Are you sick of neglecting your scalp because you don’t know what to do to make it healthier? Me too. Here’s everything I’m doing, and How to start your scalp health journey.
P.s I am by no means a hair expert. This is what I have been doing to notice a significant difference. I have found all of these tips based on my own research and experience! Therefore, the products I will be recommending and the tips I share, will be based on my hair and scalp type, and what has worked for me.
Finding out what hair / scalp type you have
It’s all fine and dandy looking at how everyone else treats their hair, but if they have a completely different hair and scalp type to you, then what they do might not necessarily work for you.
This is the first step to your scalp and hair health journey! If you are using products that help one scalp type, but you are another scalp type, this could be why your hair is not thriving.
How do I find out my hair type?
- Straight
- Wavy
- Curly
- Coily
How do I find out my scalp type?
- Dry. Experiencing itchiness and having visible flakes.
- Oily. If your hair feels greasy very soon after washing it.
- Combination. This could mean you have an oily scalp, but dry and wiry ends.
In my case, I had a dry and itchy scalp, however I found it getting greasy not long after my washes.
Why only washing your hair once a week could actually be bad
I thought, to have the healthiest hair, you had to go as long as possible in between hair washes.
I tried to wash my hair only once a week, but by the 3rd day, my hair was already greasy, which led me to putting my hair in a slick back bun for the next 3 days.
Why is this bad?
Well, it’s not bad for everyone, but if you have a flaky and itchy scalp that’s getting greasy quickly, it could be a sign you need to wash your hair more.
Why washing your hair more can be good:
If your trying to only wash your hair once a week, but using dry shampoo, hairspray, and other hair products, your scalp probably has a build up of products which is what is causing the irritation.
Some people can go longer without using any products on their hair, and so maybe it is good for them to not wash their hair as often. But if you are experiencing what I was, then it is definitely a sign you should be washing your hair more!
Why the scalp is the most important
The hair grows from the scalp. So if it is damaged, your not going to get the best hair growth or healthiest hair.
Think of your scalp as the soil of a plant. The soil needs to be in good condition for the plant to grow. You wouldn’t under water it leaving it too dry, and you wouldn’t over water it leaving it drowning. You need to find the right balance for you.
Tips to keep a healthy scalp
- Scalp treatments. Using a scalp treatment based on your needs will be the best for keeping it healthy.
- Exfoliate. Just like how you exfoliate your skin to get rid of any dead skin cells and product build up, your scalp needs the same.
- Shake the shampoo bottle before use. This ensures the product is even.
- Emulsify the shampoo in your hands before you start washing. This ensures an even wash throughout the whole scalp.
- Shampoo twice. The first wash gets rid of product and oil build up, the second one actually cleanses your scalp.
- Scalp massager. This is good for exfoliating and stimulating blood flow to your scalp.
- Don’t use this on wet hair. I was using this scalp massager to massage my shampoo for months. Because my hair is so fragile anyway, your hair becomes even more fragile when it’s wet. So this could be a little bit too harsh on wet hair.
- Wash your hair. The amount you wash your hair varies from person to person, but your hair can’t grow and be healthy if it’s constantly in a dirty environment. As well as on the flip side of that, it can’t grow if you are constantly washing it and causing dryness and irritation.
- Try not to scratch your scalp. If it is itchy, you don’t want to be scratching with your dirty fingernails. This could spread bacteria and cause more irritation! Instead I like to use my scalp massager and be very gentle.
Product recommendations
(These are all products I have used myself- they may not work on you)
L’Oréal Elvive extraordinary clay shampoo and conditioner
I have been using this shampoo for 3 weeks, twice a week. So far so good!
After washing with this, my hair has never felt so clean!
I feel like this has been helping with keeping my hair less oily so soon after washing!
The Inkey list salicylic scalp treatment
This one is specifically for oily, itchy / irritated, and a flakey scalp.
I use this once a week, and have been using this for around 3 weeks, once a week.
You can build up to using it twice a week!
This has helped so much in my irritated and itchy scalp, as well as reducing flakes.
Bamboo brush
Benefits of using a bamboo brush:
- The bamboo bristles are more gentle compared to plastic bristles on your hair.
- The rounded ends are great for stimulating and massaging, which increases blood flow, promoting hair growth and the production of sebum.
- Bamboo is naturally antibacterial, keeping your scalp healthy!
Boar bristle brush
Benefits of using a boar bristle brush:
- Reduces oil by distributing the oil on the roots evenly throughout your hair.
- Reduces hair breakage, because they are gentle on your hair.
- You can use them to slick back your hair.
Scalp massager
Benefits:
- They exfoliate and loosen debris. This helps because you are getting rid of any build up in your scalp.
- Increase blood flow , which increased hair growth
Lush leave in conditioner
When I tell you I have never had my hair smell so good, I mean it.
I will use this, and still be able to sell it 3 days later, not to mention the benefits:
- Leaves the hair feeling so soft
- Smells amazing
- Helps detangle
- Protects the hair from heat
- You can use it on dry hair to refresh and bring back moisture!
Thank you for reading <3
I hope this helped you in starting your hair health journey!
Let me know if any of these products worked for you, and if you have any other recommendations!
Curl specialist Yessenia Reyes tells Bazaar that the top shampoos
are ideally free of harsh sulfates, include nourishing
ingredients, and leave hair feeling clean—but not stripped.
Thank you for the tip! I’ll definitely try this!