Showing yourself TLC is more important now than ever, and the good news is there are countless ways to practice self-care. From facials to pedicures, head to toe care is a great practice. While many people indulge in body massages to remove stress and tension from tired muscles, there is one area that is often forgotten. A scalp massage is one of the most beneficial acts of self-care for a curly girl because it makes your scalp healthy and leads to healthier hair. Plus, it’s cheap, quick and easy – which can’t be said for a lot of curly hair methods. Go ahead and take 5 minutes to give yourself a scalp massage today, this is how.
1. Find the right product for the job
You can do a scalp massage on dry hair, especially for a quick pick me up at your desk, but it will feel even more relaxing and spa-like on wet hair with an oil treatment. A dry massage is great for a quick pick me up during the day, but an oil massage is a longer lasting, more indulgent act of self-care. When choosing oils for this purpose, choose options rich in essential vitamins such as B and E to help restore health. You should also opt for an oil made of natural bases such as argan oil or coconut oil for moisture that won’t add buildup with unnecessary chemicals.
2. Trim your fingernails
When getting ready to treat yourself to a scalp massage, it’s important to make sure your nails are short and trim. If you’re massaging your scalp and using fingernails to do so, you may end up scratching your scalp. Nails are known for harboring small amounts of bacteria underneath them, and these small abrasions or even cuts can end up with bacteria from your nails. When massaging, try to use your fingertips, but not your nails to avoid damaging the skin on your scalp. It may be tempting to use your fingernails, but instead try varying the pressure when massaging to get the same effect.
3. Oil first and then wash
Some people will wash their hair prior to a scalp massage, but there is a good reason to wash after the treatment instead. When you use an oil treatment to massage your scalp, you are mixing your natural oils with the oil product for a more evenly distributed and natural method. If you apply it to a clean, freshly washed hair, you have already naturally stripped away some of the natural oils. When using an oil treatment, think of it as phase one of your scalp massage with the wash step being phase two.
4. Work in circular motions
It is best to massage in circular motions because this encourages blood circulation which helps keep the scalp healthy and can promote hair growth. While washing the oils out of your hair, remember to continue the circular massage motion to help cleanse and restore the balance of natural oils.
Massage for about 3-5 minutes to reap the most benefits.
Don’t perform this beauty treatment too often or you may end up with an irritated scalp. Once a week is a good guideline for most people.
When it comes to a great way to relax and pamper at home, a scalp massage is the perfect quick fix. Keep your hair and scalp happy with these easy tips!
