Lifestyle & Wellness
When people think about skin care, the scalp is often forgotten. Even so, a regular scalp massage can boost circulation, help you relax, and support overall scalp health. Whether you want stress relief or healthier hair, head massage is becoming more popular because of its many advantages.
Read on to learn the benefits of scalp massage and how to add it to your self-care routine.
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How To Use A Gua Sha For Scalp Massage
How To Use A Scalp Massaging Brush On The Scalp
Scalp Massage: What Is It & What Are The Benefits?
Have you noticed how calming a gentle head rub feels during a salon shampoo? That feeling comes from stimulating the scalp, which activates the part of your nervous system that helps you relax and rest. Massaging the scalp lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Beyond easing stress, scalp massage offers other benefits—one reason gua sha and scalp massagers are trending online. Massage widens the small blood vessels near the surface of the scalp, especially across the front, top, and temples. This increases blood flow and oxygen to the soft tissues under the skin where hair follicles sit.
Lowering tension isn’t the only gain. Studies show regular scalp massage can create a healthier environment for hair, helping it grow thicker. Massage may gently stretch hair follicle cells, encouraging them to produce stronger strands.
Which Tools Are Good For Scalp Massage?
The Gua Sha Tool
Gua sha is an old technique that helps move fluid under the skin and improves circulation. “Gua” means “scrape” and “sha” refers to the reddening that can appear after treatment.
Gua sha tools for the face are often made from semi-precious stones like jade, rose quartz, or obsidian, and are flat with rounded edges for scraping. For the scalp, gua sha comes as special combs that curve to fit your hand. These combs have fewer, thicker teeth than regular combs and are often made from jade, rose quartz, agate, or smooth woods like neem or sandalwood. The most important thing is that the comb feels comfortable in your hand and on your scalp.
For best results, daily gua sha scalp sessions are ideal, but a few times a week also helps. Doing it before washing your hair is a good place to start, especially if you use oil that will be rinsed out. Traditional Chinese medicine maps about 361 classic acupuncture points on the body, and roughly 60 of them are on the scalp.
One key spot to focus on is the crown of your head—the point where the line between the tops of your ears meets the line running from the center of your forehead to the back of your head. This is often considered a powerful acupoint on the scalp.
How To Use A Gua Sha For Scalp Massage
Step 1
Brush your hair to remove any tangles.
Step 2
Starting at your natural part near the center, put a few drops of Facial Recovery Oil or Rosehip Triple C+E Firming Oil on your scalp.
Step 3
With light pressure, slowly glide your gua sha comb along the central part from the front hairline to the back of your head, continuing down your neck.
Step 4
Section off about an inch to the right of the center part, apply a few drops of oil to that section, and gently push the comb from the start of the section back to the nape of your neck.
Step 5
Repeat on a section about an inch to the left of the center part—apply oil and comb from front to back.
Step 6
On the right side of your head, section an inch above your ear, add oil, and comb from the hairline to the back of your head and down the neck.
Step 7
Do the same on the left side, moving the comb in a wide arc around the ear down to the nape.
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Facial Recovery Oil
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Rosehip Triple C+E Firming Oil
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The Scalp Massaging Brush
Scalp massaging brushes are also popular. They usually have a round head with soft silicone bristles and an ergonomic handle for easy use.
How To Use A Scalp Massaging Brush On The Scalp
Step 1
Start with dry hair and use the brush to gently detangle. If you brush while bending forward, it can increase blood flow even more.
Step 2
Sit up, place a towel around your shoulders, and apply a few drops of Facial Recovery Oil or Rosehip Triple C+E Firming Oil to your scalp.
Step 3
Work the oil into your scalp with the massager using circular motions and medium pressure.
Step 4
In the shower, wet your hair, apply shampoo, and gently scrub your scalp with the massager in circular motions. A wet scalp massage helps remove dead skin cells, but don’t overdo it—three times a week is enough.
Eminence Organic Skin Care Products For Scalp Massage
Facial Recovery Oil: This fragrant blend of clary sage and ylang ylang can help you feel calm during a gua sha session.
Rosehip Triple C+E Firming Oil: If your scalp is dry, sea buckthorn oil and rosemary leaf extract hydrate, while jojoba oil helps restore natural moisture.
Both oils can be left on for 30 minutes or overnight, but should be shampooed out before styling. Scalp massage can be done up to three times a week, though we suggest using Facial Recovery Oil or Rosehip Triple C+E Firming Oil on the scalp only one to two times per week.
You can also include a scalp massage in your next spa visit. Check our Spa Locator to find an Eminence Organics Spa Partner near you.