Like so many, I've been struggling with dry, itchy scalp my entire life. My struggles go beyond just a bit of dandruff and the occasional itch. Instead, what I have is a condition called "eczema." Basically, this means that I have a condition that means my skin is extremely sensitive. If I get lazy and choose not to moisturize properly ... If I use a product that causes me to have an allergic reaction (anything nut based) ... If my scalp / skin decides to just act a fool because it can, it will! At it's worse, my scalp becomes scabby, inflamed, severely itchy, and sore/ tender. To combat this, I've been very diligent in the products I use on my skin and on my scalp. As any true "shea butter queen," nearly all of my products are natural ... My motto? ... If I can't eat or pronounce it? ... It doesn't belong on my body. Ironically, despite America's use of so many troublesome chemicals in food and beauty products, there has been this resurgence of organic / natural products, many of which have been in existence for hundred if not thousands of years.
My Favorite to Combat Irritable Scalp
In tackling your regular dry scalp or in extreme cases like mine, eczema flares, can be super stressful ... Not only due to the flaking that can happen ... But because sometimes? ... All you can think about is digging your nails into your scalp to start scratching away! ... Which you shouldn't do by the way! It will only, irritate and damage your scalp even further. Instead, massage your scalp with the pads of your fingers instead.
On wash days, before my co-washing session, I do a full hot oil treatment with the following oils (which can also be found on My list of Favorites powered by Amazon:
Tea Tree Oil - First used by the Bundialung people of Eastern Australia
Mango Butter (melted) - Native of South Asia, first used between 4 - 5 BC
Olive Oil - Discovered in the Mediterranean and first used as early as 8BC
Grapeseed Oil - Often used in natural healing remedies, it has been in use for over 6,000 years
Peppermint Oil - Originating in England and used in cooking and herbal medicine since 1500BC
Castor Oil - Plant originating in India, then later used in ancient Egypt. Arrives to ancient Greece in 4BC
Without exact measurements, I combine in a pot and bring the contents to a very low simmer, then allowed to cool slightly. I then proceed with the following steps:
- Wet both my hair strands and scalp with warm water
- Coat my hair and scalp with the oil mixture.
- Put into simple two-strand twists
- Then massage the scalp continuously for 3 full minutes.
- Allow the oil mixture to sit on my hair for 30 minutes with a plastic cap
- Wash out after 30 minutes
While I touched on the benefits of my favorite oils during my secrets to "Mastering the L.O.C Method" post ... To learn a bit more about the full beauty and ancient healing power of natural oils as well as their uses, check out the infographic below. Hope this is helpful!
