger as a result of fully absorbing the protein. The end result of the process was perfect.
I'm for sure doing this pre-pre-poo step in the future. My only qualm is how many times I had to jump in the shower. I think I'm going to experiment with using a clarifying conditioner as my pre-poo. Suave & VO5 have some options that I can grab next time I'm at Walmart but I'll also keep my eyes open for higher quality clarifying conditioners to add to my product lineup.
Have a great weekend!
