Recently we have had quite a few clients come in asking for scalp treatments. Emerson Salon offers two MoroccanOil Balancing Scalp Treatments; one for dry scalps and one for oily scalps.

What is Dry Scalp?

It occurs from using harsh hair products and/or harsh shampoos and conditioners, hard water, winter weather and dry skin, over washing, over brushing, and/or scratching your head when you shampoo or condition it. If you must shampoo your hair every day, we recommend using a dry shampoo. Alterna’s Caviar Anti-Aging Dry Shampoo is one of the best and it is made from a French clay instead of talc, as talc can be toxic and may be cancer-causing.

Sun and high-heat hair appliances also dry out your scalp. Also, if you don’t condition your hair, it may result in dry scalp. Dry scalp is commonly mistaken for dandruff, which is it not. Real flakes are large and waxy in texture. Dandruff is a medical condition caused by a fungus causing the shedding of skin cells.

What is Oily Scalp?

It is caused by poor hygiene, hormone imbalances, and genetics. “Doctors at Derma Doctor diagnose heredity as the single main cause of excess oil production in the scalp.” “Dihydrotestosterone, a hormone and genetically linked trait, is one of the main factors. If your relatives and immediate family have a history of oily scalp, then chances are that you will, too.”
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Avoid brushing your hair vigorously, as doing so will bring the oil down into the rest of your hair.

MoroccanOil Scalp Re-balancing Treatments:
A 10-minute in-salon invigorating scalp massage treatment, which increases scalp circulation and balances our clients’ scalp issues. These treatments are infused with essential oils such as organic ginger, lavender and geranium extracts, which calm and improve the condition of your scalp and the quality of your hair. The treatment oil sets in your hair for 10 more minutes. Further care is taken by shampooing your hair with MoroccanOil Moisture Repair Shampoo and conditioning with MoroccanOil Moisture Repair Conditioner. These hair care products further moisturizes both your hair and your scalp and are color safe, sulfate, phosphate, and paraben free. Finally, we blow dry your hair after applying the MoroccanOil Treatment, which revives, strengthens and conditions the hair, as well as reducing the hair’s drying time.

Note: We also offer both the MoroccanOil Dry-No-More and the Oil-No-More Professional scalp treatments for your DIY use.

Post by Lancer

A dry scalp and dandruff are easily mistaken for one another when you don’t know the true difference between the two. I have a lot of people sit in my chair and say that they struggle with dandruff and have been self-medicating with Head & Shoulders or some equally horrible product, with no relief. You most likely don’t have dandruff, and medicated shampoos for dandruff are actually going to make dry scalp worse.  The first step to treating dandruff or dry scalp is to know what they are!

A myth – some people think that their dandruff is caused by their scalp being too dry. They try to deal with this by not washing their hair with shampoo, or washing it less often, believing that washing worsens the problem. In fact, dandruff usually gets better when you shampoo more frequently with the right shampoo.

Dandruff occurs when your scalp produces extra oil, made by glands at the base of each hair, which holds the tiny flakes together to make bigger, more noticeable flakes.   A tiny fungus seems to be part of the reason some people get dandruff. This fungus is called Malassezia (mal-a-sea-zee-a) or sometimes Pityrosporum (pit-ee-rose-por-um). This fungus makes the skin cells grow much faster, so there are a lot more dead cells; these mix with the hair oils to make bigger flakes.  To help the production of extra oil and fungus, it’s recommended to avoid citrus fruits, bananas, tinned fruits, strong tea/coffee, pickles and refined or processed foods, Keep hair and scalp clean to avoid accumulation of dead cells. Also, hair should be brushed daily to improve circulation and to distribute the oil throughout your hair.  If those don’t help, talk to your doctor about getting on a medicated shampoo to kill the fungus.

Dry scalp is common and can be from a change in the weather, poor quality shampoo or a buildup of product on the scalp. The use of harsh shampoos is one of the most common reasons for dry scalp. The chemicals in the shampoos remove too much of the natural oil from the hair and scalp, and the end result is an itchy, flaky scalp and hair that lacks any type of luster or natural body.  Hard water can also cause a dry scalp. Even if the shampoo product is recommended for dry hair and scalps, it will not work effectively if hard water is used to wash and rinse. Honestly, the best way to get rid of dry scalp is to use better quality shampoo. To get rid of the build-up from cheap shampoos I recommend using Kevin Murphy’s Maxi Wash shampoo.  Once you get those layers of build-up off and want to keep your scalp feeling great and flake-free, use Alterna Life Solution Scalp Therapy Shampoo.  This will keep your hair and scalp healthy and prevent the build-up from coming back! Another great option for a healthy scalp is to come in and get our Moroccan Oil Dry No More Professional Scalp Treatment.

As always, feel free to call or stop in and one of our stylists will be more than happy to help you figure out what products or treatments will be best for you!

Post by Ellen

When you have dry, itchy, scaly scalp it is commonly referred to as dandruff.

