It’s not only the the hair, but what’s under the hair that matters. The truth is that if you’re constantly scratching your dry, itchy scalp people are more likely to stare at the flakey dandruff showing onto your shoulders than the silkyness of your curls -- of this I can assure you from personal experience.
When Head and Shoulders didn’t work for me -- which it never has -- and sitting for hours with greasy olive oil dripping from my head onto every surface of my apartment wasn’t an attractive option, I was happy to turn to BASiC for help. The haircare brand is "naturally derived" and tea-tree centric. I knew that tea tree oil is good for the skin -- but could it also be mother nature’s remedy for scalp problems?It was absolutely worth a shot.
For reference, I have a head full of dark gravity-defying curls -- but the BASiC Carbon Tea Tree Shampoo and BASiC Tea Tree Deep Conditioner are designed for all hair types. I was looking to exfoliate, rejuvenate, and moisturize my scalp, without neglecting the rest of my head -- my hair does not fare well in the world of generic products.
Once over the initial alarm of the jet black color of the shampoo -- that’s the charcoal in action -- I let myself relax into the therapeutic qualities of the products. The smell is strong and intoxicating, and the gentle tingle that spreads over your scalp resembles the sensation of chewing a fresh piece of mint gum.
BASiC Carbon Tea Tree Shampoo, $18, basichaircarepro.com
The essential oils are for hydrating your hair too -- the results of which I was neither impressed nor disappointed -- but the real magic of this product lies in the scalp treatment. Both BASiC’s shampoo and conditioner direct users to let the products sit on your hair for 2-5 minutes -- which is not a problem if your comb out your hair in the shower like I do.
But beware of rinsing your hair with cold water. If you’re washing your hair in the middle of a heat wave -- or if you do have hair like mine and know that rinsing out conditioner with cold water will lock your curls into place better than hot water -- you might regret it. Cold water and a tea-tree-soaked scalp do make for quite the burn, but if you’re a circulation junkie that enjoys a good sit in a sauna and brief swim in ice water like me, you might actually enjoy it. For you more tender headed users, stick with warm water.
BASiC Tea Tree Deep Conditioner, $18, basichaircarepro.com
After shampooing and conditioning -- before I put in my daily leave-in conditioner -- I also tried out the BASiC Carbon Tea Tree Pomade. Essentially it’s scalp lotion, and I highly recommend it if you’ve got a dandruff problem. BASiC shampoo and conditioners are nice and will deliver on their promise to -- but same as exfoliating dry skin, it doesn’t hurt to moisturize after the water dries. The Pomade is jet black like the shampoo and bears a word of warning on its label: “color content of Carbon Tea Tree Pomade may cause a temporary discoloration to grey and blond hair color.”
BASiC Carbon Tea Tree Pomade, $24, basichaircarepro.com
Rating: 5 out of 5. Friends don’t let friend suffer unfortunate scalp situations.
*Basic provided a sample of these products for review purposes.
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