Skincare ingredients for hair can work wonders for your scalp and hair health. The scalp is skin too, and when you care for it as meticulously as your facial skin, you achieve the hair health you’ve always desired. Hair health begins at the roots, with the scalp playing a crucial role in determining how well your hair will grow.
This is why many beauty brands have shifted from traditional hair care ingredients to skincare ingredients, enhancing the efficacy of their products. This transition has proven beneficial for many. Here are some skincare ingredients you should look for in hair products too!
Skincare Ingredients For Hair: Hydration Heroes
Much like your skin, your scalp’s hydration levels are essential to maintain as well. Ingredients that hold water and when used topically, drench the epidermis layer with water, are a great asset to maintain the moisture level of your scalp. Especially in drier climates or dry scalp conditions, look for hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and micellar water in your purchases. Aloe vera is yet another hydrator that also soothes and calms the scalp. More recently, K-beauty faves like cactus extract and honey work as natural humectants, attracting moisture to the hair, and keep it smooth and conditioned till your next wash day.
Skincare Ingredients For Hair: Nourishing Emollients
Coconut and almond oils aren’t the only oils that can healthify your scalp. When extracted and used in dynamic formulations, the antimicrobial tea tree oil can help resolve concerns like acne and inflammation and treat dandruff, promoting a healthy scalp environment for hair growth. Shea butter is a much-loved and strong emollient to help soften hair, making it less fussy and avoid breakage. In fact, butters can be quite a good addition for dry, curly and wavy hair types. Seek out cupuacu butter, murumuru butter, lllipe butter, mango butter and tucuma butter to make the best of your weekly deep conditioning sessions.
Skincare Ingredients For Hair: Antioxidants
Your scalp is prone to wear and tear by being exposed to free radical damage. Sun exposure, pollution and stress can cause faster ageing of the scalp, leading to concerns like early greying and thinning. A potent antioxidant like vitamin E can help protect against environmental damage.
Similarly, the brightening powerhouse vitamin C can nourish the hair follicles and guard against oxidative stress and boost collagen production, which comes in handy when you’re growing out your lengths. Look for these ingredients in leave-in treatments rather than wash-off products so that they stay on your scalp for longer.
Skincare Ingredients For Hair: Exfoliators
Exfoliating your scalp on a regular basis can help keep the build-up of products at bay. This ensures your hair care products are able to do their job and your pores and follicles can actually breathe. Hydroxy acids like azelaic acid, lactic acid and glycolic acid can help remove dead skin cells, excess oil, and slough-off any nasty, gunk-y, layer of styling products on your scalp. This, in turn, helps reduce flakiness, and address issues like dandruff or scalp acne.
Skincare Ingredients For Hair: Energizers
In addition to your typical keep-fit ingredients for the scalp, certain additions to your routine can really take your hair game to the next level. Caffeine is super trendy right now due to its ability to stimulate hair growth by penetrating the hair follicles and stimulate blood circulation. An underappreciated asset would also be peptides, which are short chains of amino acids, that have the ability to penetrate the hair shaft to strengthen and repair damaged hair.
Barrier-building ceramides also help create a protective barrier on the hair surface, preventing moisture loss and environmental stress like sun damage and pollutants in the air. They also repair the hair cuticle, reduce frizziness, and lend natural shine to your lengths rather than just sitting on the surface of the hair.
ALSO READ: Amika, Oribe, Briogeo – The 3 Best Dry Shampoos To Fight Greasy Hair
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