Ditch Dry Shampoo and Choose a Hair Wrap

Utilising a dry shampoo every once in a while, as a way to create texture or finish to your hair when styling, is fine. However, daily use to keep greasy roots at bay isn’t great if you’re prioritising a routine that boosts hair growth, health, and shine. 

Our co-founder, Maria Sotiriou, who has over 37 years of experience behind the chair helping her clients with the most challenging hair issues explains:

“Applying dry shampoo to combat greasy roots is not advisable, especially if it is layered on and used regularly. Even though this is its intended use, these product options aren’t great for your hair when used in this way. Dry shampoo is made from starch-based ingredients that absorb grease, but did you know that starch coats the roots and cuticles of the hair? Unfortunately, this creates an environment not conducive to encouraging new hair growth or a healthy scalp.”

WHY HAIR GETS GREASY

Maria’s passion for helping people combat their greasy hair and scalp is embedded in her many years spent as a hairstylist. She’d come across many of her clients who believed they had an issue with greasy hair, and in the small minority of clients who had medical conditions or some kind of hormonal imbalance, that was true it was an issue for them, but for the majority, it wasn’t. Maria says:

“I feel very passionate about the problem people have with greasy hair. Firstly, we need to acknowledge that the natural oil produced from your scalp (sebum) is good. It’s a normal occurrence and can be great for the overall health of your hair. This is one of the reasons why the roots of our hair always seem to be in the best condition in compassion to our mid-lengths and ends.

Most heads of hair are more porous one to two inches down from the root. This usually happens because of environmental conditions, chemical treatments or colouring, which these days, most of us partake in. However, when we produce oil at the scalp, it will commonly only move a little way down from the root, stopping once it meets the point where the hair becomes porous. If the hair wasn’t as porous, the oil would be able to travel further along the length of the hair, but because of the porosity problem, the oil becomes concentrated in a short area at the roots only. Now there is a build-up of oil, or a greasy root as it’s more commonly known, and the client will want to shampoo the hair to fix it.

Shampooing oily hair needs to be done thoroughly. I always teach my clients the best technique, otherwise, the oil will still be present and the cycle of greasy hair will continue. This in turn creates a cycle where you end up over-washing your hair, stripping the oil from the dryer parts of the hair that need it most, making it more dehydrated.  Unfortunately, this leads to you feeling like no matter how many times you’re washing your hair it constantly feels greasy.” 

With that in mind, it becomes much easier to pinpoint the real issue behind greasy roots and address it head-on. It’s not that most of us have greasy roots and dry hair, it’s that most of us have porosity down the mid-lengths and ends of our hair, making it challenging for the hydrating and moisture-boosting, naturally produced oils to make it down our hair shaft and benefit our drier ends.

SWITCHING DRY SHAMPOO FOR 100% SILK

Here’s where the incredible technology of the SILKE London Hair Wrap comes in! 

Silk is an ancient material made from natural fibres, which is why, when it’s used in hair care, it’s often compared to magic. Unlike other materials such as satin and cotton, silk is completely smooth and non-absorbent, so when it’s used against the hair it doesn’t strip it of moisture - it actually does the opposite. Maria explains how wearing a SILKE Hair Wrap nightly can benefit those of us struggling with a greasy root:

“When clean hair is cocooned inside a SILKE London Hair Wrap it will be able to breathe due to the natural behaviour and composition of the silk. The heat within the Hair Wrap regulates with the person's natural body temperature. This means the roots will not be overheating, which would happen if you were laying on or in any other material, stripping the hair of its hydration. The softness of natural silk smooths down the hair cuticles, which can be raised due to porosity. Once those cuticles are laying flat the natural oil from the scalp can travel down the individual strands of hair and be absorbed evenly from the roots to the ends. This oil is natural, it is produced by us for a reason. When your hair absorbs it, the oil seals in and combines with the hydration held within the hair, resulting in a boost of moisture. Essentially, instead of the grease and oil getting stuck up at the root, it’s evenly distributed to the ends, eradicating greasy roots, but simultaneously hydrating dry ends. It creates the perfect environment for your hair to thrive whilst you sleep. After all, we spend a third of our lives in bed, why not make it count?” 

When you take your Hair Wrap off in the morning, the results are frizz-free, soft, supple, shiny and healthier-looking hair. Over time, the hair will become stronger, and most importantly new hair growth is protected and nurtured. When you’re promoting new hair growth the last thing you want to do is to spray them with starch ingredients. 

Wearing the Hair Wrap nightly and encouraging the natural oils to work in a way that benefits your hair means you can also go longer between hair washes. This will help you cut down on all the products you use on your hair, as well as water, electricity and of course, your precious time…

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I WASH MY HAIR?

When it comes to the perfect hair wash schedule, Maria says: 

“Hair wash days should be scheduled at least every five days, but ideally only once a week. Washing your hair every day will negatively impact the environment in which new growth can flourish. I have seen first-hand how it thins the hair, which is quite the opposite of what you’re looking to achieve. The hair suffers from open, porous, dehydrated cuticles when you’re over-washing, which will result in weak, broken hair!” 

There you have it, a simple solution to the very common ‘greasy roots’ problem. Who’d have thought it would be as easy as popping on your Hair Wrap each night? It’s all about minimal effort with maximum results at SILKE London! 

Love, SILKE xo