On a journey to grow my hair, I've been turning to a slick back bun hairstyle more often than not in order to keep my hair out of my face and reducing the need for heat styling, so that I can keep damage to a minimum. It's easy to do and just as perfect for a dressed-up dinner party as it is for a pilates class. The popularity of this style shows no signs of wavering. However, it's not always the kindest style to the scalp – particularly when you need to use plenty of hair gel and wax to achieve the look.
Because of this, I've recently been focusing on scalp care more and more. I think we often forget that the skin on the scalp is in need of care and attention just as much as it is on our faces and bodies – particularly if you are on a hair health/growth journey.
The one product that I have found myself relying on to help keep my scalp in good working order is the Kérastase Symbiose Masque.
What's so good about the Kérastase Symbiose Masque?
Think of this mask like you would chemical exfoliator on the face - it helps to dislodge product buildup, as well as dead skin cells to reveal cleaner and healthier skin below. This is especially important if you're using products like wax sticks which can leave behind oily residue. The key ingredient here is salicylic acid, a BHA which effectively penetrates skin to remove residue grease and product that leads to flaking, dandruff and itchy scalp (and can prevent new, healthy hairs from growing ). Along with squalene, the salicylic acid gently buffs away dead skin cells and prevents further irritation and scalp problems like dandruff.
With it being an active mask, you might be fooled into thinking it might be quite drying on the rest of your hair - you would be wrong. The rich, creamy texture of the product and nourishing ingredients within ensure lengths and ends of hair are hydrated and moisturised through use. This means you don't have to buy a separate product for scalp-care and overall hair health.
My scalp and hair always look and feel ultra-clean and nourished after one use of this, even when I've been slicking it back with wax for days on end. I absolutely love how easy and faff-free this is to use too.
How to use the mask
In the past I've been put off by most scalp treatments, because of the application technique. So many of them require you to apply them on damp hair prior to washing - deeply annoying as it means adding yet another trip to the shower - or directly onto your dry scalp - the idea of dropping a serum onto my scalp when hair is nicely blow-dried and fresh can, in my opinion, ruin a final look. Which is why I am so thankful that this is nothing like that - Kérastase's mask allows you to take care of the skin on your scalp without having to go to huge effort.
This is because it is simply used in place of conditioner, after shampooing. All you need to do is lightly towel-dry hair (I recommend a specific microfibre towel that's gentle on hair), before applying it from root to tip. You can then activate the mask further by massaging your scalp either with fingers or a scalp brush.
But here's the best part: you only need to let it sit for between three and five minutes. Is there anything worse than standing around awkwardly in the shower getting cold for 15 minutes while you wait for a hair mask to do its work? I think not.
Effective and practical, I can't think of a better 'does it all' mask than the Kérastase Symbiose Masque.
Shop other Kérastase products
A beautiful leave-in for damaged hair
An overnight leave-in treatment for seriously dry and frazzled hair
