Kayla Young
If you suffer from a dry and flaky scalp, then you may be itching to stop the irritation. Things like indoor heating and washing your hair too much can be the cause. But it could also be due to an allergy or a reaction to the chemicals in a specific product.
Whatever the reason, having a dry scalp means that the natural oils that it produces to keep your hair healthy have been impaired.
So replenishing the skin is your first port of call. Below we will show you how to moisturize your scalp without making your hair greasy.
Contents
Why Is My Scalp Dry?
Scratching your scalp in public only to discover you’ve covered your shoulders with flakes of dandruff can be embarrassing. And the dryer your scalp is, the more flakes.
When this happens, any flakes that don’t fall will mix with your scalp’s natural oils to clog up the pores and make your hair look greasy.
Yuck.
A dry scalp is usually simply the result of your scalp either not producing or not holding enough moisture. If you have dry skin, then you’re more than likely to also have a dry scalp.
Whatever factor is causing your dry skin will more than likely also be doing the same to your scalp.
If you become allergic to an ingredient (or ingredients) from any of your hair care products, this can also result in an irritated scalp that itches and flakes.
Other causes of dry scalps include the changing of seasons, and either a bacterial or fungal infection.
If not treated, inflammation of the scalp will ensue with the accumulation of dead skin cells mixing with your skin’s natural oils (known as sebum). This has the potential to change the way your hair grows because hair follicles that are clogged up don’t work as they are meant to.
It can even end up in hair loss.
How to Moisturize Your Scalp Without Making Your Hair Greasy
If your issue is a dry scalp, then you may want to consider using shampoos and conditioners that have been made to specifically treat the issue.
These usually contain antifungal and antibacterial chemical agents that may not work for everyone, though.
If you have to frequently wash your hair, for example, a more moisturizing shampoo would be better.
If you do go down this route, make sure that the products you use contain natural oils that will help to rebalance your scalp and cut down on the grease.
You could also add some tea tree oil or other hair oil to your moisturizer and leave in for a few minutes before rinsing.
Blood Work
Believe it or not, if your scalp is already oily, you would benefit from using a natural healing oil to maintain your scalp’s health. Jamaican black castor oil will help to stimulate blood circulation, making it a cost-effective treatment for healing the scalp.
Jamaican black castor oil has both antifungal and antibacterial properties, will rebalance your scalp’s oil production, and help to remove toxins from the skin.
It works wonders for all scalp issues, not just oily ones.
This oil is very thick, so a little goes a very long way! It’s best to start with a quarter-sized amount and work up if you need it.
When mixed with a few drops of tea tree oil, which also has antifungal, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties, it can then be massaged into the scalp. But make sure that your hair is wet first. The tea tree oil will gently warm up your scalp and get the blood flow going.
Give your fingers a bit of a workout as well, by making sure you give your entire scalp a good massage. Massaging the scalp can help to not only encourage new growth, but also help remove product buildup and dead skin cells.
Finally, pop on a shower cap, relax and allow the exhilarating stimulation to do its work before thoroughly rinsing all of the castor oil out.
Vinegar Cocktails
Good ‘ole apple cider vinegar can also be used to make sure your scalp retains its natural moisture without making your hair greasy. In fact, not only will it help to improve your scalp’s health, but it will also clarify your hair by stripping it of any product buildup, from roots to tips, without drying it out.
Apple cider vinegar contains antifungal and antibacterial properties that gently exfoliate the scalp. It even acts as an anti-inflammatory, so it also calms the skin.
An apple cider vinegar hair cocktail can be sprayed onto your scalp once a week to keep it in optimum health.
Leave it on for 20 minutes before washing and conditioning as usual.
You can purchase an Apple Cider Vinegar hair rinse , or make one yourself.
To make an apple cider vinegar hair cocktail, you’ll need:
- A plastic spray bottle
- 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cut of water
Optional:
- 7 drops of tea tree oil (for added nourishment of the hair’s follicles and pH rebalancing)
- 5 aspirin tablets (if your scalp is particularly itchy scalp, the salicylic acid in aspirin will help to gently exfoliate the scalp of dead skin cells and reduce inflammation)
Spray the hair cocktail onto your scalp and massage it in. Next, spray the rest of your hair and comb through as you detangle. Wait for 20 minutes before you shampoo.
You Are What You Eat
If you want to make sure that your scalp stays in the best health possible, you’ll need to take a closer look at your diet.
It’s a good idea to do this even before you start with the topical applications.
For example, vitamin D3, which is found in foods like eggs, shiitake mushrooms, and salmon, is an essential ingredient to keeping your scalp in good health.
Skin conditions like psoriasis, dermatitis, and dandruff are generally caused by not having enough vitamin D3 in your body. And don’t forget that sunlight is the ultimate Vitamin D supplier!
Conclusion
So now you have a good idea of how to moisturize your scalp without getting greasy hair. Give any or all of these solutions a go, so that you can enjoy full and shiny hair while keeping your scalp in great condition.
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