Optional Pre-Wash Bond Repair Before You Shampoo
Support severely damaged hair before shampooing with Abbey Yung's recommended pre-wash bond repair treatment.
Optional pre-wash bond repair is the very first step in the Abbey Yung Method, applied to dry or towel-damp hair before shampooing begins. It isn't part of the core routine that everyone needs — it's an extra layer reserved for hair that needs it.
Step 1 is optional. If your hair is relatively healthy, you can begin directly with Step 2. Abbey recommends this step primarily for hair that has experienced significant chemical or heat damage.
It tends to matter most for hair with significant bleach damage, repeated colouring, chemical processing, frequent heat styling, severe breakage, or hair that otherwise feels very compromised. If none of that describes your hair, skipping straight to Step 2 (Pre-Shampoo Oiling) is completely fine.
What Is Pre-Wash Bond Repair?
Pre-wash bond repair is applied to dry or towel-damp hair before shampooing, giving a concentrated bond-building treatment time to work on strands before water and surfactants are introduced. Because it happens ahead of Step 2's pre-shampoo oil, it's the very first thing damaged hair receives in the whole routine.
What makes this step different
- Applied before shampooing, to dry or towel-damp hair — not in the shower
- Optional: reserved for significantly damaged hair, not a required part of every wash day
- Formulated to reinforce bonds before cleansing, rather than rinsed out or left in afterward
Step 1 is easy to confuse with Step 5 and Step 7, but each targets a different point in the routine. Step 5 (in-shower bond repair) is applied to soaking-wet hair and rinsed out during the shower. Step 7 (post-wash bond repair) is applied afterward, to towel-dried hair, once washing and conditioning are finished. Step 1 comes before any of that — a pre-treatment for hair that needs reinforcement before it even gets wet. Abbey places it first because severely compromised bonds can be most vulnerable during the wash itself, so giving them a head start beforehand can help minimise further damage during cleansing.
Abbey recommends Epres Healthy Hair System specifically for this step because it's formulated for use before shampooing, rather than during or after it. That's also why Step 1 is the only step in the method where she recommends a single product rather than offering flexibility — the timing is what matters most, and Epres is built for that exact moment in the routine.
Step 1 isn't about redoing Steps 5 or 7 — it's an optional head start for hair that needs extra reinforcement before it ever gets wet.
Epres Healthy Hair System
The only product Abbey Yung recommends for optional pre-wash bond repair — applied before shampooing to give severely damaged hair a head start.
Epres Healthy Hair System Bond Repair Treatment
Epres Healthy Hair System is the pre-wash bond repair treatment Abbey Yung uses for Step 1 of her method. Applied to dry or towel-damp hair before shampooing, it's designed to reinforce weakened bonds ahead of cleansing rather than during or after the wash. Abbey recommends Epres specifically for this optional step because it's formulated to work before water and surfactants are introduced, giving severely compromised hair a chance to strengthen before the wash process even begins.
- Best for: bleached, chemically processed, or heat-damaged hair
- When to use: before shampooing, on dry or towel-damp hair
- Where it fits: first in the routine, ahead of Step 2's pre-shampoo oil
- Formulated for use before shampooing, not during or after
- Gives severely compromised bonds a head start before cleansing
- Abbey's dedicated recommendation for this optional step
- Optional — unnecessary for relatively healthy hair
- An extra step added before the core routine begins
- Best reserved for significant damage rather than everyday use
How To Use Epres Before Shampooing
Step 1 happens before any water touches your hair — here's how Abbey applies it.
Start With Dry Or Towel-Damp Hair
Apply Epres before shampooing, to hair that hasn't yet been wet down for the wash.
Focus On Mid-Lengths And Ends
Concentrate the treatment where damage is most noticeable, following the product's directions for amount and placement.
Let It Work Before Washing
Leave the treatment on for the recommended time so it can reinforce bonds before cleansing begins.
Shampoo As Usual
Continue into Steps 2–4 — pre-shampoo oiling and shampooing — just as you normally would.
Common Mistakes
Step 1 works best when it's used thoughtfully and only when your hair actually needs it.
Using Step 1 On Every Wash
This is an optional, occasional step for damaged hair — not something every wash day needs.
Thinking Step 1 Replaces Conditioner
Pre-wash bond repair happens before shampooing; it doesn't stand in for Step 6's conditioning.
Using Step 1 Instead Of Step 5
Step 1 is a pre-wash treatment, not a substitute for Step 5's in-shower bond repair — they work at different points in the routine.
Using Step 1 On Already-Healthy Hair
If your hair isn't significantly damaged, skipping straight to Step 2 is usually the better choice.
Applying More Product Than Recommended
More isn't better — extra Epres won't speed up reinforcement and can make hair harder to rinse clean.
Who Should Use Step 1?
Step 1 is optional, so it's worth knowing whether your hair is likely to benefit from it.
Bleached Hair
Bleach services significantly weaken bonds, making a pre-wash treatment worthwhile.
Highly Processed Hair
Repeated colouring or chemical processing benefits from reinforcement before the wash even begins.
Heat-Damaged Hair
Frequent heat styling weakens bonds over time, so a pre-wash boost can help.
Healthy Hair
If your hair is relatively healthy, you can begin directly with Step 2 instead.
Fine Hair
A light application before shampooing is usually enough — more isn't necessary.
Thick Hair
Thicker, coarser hair can often handle a fuller application before washing.
How Often Should You Use Epres?
Frequency depends on how damaged your hair is and how often you're already using other bond-repair steps.
Significantly Damaged Hair
Relatively Healthy Hair
Alongside Steps 5 & 7
Where Pre-Wash Bond Repair Fits In The Abbey Yung Method
Step 1 is optional, and it comes first — before any other step in the routine.
Watch Abbey Yung Explain Epres
See how Abbey Yung explains Step 1 of her method and demonstrates how she personally applies Epres as her optional pre-wash bond repair treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Step 1 necessary?▾
Can healthy hair skip Step 1?▾
Why does Abbey only recommend Epres?▾
How often should I use Epres?▾
Can I use Step 1 with Step 5?▾
Can I use Step 1 with Step 7?▾
Is Optional Pre-Wash Bond Repair Right For You?
Pre-wash bond repair is the most optional step in the Abbey Yung Method — a head start for hair that needs it, not a required part of every wash day.
For hair that's relatively healthy, Step 2 is a perfectly good place to start. For hair with significant bleach damage, repeated colouring, chemical processing, frequent heat styling, or severe breakage, Epres Healthy Hair System gives bonds a chance to reinforce before shampooing even begins.
Whether or not you use Step 1, the rest of the Abbey Yung Method — from pre-shampoo oiling through leave-in protection — continues to build on the same principle: supporting hair at every stage of the wash, not just one.
Independent educational resource. Hair Growth Hub is an independent publisher and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Abbey Yung or any product brand mentioned on this page. Content is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always patch-test new products and consult a dermatologist or trichologist for persistent scalp or hair concerns. Questions about this page? Contact us at hello@hairgrowthhub.fi.
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