How to Do a Scalp Detox

Your scalp might need a detox if it is flaky, itchy, and dry. In some cases, your hair could be full of product buildup. A scalp detox is a way of deep cleansing your scalp to free your follicles of buildup, rebalance your skin pH, and improve your underlying hair biology.

It’s typically done by brushing or using an exfoliating scrub to unclog pores, buff away dead skin cells, and reduce residue from oils, hair products, and pollution. When you have clear, healthy follicles, you can establish a better environment for your hair.

Ways to Do a Scalp Detox

Many people detox their hair because their scalp becomes inflamed, itchy, oily, dry, painful, or they experience excessive hair fall. This is especially common for aging women experiencing hormone-related challenges that can cause these problems. 

Methods of scalp detoxing can include:

Brushing Your Hair

Brushing your hair before a shower, bed, or workout is an excellent way to begin exfoliation.

A DIY Scalp Scrub 

If you are going to assemble your scalp detox formula, opt for these ingredients:

• Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is perfect for balancing your scalp’s pH level, which should be about 5.5. 

• Aloe vera gel: Aloe vera is skin soother that promotes healing, breaks down dead skin cells, and conditions the skin. 

• Ginger: Ginger has thermogenic properties, meaning it creates heat through metabolic stimulation, allowing it to heal your scalp. 

• Sugar: Sugar is an excellent ingredient as an exfoliant to buff away product buildup and old sebum oil.

Try a Pre-Detox Treatment

If you have sensitive skin, try a pre-detox treatment. First, apply drops of non-greasy, hydrating oil like coconut, argan, or avocado oil around the crown of your head and let it sink in while you sleep. 

Then apply a sulfate-free shampoo like Better Not Younger’s Wake Up Call Volumizing Shampoo. Work it in circles and spend about three to five minutes in each “zone” before rinsing it with water.

Use a Good Scalp Detox Like New Dawn Activated Scalp Cleanser

Better Not Younger created New Dawn Activated Charcoal Cleanser as a chemical exfoliant and a physical exfoliant to renew your scalp while deep cleaning. 

The cap is designed with a silicone bristle brush to physically exfoliate dirt and debris and style products. At the same time, BNY’s powerful combination of lactic acid and activated charcoal reacts with your skin on a chemical level, stripping away the excess oil and layers of dead cells that can lead to inflammation and dull skin. 

How to Do a Scalp Detox with New Dawn

To use New Dawn Activated Charcoal Cleanser for your scalp detox, twist open the cap and squeeze the charcoal formula onto the brush’s applicator tips. 

Wet your hair, massage New Dawn through your scalp, and comb it through your roots. Target small sections at a time. 

The built-in applicator brush helps you evenly distribute the charcoal formula while exfoliating each section.

Once you’ve covered your scalp thoroughly, massage your head lightly using your fingertips to continue distributing New Dawn evenly. 

After this, rinse your hair and scalp well with cool to warm water and follow with a shampoo and conditioner. 

Scalp Detox Ingredients in New Dawn

New Dawn renews and rebalances your scalp with a proprietary combination of:

• Lactic acid: Lactic acid gently exfoliates your scalp’s top layer, dissolving buildup around blocked pores and helping slough away dull, older skin cells by destroying the bonds that hold them together. It also accelerates cell turnover and bolsters cell renewal.  

• Activated charcoal: Activated charcoal is an excellent oil-absorbent material because its molecules have a surface with holes that are effective at soaking up toxins, excess oils, and other damaging materials. 

• Menthyl lactate: Menthyl lactate (menthol) is an analgesic that works by soothing your scalp with a pleasant tingle. Its cooling properties help leave your scalp stimulated and refreshed.

How Often Should I Do a Scalp Detox?

Use New Dawn twice weekly if you consistently use styling products or have an extra oily scalp. If your scalp is dry or you want regular scalp maintenance, every other week may be all you need. 

If you have more textured hair, you may only need a scalp detox once a month. New Dawn provides scalp stimulation and deep cleansing for every hair type, clearing pores for abundant, healthy hair.

Ways to Support Your Scalp Detox

You can help improve the effects of your scalp detox with:

A Scalp Massage

Give yourself a scalp massage to increase blood circulation, which helps remove toxins from your head and opens nutrient delivery to your follicles. Scalp massages also strengthen and stimulate the production of healthy hair. 

Use your finger pads and gently rub your scalp in a circular movement, massaging small areas at a time. 

Superpower™ Liquid Comb and Massaging Serum Applicator

Try a massage tool like Better Not Younger’s Superpower™ Liquid Comb and Massaging Serum Applicator. You can use it with or without Superpower™ Fortifying Hair and Scalp Serum. Rub the comb over your head for a few minutes a couple of times daily. The comb’s ball-tipped dispensers encourage microcirculation.

Add the Superpower™ Serum to your massager before bed to rebalance your scalp oils while conditioning your scalp, strengthening and improving your hair, and reducing hair fall.

A Hair Mask to Make Your Hair Buttery Soft

Better Not Younger’s Hair Redemption Restorative Butter Masque contains a proprietary rich blend of five plant-based butters—macadamia, cupuaçu, murumuru, avocado, and mango—intended to penetrate your hair shaft while delivering ingredients to reduce oxidative stress, enhance moisture delivery, and increase softness and combability.

Our Hair Redemption restores damaged hair, strengthens fine hair, and nourishes and protects aging hair without clogging your pores.

Get the Most Out of Your Scalp Detox With Better Not Younger

As most of us know by now, healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp because it gives your hair a robust foundation from which to grow. If you’re experiencing a dry, flakey, itchy, or painful scalp, a scalp detox may be what you need. 

Better Not Younger has a full lineup of aging hair-care products that will help you revive and rejuvenate your dull, dry scalp from the inside out. Find them all on our Shop page and read more about activated charcoal in our blog.