Latest / The Tight Curls Project / Curl Talk: Sensitive Scalp

Transcript

Curl Talk: Sensitive Scalp · The Tight Curls Project

• 0:07
  Hello and welcome to the Tight Curls Project podcast.
• 0:10
  I'm Shadia Oshodi and in this episode, you'll hear a conversation that deserved its own spotlight.
• 0:15
  When I was interviewing Claire Benton, I wanted to know she had any haircare issues.
• 0:19
  She shared how her scalp often feels sore after wash day.
• 0:22
  So what we do here is we look into the ingredients in the scalp oil she was using and point out some potential irritants and also some alternatives to improve her scalp comfort
• 0:31
  and her scalp health while still preserving her style because we know that's important.
• 0:35
  If you've ever dealt with scalp irritation, this may help you.
• 0:38
  You can find out maybe what the cause is and how to protect your scalp and your style at the same time.
• 0:43
  Here we go.
• 0:45
  Well, Claire, there was one thing that and I was asking you about your hair challenges.
• 0:50
  Oh.
• 0:51
  And I think you told me a little bit about your
• 0:54
  issues, right?
• 0:57
  I don't know.
• 0:58
  that something that's been challenging?
• 0:59
  Yeah.
• 0:59
  I know if my scalp is sensitive or dry or I'm figuring it out because I'll go get it professionally done and then a couple days later my scalp will be like, no, that wasn't
• 1:12
  good.
• 1:12
  So it'll be itching or just feel really dry or be really sore.
• 1:17
  And so that's been happening for a while and I'll try different products, different oils for my scalp.
• 1:26
  Um, Mizani scalp lotion has helped some.
• 1:30
  Um, but I did try the coconut before I did my hair last night.
• 1:37
  I did the coconut honey mix in the pot.
• 1:43
  I did coconut oil and honey and I put it on my scalp and I let it sit and then I washed it regular shampoo conditioner and today my scalp does feel pretty okay.
• 1:57
  That's great.
• 1:58
  Yeah.
• 1:59
  I mean, when you shared that with me before, there's a couple of things that could be going on.
• 2:04
  uh Coconut oil, people have loved, hate, people were overdoing it in the early, in the 2010s.
• 2:11
  But coconut oil, just the fatty acid composition and the nature of it is it is actually an anti, has anti-fungal properties, anti-inflammation, and
• 2:21
  can be put on as a pre-treatment and then washed out.
• 2:25
  So doesn't have to sit in your hair.
• 2:26
  And then honey is a humectant, so that is bringing water to your scalp.
• 2:31
  humectant means that it holds water.
• 2:33
  So, I mean, that must be hard to apply because it's probably sticky.
• 2:37
  That's why I said I put it in the pot and I put it in the pot and then I had the thing, um, applicator.
• 2:43
  uh Yeah, one of the other things I was thinking about, because you shared an oil product that you're using, which has a mix of oils.
• 2:54
  So it has coconut oil, but it also has castor oil in it.
• 2:58
  And I think it has flaxseed and some other things.
• 3:00
  And those can be really heavy on the scalp.
• 3:03
  And the thing is that a lot of people like natural products and they use a lot of essential oils, but a lot of essential oils are irritating.
• 3:11
  uh
• 3:12
  Peppermint oil can be really irritating to your scalp.
• 3:15
  So one thing I was thinking is maybe eliminating products with essential oils.
• 3:19
  kind of simplifying the oils.
• 3:21
  Another oil that's great for your scalp ah because of the composition and it's very close to sebum, like what our scalps naturally produce is jojoba oil.
• 3:31
  J-O-J-O...J-O-J-O-B-A.
• 3:35
  Jojoba oil.
• 3:37
  And you can buy that, you can get it.
• 3:39
  Cold pressed, can get it organic, you can get it Whole Foods, I bought online.
• 3:43
  And it's great to just put a couple drops on your scalp and massage that in, because it is like your natural scalp oil.
