Skin care serums can be effective in giving the skin an added boost of moisture and other important nutrients to keep it healthy and youthful. Recently we’ve been seeing more serums coming to the market specifically for hair. Their popularity is growing rapidly. But we know our curls, coils, kinks, waves and even relaxed tresses don’t respond to just any product.
So we tapped two hair care professionals—celebrity hair stylist and author Monaé Everett and trichologist and colorist Bridgette Hill—to find out more about hair serums and whether they are effective for our strands.
“I am a fan of hair growth serums,” says Everett. “Hair must be nurtured from the inside out. The first step is your internal health, the second is your scalp health and lastly your hair care regimen.”
According to Everett, serums specifically formulated for hair growth tend to contain ingredients such as avocado, coconut oil, zink, biotin and keratin—elements that help with repair, strength and structure building. Vitamins A, B, B6, C, E, K and the “good fats” can also aid in making the hair strong, healthy, soft and shiny, so it’s worth finding a serum that contains one of more of these. Hair serums can also be used as an alternative to heavy oils when massaging the scalp to stimulate growth, and they won’t clog pores.
But Hill says be mindful of the base of the serum for your hair type and texture, and also test how it interacts with your current product regimen.
“There are water-based serums that aid in reawakening scalp follicular activity to promote hair growth and minimize hair loss because the of the small molecular structure that is able to nourish the inner layer of the skin,” says Hill. “And there are oil-based serums used primarily for hair fibers that are used to seal in moisture and block out unwanted disruptors such as humidity and heat.”
Oil based serums are wonderful for hair fibers because they form a barrier around cream based conditioners and moisturizers, keeping all the good ingredients in while blocking out everything else. But consumers have to ensure that it’s right for their hair type and that they use the serum properly for maximum efficacy.
“Serums for hair are lighter but gooier than creams, and on the proper hair type and texture, are able to give the hair the coating and protection it needs without making the hair feel dirty, heavy, greasy and motionless,” she finishes.
Both experts agree that hair serums can be effective for Black hair. Like any other hair product, it comes down to choosing the right one for your hair type, hair care needs, and scalp needs. But overall, serums can be really nurturing for the scalp. And we all know that great hair health starts with great scalp health.
Check out some hair serum recommendations from the experts and the ESSENCE team below.
