Scalp Scrub recipes?

[Moonstruck]

So, I've always had that nasty, gooky, mushy cheese textured sebum-y stuff on my head. Whether you want to call it dry sebum, or SD, or whatever (I always see so many diagnoses online!), the best way for me to get rid of it is to have a good long scritch, along with some ACV rinsing later. My shampoo bars help too.

But so many have mentioned doing a scalp scrub! I found for me that using an exfoliating soap bar instead of a normal shampoo bar works pretty well for me. Bars with clays/muds also do well. I'm guessing those of you that use sulfate 'poos could get away with body wash with those beads in it)

I've tried just mixing EVOO and sugar for a scrub that made my scalp feel like a hundred bucks, but left my hair stringy and oily for over 2 weeks. Hahaha!

(Recap - scalp scrubs to remove excess scalp junk = scritching, ACV rinses, exfoliating beads/seeds/etc, sugar/salt scrubs, clay/mud, perhaps switching to shampoo bars?)

What have you guys tried? I'd love to get a good list of stuff going that might help with scalp buildup.

[little_cherry]

It does sound good, (and tasty..lol). I've been pondering a scalp scrub, but have been afraid that the scrub may be damaging my hair cuticle (I'm probably paranoid).

[Leisje]

I tried just a plain sugar scrub for my scalp once.. I figured it would be the easiest way to go about it because I could just run my hair under water and dissolve away the sugar after I was done. It didn't really have much effect though. Perhaps I should try a different recipe.

I can never seem to completely get rid of that scalp gunk.

I have noticed a decrease though when I CO wash my scalp with a conditioner containing tea tree oil and minty ingredients. My scalp practically sings opera after this!

[florenonite]

What about honey and sugar? While it does moisturise hair, it's less likely to make it oily than an oil.

[Teazel]

I have SD, so I'm very familiar with the cruddy scalp problem. Mine's not as "cheesy" (ewww!!) as yours sounds, though; yours sounds a lot like cradle cap. DS20 still has that.

Once upon a time I wrote down what I did in a battle against the flakies, and I'll paste it here:


First I massaged in tea tree oil diluted with almond oil, then I rubbed in some brown sugar, then I washed twice with Pantene Purity (yikes!), dumped on some honey and let it sit, rinsed that off and slapped on a dollop of aloe vera gel and let it sit before rinsing, and as a last flourish I did an ACV rinse.

The result was a "super-clean" scalp. These days I would first scritch with a fine-toothed wooden or horn comb, then do an almond oil + brown sugar scrub. It's very awkward trying to get the sugar through the hair and onto the scalp; not a procedure I enjoy. And it's messy! Best performed outside or in the shower. Finally, all that oil needs a serious shampoo to remove it.

You might want to see a dermatologist at some stage, because it's easier to prevent the gunk than to remove it. Good luck!

[Madame J]

I've done oil and salt, and I used sunflower oil instead of olive, since it's lighter and rinses a little more easily. I followed that with 3 lathers of Dr. Bronner's soap, the first of which was mixed with about a teaspoon of baking soda and plenty of water to dilute it. Then I followed that with an SMT and a vinegar rinse. My hair loved it. The salt is a bit drying, and doesn't have any yummies in it for the beasties on my scalp to munch on like sugar does.

[Moonstruck]

I've been worried about damaging the cuticle as well, but honestly, long hair's not so nice looking when it's gross up top.

Now I'm imagining a nice mint infused honey scrub.... but I night just eat it. That sounds too good hahaha. Thanks for those ideas!

Hm, didn't realize cradle cap wasn't only in babies. Interesting. I've seen dermatologists about it, but they all think it's a fairly mild case of whatever they call it. They all disagree on what it is, haha. I do have a medicated shampoo but my hair looks pretty terrible, even if my scalp feels better.

[Natalia]

Well if you want to add exfoliating bits to what your already using you can buy numerous things in craft/soap making suppliers (or make many of them if your so inclined :) ). Such as strawberry seeds, ground apricot pits, ground almonds, and papaya seeds. Also fine textured dead sea salt and as you mentioned sugar :)

[AstrayStar]

The scalp scrub I have used quite a bit that has never left me oily is to use 1-2 tbsp brown sugar
1-2 tbs honey and 1 tsp of acv. I read some people use conditioner instead of honey as well.

[hellomimi]

Hey! i know this post is super old but I was wandering if it would work for someone doing the no poo method or would it leave the hair greasy? thank you!

[ReptilianFeline]

For no poo I simply mix in some henna or neem powder in my poo mix and rub with my fingertips.

[Konfitura]

I did a coffee scrub recently - two spoons of coffee grounds and one spoon of rhassoul clay mixed with water to make a paste. Rubbed it in scalp, left for about 5-10 minutes and then rinse.
It worked for me, clean hair and no problem with oilines (no oils added, so... ;) ).