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Scalp toners, not to be confused with hair toners, fly under the radar as a way to manage your scalp health. Scalp toners manage the pH level of your scalp which can have huge effects on how your scalp feels. Itchiness? Irritation? Dandruff? Oiliness? These are all issues a scalp toner can tackle.
But because scalp toners have yet to become the popular scalp helpers they are, this is good primer on how you can use a scalp toner to easily and effectively create a healthy scalp environment with a toner.
Scalp toners are liquid or spray products that aim to keep the scalp healthy after shampooing and conditioning b balancing the scalp’s pH level. They can help soothe your scalp if you are experiencing irritation and hep to remove any excess product or residue. They are also great for balancing oil production, controlling dandruff, and creating a healthy scalp environment.
Scalp toners often use ingredients like witch hazel and aloe vera (great for their soothing properties), tea tree oil, menthol, and salicylic acid (excellent for cleansing and managing oil production.) These ingredients both remove unwanted feelings of itchiness, flakiness, and oiliness and can keep them at bay with regular use.
While scalp toners can be useful for anyone who wants to maintain a healthy scalp environment, they are especially useful for those with excessively oily scalps, those struggling with dandruff and flakiness, and those with itchy and irritated scalps. In addition, anyone regularly using lots of hair products may benefit from using a scalp toner because they help remove extra buildup that products leave behind.
Scalp toners should be used after shampooing and conditioning and after towel drying the hair. It’s a good idea to part the hair when applying the toner so you can be sure to get it on your scalp and as little of it on your hair as possible (since they are formulated for the scalp and not hair.)
If you are using a liquid toner, you can pour some on a cotton pad or use your fingertips and then gently press the toner into your skin. Keep applying it on the different sections of parted scalp until you have covered your whole scalp.
If you are using a spray toner, you can spray it directly on your scalp from a few inches away, making sure to spray it directly at your scalp until your scalp is completely covered.
Once you’ve applied the toner, either via liquid or spray, massage it into your scalp with your fingertips so it absorbs well. Read the directions for your specific scale toner to see if you will need to rinse it out or if you can leave it in your hair. Then dry or style as you’d like.
Scalp toners are usually gentle formulations that can be used up to 2-3 times a week, especially if you are struggling with flakiness, itchiness, irritation, or excessive oiliness. If you are experiencing dryness on your scalp after using a toner, try using it less frequently to see if that helps manage your scalp conditions without causing dryness.
Scalp toners can be as effective as they are convenient. Managing difficult and uncomfortable scalp conditions like flakiness, itchiness, and oiliness can be helped with a good hair routine including the right shampoo and conditioner as well as regular exfoliation, but a scalp toner is a great way to some relief and keep these issues from recurring.
