Essential Scalp and Hair Oils from Steam and Kimberly Parry
March 08 2009
Is oil a dirty word? Not when it comes to hair. According to experts, the more nourishing oil you put on, the less oil your scalp produces and the healthier your hair becomes. And there’s no one who’s more of an authority on the subject than Carla Gentile, owner of Steam Salon in Los Angeles, CA.
Steam is known for moisturizing oil-based hair treatments performed in their airy hammam-style spa. Regular treatments left clients’ scalps glowing and hair flowing—and when they couldn’t get to Steam, they noticed the difference. So Carla whipped up a potent blend of antioxidants and oils delivered in a three-part system to condition and nourish your hair and scalp at home.
The first step is internal. According to Carla, many of us are missing the essential oils and herbs in our diets that help grow healthy hair, reduce shedding and keep scalp oil production balanced. Her Steam Supplement includes jojoba, flax seed, fenugreek, sage and other ingredients known for centuries as the secret to gorgeous hair. Externally, the treatment starts with a potent mix of natural oils, blended with active pomegranate, moringa and acai and accented with aromatherapy blends—Steam Scalp Oil 1 is scented with rose, orange and ylang ylang, while 2 includes jasmine, sandalwood and frankinsense.
The same concept was captured a few hundred miles north in San Juan Capistrano, CA, where Kimberly Parry creates skin, hair and baby care products that are made to order from fresh, local, always organic ingredients. This line takes animal-friendly one step further—as Kimberly says, they’re tested on her husband, not animals—and includes an antifungal cleanser and scalp healing Treatment Oil formulated with rosemary, St. John’s wort and other essentials, in a blend of organic olive and sesame oils.
In both cases, application is easy-peasy: Simply section your hair, apply the oil, and massage it in for five to 10 minutes to increase circulation and absorption. Allow the magic formula to emulsify with your scalp’s own natural oils and remove build up and debris, then wrap your head in a towel for 20 minutes while you massage the oils into your hands—bonus, no more cracking cuticles! For deeper conditioning, sleep on it (but unless your hair is super dry it may feel oily in the morning). Then shampoo out and style as usual, all the time noticing how gorgeous and shiny your hair looks.
The oil’s a keeper.
