A couple months ago Aveda launched a collection of products dubbed the ‘Pramāsana' line and wouldn’t you know your girl got to try it out first hand. As a proud Leo-lady (I am woman hear me ROAR) you know I take huge pride in my mane and the Pramāsana line deals strictly with scalp health which is why I was so curious to learn more.
You may be asking yourself why is it so important to clean your scalp? And aren’t I doing that already every time I wash my hair? Well here’s a couple things that may surprise you off the bat:
Your hair is alive only at the root so nourishing your scalp leads to better hair follicles/roots, faster growth, increased hair strength and better overall nourishment in the long run.
When your root or hair follicle is ‘clogged’ hair growth is slow (and sometimes non existent), the hair that does grow is lacking nourishment and therefore can break easier and lack luster.
Shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, moose, gels etc. can actually leave 'product buildup’ on your scalp. This with the added sebum (an oil that our body naturally produces to protect the scalp) and general air pollution, roots/follicles in your scalp can actually easily become clogged.
“Effective scalp cleansing can help normal skin cell turnover. Deep cleansing encourages a clean, healthy scalp.” - Dr. M. Julie Thornton, Ph.D., University of Bradford in the UK
The Pramāsana Scalp Care line is made up of three parts - The Exfoliating Scalp Brush, the Purifying Scalp Cleanser, and the Protective Scalp Concentrate - and is 98% naturally derived. Although the product line is available at any Aveda store to take home you can also learn more and test out the line first at any Civello’s Salon. Part of my learning experience was receiving a full Pramāsana treatment at Civello’s Salon on Queen West and I’m happy to say I walked away being a believer in the importance of scalp health!
“Consider yours scalp the soil from which you hair grows. Once you think of it that way, it shouldn't be hard to understand why you might need to give it extra care.” - Justina Majia-Montanta, VP, Global Product Development at Aveda.
The entire treatment takes about an hour (or less if you are doing it at home) and is safe to do once a week. The first step to the treatement is to exfoliate your scalp using the Pramāsana ‘Exfoliating Scalp Brush’. This special brush has looped bristles designed to loosen impurities and buildup prior to cleansing all the while not tangle your hair. Simply place the brush on your head with a bit of pressure and move it around in small circles to massage the scalp. 3-4 minutes is really all you need!
Next apply the Pramāsana ‘Purifying Scalp Cleanser’ directly to your dry scalp (yes you haven't even wet your hair yet) and massage this in. You will notice right away that it starts to foam. This is the cleanser removing impurities and cleaning the scalp which will balance sebum levels and scalp pH. Again 3-4 minutes is really all you need!
Now is when you would wet your hair and add shampoo. Any shampoo can be used in conjunction with the Pramāsana line except Aveda’s Invati line because Invati has a scalp cleanser already in it that can cause your scalp to have adverse effects and actually become dry. So once your done with the Purifying Scalp Cleanser, wet and shampoo your hair as you normally would.
At this point in the treatment and if you are in an Aveda salon you can opt in for the Pramāsana ‘Nourishing Scalp Masque’ (available only at the salon) which is specifically designed to nourish your scalp after it is properly cleansed. Think of it as the serums or brightening mask you would apply before the moisturizer you would use. It’s an intensive hydrating and nourishing treatment for your roots!
“Cleanse your Scalp. Shampoo is for hair.” - Aveda
Whether you do the mask or not you can go ahead at this point and finish your routine of conditioning and washing your hair. Before you blow dry and add in your heat protection products now is when you use the Pramāsana ‘Protective Seal Concentrate’. This lightweight serum sinks into your scalp and nourishes the skin while also protecting it from further future build up. The Protective Seal Concentrate can be added to both wet and dry hair. In my case Gabo, my Senior Civello Stylist, applied it directly to my roots on the top horseshoe portion of my hair before massaging it in (again 3-4 minutes is really all you need) before finally blowdrying and styling my hair.
Further things I learned about the Pramāsana line:
The aroma features grapefruit, neroli and cypress!
The treatment at Civello is $65 without the ‘Nourishing Scalp Masque’ and is $95 with.
Both males and females should consider looking into the health of their scalp especially if they are experiencing hair loss, breakage or malnourished hair.
It doesn’t effect colour treated hair however it shouldn’t be done until 4-5 days after you get your hair newly coloured since your roots will be sensitive from the dyes you used during your colouring.
Lastly did you know that all Aveda products are cruelty free!? That’s right, no testing on animals! All of the products (except the Nourishing Scalp Masque) can be purchased in an Aveda store or at Aveda Salon’s and Spa’s and retail for:
Pramāsana Exfoliating Scalp Brush - $28 CAN
Pramāsana Purifying Scalp Cleanser - $45 CAN
Pramāsana Protective Scalp Concentrate - $57 CAN
I thoroughly enjoyed my treatment and, like I said before, walked away believing in the importance of a healthy scalp. It’s definitely safe too say that I will be using the Pramāsana line at home and incorporating it weekly into my routine - not to mention doing a whole lot more hair flipping! LOL
