A Good Brushing Ritual
One of the best things you can do for your scalp to promote new growth is establishing a good hair brushing routine. There are so many benefits to brushing your hair including distributing scalp oil to the ends, gathering and removing loose hairs, keeping tangling managed and removing scalp build up. Not to mention all of the pressure points on the scalp and the mental health benefit of having a self care practice.
The skin cells on our scalp are constantly turning over and accumulating, just like the skin on the rest of our body. They can unfortunately get stuck and begin to build up when the scalp is left un cared for.
As I mentioned in my healthy hair and scalp post, you’ll want to use a brush that has natural bristles that are fairly close together. There’s the classic “boar bristle” brush as well as some vegan alternatives that work just as well. I’ve linked those at the bottom of this page.
Here is a video for visual reference as well as technique.
You’ll start from the ends, working your way up to the scalp in sections. Then in circular motions, work your way around your scalp, taking extra care and time on each section.
But what if you have curly hair?
The rule curly folks hear over and over is whatever you do DON’T BRUSH! I mean yes, in some contexts, this is true. For example, when setting up the curls to dry with the style and definition you’re wanting (after the initial detangling and shape setting out of the shower) you certainly do NOT want to brush or do anything to disrupt the curl pattern. There’s more on this in my styling curly hair section. But then when can you brush?
2 scenarios come to mind, depending on your hair type and your routine.
1) You can do this full brush routine shortly before showering (Not on wash day, but on a shower between wash days when you’re planning on re wetting your hair.) Our hair is the most fragile when wet, so going ahead and pre-detangling dry already sets you up for less work in the shower. This also gives you a head start on removing any loose hairs that have gotten stuck throughout the week. This is also a good time to apply a hair mask to the ends, let that absorb while you work the brush around your scalp.
2) The refresh method: You can go ahead and do a brushing routine, your hair will be nice and fluffy (not a bad thing, personal preference is up to the individual, I love brushed out curls personally) and then just rewet your hair with a spray bottle or the bathtub/shower head. The brushing will act as a mini-cleanse for your scalp as you’ll have gently removed buildup and distributed oil from your scalp to the ends. See my styling curly hair for more info on refreshing/re styling your curls.