Although it may be out of sight, your scalp needs love just like the rest of your skin, especially during the winter. But proper scalp care can leave even the savviest skincare enthusiasts perplexed. The good news is that you can reduce dryness, itchiness, and flakiness year-round and enjoy a healthy, hydrated scalp with gorgeous hair to match.
The Importance of Maintaining a Healthy Scalp
Many people only focus on caring for their skin and hair and neglect to consider scalp care. However, a healthy scalp is crucial for maintaining a head of strong, healthy hair.
The scalp is a little different from the rest of your skin in that it’s thicker (to protect your head), contains more hair follicles, and produces more oil. If this skin is dry, it’s common to experience itchiness and dandruff. A dry scalp also means dry hair that may become weak and brittle.
When the skin is healthy and functioning normally, hair is more likely to grow faster, thicker, and stronger. With these factors in mind, it’s much easier to understand how to take care of your scalp properly.
3 Top Scalp Care Tips for Winter
Since the health of your hair often depends on the health of your scalp, scalp care tips are very similar to hair care. Keeping both healthy ensures an ongoing cycle of smooth, strong, and hydrated skin and hair. Here are the best steps you can take to get a healthy scalp.
1. Invest in a High-Quality Shampoo
Start by making sure you’re using the right products for your skin type. The wrong shampoo might not provide the necessary cleansing if your skin is naturally oily, or it may dry out your scalp if you have dry skin. Shampoo is meant to remove a buildup of products, debris, and impurities, allowing you to start fresh.
How often you should wash your hair and what type of shampoo you should use depends on your unique situation. In general, you’ll want to wash when your hair starts feeling heavy and oily. That means those with an oily scalp will likely need to wash their hair more often.
For dry skin, you should use a gentle, hydrating shampoo, moisturize with a nourishing conditioner, and space out your wash days. Look for a fragrance-free, sulfate-free shampoo that won’t cause irritation. Another tip: Skip the scalding hot showers. While they might feel great in the winter, hot water strips the scalp of its natural oils, leaving it dry and sensitive. Hot water can even worsen skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema and lead to flare-ups.
2. Massage and Exfoliate
If you deal with dandruff and skin irritation, part of the problem may be due to excess product, oil, debris, and dead skin cells. Exfoliating regularly helps to remove buildup, which is critical for those with higher oil production. Exfoliating shampoos, such as those containing tea tree oil, can help reduce any excess oil and debris. Other exfoliating products include treatment oils, masks, and serums.
While you’re applying products, gently work them into your scalp. Not only will you get a relaxing massage out of it, but you’ll also stimulate your scalp, improve blood flow, and remove the buildup of product and debris more thoroughly.
3. Filter Shower Contaminants
Most people don’t consider how the quality of water can affect their hair and skin. This is partially because many don’t think they can control it, especially when it’s coming from the shower. Fortunately, a filtered shower head can significantly improve the quality of your shower water and increase overall comfort.
Hard water is the main component of tap water that can harm the health of your scalp. This is water that contains minerals like calcium and magnesium, which can lead to dryness, itchiness, discomfort, and acne. If your home gets hard water from the tap, you’ve likely seen the chalky deposits it leaves behind. Imagine how much of that is sticking to your scalp after a shower!
Filtered shower heads remove these minerals, providing soft, clean water that’s free of irritants. This promotes a healthy, itch-free scalp and stronger hair.
Canopy is your choice for reimagined household devices that effortlessly optimize your home for beauty and wellness, from your bedroom oasis to your active family spaces. And we’re ready to help you upgrade one of the most important parts of your routine—the shower. Our new easy-to-install filtered shower head reduces dissolved minerals, added chlorine, and other contaminants in your household water, providing clean water that supports healthy skin and hair. Say goodbye to dull skin, brittle hair, and flaky scalp and hello to healthy skin and scalp and longer-lasting hair color.