Let’s face it, it’s a great feeling to have thick, long, and luscious hair–and haircare is an essential cornerstone of Black culture. Spending Saturday mornings at a barbershop to get that fade lined up before you go on a date, or spilling the tea with your hairstylist at the beauty salon while she twists, straightens, or braids you in the latest style (hello, goddess braids), seems almost like a rite of passage. That just-got-my-hair-done feeling is priceless. We love our hair; it defines us.
But what happens when your hair starts thinning?
While we all know it’s natural for your hair to change as you age, that doesn’t make it any easier to cope, especially when haircare is a pillar of self-care we’ve silently agreed on as a culture. Hair slowly starts falling out, hair edges begin to recede, and hair density and thickness decrease. Then, what? If you’re looking for ways to upgrade your self-care routine and boost your hair health, meet scalp care. Rumor has it that it might be just as important as skincare and a pertinent part of healthy hair.
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Amazingly enough, scalp care may be more essential to healthy, happy hair than you think. All hair strands grow from the root, which is the skin beneath your hair. While it’s easy to think of the scalp as an extension of your skin or hair, it’s much more complex. Rather, it’s a living ecosystem composed of a unique blend of yeast, fungi, and bacteria that creates its own microbiome.
The scalp’s job is simple–create a protective barrier to moisturize the skin and prevent infections, per the CDC. To do this, the scalp produces an oily substance called sebum, secreted by the sebaceous glands, while also maintaining an acidic pH. Moisture and a lipid-rich environment then become by-products of densely packed sebaceous glands and hair follicles, points out News Medical Life Sciences. This means that when too much of this natural oil is created, it leads to sebum build-up on the scalp. Sweat, dirt, dead skin cells, or product residue can also lead to buildup and increase your chances of scalp infections or conditions, according to the CDC.
When the scalp microbiome is imbalanced, research has shown this may lead to inflammation, scalp conditions such as seborrheic dermatitis or dandruff, and, unfortunately, hair loss. That’s why when hair day rolls around, spending a little extra TLC on the scalp might be the best way to provide a healthy base for your luscious locs to flourish. Think regular washing, detangling kinks and coils, and conditioning the scalp.
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Thanks to the New York Times highlighting your scalp as the new “it” body part, more and more beauty businesses are sharing scalp-healing products. But it’s not just businesses that are fixated on the scalp; it’s consumers too.
According to the article, a 2025 YouGov study found that 41 percent of Americans use hair oils, serums, or closely related products to treat or manage their hair characteristics. The usage of hair oils is even higher among Black Americans. The study further reports that 47 percent of Black Americans use hair oils to care for their hair, the highest among any ethnicity. While 20 percent use serums, hair masks, and leave-ins.
It’s clear hair health is top of mind, regardless of age, and people are looking for the “it” product to help them maintain their current hair health or improve it. Starting from the root may be the way to go.
If you’re looking for a low-effort way to upgrade your hair routine, start with the scalp. One 2018 study suggests that people may benefit from hair products containing zinc pyrithione, which may help cleanse the scalp and potentially support hair health. Some research indicates that using hair tonics and shampoos infused with botanical extracts may also support scalp health, reduce hair loss, and help manage symptoms of androgenetic alopecia. Biotin, a well-known vitamin, has also been studied for its possible role in supporting hair growth.
As a writer often on the go and outdoors, I wanted to test a scalp-first routine that could keep up with my busy lifestyle. Let me introduce you to Bomme, a system for complete hair and scalp wellness that uses clean, science-backed ingredients and is safe for long-term use. The hair system features the clinically tested BLH308™ botanical complex, made up of plant-based ingredients, including green tea, persimmon leaf, and sophora fruit. According to their 2023 study, persimmon leaf extract has anti-inflammatory properties that support hair follicles, while Sophora fruit extract inhibits proteins that contribute to balding from androgenetic alopecia. What’s more, green tea extract promotes hair growth at the cellular level by influencing key cell growth pathways. The study reported that participants who took BLH308™ orally experienced an increase in hair density and thickness within 24 weeks compared with the control group, although individual results may vary.
I tested out the Bomme Ritual–a 3-step internal and topical protocol–to see if it’s really worth the hype, and here’s what I found.
When wash day rolled around, the sweet, yet subtly earthy aroma was delightful, transforming the shower into a luxury retreat. The shampoo gently cleansed without stripping my scalp, while the leave-in toner felt lightweight and refreshing, making me eager for the next wash day. The supplements were easy to swallow, and although it’s too early to assess their full impact, my scalp already feels less itchy after following the ritual a couple of times. This done-for-you system is beginner-friendly and may make it easier to prioritize scalp health, especially if you’re looking to support hair fullness or scalp balance.
So, is scalp care the secret to healthy, long hair? The jury is still out. Genetics, underlying health conditions, stress, lifestyle factors, heat styling, and hair products may all play a role in scalp and hair health.
We all scratch our heads from time to time –it’s normal and shouldn’t raise any concerns. However, if you find yourself itching uncontrollably or smelling a bad odor, it might be time to take a closer look. According to Clinikally, common warning signs of an unhealthy scalp include: continuous itching, scalp sensitivity, sores, redness, odor, or hair loss. If you notice these signs, seek the right products or professional support from a dermatologist early to help soothe and restore your scalp.
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