By now you guys know of my affinity for skincare. On my journey as an aspiring skincare guru, I’ve enjoyed fully getting to understand exactly what my skin needs, what products work best for me, and how to implement this into all parts of my lifestyle. From learning which SPF to use and the best products to take with me on flights, to navigating viral Korean skincare favourites and the best French pharmacy picks with the power to make any beauty buff exclaim oh la la. But there is one notoriously overlooked part of skin that I feel I’ve been neglecting a little, and I’m not alone. 

The scalp is an absolutely crucial part of our hair health. Acting as the foundation for hair that grows to be luscious, healthy and gorgeous, our scalp needs to be nourished, moisturised, hydrated and massaged. There are lots of factors that can lead to a dry and unhealthy scalp – dehydration, cold weather, hair tools, the list goes on. So to tackle this lesser-known skin woe, we all need to give our scalp care routines a little love, and, in most cases, this means introducing a routine in the first place. In other words, our scalp needs skincare too! From scalp-focused conditioning treatments to serums, massagers and brushes to keep our resulting luscious locks in check, here’s my guide to caring for your scalp.

The best scalp treatments are all about unclogging our hair follicles and getting rid of the nasty dead skin cells, product residue and general dirt that gathers on the top of our heads without us even knowing. Scalp conditioners are such a great way of easily incorporating this kind of treatment into your hair care routine. If you’re looking to target specific problems, I’ve got you covered. For dryness and itchiness, try the Aesop Sage & Cedar Scalp Treatment or Philip Kingsley Scalp Toner. And if your hair is thinning and shedding and in need of some serious volume, Augustinus Bader’s The Scalp Treatment is a good solution.

So much of scalp care is about reducing excess oils and balancing the production of sebum (an oily protective barrier). But the top of our heads still need all the necessary oils and serums that moisturise and nourish. Day-to-day activities can strip our scalp of its natural oils and with me travelling so much lately, I’ve become very aware that my scalp has to put up with a lot – changes in climate, potential overwashing (and I’m sure I could add plenty more to this list). So it definitely deserves some attention. I love using rosemary oil to promote hair growth and scalp circulation, and products like The Nue Co’s Supa Thick are especially great if you have a sensitive scalp that’s easily irritated.

A good scalp massage is self-care at its finest. I love a scalp treatment at the spa but if you’re looking for a quick and easy at-home alternative, I’ve got some picks. Perfect for deeply exfoliating, increasing circulation and stimulating hair growth, plus great for getting me in a super relaxing mood, especially as part of my nighttime routine just after I’ve washed my hair.

A good brush seems like a given but I bet we’d all be surprised at the amount of us who neglect investing in one. A paddle brush with thick bristles has done so much to protect and strengthen my hair. And for something more compact, I love the Virtue Manta Brush that gives me a great scalp massage, too.

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