For years, I’ve struggled with an itchy, flaky scalp and fantastic, oily hair. Dandruff shampoos combatted the flaking however left me with flat and lifeless locks. In the meantime, shampoos that gave me voluminous hair irritated my scalp and inspired grease. It felt like a no-win scenario.
I’d learn that scalp scrubs may very well be the answer, so I attempted a number of—however with reasonable success. Though they did assist a bit with itching and flaking, it felt like my hair grew to become oilier extra shortly and (regardless of loads of rinsing) it appeared nearly inconceivable to do away with all of the gritty scrub particles.
Someday, I had a lightbulb second. I’m a complete devotee of Japanese skincare because of the wonders sure J-beauty merchandise have labored on my complexion, so I figured, “Why not give some Japanese hair-care merchandise a strive?” After researching a number of manufacturers on-line, I took a punt and ordered NatureLab Tokyo’s Excellent Shine Clarifying Scalp Scrub ($19). Six months on, I can’t imagine I ever lived with out it.
The product
We use merchandise to exfoliate our face and physique, and scalp scrubs are designed to do exactly the identical. “[They] gently exfoliate the scalp and take away buildup of lifeless pores and skin cells and product,” says board-certified beauty dermatologist Michele Inexperienced, MD, explaining that this course of comes together with a bunch of advantages. “Exfoliating the scalp helps stimulate pores and skin cell turnover, sustaining scalp well being and liberating the hair follicles of particles,” she provides. Because of this, scrubbing your scalp additionally assist in lowering flaking and itching.
Nevertheless (as I beforehand found), not all scalp scrubs are made equal—and one factor that ensures this NatureLab Tokyo product stands out is its substances. First, we now have magnificence consultants’ favourite, hyaluronic acid. This molecule holds as much as 1000 occasions its weight in water, and your scalp loves hydration simply as a lot as your face. “Delivering moisture to the scalp helps preserve its pure protecting barrier, defending the scalp and hair follicles from environmental stressors like air pollution,” says Dr. Inexperienced.
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Subsequent up is a conventional Japanese ingredient: sake water. Whereas sake is healthier generally known as a tipple, this rice by-product accommodates a lot for the scalp to like. “Sake water is an efficient antioxidant that protects the scalp from environmental stressors like air pollution and UV rays,” says Dr. Inexperienced. “It additionally has many amino acids that assist hydration and lock in moisture.”
Final however not least is a plethora of pure plant extracts. A key one right here is grapeseed—which, in response to Dr. Inexperienced, helps hair well being and energy and encourages a silky shine. There’s additionally mango (“wealthy in fatty acids for hydration and nourishment”), tea tree oil (to “soothe the scalp and cut back dandruff and irritation”), and willow bark (which “helps facilitate exfoliation”).
The evaluate
Whereas my locks are sadly nonetheless not *fairly* within the Jen Aniston realm, I’m not mendacity after I say this scalp scrub has reworked my hair. I can run my fingers over my scalp with out feeling dry patches, itching and flaking have 99% disappeared, and my fantastic strands really feel smooth and look thick and flowing (even after being laid on in a single day). Since utilizing the scrub, my hair has additionally grow to be a lot much less greasy—and might now final three days between washes, one thing that was beforehand unparalleled.
One factor that struck me when utilizing the scrub for the primary time was its texture. The product has a sugar crystal base, that means it feels precisely like that: a thick sugary paste. As I scooped about two greenback cash price of scrub from the bathtub, I assumed there was no means it could lather up (the product additionally doubles as a shampoo) and disperse to cowl my complete scalp. However I used to be unsuitable! I rubbed it between my fingers, then began massaging my scalp in round motions. It started lathering inside just a few seconds, and shortly my head was coated in a light-weight foam. I’ve fantastic, shoulder-length hair and picture you’d want a bit extra in case your hair is thicker—however a little bit of this scrub actually does go a good distance.
Whereas the sugar crystals’ tough texture makes it an amazing exfoliator, these little granules dissolve after attending to work—that means the scrub is straightforward to scrub out, and I don’t encounter stray gritty bits when working my fingers by my hair in a while. I additionally adore the odor: it’s a delicate almond scent that offers off extra spa vibes than at-home bathe.
In case you hadn’t guessed, I received’t be ditching my new BFF any time quickly. Its shampooing powers make it an amazing multitasker (though I do observe up with my ordinary conditioner), and my scalp and hair are the happiest they’ve been in ages. At beneath $20, a pot of this scrub is greater than worthy of your hard-earned dime.
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