When it comes to happy, balanced hair and the products we use, our primary focus is usually on the hair, with scalp care being a secondary priority or maybe not thought about at all. So with the scalp being equally as important or perhaps even more so than the hair itself to achieve that glossy, healthy appearance and texture, why aren’t more of us adopting scalp care into our routines?
THE SCALP AND SOME COMMON ISSUES
The scalp is made up of individual follicles (where our hair grows from) and skin which contains sebaceous glands that produce sebum – our body’s natural oil – to keep it moisturised. If the hair follicles become blocked due to excess sebum, sweat, dead skin cells or product build-up, dandruff and oiliness may occur, and hair growth will slow down or eventually stop growing completely. If the scalp isn’t sufficiently hydrated or is frequently exposed to cold temperatures/ingredients which strip the skin of its oil, you may experience a dry, flaky scalp. Both can lead to itchiness and can be linked to age, hormones and stress, but is commonly as a result of not enough TLC, products not suited to your changing hair type, or over-washing.
SCALP TREATMENTS
Scalp treatments are not new, but they are also not mainstream. Using a scalp oil is just not that popular here in the UK, however in India and Africa, using oils on the scalp and hair is the norm. With our recent scalp oil launch, we want to change that and give the scalp the extra attention it deserves because by massaging oil into your scalp you invigorate the lower levels of tissue in the skin to encourage cell regeneration and improve blood circulation, meaning oxygen and nutrients (such as vitamins A, D, E, F and omegas, 3, 6 and 9) are more efficiently transported and transferred, thus promoting a healthy scalp: strengthening roots and follicles of thinning hair, stimulating hair growth, deeply cleansing the hair, intensively nourishing the skin, sealing in moisture, protecting it from harsh weather conditions, stopping dryness and fighting dandruff and bacteria.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO GET THE MOST FROM A SCALP OIL
- Our scalp oil is a traditional blend adapted from a family recipe and is suitable for everyone except those who are sensitive to essential oils. It can also be used on coloured hair, however, we don’t advise using this on freshly coloured hair as the scalp may still be sensitive from the colouring process.
- It is a pre-shampoo treatment, so we recommend putting a towel around your shoulders to protect your clothing from oil drops.
- Use the scalp oil on dry scalp and dry hair – ideally a clean scalp where the hair has been washed the day before, so there is minimal product residue on the scalp or hair.
- Part the hair and apply the oil treatment to the scalp in sections. The pipette helps with targeted application, minimising the oil getting onto the rest of your hair. It is fine if some of the oil does end up on the hair as it will nourish this too. You might even like to use the oil on any dry, damaged ends as an intensive treatment.
- As it is an oil, it will need to be massaged into the scalp. Massaging the oil isn’t only a great way to practise mindfulness, it’s also important to help the nutrients to be absorbed.
- You may experience a little itching when the scalp oil is applied to a scalp that isn’t clean as the oil mixes with scalp dirt and remaining hair product. If this happens, continue to massage the oil into the scalp as the massaging action helps to break down the build-up.
- Leave the oil on for a minimum of 30 minutes for it to deeply nourish the scalp.
- Expect to shampoo 2 or 3 times to wash out the oil from your scalp and hair. You are unlikely to need to use a conditioner afterwards, but this is dependent on your hair type and length of hair. Initially, this is test and learn, however, you will soon recognise what your hair needs.
- For best results, we recommend using our scalp oil once or twice a week.
You might also like to read:
A Healthy Scalp Is Skincare For Heads
Common Causes Of An Itchy Scalp And Ways To Prevent/Treat It
How To Give Yourself A Soothing Head & Scalp Massage
HAVE YOU EVER USED A SCALP OIL?
We’d love for you to tell us about your experience in a comment below!
