I've Never Been Enchanted by Scalp Scrubs—Until This One Gave Me Shampoo-Commercial Hair

Little thing about me: I do not enjoy scalp scrubs. I'd even go so far as to say that I actively avoid them. It's mostly a texture thing (plopping a cold, sandy situation on my head genuinely sends a shiver up my spine), but my scalp also runs way too sensitive to even think about massaging it with salt, sugar, coffee grounds, cornmeal, or whatever granules someone swears will transform my lifeless locks. Chemical players (salicylic acid and the like) work much better whenever I need to give the skin up top a deep clean, but even those often leave me itchy and inflamed, and still, my flakes persist. What's a beauty editor with a penchant for glossy, liquid hair to do?

Apparently, she reaches for Rōz's Salt Scalp Scrub. If there's one person to completely transform my outlook on the product category, it's celebrity hairstylist Mara Roszak and her lineup of haircare heroes. Whenever I'm in desperate need of a good hair day, I opt for her salon-grade formulas, and after testing her scalp exfoliator for a month, I now officially add it to my must-have mix. Below, discover how I fell hard and fast for the precious formula. An enemies-to-lovers tale if I ever heard one…

About My Scalp and Hair

Let me just say that my hair is currently, well, going through it. I opted for highlights and a no-frizz chemical treatment before my November wedding, both of which were sublime for photos but, admittedly, not so wonderful for long-term hair health. See, anything that alters the structure of your hair (such as dye and other forms of chemical processing) can lead to dryness and breakage over time, and my ends have definitely seen better days.

It's also winter, which means my scalp is not loving the constant flux in temperature (warm, cozy indoor environments compared to the dry, arid weather outside) and has decided to bestow me with inflammation and dusting of stubborn flakes. Apologies for the TMI photo I'm about to present, but it's important to level-set what I was dealing with here.

See all those white dots? As much as I wish they were a result of my spotty camera lens, those are flakes very much scattered across the crown of my head. Despite what you see in the photo above, they're actually more concentrated near my hairline, where I deal with the most irritation. It doesn't help that I pile on stylers (a leave-in, oil, and gel every washday) to help my 2c curls look soft and bouncy. I'll usually swap in a clarifying shampoo every couple of washes to clear the buildup, but many work almost too well, leaving my scalp stripped and itchy—resulting in, sigh, even more flakes.

The Formula: Creamy, Gentle, and Satisfying

Enter Rōz's Salt Scalp Scrub. As I mentioned, I don't typically fawn over scrubs, so I wasn't exactly itching (pun intended) to add one to my routine. The thought of massaging granules of salt into my scalp makes me legitimately wince in pain, and to me, scrubs have never felt that intuitive. Do I use it before shampooing? After? How long do I leave the goop on?

Rōz is thankfully very clear that the scrub is meant to replace shampoo entirely. It's infused with coconut-based surfactants and is designed to give the scalp and strands a deep clean as it simultaneously exfoliates with Himalayan and Bolivian salt crystals and glycolic and salicylic acids. It further stimulates hair follicles with caffeine and rosemary extract, then to ensure the experience stays moisturizing—never stripping—the scrub features magnesium-rich seawater and the brand's signature BotaniComplex to soothe and hydrate while you massage. Not for nothing, the scrub also smells incredible. It boasts Rōz's signature warm, green scent, which softly lingers on your scalp and strands for hours post-wash.

The formula has a whipped, creamy consistency that doesn't really resemble shampoo. In fact, if I didn't see the pink salt crystals, I'd think it was a conditioner! That said, it does foam into a beautiful lather when you work a dollop into your scalp. I like to scoop a generous amount directly onto my wet roots, massage it in with my fingertips, then add a little more water to make it extra sudsy. I do wish it came with a little spatula or spoon, as I don't love using my fingertips to grab product—I always wind up splashing water into the jar—but keeping it as far away from the spray as possible helps prevent any excessive flooding.

My Experience and Results

The scrub rinses out quite easily, despite its buttery consistency and visible salt granules. I never feel like I have lingering crystals hiding in my roots, which has unfortunately happened with some of the more gritty, sandy options I've tried. (With those, it took at least three extra washes to feel totally clean.) Those salt crystals also don't feel too abrasive on my skin, which is great news for those with sensitive scalps like mine. I suspect that's because the granules are integrated so well into the creamy shampoo formula; you're not buffing the scalp with salt but using a purifying shampoo that just so happens to contain some extra salt particles.

After rinsing, I follow up with a nourishing mask—another Rōz hero—which feeds my strands hair-healthy nutrients and helps repair past damage. Each time I exit the bathroom, my scalp feels light, refreshed, and, most of all, clean (nary a stubborn flake in sight). I've been using it once every other week as a deep, thorough clean and find that's the perfect cadence to keep the buildup and inflammation at bay. I typically wash my wavy-curly hair twice a week, for context.

Whether I air-dry or give myself an at-home blowout (like I did in the photo above), my hair feels impossibly silky and weightless, as if I lived on the set of a shampoo commercial. While I credit that effect to my full lineup of stylers (which you can discover just ahead), the scalp scrub does do a lot of the heavy lifting. After all, as any hairstylist will tell you—including Roszak herself—healthy, "effortless" hair starts in the shower with a good, solid cleanse. I never truly believed it until I saw the professional-level results for myself. I implore you to as well as soon as the scrub drops on December 17. Until then, feel free to fill your cart with a plethora of other washday staples.

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