I Finally Found The Solution To My Super-Sensitive Scalp Woes
I grew up as a tender-headed child.
My mother often told me: "Beauty is pain." But that never stopped me from complaining as I yelled out in agony each time she pulled the comb from roots to end through my 4B hair.
From the scrubbing of my scalp during wash day, to the heat of the blowdryer baking my hair, I was in agony. Although my mom would give me sympathetic 15-minute breaks before she began to brush and braid my hair into a style, ultimately, the end result was always the same-- throbbing pain.
When I reached my teen years, I decided to get my Erykah Badu on. Head wraps and turbans became my signature style.
Knowing that wearing something on my head was not the end-all solution, I began to do a little experimenting and researching on how I could soothe my painful experiences that left my head sore throughout my childhood.
Like an investigator, I eagerly began to do my research to find the perfect method to dealing with my sensitive scalp. To take my journey a step further, I chose to enlist professional and licensed hairstylist Charmeka Augustine-Young, owner of Fused Hair and Extensions, to help me treat my sensitive scalp.
Celebrity hair stylist Charmeka Augustine-Young
Charmeka, who has a diverse clientele, including celebrities like Cynthia Bailey and Erica Mena, has years of experience in caring for all hair types and has even treated clients with alopecia, thinning, and balding so I was open for her advice.
Below is what Charmeka shared with me about how to care for your hair when you have a sensitive scalp:
What are the causes of scalp sensitivity?
"Each case is different. Some causes of sensitive scalp can result from intense relaxers, psoriasis, eczema, or [it can be] hereditary. It is always best to speak with a health professional to see how this fits your situation and how it can be resolved."
How do you prevent a sensitive scalp?
"You can prevent your scalp from being sensitive by relieving tension on the hair. Avoid using PH relaxers, and lessening traction on the scalp can also help. For a sensitive scalp, I would suggest tea tree oil to soothe the scalp from constant irritation. I also recommend going to see a dermatologist or esthetician."
Should you comb or brush your hair?
"I would suggest combing the hair with a open-tooth comb instead of a brush to avoid irritating the scalp. Soft bristle brushes are okay, and wide-toothed combs are good because there is very little pull and tug on the scalp."
What are some protective styles you would recommend?
"I would suggest using a light custom wig to avoid smothering the hair, which will also allow the scalp to breathe."
Equipped with research and Charmeka's expert advice, I started a new hair routine that begins on Sundays that I would recommend to any and all of my tender-headed sisters:
- I start off by finding a style that lasts at least a week. I wash my hair with Trader Joe's Nourish Spa shampoo (because it is free of sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates), and I condition my hair with natural ingredients like Trader Joe's coconut oil and honey.
- I also take my time when I comb, no more yanking from roots to ends. Afterwards, I wrap my hair in satin, which I copped from my local Dollar Tree, giving it the luxury treatment it deserves.
Thanks to my new regimen, I can now say my hair is no longer my enemy, and I no longer fear my hair appointments. Giving myself time to learn my hair helped me understand its nature. This process allowed my kinks to grow full and healthy, while offering me a painless alternative to my sensitive scalp woes.
Are you tender-headed? What are some ways that you relieve your sensitive scalp? Let us know in the comments!
Featured image by Shutterstock
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ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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You've Never Seen Luke James In A Role Quite Like This
Over the years, we've watched Luke James play countless characters we'd deem sex symbols, movie stars, and even his complicated character in Lena Waithe's The Chi. For the first time in his career, the New Orleans-born actor has taken on a role where his signature good looks take a backseat as he transforms into Edmund in Them: The Scare—a mentally deranged character in the second installment of the horror anthology series that you won't be able to take your eyes off.
Trust us, Edmund will literally make you do a double take.
xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
Getty Images
Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images