Curly hair care: scalp exfoliation
If you’ve been spending a lot of time at home over the past few months, you might have noticed something when cleaning up: humans lose a lot of hair. You’ll likely find it stuck in the carpet, collecting under the couch, dangling from door knobs and tangled in your toothbrush. Although there isn’t much we can do about our shedding (humans can lose anything from 50 to 100 hairs a day), there is something we can do minimise it.
Exfoliation is essential for a glowing complexion, but it may also be the answer to reducing hair fall. Not only that, but it can help with achieving your hair growth goals while giving it extra bounce and shine.
Why exfoliate your scalp?
A clean scalp is essential for lustrous hair. Just the same as on your face, it’s necessary to remove the dead skin cells, sebum and build-up beneath your hair. Shampoos go a way to do this, but many contain ingredients that dry the scalp out and compound the issue. And if you have curly hair, you’re probably avoiding traditional shampoo in favour of products like co-washes or milk cleansers.
Besides sloughing off dead cells, exfoliating stimulates blood flow to your scalp, which can help your hair to grow thicker naturally. It also allows the natural oils flowing from your follicles to keep your scalp and hair nourished and healthy – without using a tonne of extra products.
How to exfoliate your scalp
Before you reach for the scrub, consider using a paddle or detangling brush to gently massage your scalp. A few strokes should do the trick to loosen excess hair and skin before exfoliating. After brushing, wet your hair and divide it into sections before applying the exfoliant and massaging it into your scalp in a circular motion.
The best natural scalp exfoliators
Although there are plenty of scalp treatment products on the shelves in South Africa, it’s far more difficult to get your hands on a scalp exfoliator. Which is why these three homemade scalp exfoliators are great. They’re quick and easy to make and use common pantry staples.
1. Sugar, cinnamon and olive oil
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
The sugar in this scrub makes it rough enough to dislodge dry skin and its glycolic acid encourages cell turnover for fresher skin. Meanwhile, the cinnamon stimulates blood flow to your scalp to improve lift at the follicles and encourage growth. Although there’s a fair amount of olive oil in this scrub, a deep shampoo after your exfoliation clears the oil quite easily.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Good consistency | Intense shampoo required to cleanse hair |
| Smells great | Sugar can leave a sticky residue on scalp |
2. Himalayan salt & apple cider vinegar
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp Himalayan salt
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is known for its ability to balance skin’s pH. It’s also great for increasing blood flow. Both of which help your scalp to produce the correct amount of oils to stay naturally healthy. The Himalayan salt absorbs impurities, helps to restore the skin’s natural protective barrier and slough away dead skin cells. While these might be two power ingredients when used on your skin, avoid getting them near your eyes.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to rinse out | Consistency makes it difficult to apply |
| Hair feels squeaky clean | Salt can be harsh and apple cider burns eyes on contact |
3. Aloe vera & bicarb
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp aloe vera gel
- 1 Tbsp bicarb
A favourite in skincare products, aloe vera contains antioxidants, vitamins and enzymes that reduce inflammation and help to moisturise the scalp. The light, non-greasy gel also makes this the easiest of the three exfoliants to apply. The bicarb really buffs your skin and strips away build up. It’s also an excellent pH balancer, so the natural oils on your head should be quite well-balanced after using this exfoliator.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to apply and rinse out | Aloe can be difficult to get |
| Aloe soothes the scalp | Expensive to make |
| Bicarb is a great buffer |
While each of these scalp exfoliators has its own benefits and drawbacks, they’re all great for getting a squeaky clean scalp. Whichever you choose to use, be sure to make scrubbing your scalp a regular part of your hair care routine.
