Wash Day Diary: June 10th 2014: Dry Scalp

I read somewhere that "your hair will tell you what it wants", well, my hair did just that today. Normally, I would cowash or cleanse my hair every 7 to 10 days, but last night, my scalp started to itch me...and if you watched my "How to Wash Natural Hair" video, that means she needs some TLC.

Since it was just 4 days past my last wash day, I decided to just do a simple water-only wash.

Wash Process

• Saturated my two strands twisted hair with lukewarm water
• Gently massage my scalp to lift up any build up.
• Rinse off my hair with water
• Applied Shea Moisture Purification Masque and massage into scalp and add to hair.
• Cover with a plastic bag and knitted hat for 30 mins.

I felt okay just using water to wash my hair because I do not use products that are hard to remove from my hair, such as silicones, mineral oil, and petroleum-laden products. If I did have build up, I would have simply just used Apple Cider Vinegar at this time.

Post Wash Process

• Massage scalp with oil mix which contains peppermint oil and tea tree oil; great from dry and itchy scalp
• Apply Shea Moisture Curl and Style Milk as Leave In
• Seal ends and hair with Castor Oil.
• Retwist hair with Qhemet Biologics Amla & Olive Heavy Cream

I had not experienced this must dryness in a while, so here are my thoughts as to why this happened:

• Summer is here, and each day, I take an early morning walk with the girls, without covering my hair. We also bike or walk in the evening. Double dose of exercise is great!!
• The Black Tea Rinse from last wash day...now this was the only new directly impacted product I added to my hair routine. I striked out this train of thought because the benefits of tea rinses does not accredit scalp dryness as one of its factors. Rather, it states that it helps with dryness and dandruff.

BlackHair101.com

Benefits of Using Tea Rinses

• Moisture- Tea rinses are a great way to get moisture in the hair between your regular washes. Some persons will use the tea rinse as a middle of the week hair refresher, especially if they exercise. Some tea rinses are excellent for keeping the scalp supple and free from dryness.
• Strengthens Hair- Depending on which tea rinse you use, you will find that overtime the hair feels strengthened and less prone to breakage.
• Hides Gray- There are some tea rinses that can cover gray hairs overtime with consistent use.
• Prevents and Treats Dandruff- there are some herbs which are better at treating dandruff than others, they can be used as an infusion and applied to scalp.
• Stimulates The Scalp And Helps With Hair Growth- some herbs including peppermint are good stimulants; we know that they make a good tingly oil but they can also be used as an infusion.
• Reduces Oil Build Up On The Scalp- overproduction of sebum is usually the precursor to certain conditions including dandruff. Some teas, including sage can be of help with this condition. 

I believe the over-exposure to the sun from our walks is the culprit. Tomorrow, I will be grabbing a hat...and so will the girls!