i’m doing it. i’m talking about things that itch. 🤣
i’m calling this my scalp journey because for the past couple of years my scalp was not having it. it’s one of those changes that just happen… with age. gotta love aging! one day you’re young and hip, the next day you’re scrambling to try all scalp products to alleviate the itchiness. thankfully, mine wasn’t severe as others who end up with blood or lesions and such. but it wasn’t normal for me. when you think about it, the scalp is an extension of your face so it really needs to be treated right.
the first thing i did was cut out dry shampoo and anything that would cause product build up. i began to realize that wasn’t necessarily the cause (i use so little) but it was that my scalp was DRY. i’ll link everything i tried along the way but ultimately, it came down to a hair oil which i had zero expectations of working. i actually only tried the brand because i wanted to see the hype… but it actually worked out for me. funny how it works out. more after the jump.
side ramblings: #swsw2022 was FUN! a lot more tame this year since i’m out of the loop on a lot of things but nonetheless, it was great seeing old friends again. life actually felt normal-ish again for once and for that i’m grateful. it’s funny bc it was almost a test of my own covid anxieties to see what situations i’m comfortable with and react in. but it all went well & in fact i made a couple of new friends/connections (my fave part). the past 1.5 weeks have been full of events and whether they are sxsw-related or not, they’re in bullet point format below:
@musesumoficecream — the museum of ice cream opened in ATX a while back but i tagged along with PIC @wanderlustanita to check out and it was such a fun night! check out snaps below
@oonihq — cutest lil countertop pizza oven that hosted an event inviting all the main pizza players in ATX: @doughboysatx, @sammataro.pizza, @showmepizza, @justinesbrasserie. literally the best pizza party ever. i haven’t tried any until now and they are ALL on my list
@trudysdelmar — highly recommend the carrot cake toast sundae
@chanel.beauty — pop-up that will be here until 04/24. the space is so beautiful!! i love that they offer classes and one-on-ones
@chefaz — apparently chef Andrew Zimmern is a celebrity and guess who got a photo with him? MEEEEE
@tindlefoods — plant-based chicken. pretty good for being plant-based
@besameatx — checked out the ice cream cookie sandwich collaboration with @getcookierich and @atasteofkoko’s lucky charm ice cream was good!!
@doughboysatx — garlic knots are a must but prob not safe on a date
@whambambagels — finally got to try @rosensbagelco bagels and they are YUM
@spokesmancoffee — pretty good matcha and i’ll be trying their coffee next time
@texassushiko — was ok. my friend and i ordered one of each handroll and i only loved the salmon skin
@stelmobrewing — bought the brunch beer for my BIL (hefeweizen + cara cara oranges)
two other things before signing off… but one, i picked up my tesla that i’ve wanted for years!!! two, (and i can barely believe i’m typing this)… but i will be working with… (insert drum roll) J.CREW!!!!!! this is a dream come true for me #pinchme. i’ve tried to manifest this collaboration for years and it’s finally here. it’s a brand i’ve wanted to work with ever since i started this site and it’s going to happen! it’s going to be a styling event “Janna Doan x J.Crew Spring Styling Event” featuring their spring line on 04/10. more coming soon, but i feel so lucky and grateful & hope you share this excitement with me 😊
currently on my playlist: pressure by James Vickery ft. SG Lewis
the bondi boost elixir hair oil — call it liquid gold? is a pre-wash treatment. that means you apply it 15-minutes before showering. it’s time consuming. and the thought of putting oil in my hair seemed daunting but desperate times call for desperate measures. the oil works wonders and i massage a good 3-4 pumps into my scalp. AHHH… finally i can go days with an itch. and have perfected the washing of my hair 2x a week = WHOOO!!! don’t get me started on all the #hairmath that occurs when a woman needs to figure out all activities and when to wash her hair. the oil is thick. i usually concentrate it on the ends as well. the next one i’m trying is JVN complete pre-wash scalp and hair treatment oil to see what the hype is about.
other items i’m currently using //
Kevin Murphy scalp.spa scrub — i’ve tried a couple scrubs that are mainly salt-based but didn’t really LOVE any. this one feels good and while it’s a little hard to get out bc the particles are ones that disintegrate, it has helped and use it 1x a week — this will remain in the rotation.
Bondi Boost dandruff shampoo — this contains zinc pyrithione and peppermint oils to help soothe the scalp and any flakes. this will remain in the rotation and i use it 1x a week.
Bondi Boost HG shampoo — this is a clear shampoo which i wasn’t expecting. lathers nicely so you don’t need a lot. it doesn’t have a scent though FYI.
Bondi Boost HG conditioner — cream white but i find this a little hard to rinse out for some reason — feels soapy-ish. a little goes a long way.
Virtue smooth shampoo — the Bondi Boost shampoo + conditioner don’t have any fragrance to it. while that can be a good thing as fragrances can be an irritant, it still feels weird not using something with a little smell. so i always mix in a dollop of this. i am also a fan of Kevin Murphy shampoos and interested in the Crown Affair ritual shampoo as well.
Bumble & Bumble hairdresser’s invisible oil — i was using @olaplex bonding oil but i’ve heard so many bad things about olaplex and felt i was using a lot of hair with their shampoo + conditioner so immediately stopped using that brand. just check the reddit threads. there’s a new brand i saw that i’ll be purchasing Crown Affair the hair oil (more clean ingredients). i’ve also heard good things about VERB ghost oil too.
Mason Pearson popular mixture brush — yes… why yes it is ridiculous to spend $240 on a hair brush. actually the only reason why i purchased this was bc it was on costco for $100 and even then it was a hard pill to swallow. it’s an iconic brush and many people swear by it. as someone who doesn’t brush their hair (like ever) i think it was time to invest to help stimulate the scalp and distribute the oils from the roots to the ends. i read quite a bit on boar bristles and i see the science behind it but i still can’t get over the price tag. here’s a more affordable option by Crown Affair the brush no.1 or the S-Heart-S scalp brush.
Oribe serene scalp smoothing leave-on hair treatment — i haven’t used this much but intend on using it as a moisturizer for my scalp. tube looks tiny and Oribe isn’t cheap so…
#hairgame is something i’m constantly trying to work on. i think great hair care comes from the root. it’s good to keep heat damage down, use less products to avoid product build-up, wash your hair with room temp water vs. hot (i’ve also heard that a cold wash at the end helps seal it all in but haven’t gone that far yet), give it the moisture and love it needs (as you would with your face), don’t wash your hair daily, brush the scalp to help stimulate the hair follicles.
past products that did not work //
Christophe Robin purifying scalp scrub with sea salt — smells and feels really nice. but sometimes i find the sea salt a little irritating. only a small amount is needed in the shower.
Living Proof scalp care dry scalp treatment — this did nothing and as all LP products, it has a strong scent to it. to be applied to clean hair.
Briogeo scalp revival charcoal + tea tree cooling hydration mask — everyone seems to love this stuff but it didn’t do anything for me. i also found it hard to disperse if that makes any sense since it doesn’t lather or anything.
Sachajuan scalp shampoo — clear shampoo. this is also one of those shampoos that people talk about.
BeautyBio healthy scalp serum — very light but did nothing.
goop g.tox himalayan salt scalp scrub — while i love the consistency of this scrub, it’s creamy unlike the Christophe Robin… it smells so good too but didn’t do much to soothe my scalp unfortunately.
Davines naturaltech calming shampoo — this one smells so relaxing due to the lavender but didn’t do anything to soothe my scalp.
time to up the hair game!,
JD