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When we think about our hair, we don’t pay very much attention to our scalp when we really should. It’s the root and foundation of healthy hair and the last living tissue our hair grows out of. Frequently expensive treatments, sprays, and conditioners are just a Band-Aid for hair that has grown out dull and damaged. Scalp care creates a healthy base for your hair to grow by nourishing your roots and instantly upping your chances at lustrous locks.

Enter Shaz & Kiks, a new haircare brand that focuses on nourishing hair from root to tip. Founded by sisters Shaz and Kiku Chauduri their first hero product is a pre-wash, a nutrient-rich scalp treatment filled with 20 Indian herbs, oils, and flowers designed to protect and stimulate your hair before you shampoo and condition.

As someone with dry, frizzy hair I was immediately intrigued at the prospect of improving the health of my scalp. Since I travel a lot, my hair is frequently exposed to the sun, pool, and saltwater and I can tell that when I come back from a trip my strands are extra dehydrated. That’s why I brought a pre-wash with me on a recent two-week trip to Mexico to see how it can help keep my hair healthier. Along the way, I found out a lot about scalp care. Here’s what you need to know and my experience with Shaz + Kiks.

How to Take Care of Your Scalp

Whether your scalp is dry, oily, itchy, or normal, there’s an array of products that can help you with your scalp. Depending on your needs you may want to opt for a scalp mask, scalp scrub, scalp moisturizer, or scalp detox. Shaz & Kiks offers two versions of its pre-wash, one for thin, flat, and normal hair, and one for dry, frizzy, or curly hair. Using a scalp treatment that’s compatible with your hair type once a week can help strengthen and nourish your scalp, balance your scalp’s pH and balance its oil production.

How to Use a Scalp Mask

Using Shaz & Kiks pre-wash as a scalp mask before washing my hair was a great sensory experience. The pre-wash is a mix of Ayurvedic herbs and oils and has an aromatic scent and tingles slightly when applied to the scalp. That’s because it features turmeric and amla oils which stimulate blood flow when applied to skin. I applied the pre-wash for 20 minutes before stepping into the shower, massaging into my scalp, and running the excess product through the rest of my strands. It has the consistency of a thick mask so I recommend taking a small amount and applying in sections to make sure you’re spreading the mask evenly.

Once I washed it out with shampoo, I realized how soft my hair felt. Founder Kiku Chauduri described the pre-wash as acting like a “raincoat for hair” and once I used the product I realized this was the perfect way to describe this scalp treatment. My hair felt soft and glossy after using it and I shed noticeably less hair than normal. It’s recommended to use the pre-wash once a week.

Using Shaz & Kiks Pre-Wash While Traveling

Outside of using the scalp treatment before washing my hair, I also used it as an occasional scalp conditioner before a beach day. I used about a quarter of the amount I would use in the shower, just a small amount to coat my scalp as I knew I would be spending a lot of time in the sun and ocean which can dry out my hair. Since it’s a natural product (the product is free of sulfates, silicones, parabens, phthalates, mineral oils, synthetic dyes, and fragrances) I didn’t feel it would pollute the water and it had the same nourishing effect when I used it before washing my hair. It felt like my hair was more moisturized and protected, I had the same “raincoat” effect on a smaller scale and it helped my scalp feel less dry after a beach day.

Verdict

My hair loved the Shaz & Kiks pre-wash, it felt nourished and looked shinier after use. I’ve always had long hair with the aspiration for it to grow even longer, so I loved the glistening appearance it had after and especially enjoyed seeing less hair in the drain after washing. I also never really paid much attention to the physical appearance of my scalp previously but after using the pre-wash I noticed how clean and healthy it looked. The Shaz & Kiks isn’t a scalp exfoliation product but still seemed to deep clean my scalp along the way.

This product also makes a great travel companion (pack a travel-size version for shorter trips) to help with a scalp that may be dried out from the sun, pool or salt water. Use this pre-wash to nourish it and protect it during your trip.

Learn more about scalp care and Shaz & Kiks here