3 Easy Expert Tips For Maintaining A Healthy Scalp

Even with a great hair care routine and the best intentions it’s easy to miss important steps in keeping your hair healthy, including showing love to your scalp. The truth is, up until very recently most of us didn’t consider scalp care as part of our hair care routine. But like with all things, you have to build a healthy foundation first, and that goes for your tresses too. Your best hair days will come from giving your scalp some TLC. Dr. Rocio Rivera, Vice President of Scientific Communications at L’Oréal Paris, agrees.

“If you didn’t know, your scalp is an extension of your skin,” she says. “So don’t forget to treat your scalp as you would your skin!”

If you’re noticing that your scalp and hair have serious build-up after styling, or that your strands feel weighed down and your scalp feels dry or flaky between wash days, it’s time for a revamp. Rivera’s got you covered! Check out her three tips to incorporate into your hair care regimen to make caring for your scalp simple, easy, and affordable. 

1. Use A Scalp Scrub

Excessive use of dry shampoo and styling products can lead to some serious build-up on your scalp and hair. This can leave your tresses feeling really weighed down, and your scalp feeling congested even after a wash. Before you shampoo, treat your scalp and hair to a detoxifying scalp scrub like the L'Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Scalp Care + Detox Scrub.

“It’s important to start with a purified base,” Rivera says. “In order to do so you have to exfoliate your scalp to remove that build-up and impurities.”

This scrub, formulated with no harsh salts, is designed to treat flaky, oily, and dry scalp as well as dandruff without stripping the hair. Safe for color-treated hair, it removes excess oil, unwanted product build-up, and exfoliates the scalp to prepare it for shampoo. 

2. Try A Clarifying Shampoo

Let’s be honest, washing your hair everyday sounds great in theory but doesn’t always actually happen. And if you have sensitive coils or curls, it could even be damaging. But that can mean you’re dealing with an uncomfortable scalp by the time wash day rolls around. Rivera recommends using a clarifying shampoo to prevent this. Her pick? L'Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Scalp Care + Detox Shampoo. It’s the perfect follow-up to your scalp detox scrub. Enjoy the menthol and neem leaf extract for an all-day fresh feeling after you follow up with your regular shampoo.

“If you use this shampoo twice a week you’ll see how it deeply cleanses your scalp and prevents flaking,” says Rivera. “Take your time with it. Really massage [it in] and turn this into a relaxing self-care moment.”

Massage and self-care? You don’t have to tell us twice, doc!

3. Condition The Right Way

“You should always be mindful of excessive conditioning,” warns Rivera. “As a rule of thumb, conditioner should never go on the roots.”

If that sounds like news to you don’t worry, because you’re not alone. Many women find themselves with oily roots and hair that feels weighed down even after they’ve washed it. That’s often the result if you’re adding conditioner directly onto your scalp. That’s a big scalp care no-no! Instead, Rivera shares, conditioner should be applied about two inches down from the roots and worked through the hair to the tips. That way you’ll have fresh hair that feels soft, bouncy, and lightweight. 

Complete your system by adding the creamy and aromatic L'Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Scalp Care + Detox Conditioner to your routine. Incorporating Dr. Rivera’s tips and making a few tweaks to your routine could be the difference in transforming your hair from oily and limp to light, healthy-looking and most importantly, truly clean.

Next: How L'Oréal Paris’ Scalp Care + Detox Scrub Worked On My Natural Type 4 Hair