Otherwise known as pre-pooing, a pre-shampoo treatment is a protective remedy designed to add extra nourishment to moisture-starved locks.
What is a pre-shampoo treatment and do I need one?
Typically oils, balms or butters, pre-shampoo treatments are applied to dry hair before shampooing with your regular cleanser.
They help to lock in moisture and hydration to keep hair healthy, soft, strong and shiny.
How long do I leave it in?
A pre-shampoo treatment can be left on as little or as long as your hair needs. Normal hair will benefit from a half hour worth of treatment, while very dehydrated or afro locks could need a full day of pre-pooing before your regular cleanse.
6 of the best pre-shampoo treatments
There are lots of pre-shampoo treatments to choose from depending on how much moisture and care your hair needs, but these are some of our favourites.
- L’Oréal Paris Botanicals Lavender Fine Hair Pre Shampoo Oil
- Phyto Detox Pre Shampoo Purifying Mask
- Lazartigue Purify Pre Shampoo Propolis
- STARSKIN Coco-Nuts Nourishing Hot Oil Hair Mask
- Redken All Soft Argan-6 Oil
- Color WOW Dream Filter Pre-Shampoo Mineral Remover
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Buy now with Lookfantastic L’Oréal Paris Botanicals Lavender Fine Hair Pre Shampoo Oil
Buy now with free deliveryGive sensitive scalps a nourishing boost with the L’Oréal Paris Botanicals Lavender Fine Hair Pre Shampoo Oil. Offering a comforting haircare remedy, this revitalising oil invigorates fine, fragile strands while soothing and calming the scalp, helping to deliver supreme hydration for healthy-looking locks.
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Buy now with Lookfantastic Phyto Detox Pre Shampoo Purifying Mask
Buy now with free deliveryDetoxify polluted scalp and hair with the Phyto Detox Pre Shampoo Purifying Mask. As the first step of your haircare regimen, the pre-shampoo treatment works to absorb suffocating impurities (like pollution, dust, limescale and product residue) from the scalp to improve the efficacy of further hair treatments.
Powered by mineral-rich Ghassoul clay that boasts strong absorption power to draw out pollutants and toxins, the hair masque harnesses the refreshing properties of Eucalyptus essential oil and Burdock extraction to deeply cleanse and refine asphyxiated roots and tresses so they can shine again with health.
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Buy now with Lookfantastic Lazartigue Purify Pre Shampoo Propolis
Buy now with free deliveryOne of the brand’s most famous products, the Leonor Greyl Pre-Shampoo Treatment is free from all manner of nasty chemicals including parabens, silicones and SLS, making it ideal for those with coloured hair or sensitised locks.
It has a variety of benefits, including natural UV filters to shield against environmental damage, as well as luxurious oils to soften and repair dehydrated and damaged hair fibres.
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Buy now with Lookfantastic STARSKIN Coco-Nuts Nourishing Hot Oil Hair Mask
Buy now with free deliveryThis amazing and innovative conditioning treatment from STARSKIN heats up as it treats the hair, making it great to use if you suffer from tension headaches and need a relaxing treatment after a long day.
The Coco-Nuts Nourishing Hot Oil Hair Mask contains a blend of natural oils and fruits to repair damage deep within the hair-shaft for long-term improvement. Not only that, it’s made from 100% organic ingredients and is suitable for vegans.
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Buy now with Lookfantastic Redken All Soft Argan-6 Oil
Buy now with free deliveryThis multipurpose hair oil from Redken can be used in 6 ways to keep locks soft and healthy, but we love to use it as a pre-shampoo treatment the most.
Formulated with the brand’s exclusive Keratin Enrich Complex, the oil helps to restore the hair’s own natural protein structure to not only improve moisture levels and hydration, but also manageability and strength.
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Buy now with Lookfantastic Color WOW Dream Filter Pre-Shampoo Mineral Remover
Buy now with free deliveryColor WOW Dream Filter Pre-Shampoo Mineral Remover. The breakthrough pre-shampoo treatment filters out minerals, typically found in hard water, that could destroy the intensity and beauty of your hair colour. Traces of copper, iron, magnesium, calcium, chlorine and other minerals and metals found in tap water can build up in your hair over time and distort your colour making it appear yellow, brassy, greenish and dull.