Besides dealing with the white flakes of dead skin in your hair and shoulders, when you come down with dandruff your head will itch and your scalp will appear scaly. Individuals may also experience either an excessively oily or dry scalp during these periods.

Instead of going straight to the dandruff shampoos, try these cheap, at home-remedies instead. They will target just the scalp condition while leaving the hair’s moisture content and condition alone.

• Use Tea Tree Oil: It is an anti-fungal. Mix the oil with shampoo, scrub, and leave it on the affected area for 15 minutes, then rinse.
• Scalp Massage with oil: This will help slough off the dead skin cells as well as allow more blood flow to the scalp.
• Rosemary, Nettle, Lime juice, Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Try any of these individually, together or combined in a shampoo, lotion or conditioner.
• Or consult with your stylist or dermatologist if the problem persists.

We just recently got the Mason Pearson brushes in the salon to try out. I have to admit, I was very skeptical. How could a hairbrush be all that? As hairdressers, we have tried many brushes and combs, endless blowout techniques and products, not to mention all methods of hair straightening, and they all have their pros and cons. This brush has never failed me or my clients. After one use of the brush in a regular blowout (without straightening products or the like), my clients’ hair has never looked smoother, softer, nor straighter.

It is true that the best thing one can do for one’s hair is to brush it. The same idea applies to nails; the best things one can do for one’s nails is to buff them.

Hair Solutions achieved with the Mason Pearson brush:

Dry hair: Brushing activates the tiny oil glands at the case of each hair – so that they lubricate each hair shaft just enough for elasticity and bounce and there’s no danger of hair being brittle, dry and difficult to manage.

Greasy hair: Brushing helps lift away excess oil from the hair shaft.

Dandruff: A Mason Pearson brush reaches every corner of the scalp and makes a thorough job of sweeping away the scales.

Be like Marsha:

Regular brushing with a good hairbrush through to the scalp will stimulate the blood supply and promote healthy growth.

The Mason Pearson brush:

Glides more easily and smoothly through the hair, allowing you to lift your hair in wide curves.

Is designed so that every individual tuft penetrates right through to the scalp.

Mason Pearson have established a unique reputation for hairbrushes. The reason for this is partly in the design and partly in the versatility of the brushes. The design consists of unique spired tufts of boar bristle, or nylon, or bristle-and-nylon mixture, set in a pneumatic pad so that every tuft penetrates right through to the scalp. In addition the materials are first-class. Mason Pearson brushes are made in different sizes, materials, and colors, at a wide range of prices. There is one for every type of hair.

Why is the Mason Pearson brand better?

• The unique rubber-cushion pad, made by hand using Mason Pearson’s original techniques, allows for effective and efficient brushing. It is kind to use and massages the scalp.

• The cellulose plastic handle is hand-polished and any sharp edges are removed to make the hairbrush more comfortable to hold. This handle was developed from the original wooden design which we continue to make in small quantities.

• We continue to try to improve on the established design : for example, the “Child” brush is in response to a customer’s request. This is designed to enable a child to become accustomed to the activity of brushing. Similar to this, in the materials used, is the “Sensitive”, which has been developed for people who have thinning hair or very fine hair. This brush gently stimulates the scalp. The natural extension has been to have a “Sensitive” model for those men who are “thin on top”.

• We build our products to last as long as possible. While we cannot make indestructible products, we use the best materials available so that, with a little care, they should give good service.We try to make improvements continuously. We have developed our own special nylon and take particular care in our selection of natural bristles to use the best combination for each brush.

The particular MP brush that we have in stock:

Bristle and Nylon tufts: This mixture is a good combination for normal, thick or long hair. It is the ideal brush for anyone just becoming accustomed to brushing his or her hair.

Other brushes:

Too hard a bristle would hack at your hair and scalp.

Too soft a bristle would slide ineffectively over your head.

Resources: Mason Pearson Site / Folica

What’s so special about a Mason Pearson brush?
A Mason Pearson brush is designed so that every individual tuft penetrates right through to the scalp. Too hard a bristle would hack at your hair and scalp, too soft a bristle would slide ineffectively over your head. The Mason Pearson is a great brush for styling and hair care. It helps create a beautiful smooth blow out; a wonderful alternative for all you flat iron junkies.

For Dry Hair- Brushing activates the oil glands at the base of each hair. This lubricates the hair shaft just enough for elasticity and bounce.

For Oily Hair- Brushing helps lift away excess oil from the hair shaft.

Dandruff- Bushing with a Mason Pearson helps thoroughly remove build-up and particles on the hair by gently reaching the scalp.

Why Brushing Is Important.
Brushing the hair cleans and polishes it and stimulates the scalp all at once. Brushing is a wonderful conditioning treatment as it not only distributes oil along the entire hair shaft but gets rid of any scaly particles as well.

We currently only have a few in stock so stop on by and pick one up.