Sugar is one of life's simple but greatest pleasures, from a sprinkling in your cuppa to a sweet dessert after dinner - we'd be lost without the sweet stuff. But did you know that a spoonful of sugar will not only satisfy your sweet tooth but works wonders on your hair, too?
If you suffer from dandruff, or a sensitive or itchy scalp, (or even if you don't) it's a good idea to give your roots the TLC they need, by exfoliating them regularly to remove dead skin cells and product build up (such as all that dry shampoo) to keep them healthy and believe it or not, sugar is one of the cheapest, best exfoliants money can buy.
To find out just why we should be adding sugar to our washing routine, we spoke to hair expert Ashleigh Hodges, Creative Director at Jamie Stevens Hair, and the brains behind the treatment 'The Sugarshine blow dry' who explained everything we need to know.
Why sugar?
"With so many shampoos going natural and the rise of cleansing conditioners; exfoliating your scalp is a must. Sugar is a fantastic natural exfoliator, removing any dead skin cells and excess oils that build up on your scalp, and dissolving in water. It also unclogs pores and improves circulation which helps prevent hair loss and promote hair growth by stimulating the scalp. It's great for relieving irritated and itchy scalps caused by different conditions by throughly clarifying the roots."
Is it best used alone or mixed with shampoo?
"It depends on the type of scrub needed: for a deeper cleanse use it with your shampoo, for a delicate cleanse use it with your conditioner and for really dry scalps use it with olive or coconut oil. Always follow with your normal shampooing regime."
How should it be applied?
"The best way to apply the sugar is to do it in sections directly onto the scalp. Apply it through the partings of the sections and then gently massage it into the scalp using circular movements with the tips of your fingers. You should never scrub vigorously as this can damage the scalp. Leave for up to 10 minutes and then follow with two shampoos and conditioner or mask."
How often should we be using it?
"This is a weekly treatment - it's recommended you exfoliate your body once a week and the same goes for your scalp. If you have a lot of excess oil you could do it twice a week until the problem subsides."
Is there a type of sugar that works best?
"Raw Brown sugar is the best variety as it is the most natural so will dissolve through the hair the best when rinsing. It also doesn't have any extra additives that irritate the scalp."
Try this trick for yourself and let us know how you get on @soFeminineUK
Liked this? You might also like:
From Eek To Sleek: All Your Greasy Hair Questions Answered
