As new wellness and self care beauty trends continue into 2021 there is an increased focus on scalp health. The idea of skincare for the scalp has taken off with the emergence of new scalp scrubs and serums.
So why should you care about your scalp? A healthy scalp, helps you to get improved hair growth. A clean scalp will help promote good cell turnover and create a healthy environment for optimal hair growth. When you think about it it’s much like anti-aging skin care. Exfoliation helps to remove dead skin cells near the hair follicle thus promoting healthy hair growth. We should also mention that healthy hair looks shinier, is less oily and thicker – who doesn’t love that?
It’s not only important to take care of your scalp but much like your skin and face it’s important to seek natural/organic options.
How do you know your scalp needs help? If you experience flakes (non-dandruff), have an itchy/irritated scalp or if your hair seems dull and grows very slowly. If you have any one of these symptoms it wouldn’t hurt to try.
Exfoliation
Just like you exfoliate your face and body, your scalp can benefit from this as well. You can do this on your own by adding a few spoonfuls of sugar to your shampoo. Work the mixture into your scalp very gently with your fingertips (never fingernails). Do not scrap hard as you damage hair follicles and cause scabbing. If you have heavy build up you should try a salicylic acid shampoo once a week until your scalp is fully conditioned. If you Don’t want to try your own mix check out additional options here. Just as with your face and skin it’s important not to over exfoliate as that can slow hair growth by upsetting the PH and getting your body to create extra oils. It’s recommended that you exfoliate no more than once a week. As usual finding a truly organic solution is a bit more challenging but you can see some good healthy options from real simple. We’d also recommend looking on line as there are lots of options you can make at home with ingredients in your kitchen.
Conditioning
It’s important to use a conditioner on your hair and scalp just as your face requires moisturizers. Many of us have had bad experiences with conditioners that are too heavy and build up on our hair and scalp. I was always taught not to apply conditioner to my roots and only the ends for this reason. It’s important to be sure your conditioner is noncomedogenic so that you can actually use it from the roots to the ends of your hair. If you are happy with your current conditioner and want some extra moisturizing, experts recommend placing one drop of your favorite beauty oil (used on your face) into your leave-in conditioner. If you’re not sure what to buy we liked naturalbeautyuncovered review of best options because they outline detailed feedback from users. You’ll be happy to know the list includes lots of options that you can purchase in your local drugstore.
I happen to have long hair and it can dry easily, creating an itchy scalp. I also have sensitive skin so I opted to condition vs exfoliate to see if that made a difference, I added 1 drop of Amalie Shine Brightening Facial Oil to my conditioner for 3 weeks and it made a huge difference. I had less itch, more shine and less breakage. Each person is unique so you may need to experiment to find the best option for your hair and scalp.
In summary, scalp exfoliation and proper conditioning are important steps to getting healthy, shinier hair. You may need to test a few options and define the regularity that works best for your but this additional grooming step will pay off big.
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