Yes, scalp facials are a thing now. Here's how to give yourself one.

One of the things I love about TikTok is how quickly I can go down a complete rabbit hole of useless information. I am an *expert* in terrifying things that haunt the Appalachian Mountains now, for instance. 

But sometimes during an hours-long scroll, you hit on genuine gold, and for me, that mostly comes in the form of #beautytok. And lately, I've been obsessing over the latest hair trend to go viral: scalp facials. 

There's something soothing about watching people lie back in the heated massage chairs at their local salon or spa, having their head massaged, exfoliated, treated like a queen... all to walk away with shiny, hydrated hair and scalp.

I'm relaxed just thinking about it.

Thing is, though, going to a salon for this kind of treatment takes time. It takes money. Neither of which many of us have in abundance right now (read: ever). So to give this trend a try, I decided to try it out with some savey products — SheaMoisture Aloe Butter Scalp Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner, Moisture Cream and Pre-Wash Masque — and do my own DIY scalp facial at home.

What is a scalp facial? 

Okay, but step it back a moment — what the heck is a scalp facial? Well, just like we treat our faces to a little extra love sometimes, we can take care of our scalp with a scalp facial — and yes, ICYMI, scalp health is *essential* for healthy hair. 

It's literally the foundation for strong, vibrant strands.

Hair follicles need nourishment, drawing essential nutrients from the blood vessels that crisscross the scalp. The scalp's natural oils (aka sebum) moisturises the scalp and hair, preventing dryness and flakiness. But if that dries out... hello, itchy, dry head, and sad scalp and hair.

A healthy scalp also supports each phase of the hair growth cycle – growth, transition, and resting – so if you're trying to achieve mermaid status, scalp care is vital.

Plus, scalp facials just... feel real nice, you know?

The scalp facial is designed to rejuvenate and improve the health of the scalp, and typically involves a series of treatments aimed at cleansing, exfoliating, moisturising, and nourishing the scalp and hair. Massage with fingers or a wide-tooth comb or shampoo brush can help increase blood circulation to the scalp, promoting hair growth and overall scalp health; exfoliation does away with dead skin cells, excess oil, and product buildup; and hydration prevents dryness and flakiness, giving you shiny, happy locks.

How to do a scalp facial at home.

So yes, all of that sounds like a delightful trip to the salon, but who has the TIME? The FUNDS? Not this gal, which is why I DIYed it after a trip to Priceline instead. And dang if I didn't do a great job *brushes shoulders off ever-so-indiscreetly*.

My hair is heavily coloured (ahem, bleached), so make of that what you will for the state of my head. Breakage, dryness, flyaways... I know them all. My hairdresser is basically a genius, and has all the tricks to give good hair without frying it, but ultimately, bleach is bleach, and my hair and scalp can always use a juicy moisture injection.

My dry hair before! Image: Supplied.

For the full scalp facial experience, I kicked off with the SheaMoisture Aloe Butter Scalp Moisture Pre-Wash Masque, for an extra shot of hydration. It's packed with aloe butter and vitamin B3, which makes it super nourishing for a dry scalp. I gave my scalp a good massage with my fingers, combed the product through with a wide-tooth comb, then sat back to catch up on some binge viewing for half an hour as my scalp and hair soaked up all the goodness. 

Image: Supplied. 

I jumped in the shower to rinse and cleanse with SheaMoisture Aloe Butter Scalp Moisture Shampoo, which also contains aloe butter and vitamin B3 — plus, it's sulphate-free. All those words mean it gives the scalp a good thorough cleanse, nixing any buildup without stripping the scalp's essential moisture. (Hot tip: for extra salon-head-massage vibes, I used my silicone shampoo brush.)

Step three of my DIY scalp facial was SheaMoisture Aloe Butter Scalp Moisture Conditioner — another moisturising MVP that hydrates the scalp. I took this opportunity for another cheeky head massage because why the heck not?

Image: Supplied.

Finally, I towel-dried my hair and moved onto the final step: SheaMoisture Aloe Butter Scalp Moisture Cream. "Apply to the scalp, massage in and do not rinse," read the instructions, and I had... questions. Would it leave my hair looking greasy, product-filled, stringy? But in the package directions we trust, so I divided my hair and applied the product along the part lines and... oh my. It was lovely and light, and massaged into my scalp easily (no white residue). It didn't feel heavy, or like it needed rinsing. No stringy oily strands, just a happy head. 

Image: Supplied.

How it went.

With all that special attention I paid to my scalp, I didn't want to go blasting with heat tools, so I gave it a gentle brush (with a wet-use Superbrush, don't worry fam!) went back to relaxing on the couch and let it air dry. And... wow. 

First of all, my wet hair was completely, 100 per cent tangle-free, which is a miracle in itself — even though my strands are dead straight, they love to cause me drama when wet. 

Secondly — as it dried, my hair has never been softer. Like, ever. My hair had a shine that a straight lather-rinse-repeat has never achieved, and the (often) dry ends looks bouncy and full.

I'm calling it: the scalp facial is going to be an official part of my Sunday reset routine.

Shop SheaMoisture's new Aloe Butter Scalp Care range now at Priceline in-store and online.

Feature Image: Supplied.