So I had a new client come in this past week and wanted to debate the grease question. I personally and professionally say nay to grease, heavy pomades or the like. As far as I’m concerned, heavy greases are a thing of the past… Today, we should be concerned with a healthy scalp, not a greasy one. Not only does it weigh down your hair and forbid movement (yall know how I love movement) but more importantly, (I guess, lol) it clogs your follicles. Your scalp needs air just like you do. Heavy pomades suffocate.
A healthy scalp is a reflection of what’s happening internally. A proper balanced diet is best for your hair. Hair, Skin and Nail vitamins are a great supplement to add to your morning regime. If your scalp is dry, try natural oils. Good ol’ Olive Oil—extra virgin— can do the trick. Use just enough to make your scalp shiny. Another great alternative is Kiehls Silk Groom Serum. It’s better to use a light fix more often, up to twice a day then it is to clog your follicles with heavy pomades that last all week.
Now y’all know I want to tell you to visit a professional salon that can handle your texture of hair. (Remember, you get what you pay for.) And if you can afford the luxury of letting them work their magic, and work it all out for you…please do so. But, since we’re in a recession, I’ll give you a few tips about making the most your weekly at-home cleansing regimen:
Heat up extra virgin olive oil. Apply to the scalp in small sections. Place a plastic processing cap on for 15 min with heat or 30 min without heat. Immediately apply shampoo before rinsing oil with water.
Using good shampoos is a must. Tea tree and moisturizing shampoos are a great 2nd place to healthy diet. Nizoral is an inexpensive dry scalp shampoo and can usually do the trick after few uses in combination with good conditioners.
Avoid hot water. Try using lukewarm to room temperature water instead. Hot water is damaging to your skin.
Hope this helps! Good Luck
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March 24th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Is there any hair, nails & skin supplements that you would recommend?
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Coconut oil is also a great alternative. It’s a bit lighter than olive oil but it moisturizes just as well.
April 14th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t a dry scalp bad too. My mother raised me on greasing my scalp well because the next day it would be dry and itchy. I love movement and (thanks to my mother) not using that much grease or oil, but what to do about the dry and itchy part. I currently use Carol’s Daughter Mimosa Honey on my scalp.
April 21st, 2009 at 6:55 pm
hey Alana!
I reccomend Nixion Hair, Skin and Nails daily supplements or the generic brand GNC Hair, skin and Nail vitamins
April 21st, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Hey Ashley,
Dry scalp of course is bad. The ideal scalp is properly conditioned and doesn’t need grease to be conditioned. You can try hot oil treatments weekly if you have a dry scalp.
May 14th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Actually, what most black women think is dry scalp is actually seborrheic dermatitis- a skin condition. For years I was told that I had a dry scalp, dandruff, etc (all those diagnosing me were family members), but when I finally went to the dermatologist in my junior year of college, I had a rude awakening. She gave me a topical steroid solution(generic= fluocinonide) because that works best for seborrhea on the scalp of highly textured hair. It is the ONLY thing that works, in fact, I was told that putting oil or grease on the scalp may appear to work for a day or two, but it’s actually aggravating the problem. GO SEE A DERMATOLOGIST AND STOP SELF DIAGNOSING!!!!
June 1st, 2009 at 12:46 pm
i dont have dry scalp but i do use africa’s best organix horsetail and rosemary evry other day it contains no mineral oil (herd it clogs hair follicles)or petroleum,is that bad?
July 3rd, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Elizabeth,
Im not familiar with the product. Sorry
August 18th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
does anybody know the name of that girl pictured above…?