Raise your hand if you agree that a scalp massage is one of the best things about getting your hair done at the salon. All of our worries seem to fade away once our stylist or their assistant rubs our scalp with their fingertips in gentle, circular motions. In fact, we get so comfortable that there have been multiple times when we fell asleep at the shampoo bowl only to be awoken by loud hair dryers.

It’s pretty obvious that scalp massages help to instantly alleviate stress. Yet, we’ve heard many times that this simple technique is also great for the overall health of our scalp and hair. We’d believe just about anything after a five-minute massage. So we asked Anabel Kingsley, a trichologist at Philip Kingsley, and Triana Francois, a hairstylist at Haven Spa in New York City, to explain the health and beauty benefits of a scalp massage.

Scalp massages can decrease stress and boost your mood.
Stress prevents the body from functioning properly, according to Francois. “Scalp massages increase the production of serotonin, a chemical in your body that increases your mood,” she says.

Scalp massages help to create a good environment for hair growth.
The treatment promotes circulation to the hair follicles. Francois explains, “Blood flow to the hair cells means healthier hair growing out of your scalp.”

Scalp massages stimulate blood flow to and from the skin.
As Kingsley notes, this increases oxygen supply, aids in lymphatic drainage and improves the suppleness of the skin. Be sure to look for active ingredients like menthol and peppermint in scalp masks, drops and toners to deeply penetrate into the skin.

Two basic types of scalp massages are effleurage and petrissage.
Effleurage involves circular, stroking movements and petrissage is gentle kneading and lifting of the scalp. These two are the most common types, according to Kingsley. “Scalp massage should start at the front of the scalp and work towards the back. It should be done gently yet firmly with consistent pressure,” she says.

Scalp massages should be a regular part of your hair regimen.
While there is not set amount of scalp massage you must give yourself, Kinglsey advises doing the treatment once to twice a week for 5 to 10 minutes.

“It should be stressed that where hair loss and/or hair thinning is an issue, diet, lifestyle and metabolic functions must be looked into,” says Kingsley. “Scalp massages using the appropriate products will help encourage and support new growth, but alone it will not be enough to get sufficient results.”

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Many popular hairstyles, from beach waves to the top knot, rely on hair that isn’t freshly washed. Dirty, grungy, gritty texture is cool, so why would you want to use clarifying shampoo? A little grit can add texture and bounce to your mane, but too much and you’ll end up with greasy roots, limp strands, and no volume. If you like to go a few days in between washings you need to make your shampoos count. Even if you wash your hair every day or two you should do an occasional deep cleanse to remove product buildup, mineral deposits, and other deep level dirt. Learn more about clarifying your strands in the notes. ––  Laura Martin

Step: Select a clarifying shampoo that’s designed to address your specific needs. Some deep cleansers are designed for product buildup and dirt, others are designed to remove environmental pollutants and mineral deposits.

Step: Normally, when shampooing, you focus application at roots, but clarifying shampoos need to be distributed along the entire length of the strand. Work into scalp first, then massage down hair, all the way to tips, rubbing strands gently between strands to break up deposits.

Step: Rinse thoroughly, for at least two full minutes, and condition. A clarifying shampoo will strip away some of your natural hair oils, so follow a rich treatment conditioner like this hair repair masque.

Special thanks to Laura Martin for this post. Laura is a professional hair stylist, former senior educator at ARROJO cosmetology school, and a creative non-fiction MFA student at Georgia College, Milledgeville, GA. Follow her inspirations on twitter @LarMarStyle