I Never Used Physical Exfoliants On My 4C Curls—Until I Tried the RŌZ Salt Scalp Scrub

I put a lot of effort into my haircare routine. I cleanse my 4b/4c hair at least once a week with a hydrating shampoo, following up with a conditioner that not only nourishes my curls, but also allows my color-treated hair to maintain its vibrancy. I detangle regularly, I get trims every four months, I’ve broken the habit of cutting out my single-strand knots, and even with all of this, I’ve still found myself struggling with length retention. Some trial and error has shown me that this is likely because there’s an important hair maintenance category I’ve been neglecting: scalp care.

I’ve spoken at length about dealing with occasional flaking and post-protective style scalp buildup, which is why I’m always on the hunt for a scalp treatment or scrub that’ll keep my scalp healthy and clean. Recently, in between some of my favorite scalp rinses and sprays, I’ve added the new RŌZ Salt Scalp Scrub to my weekly regimen. Read ahead to find out why.

The Formula

ROZ’s salt scrub is a double duty product that’s meant to exfoliate the scalp and get rid of gunk and buildup, but it’s also a shampoo, meaning that using it can simplify your wash day and allow you to eliminate at least one extra step. The scrub features a cocktail of quality ingredients, from AHAs and BHAs (for chemical exfoliation) to Himalayan and Bolivian salts (for texture).

“A salt scrub gently but effectively lifts away buildup and excess oil, and buffs away flakes on the scalp that weigh hair down,” says celebrity hairstylist and co-founder of RŌZ, Mara Roszak. “Himalayan salt is especially beneficial because its natural mineral content helps rebalance the scalp while providing just the right amount of exfoliation.”

The Application

This scrub can be used as the first step in your wash routine in lieu of traditional shampoo. “Massage it onto the scalp when hair is wet, add water to increase the lather, then rinse thoroughly,” Roszak advises. Following up with a conditioner is necessary any time you cleanse, but you should especially aim to use either a hydrating conditioner or a hair mask as your next step following the salt scrub because the formulas often tend to be a lot more heavy duty and drying.

As far as frequency is concerned, Roszak recommends using a scalp scrub at least once a week, though how often you should use this likely depends on your lifestyle and the overall condition of your scalp.

The Takeaway

I used the mask as instructed during my weekly wash day and I was pleasantly surprised by the results. When I first opened the tub, the first thing I noticed was that the Himalayan salt crystals on top were pretty big, and as someone with very curly, type 4 hair, I was initially nervous and skeptical that the scrub would get caught in my curls and be tough to rinse out (this has happened to me before with masks and other scrubs). I also feared that, because the crystals were so big, they would scratch at my scalp and cause irritation, but I was proven wrong on both fronts.

After scooping out a generous amount of product, I noticed that most of the crystals mixed into the scrub are actually finer than I initially expected, and they dissolved under warm water pretty easily. Also worth noting is that even a small amount of this scrub was enough to coat my thick head of curls in a creamy lather that was easy to rinse out. Curly hair is also already a lot more prone to dryness, so because this is a scrub with several powerful ingredients meant to target dirt and oil, my hair did feel a bit dry in the aftermath, but it was nothing a palmful of my favorite conditioner couldn't fix.

Since I like to streamline my haircare routine and limit my product lineup to just the basics (shampoo and conditioner), using a scalp scrub has never been top of mind for me, but because this product is multifunctional and gets two things done at once, it’s something I’d definitely consider incorporating into my regular routine or using as a post-protective style shampoo to get rid of dirt and dried gel left behind by box braids and cornrows.

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