Great hair starts with good scalp health. But if your scalp is oily, itchy, flaky or red-colored, or if there’s any pain or sun damage, your scalp is not considered healthy. Should that be the case, hair loss might be around the corner
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Scalp health is especially important right now, because stress that’s come with the pandemic is causing widespread hair loss. On top of that, cold temperatures that arrive in winter damage hair as well. In addition, our bodies don’t make it easy on us. As we age, our scalp struggles to maintain healthy follicles, which in turn produce healthy hair.
Despite it being such a crucial part of cultivating healthy hair, most people still don’t have a scalp routine in place. This is interesting to me, because your scalp is very much like your face — if you never washed your face, your pores would get clogged and we know what happens next in that case! When it comes to scalp health, most people bundle it together with hair care and think washing their hair is the equivalent of caring for the scalp, but the reality is that the needs of the scalp and the hair strands themselves are vastly different. I therefore strongly advise everyone to implement a weekly scalp ritual.
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As the scalp is one of the most absorbent parts of the body, we have to strongly consider what products we put on it. I've curated a list of safe products that are easy to implement and that will work with any pre-existing hair routine you might already have.
I personally prefer scalp rituals that you wash off, as I don’t want to add to product buildup on the scalp. A pre-shower scalp remedy will help remove product buildup, which is necessary to balance the scalp and allow healthy hair growth. I also suggest that, when washing your hair, make sure you scrub your shampoo all the way into your scalp, and not just the hair. Using a scalp massager has become a staple for me and it’s made a huge difference. My personal ritual is a scalp oil from my own brand, Ceremonia, called Aceite de Moska. This is an ancient scalp ritual stemming from the Dominican Republic. I apply the oil 1-2 a week all over my scalp the night before I wash my hair, and massage it in with the scalp massager. I then let the oil soak in overnight while I sleep, and wash it off in the morning with regular shampoo, using the scalp massager to exfoliate. You’ll want to make sure you’re using a silicone-free shampoo to avoid clogging the pores.
Below are some additional products I recommend to build a weekly ritual that will balance your scalp to help accelerate hair growth and keep your hair strong and shiny:
This deep-cleansing, moisturising shampoo is an amazing exfoliant and detoxifier that soothes sensitive and oily scalps. The product helps restore your scalp’s natural balance and, best of all, it’s vegan!
This original, innovative serum works wonders on damaged, weak, aging or thinning hair. The company’s environmental awareness is also in play with this recommendation: The bottle is 100 percent glass, while the carton and leaflet are recyclable. But the serum’s sustainably-sourced ingredients also restore and balance the scalp, clear up follicle blockage, and revitalize strands at the root.
This feature wouldn’t be complete without my very own ritual, the Ceremonia Scalp Power Duo from my own brand. This is an award-winning ritual and still our best-seller! Aceite de Moska is a Heritage Scalp Remedy Oil, which is also vegan and cruelty free, This lightweight oil is formulated by infusing the natural conditioner Aloe Vera with antioxidant-rich Babassu Oil, anti-inflammatory Castor Oil and protective Acai Oil to enhance growth and shine. The duo also includes the popular Scalp Massager, which exfoliates the scalp while distributing the product with great efficacy. The ritual will help you get rid of an itchy scalp, oily roots, flakiness, as well as improve overall hair wellness.
Want to slow down hair loss and create stronger, denser hair? Rich in minerals, vitamins, plant extracts and proteins, this product boosts hair follicle productivity, improving hair strand attachment, which makes the hair more resistant to environmental challenges and protective of its natural color.