In the past, I figured that simply cleansing my hair with my regular shampoo would be sufficient for drawing out any impurities and product buildup. But, once I was sent the Malin + Goetz Detox Scalp Mask a few months ago, I tried it out and it immediately redefined what it meant to have a clean scalp for me.
Without drying out my scalp or removing the natural oils from my hair, this left me feeling cleaner than ever — it's officially a staple in my haircare routine, especially after times I've used a lot of product in my hair or colder weather has left me feeling extra sensitive, dry, or itchy.
@malinandgoetz
How I Use it
My favorite part of using this mask is that I don't have to awkwardly try to time how long it's been in my hair while I'm in the shower, attempting to guess what 10 minutes of standing under the hot water feels like.
I start by putting this on my dry hair. I take about three pumps of the soft gel in my hands and first focus on the front half of my scalp, massaging it in till it turns in to a satisfying foam consistency. I massage it in for about thirty seconds to really make sure I'm stimulating my follicles, then repeat with another three pumps on the back of my head.
I have fairly long hair, so I appreciate that hair length doesn't matter when it comes to this product — the goal really is to just focus on the scalp alone.
As the foam settles into my scalp, I set a timer on my phone for five minutes as a cooling, soothing sensation sets in. I occasionally get an itchy/sensitive scalp after particularly intense workouts, so this felt especially nice after that.
After five minutes is up, I step into the shower and let this replace my shampoo — I have quite dry hair, so I don't usually need anything more than a good scalp cleanse, and this takes care of the more oily pieces of hair that are right by my scalp. I let my hair air dry, and the first time I used this, my hair felt noticeably cleaner than it ever had before.
How It Works
The mask doesn't have any harsh ingredients in it, and you can tell as such by the way it feels on the scalp. Products like this one sometimes leave an aggressive tingling sensation due to marketing-fueled additives in the formulations, but this one uses peppermint and spearmint oils that leave a cooling sensation that feels soothing on the scalp.
Salicylic and glycolic acids were something I never considered in my hair care. Celebrated as anti-acne chemical exfoliants, it makes sense that they would be just as great for sloughing dead skin cells off my scalp.
Those chemical exfoliants are also what I attribute the feeling of being cleaner than ever to — it's also what makes me wonder about the excess product buildup and dead skin cells I haven't been washing off my scalp for years.
My favorite part of this mask, however, is the nourishing safflower and coconut oils blended in the formulation. So, yes, the purpose of this mask is to detox, and the chemical exfoliants do that marvelously. But, the safflower and coconut oils restore hydration to the scalp so it doesn't dry out.
Safflower oil is rich with antioxidants that nourish the scalp — this ingredient is a dream for anyone with dandruff, and the antibacterial coconut oil is great for reducing inflammation. If you have an itchy or irritated scalp like I do in the colder months, your scalp will drink it right up.
Amazon
Conclusion
The price of $35 was a bit more than I've usually spent on a hair mask, but because this is more unique than anything I've ever tried, I consider it worth every penny, especially if you have dandruff. The unique exfoliating, nourishing properties in this mask make it a must-have if you have a dry scalp.
Buy the Malin and Goetz Detox Scalp Mask on Amazon for $35.
Odyssey may earn a portion of purchases made via links on this page.
