The important reason as to why you should be caring for your scalp

We take so much care when it comes to our skin and use everything from toners to serums, but have you ever wondered why we don't apply the same rule when it comes to caring for our scalp? While this part of our body is quite often most neglected (shampoo is not enough), caring for our scalp is a really important step in maintaining a healthy head of hair as essentially, our scalp is an extension of our face.

As we’re sure many of you may have noticed, there are many products made for hair-care such as masques, oils and heat protectants, however, none of them are really suited for the scalp. This is odd considering that the scalp is where our new hair is born and which takes the most stress from external environmental effects and physical stressors on the hair. The skin on the scalp is unlike the skin on our body in the sense that it has a very thick dermal layer consisting of many hair follicles which go hand in hand with glands. These glands create oil which can most often than not, cause people to have an oily scalp (especially with super fine and thin hair).

Our scalp is also prone to many skin conditions that we often find on the body such as dryness, itchiness and redness. Sometimes, people can even have eczema on their scalp. Most often, we might find that our scalp is dry and itchy and, while you might think that shampooing would be good for this, it actually doesn't really make a difference. This is due to the fact that shampoo, unlike a serum or oil, gets washed off almost immediately after application and is mostly targeted to soaking up the oils produced by the scalp.

Add some oil

We love the CHI Luxury Black Seed Oil (R450.00) which is a dry oil that can be used on your entire head. It is a nutrient-rich, lightweight treatment that revitalizes, fortifies and nourishes hair so it appears strong, thick, smooth, and gloriously shiny.

This ultra-light formula is easily absorbed allowing for instant smoothing of the hair with no residue left behind. It also helps to remove impurities in your hair and contains antioxidants to help protect hair against environmental stressors. Simply apply it to your hair and gently massage a bit into your scalp. It will make your scalp slightly oily so try and leave it in for as long as possible before washing out.

Brush smart

Using a brush that is too harsh for your hair might cause even more damage to your scalp as the bristles might be too heavy and end up scratching your head. Certain brushes might also tear out your hair from the follicle, causing inflammation and dryness. We love using the CHI Luxury Nylon and Boar Bristle Paddle Brush (R456.00) as it has extra-long nylon pins to detangle the hair. The boar bristles gently smooth the hair, adds shine and helps to redistribute the hair’s natural oils. We particularly enjoy using this brush as it reduces frizz and stimulates the scalp.

Watch your diet

One of our favourite tips for a healthy scalp is to take note of your diet as there are particular foods and drinks that cause flakiness and dryness to the scalp. The most common causes are dairy, spicy and sugary foods as well as white wine and champagne.