Before trying Kristin Ess's Instant Exfoliating Scalp Scrub, I really wasn't on board with scalp exfoliation. Even though every hairstylist and dermatologist will tell you it's important to remove dead skin cells and product buildup, to me, it simply sounded like a one-way ticket to breakage central — that, and an angry scalp. Well, all I can say now is that I'm glad I was asked to review this product, because it's quickly become one of my favorite hair products, possibly of all time. Allow me to explain why.
You see, when it comes down to it, the pros are right: You need to slough away lingering dirt, dead skin cells, and product residue if you want to have happy, healthy hair that can thrive. "Scalp scrubs may provide some health benefit to the scalp, as the buildup of debris on the scalp can lead to inflammation and interfere with optimal functioning of hair follicles," Joshua Zeichner, a New York City dermatologist, previously told Allure.
"Scalp scrubs help exfoliate these dead cells to get rid of flaking," he says. "They also may provide some health benefit to the scalp, as the buildup of debris on the scalp can lead to inflammation and interfere with optimal functioning of hair follicles."
Think of your scalp almost like soil: If you don't clean and care for it regularly, it won't be an optimal place for growth to occur. I've always known this, but I was still wary that an exfoliating scrub would be too harsh on my scalp, or that the particles would get caught in my hair and create a tangly mess. Not so here. Ess's scrub was actually soothing rather than irritating and didn't get stuck in my strands at all, thanks to its blend of ultra finely milled sugar, glycerin, and avocado oil that just melts away once it's done doing ridding the scalp of excess, well, everything.
As far as the actual application process went, it couldn't have gone smoother. While I had been worried that the sugar-filled mixture might get stuck in my hair or cause tangles, that simply wasn't the case at all. Here's how it went down: I took a quarter-sized amount, rubbed it between my fingers, and applied it directly to the areas of my scalp that felt in need of the most cleansing action. After massaging it into the skin and allowing it to work its magic (it feels slightly tingly during this part), I rinsed it out well and that was that. The whole shebang took all of two minutes — if that.
After my first use, my scalp felt cleaner than it maybe ever had. That might sound hyperbolic, but it was completely free of flakes, product buildup, and extra oil. Plus, there was zero irritation, which is rare for me as I have a sensitive scalp. When my hair dried, it looked shiny, smooth, and more voluminous than it had in months. It all made sense when I checked out the ingredient list, which contains a laundry list of soothing agents like sunflower seed oil, mango seed butter, avocado oil, squalane, and chamomile flower extract.
You could definitely say that this 2019 Allure Best of Beauty winner turned me on to scalp scrubs. Now, I'm a twice-a-week-without-fail scalp exfoliation kind of girl. If you're interested in experiencing the magic for yourself, you can shop it for $14 at kristenesshair.com and target.com.