• 3:50
  But I think the heavy oils can cause irritation on our scalp if you leave them in, and then also the essential oils.
• 3:58
  You know, it's smelling good, it's probably not good for your, I mean, for a lot of people who are sensitive.
• 4:02
  So you could be sensitive to that.
• 4:05
  So that would be a place to start to look.
• 4:07
  And if not, then shampoos, because shampoos are what have the most contact with
• 4:12
  scalp.
• 4:13
  So a sensitive shampoo could be a way to go.
• 4:15
  One designed for sensitive scalp.
• 4:18
  It's just a couple thoughts.
• 4:19
  I wanted to share that with you.
• 4:21
  Have you tried any of those things yet?
• 4:24
  I mean, I'm telling you, but I don't know if you've tried them before.
• 4:26
  to, yeah, no, I haven't tried them before.
• 4:28
  Just the coconut oil, like I just said.
• 4:32
  But one thing you mentioned was the oil that I was using when I would, that had, you know, all the things in it.
• 4:40
  When I would put it on my scalp and kind of rub it in, you know, like it was lotion, still at the end of the day, it would be running down my neck.
• 4:47
  So I'm thinking my scalp did not absorb any of it.
• 4:52
  they don't absorb.
• 4:54
  So that would be like, and it's better to do that when your scalp is damp like after, but you can do it between even putting a little water with it and like misting on with the
• 5:03
  jojoba oil.
• 5:04
  Okay.
• 5:05
  That or like a grape seed oil or a sweet almond oil would be something better for your scalp versus these ones that are just going to sit on top.
• 5:13
  So maybe make a jojoba oil or the other seed oil mister mix?
• 5:20
  Yeah, I would start simple and just do that jojoba oil with a little water.
• 5:26
  Or just take a couple drops and, you know, massage it into your...
• 5:30
  Massage it in your scalp between, shampooing.
• 5:33
  Yeah.
• 5:35
  And it's great to put on your scalp right after, because your scalp is able to hold it more easily.
• 5:42
  And it's wet and it can just protect it.
• 5:45
  Yes.
• 5:46
  So in the sense that, you know, it's ready to absorb the product more readily and you could create more of a barrier because if you're doing the essential oil, it can cause
• 5:54
  irritation and then maybe you're irritated by a shampoo, but it's kind of hard to troubleshoot everything at once.
• 6:01
  So that could be one thing to try just giving that oil you're using a rest um and seeing, you know, if the jojoba oil for this next cycle, if that will help.
• 6:12
  What I'm thinking is, okay, so then you have to think about when are you gonna put it in your hair?
• 6:17
  Because if you're gonna sit it under the dryer, that's not gonna work either.
• 6:21
  So maybe wash condition, style, because I do style it while it's wet with like the whatever flaxseed gel or whatever I have with the combs.
• 6:29
  And then before I sit under the dryer while it's still damp, spray, kind of move it around, spray, do my last.
• 6:36
  Are you putting, are you putting gel in?
• 6:39
  Yes.
• 6:40
  Your hair?
• 6:40
  So that might mess up your cast.
• 6:42
  So what I'm thinking is after you condition, do you put a leave-in in your hair?
• 6:47
  Uhhhh, um, no.
• 6:49
  Or you just do a styling.
• 6:50
  So after you condition, going in with sections and putting some on your scalp.
• 6:55
  So you're just focusing on your scalp.
• 6:58
  then you're putting your other product on top.
• 7:00
  There might be a little overlay, but a lot of the styling products for wash-a-goes, you're trying to set a cast of film and oil interacts with that.
• 7:09
  But if you're doing just a little bit and just trying to then put something, barrier, create more of a barrier on your scalp, it's better when your scalp is wet.
• 7:18
  And then...
• 7:19
  throughout the week, you could do a couple drops.
• 7:21
  Depends.
• 7:22
  It's really hard because a lot of times styling things are like, use water, but that's gonna mess up what I just do.
• 7:27
  So either going in lightly with a little bit of water or just very lightly with the oil because it builds up over time, but this one was less likely to build up.
