We all want strong, healthy-looking hair but for beautiful things to grow, you need to look to the root. The experts at Aveeno® Haircare, backed by decades of skincare expertise, truly understand the importance of a healthy and cared for scalp as the foundation to great looking hair. With six different blends in the Aveeno® Haircare range, each one combines colloidal oat, clinically proven to soothe an itchy, dry and even flaky scalp to keep it cleansed and comfortable. Each blend is further enriched with botanical ingredients to care for different hair types, so hair looks radiant and feels healthy and nourished right to the tip.
According to Rebecca Bennett, Aveeno® skincare expert, ingredients and formulations in our haircare products are key to a soothed scalp and great looking hair. “So often, our scalp is forgotten, when in fact, it should receive the same amount of love as the skin on our body and face. Scalp needs to be cleansed with gentle formulas that are pH balanced and will help restore and maintain the natural lipid mantle. Oat is a wonderful ingredient for sensitive skin and scalp and in these formulas help to calm and comfort the scalp, no matter what your hair type.”
Sulphate free and pH balanced, the Aveeno® Haircare range is suitable for sensitive skin and also gentle enough for daily use. There are six shampoo and conditioner duos in the range, to suit every hair type. With colloidal oat as the main ingredient, along with a range of different botanical ingredients for different hair needs, the range is clinically proven to soothe itchy, dry scalp, while also nourishing the hair lengths according to hair type.
While a healthy scalp is clear of flakes, dead skin cells, oils and product residue and build up, when it comes to promoting healthy hair growth, how we cleanse is also important. According to celebrity hair stylist and scalp expert Trudy Hayes, it is all part of paying it that much needed attention. “When you wash your hair you are cleansing it of everyday build up and products and healthy, clean scalps encourage healthy looking hair growth. By really engaging with your scalp as you cleanse, you are also encouraging blood flow. Massaging your scalp encourages blood flow to the follicles which is crucial to stimulate growth. Using good products as well as being deliberate but gentle about scalp massage as you cleanse or brush your hair, not only benefits healthy growth but also helps the hair texture and shine.”
If you want to cultivate good haircare habits, and encourage beautiful growth, Trudy recommends regular scalp massage along with good quality haircare. Focusing primarily on the centre of the scalp, were the hair whorl is typically located, is the priority as this area has no muscle. “Targeted stimulation here, be it through massage or brushing can help with blood circulation and to encourage the blood to flow evenly, promoting overall scalp health, “ says Trudy. “Specifically target the central area of the scalp and as with handling your hair, remember to work gently as you go.
Step 1: Start with fingers spread apart and using the pads of fingers (never nails), begin to massage from the hairline and work back in a circular motion towards the crown and down to the nape of the neck.
Step 2: Start at the front hairline again with fingers apart and work back using zig-zag motions. Crossing over until you reach the nape of the neck.
Step 3: Go back to front with fingers in the same position and use a grabbing motion pulling the finger gently but quickly all over the scalp. This movement invigorates the scalp and encourages blood flow.
You can follow these techniques before you wash your hair, or as part of your routine in the shower while cleansing your hair. Put conditioner in the ends and follow the steps. Regular and consistent scalp massage as part of your routine will yield positive results in the growth and overall look and feel of your hair.”
Each formula in the Aveeno® Haircare range strikes a balance between nurturing a healthy scalp through colloidal oat and caring for hair with botanical ingredients, so there’s no longer the need to compromise. After all, beautiful, healthy hair is often the end goal, the result of a cleansed scalp that is calm and cared for throughout from season to season.
Aveeno® Scalp Soothing Haircare range is available in supermarkets and pharmacies nationwide, retailing at €8.99 RRP* each. *RRP only, retail pricing at the sole discretion of the retailer