‘Beautiful hair starts with a healthy scalp’
COVERED with hair as it is, it’s easy to ignore your scalp. A press conference about scalp care earlier this month by Kérastase Philippines details how one should take care of their scalp, which is often ignored in favor of skincare and haircare.
“Beautiful hair starts with a healthy scalp,” said Kérastase Senior Education Manager Annadel de Leon during the press conference. The event was held to promote the launch of Kérastase Spécifique Potentialisté, a scalp serum. The serum works with the scalp’s microbiome to keep and restore the balance between the body and its microbes, as opposed to the former paradigm of eliminating them completely. The product is equipped with a combination of Bifidus Prebiotics and Probiotics, and an advanced Vitamin C-derivative with antioxidant properties. The addition of these ingredients to the serum’s formula is supposed to nourish the microbiome with each application, strengthening it against daily external stressors and restoring its optimal state as a protective barrier. With daily use, the serum is supposed to ensure that the scalp is hydrated, healthier, and revitalized. The brand is part of the L’Oréal Group Professional Products Division.
Ms. De Leon said that the scalp is four times more sensitive than the skin on our bodies, owing to the scalp having more sebaceous glands, blood vessels, and nerve endings. “We should really treat our scalp the same way we treat our face,” she said. “We see a hairdresser or we go to the doctor if we are already experiencing either itchiness, sensitivity, or dryness,” she noted, pointing out how the scalp is only paid attention to when there are already problems.
“Hair begins at its roots, or in the scalp.”
Ms. De Leon said that scalp (and thus, hair) problems are caused by external and internal aggressors. On external aggressors, she says, “We cannot really do anything about it; it’s there.” These include exposure to heat (including styling), the air, pollution, and water. Internal aggressors include one’s diet, stress levels, and hormonal changes. Untreated, these cause dryness, frizz, falling hair, and dandruff.
To deal with these aggressors, she gave a number of tips. They include using two shampoos (one that cares for the scalp, the other for the hair); exfoliating the scalp twice a month (a service available at Kérastase partner salons), and moisturizing and treating it (enter Kérastase Spécifique Potentialisté).
“It should be part of our skincare already,” said Ms. De Leon.
The serum will be available at the Kèrastase Official Store on Lazada starting March 27. — JLG
