Skincare For Your Scalp? Here’s What You Need To Know

When we think of ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane, our minds go straight to the serums and masks we use in our skincare routine. But what about scalp care? Skinification, a beauty movement that refers to treating your scalp with the same level of care as your face, is on the rise – and for very good reason. Not only is a healthy scalp linked to healthy-looking hair, but optimal scalp function can help reduce dullness and brittleness too.

We spoke with Prudvi Mohan Kaka, Chief Scientific Officer at DECIEM, to get the lowdown on how we should be caring for our scalp for healthier hair.

Why should we treat our scalp with the same level of care as our face?
“With so much focus placed on targeting the short-term appearance of the hair, scalp care is often forgotten. The scalp is skin and it requires adequate care to help maintain its optimal function. Creating a scalp care regimen that includes products to help protect the skin’s barrier, provide effective cleansing, and adequate hydration is extremely important in maintaining optimal scalp function. We are able to achieve this with minimal ingredients tailored to target specific hair and scalp needs. 

The Ordinary's new haircare line epitomises 'Skinification' of the scalp, providing customers with formulations that hydrate and protect the scalp with ingredients typically found in skincare. We have formulated products to gently cleanse, keep hair manageable through conditioning, and target scalp hydration directly through a leave-in scalp treatment. At DECIEM we want to shift focus onto the scalp and encourage our audience to place an emphasis on scalp care through the same lens applied to their skincare.”     

Why does healthy hair start at the scalp?
“The appearance of healthy-looking hair can be linked to optimal scalp function. As hair grows from individual hair follicles located on the scalp, any disturbances to the scalp's normal function may have an impact on the appearance of the hair. Adequate cleansing and moisturising are key steps in maintaining scalp hydration and protecting the scalp skin barrier.”

What causes an unhealthy scalp?
“There are multiple factors that can lead to disruptions in optimal scalp function. This includes product buildup, irritation from harsh chemicals (bleaching, perming etc.), microbiome disruption, dryness, and environmental factors like pollution. However, it is important to note that some scalp conditions are medical concerns and should be addressed with the guidance of a medical professional.”

What hair concerns are linked to an unhealthy scalp?
“Hair dullness, brittleness, and hair loss are some of the signs of an unhealthy scalp. Again, many of these hair concerns are related to medical concerns and should be addressed by a medical professional. Common scalp concerns that can be addressed with cosmetics would be scalp build-up and dryness, improving the cleanliness and hydration of the scalp protecting the skin barrier promoting optimal scalp function. Optimal scalp condition can improve the appearance of healthy-looking hair.”

What ingredients should we be looking for to improve our scalp health?
“We recommend starting with products that cover the basics of cleansing and hydration and then building up from there using products more targeted for an individual's specific needs. Using cleansing products that contain surfactants is important in order to remove any buildup on the scalp and hair, our Sulphate 4% Cleanser for Body and Hair contains the surfactant Sodium Laureth Sulphate-2 (SLES-2). Incorporating products that contain hydrating agents is important in protecting the skin barrier to maintain optimal scalp function. The Ordinary’s Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA for Scalp is a milky serum that uses a variety of ingredients that mimic the function of natural moisturising factors (NMF). These combined with hyaluronic acid and squalane provide great skin hydration and scalp barrier function support.”