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Many women go into exfoliating overdrive with loofahs, body brushes, exfoliating gloves, and their hands, removing dead skin cells to make their bodies softer, anew, and glowing. While we ensure our bodies are exfoliated from head to toe, we are missing a vital part that needs it just as much as the rest: our scalp!
Why do you need to exfoliate your scalp?
As many curlies, wavies, and coilies use less shampoo to combat dryness and tangles, we may leave behind more than we bargained for. Dirt, oil, and product buildup are not exclusive to your strands. Livestrong says they can clog up the pores in your scalp just as easily as anywhere else on your body.
Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp, and as many curlies, wavies, and coilies use less shampoo to combat dryness and tangles, we may be leaving behind more than we bargained for.
Exfoliate for less
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Speaking of a bargain, many scalp exfoliating products are pricy and can be even more expensive if you go to a salon for this service. There are many clarifying shampoo formulas on the market to cleanse your hair and scalp, but to exfoliate your scalp, you may need a tad more to remove all those dead skin cells properly. The best part of scalp exfoliation is its simplicity and cheapness.
Just raid your kitchen cupboards and save yourself a few dollars!
1. Clarifying Shampoo + Cornmeal Exfoliator
Ingredients
- Clarifying shampoo
- Cornmeal or ground almonds
- Peppermint oil or tea tree oil
Directions
Allure says to start with your favorite clarifying shampoo to properly cleanse and remove any product buildup, dirt, and oils. Mix equal parts of a mild exfoliate like cornmeal or ground almonds. Add a few drops of an essential oil like peppermint to stimulate the blood or tea tree oil, which is a natural antiseptic. Mix the ingredients in a bowl and massage the mixture into your scalp for three minutes using only your fingertips. Rinse and condition.
2. Olive Oil + Brown Sugar Exfoliator
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup brown sugar
Directions
Combine both ingredients into a bowl and massage into your scalp with your fingertips for about three minutes prior to cleansing your hair. Rinse, cleanse, and condition as usual. This recipe and the one below come from Livestrong.
3. Brown Sugar + Conditioner Exfoliator
Ingredients
- ¼ cup of favorite hair conditioner
- ¼ cup brown sugar
Directions
Combine ingredients in a bowl and massage it into your scalp with your fingertips for about three minutes prior to cleansing your tresses. Rinse, cleanse, and condition as usual.
Photo by Arwin Neil Baichoo on Unsplash
4. Honey + Olive Oil & Sugar Exfoliator
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Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. organic honey
- 1 ½ tbsp. olive oil
- 3 tbsp. brown or white sugar
Directions
Combine these ingredients in a small bowl and apply to your scalp with your fingertips. Massage in circular motions for about three minutes. Rinse, cleanse, and condition as usual.
5. Aspirin + Warm Water & Toothbrush Exfoliator
Ingredients
- 6-8 aspirin
- 4 tbsp. warm water
Directions
Place aspirin tablets in a bowl. Hair loss specialist Dr. Serkan Aygin says aspirins contain salicylic acid, which is great for acne and exfoliating skin. Next, pour warm water to dissolve the tablets. Use a toothbrush to stir the mixture and apply it to your scalp. Part your hair and gently scrub all of the scalp areas. Rinse, cleanse, and condition as usual.
What are your favorite scalp scrubs?
This article has been updated from its original publishing date in 2022.
