The Best Brushes for a Scalp Massage - Vogue

[massage]

Half the joy of going for a haircut is that ever-so-cathartic scalp massage at the shampoo bowl. You know, the one with a glorious lather that leaves your head feeling lighter and scalp refreshed and tingly. With limited access to pro hands due to social distancing, our scalps—and increasingly tense minds—are in need of reinvigoration. Just ask Bridgette Hill, also known as The Scalp Therapist, a trichologist and colorist at Paul Labrecque Salon & Spa.

"During this time, salon visits are severely limited, leaving our scalp and heads lacking the professional touch that stimulates and fires our scalp muscles," explains Hill. In terms of hair health, building scalp awareness and giving yourself a weekly detoxing scalp massage offers a multitude of benefits, from exfoliating away flakes and build-up, to boosting blood flow to increase circulation and hair growth. Did we mention that it feels pretty damn good, too? If you're at a loss for where to start, investing in a hair brush with scalp-massaging elements is a good place to start. "While nothing replaces the human touch, encouraging stimulation with a scalp brush can help," says Hill.

Tomoko Shima, the founder of New York City's Tomoko Shima Salon, a head spa that offers the works for scalps in need of extra TLC, from a follicle-opening steaming session to a balancing deep-tissue massage, is in agreement. "Japanese people care deeply about healthy hair and know that stimulating the circulation in the scalp helps deliver nutrients to the hair follicles," explains Shima, who recommends an electric vibrating scalp brush to clients who want to keep their scalps energized in between treatments. "It helps to stimulate the circulation of the scalp and aid in a deep pore cleansing, as well as release tension that we often store in our scalp," she explains. "It can often be seen when people raise their eyebrows or bring their eyebrows together—this reflects the tension that we are hoping to release."

From a high-tech LED light therapy model to an ergonomic in-shower favorite that works wonders for textured hair, here are seven brushes that will dramatically improve scalp health, and help you relax, at last.


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