Love Your Hair? Start With Scalp Care.

Hey, Wicked Babes! How are you and your hair holding up during this quarantine? We hope you found our hair and skincare posts helpful and discovered new ways to stay motivated and creative. We’ve found this to be an amazing time to focus on our self care, this way when quarantine is over, we can go into the world looking and feeling amazing. 

On another note, we know how much you love your hair! Almost as much as we love ours. We've noticed so many people focus on their hair care by moisturizing those beautiful locks, but not enough people focus on where it all starts, the scalp! The scalp should be the holy grail of your hair care routine, and so many people skip it, which is seriously insane. We mean, you wouldn't water your plants' leaves without taking care of the soil first, would you? Now you see where we're going with this. 

If you skip your scalp care, you may experience negative effects such as dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, and the list goes on. Most of these conditions create big chunks and flakes on your scalp, itchiness that's uncomfortable, and can even lead to hair loss. Sounds like a nightmare, right? So many people experience these issues worldwide for a variety of different reasons. But don't worry, we're always here to offer you options and advice on how to care for your beautiful mane, you know why? Because we care! Below find a few ways you can care for your scalp that you should add into your hair care routine. 

Just like the rest of your skin, you'll want to get rid of dead cells and bacteria laying around, and exfoliating is the perfect way to do that. If you already suffer from dry skin or psoriasis, you should do this a minimum of 2-3 times per week. You may want to look into shampoos that contain salicylic acid such as Neutrogena's T/Sal® Therapeutic Shampoo-Scalp Build-Up Control which includes 3% salicylic acid. If you don't want to go the shampoo route, you can look into a gentle facial or body scrub that contains apricot, coffee, or exfoliating beads for you to exfoliate with before you shampoo. Fun Fact: you could have clogged pores in your scalp which can lead to hair loss! Let’s make sure we keep those unclogged. 

Keep that blood circulating! You should always massage your scalp when you're washing your hair in the shower, but you should also do it a minimum of once a week even when you're not. We recommend massaging your scalp with a little bit of warm organic coconut oil anywhere from 5-15 minutes, whatever floats your boat. You can sleep with the oil on your scalp for added moisture and wash it out the next day. If you have someone who can do it for you or want to pay for a service, even better because you can relax and de-stress. 

We already mentioned Coconut Oil, but here are some other great ingredients you can use on your scalp individually or combined with a carrier oil as a mask. 

Tea Tree Oil - its strong antiseptic, anti-fungal, and antibiotic properties will battle dry scalp and its symptoms

Aloe Vera -  for its anti-inflammatory properties, to reduce skin irritation, and as a moisturizing agent 

Witch Hazel -  to decrease inflammation and for its strong astringent properties to soothe the scalp.

Bananas - for their nourishing and moisturizing properties. Perfect for treating dry scalp and even dandruff. They're also a natural antimicrobial. Mash a banana and mix it with coconut oil for the scalp mask of your dreams. 

Apple Cider Vinegar - ACV is an antimicrobial that can eliminate bacteria or fungi on your scalp that may be causing your discomfort. It's also an anti-inflammatory which can help exfoliate your scalp. 

From hair-dye to styling products, and even shampoo's, it’s important to know what ingredients you’re putting on your scalp. Silicone-based products can cause build-up that can clog the follicle and impact hair growth. As much as we love Dry Shampoo, and we REALLY do, you may want to cool it down a bit some weeks because it can also cause a lot of build-up on your scalp. There are some Dry Shampoos with alternative, more natural ingredients for your scalp than others and that's definitely worth looking into for our hustling ladies on the go. It's also essential to avoid products containing parabens, glycols, and many other harsh molecules that can be irritating to your scalp. Study how oily your scalp gets, and you'll be able to find the perfect products that will allow you to have an excellent pH balance which is crucial for your scalp & hair's health. 

Just as every beauty guru tells you to protect your skin from the sun, we're here to tell you that also includes your scalp! The sun can dry out your scalp, and if you've been exposed for too long, it can be dangerous for your health. If you know ahead of time, you'll be out in the sun for a while, wear a hat or a stylish headscarf. Also, apply a spray-on broad-spectrum sunscreen to your part and massage it under your hair. Protect your scalp from ultraviolet rays! 

Well babes, Scalp-Care is the new Hair-Care. Protect your hair's foundation and witness your luscious locks grow stronger and healthier than ever!

Have any questions for us? Don't be shy. Ask away in the comment box below.