• 7:38
  So, before styling, after shampoo conditioning.
• 7:42
  Yes.
• 7:43
  I would definitely do that next
• 7:44
  Scout, put it on there, give it some love.
• 7:46
  then just, you know, don't need a lot, a lot.
• 7:51
  Just start with like five good drops and see go from there.
• 7:55
  See, that's the thing, I'm so heavy handed with products.
• 7:57
  I'm like, more gel, more gel, more gel.
• 8:01
  m
• 8:02
  feel like that's the ethos for the gel, because they're literally trying to coat all your strands and get them to clump together and to set a cast.
• 8:09
  So you have a cast, you got to have it all around.
• 8:12
  And that was, but for the oil, you're just really trying to get it on your scalp.
• 8:17
  And even when you don't, you know, you have parts and you're putting some on your part, when you massage it, it's going on either side of the part.
• 8:22
  So you probably could do maybe four five parts and get it that way, get it through and really just focusing on your scalp.
• 8:30
  because that's, you know, it's living tissue, it's skin.
• 8:34
  And, you know, it's prone to dryness sometimes for some people.
• 8:37
  And then also putting more of a barrier there so that it's having that.
• 8:41
  So when you were sitting under the dryer, the heat's not just going to your scalp.
• 8:44
  Your part is.
• 8:45
  And, uh you know, just to create that foundation so it can chill.
• 8:51
  And they have serums and other products that we can talk about offline for your scalp.
• 8:56
  But this is a good place to start.
• 8:58
  just to see if that will reduce the irritation.
• 9:00
  And then you look into, if that doesn't help by itself, then it's the shampoo.
• 9:05
  And then maybe you need to do a treatment on your scalp, something that could remove buildup because that happens with more time you go between, you get more buildup on your
• 9:15
  scalp.
• 9:16
  And that would be like a glycolic acid or something that has a lactic acid in it.
• 9:20
  And that acid sounds scary, but really it is very moisturizing and it's kind of an exfoliant.
• 9:25
  So you could put that on.
• 9:28
  and let it sit before you wash your hair.
• 9:30
  So that would help to help just loosen up things.
• 9:33
  So when you're getting in there with your fingers or a gentle like silicon scrubber, that you're loosening up anything that's there residual.
• 9:42
  And so it's more moisturized.
• 9:44
  So then after you can put the jojoba oil, so you got a nice clean base that's not flaky or irritated.
• 9:50
  yeah, those are some things.
• 9:52
  But I would start first with not using that oil with essential...
• 9:55
  oils on your scalp and switching to the the jojoba oil is a light oil.
• 10:00
  I'm definitely going to call you.
• 10:01
  So I did it last night.
• 10:02
  So in two weeks, I'm going to call you again.
• 10:06
  Love it.
• 10:07
  And I put together some recs for you based on of what we shared that I'll share with you offline.
• 10:14
  But yeah, if other people listening have scalp issues, I think scalp is very confusing because we greasing our scalp.
• 10:20
  Then it's like, don't grease your scalp.
• 10:21
  And some people are saying, don't use oils.
• 10:23
  Then you should use oils.
• 10:24
  So could be very confusing.
• 10:26
  Um, but I think this is a conversation we'll try to continue to have, but if you have specific scalp questions or things that haven't worked for your scalp, please send us a
• 10:35
  comment.
• 10:36
  post, let us know, send us a message because we want to make sure that we're addressing those interviews and also in our, uh, our, meaning my solo episode.
• 10:46
  This has been a great conversation.
• 10:48
  So fun.
• 10:49
  definitely want to do this again.
• 10:51
  Yes, scalp care can really feel tricky, but small adjustments starting there can make all the difference.
• 10:57
  If this was helpful, follow the Tight Curls Project podcast, share it with a curl friend, and send me your questions for future episodes on Substack or wherever you're listening.
• 11:06
  Thanks for joining me on the Tight Curls Project podcast, and I'll see you next time.
• 11:10
  Bye.