Why Scalp Health Is the New Skincare
Our scalps don’t get nearly as much love as our faces when it comes to skincare. Why not de stress, nourish your dry, itchy scalp and embrace scalp health as the new skincare.
2021 has seen a surge in popularity for scalp health. After all your scalp is an extension of the skin on your face. However it doesn’t get anywhere near the same attention that we give our face and body. Good scalp health helps to maintain a healthy head of hair, and there are several ways you can ensure you treat your scalp right. Whether your hair is straight or kinky, short or long, afro or colour damaged, you can balance and moisturise the skin on your scalp. We hear what you’re thinking, I don’t want an oily scalp. Scalp Health methods help to regulate sebum and promote the natural oils in your hair to strengthen it. From serums and combs, brushing techniques to exfoliators, we explore the best methods to take care of your hair, by taking care of your scalp.
Image: @GirlFreeTheFro
6 Scalp Care Tips
Stress Relief
Stress is a major cause of hair loss. Laura Tudor, Co Founder of Centred cited stress as the cause of her hair loss and so dedicated her time to finding a natural cure. Telogen effluvium (TE) is a common cause of hair loss following a major stress to your body. As well as addressing your diet and lifestyle, try Centred’s signature En Root Scalp Treatment. Designed to soothe itchy, dry scalps, it also boosts healthy hair growth via it’s stress relieving oil formula. Don’t worry, it won’t leave your hair an oily mess. Once it mixes with water it is very easy to wash out.
Scalp Scrub
Throughout the day, our scalps experience a build up of dirt, pollution particles, dead skin cells and product. Especially for those with curly and kinky hair, who may be using a few different products to moisturise their hair. Clear all of this away and let your scalp breath with a simple but effective scalp scrub. Boucleme’s Scalp Exfoliating Shampoo, contains hydrogenated castor beads to gently exfoliate the fragile skin of your scalp. You only need to use it once a month. Massage a generous amount into your scalp, it smells delicious! Then follow with a moisturising treatment to restore life to your hair.
Use a Leave In Treatment
Give your hair a beautiful spa style experience with a natural but effective oil treatment. Straight hair will benefit from organic argan oil to help soothe your scalp. KNature’s Hair Bloom Oil* works best when massaged into your scalp and left for around 30 minutes to work it’s magic. It contains lavender to regenerate your scalp and Atlas Cedar to help combat hair loss. For those with curly or afro hair, reach for Healthy Hair Studio by Enitan’s Deep Follicle Treatment. Jamila-Lee Smikle of @girlfreethefro shared with us that it’s been a game changer for her sensitive, dry scalp. It’s also helped to support her hair growth thanks to the cannabis sativa seed oil which improves the health of the connecting tissue that surrounds the root of the hair.
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Use An Oil Between Washes
For all the lovelies with curly or afro hair, maintaining moisture between wash days can be tough. Sienna Naturals have produced a Daily Elixir specifically for this reason. It’s specially designed to moisturise your scalp, while still being light enough to prevent weighing your hair down or dulling it. It contains soothing blue tansy oil which has antiseptic properties. This helps to keep your hair fresher between washes. They have also added essential oils with anti inflammatory properties to balance the scalp and aid hair growth. No wonder Issa Rae is such a fan she became a Co-Founder of Sienna Naturals.
Scalp Massage
We all carry a lot of tension in our bodies, it’s only when someone presses in the right places that we know it’s there. Giving yourself an uplifting scalp massage not only helps to relieve stress but aids the growth of your hair by stimulating the follicles. Use Monpure’s Heal and Energise Jade Comb* daily to ease tension in your scalp. It is inspired by the centuries old Chinese ritual of ‘combing therapy’, the movement stimulates the scalp which aids hair growth. Pair with their Hydrate And Soothe Scalp Serum* to really kick things up a notch. It doesn’t contain sulphates, silicones or parabens and is light enough that it won’t weigh your hair down.
Brush Your Hair
For those with straight hair, washing it less can help to retain the natural oils produced by your scalp. Try to only wash once a week, and use a good wooden brush to comb the oils through your hair in the morning and evening. After a while you will see an increase in shine and strength. Saya design beautiful, FSC certified wood brushes, which help to effectively redistribute oils in your hair. The wooden pins are also anti static, so a much better option than plastic. If you have curly or afro hair, they recommend you use the Olive Brush, with slightly longer pins to help gently untangle your tresses.
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Disclaimer: The content of this article is for general advice only and should not be used as a substitute for professional healthcare or beauty advice. We make every effort to ensure we only recommend safe products however you should always do a patch test when trying new products. This post may contain affiliate links.
* We were sent a sample of this product to try before we made our recommendation to you. We were under no obligation to feature the product and we only include products we like and we think work.
