I Had a “Hair Diagnosis” for the First Time and the Results Shook Me
Jas is the former Senior Content Specialist at Adore Beauty. A beauty admirer turned certified addict, she brings a sharp editorial eye and pop-culture pulse to everything she creates. Her words have appeared in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, and Broadsheet. When she’s not producing viral content or podcasting about skincare, you’ll find her thrifting for vintage treasures or binging Bravo (strictly for research, of course).
Have you ever had one of those “My whole life is a lie” moments? Well, I did, just last week.
My bestie/Adore’s Social Media Specialist (and star) Ally and I had been graciously invited to L’Ocitanne’s Collins Street flagship for a “Hair Diagnosis"–a must-see if you’re in Melbourne, at the very least to check out the heritage-listed ceiling mural painting from 1907. She's a beauty.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least a little nervous about what we’d find. My hair may be the healthiest it’s been in years, but I don’t know anything that looks good up that close.
My trademark thin tresses looked more like raw spaghetti under the microscope—thick and tubular, and to our delight, bright cherry red. But as we dug deeper toward the scalp, my delight quickly turned to horror as I stared at the unrecognisable roots on the screen in front of me.
I’ve always thought of my hair as dry, and for the most part, it is. But what I didn’t expect to learn is that my scalp is actually… oily.
Like my life flashing before me, I started mentally cataloguing all the hydrating products I regularly use in my hair routine, and all those times I slicked my hair back with rich masks and oils.
The diagnosis continued. My scalp looked like it had never seen a scrub in its life: follicles bogged down in product, soaked in sebum (oil) and crying out for some much-needed clarification.
In that moment, it felt like my scalp and I were perfect strangers.
Thankfully, just like any good (skin) therapist, L’Ocitanne followed up the "problem" with a solution: a revised haircare regimen from root to tip, along with sage advice that has genuinely changed the game for me.
Here's the 411...
Step One: The Double Cleanse.
Just like our face, our scalp needs a double cleanse.
One could opt for a pre-shampoo treatment first, to prep and prime your strands just right for your routine, otherwise, a shampoo tailored to your individual needs is step one.
Take your time (if you can) and give your scalp the care and attention it deserves. It’s not about how much it lathers, as I came to learn, but more how thoroughly you distribute the product and how long you allow it to work its magic.
I was recommended a purifying shampoo to clear the product buildup and oily residue from my scalp, followed by either the same product for a double cleanse, or a more nourishing formula (but still light) to restore hydration, particularly to my dry ends.
Here are a couple of my go-to shampoos for a deep cleanse:
- AVEDA Scalp Solutions Balancing Shampoo 200ml: This whole range is great for those battling oily roots, and dry ends. So fresh, so soothing.
- VIRTUE Recovery Shampoo 240ml: A sweet, sugary spa delight that thoroughly cleanses my mane while keeping it hydrated.
- Joico K-PAK Clarifying Shampoo: Gently yet thoroughly removes dulling buildup from styling products, chlorine, hard water, and pollutants.
Step Two: Scrub Away The Oil.
Once a week or more if I’ve been sporting slick hairdos all week, I sub in a scalp scrub.
In the past, I’ve used these as the first step in my routine (a pre-shampoo, if you will), but I learned they're actually best used after shampoo, much like how you follow a cleanser with an exfoliator for your face.
Why? Because scalp skin has more sweat and oil glands than the rest of your body, so it requires extra care to be fully clean. Without that deep clean, your hair can feel heavy and greasy—even after washing.
For people like me with fine hair, this buildup can make it nearly impossible to get that coveted root lift and volume.
Scalp scrubs generally use a combination of physical and chemical exfoliation to remove product buildup, oil and dead skin cells without stripping the scalp.
The trick is to find the right scalp scrub for you, especially if you’re more on the sensitive side as you don’t want to apply anything that could potentially irritate your skin.
Here are a couple of scalp scrubs I’ve tried and recommend:
- NAK Hair ROH Clarify Scalp Scrub 180g: (Pictured above!) The whole ROH range is excellent for scalp care, actually.
- AVEDA Scalp Solutions Exfoliating Scalp Treatment 150ml: OK this is technically not a scrub, but a liquid gel exfoliant that essentially does the same thing minus the gritty particles.
Pro tip: Scalp scrubs work best on wet hair. The more water, the better for a nice, satisfying lather.
For an extra touch of self-care, pair it with a scalp brush like the AVEDA Scalp Solutions Stimulating Scalp Massager for a relaxing massage.
Step Three: Mask That Mane.
At this stage, I usually reach for a hair mask or conditioner to soften my squeaky-clean tresses, but as I came to learn, both are not created equal.
I’ve always been in the “one or the other” camp, assuming the combination of both would overwhelm these fine strands. Turns out, the two are complementary.
Allow me to explain.
Shampoo opens the hair cuticles to cleanse, while conditioner seals them to lock in moisture. A hair mask, however, works like a serum, penetrating deeper into the hair shaft to deliver a targeted treatment, whether for hydration, repair, soothing, or otherwise.
The other key difference is their application:
- Hair masks: Apply from root to tip, usually leave for three to five minutes, and rinse thoroughly.
- Conditioner: Apply from mid-lengths to ends only, and rinse after letting it sit for a couple of minutes. Unless it’s a leave-in, of course.
Thankfully, this is a category I have a lot of experience with.
Here are a couple of my favourite hair masks:
- VIRTUE Restorative Treatment Mask 150ml: Rich and hydrating for shiny strands.
- Kerastase Nutritive Hair Mask for Dry Fine Hair 200ml: A splurge but worth it for the hydration, scent and softness.
- K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Mask 50ml: Needs no introduction; a cult leave-in treatment for repairing damaged hair.
Depending on the season and state of my hair (winter=drier, summer=greasier), I use a hair mask once or twice a week, leaving it in for at least three minutes.
On the nights I don’t, I skip ahead to the next step...
Step Four: Seal the Deal.
As we’ve covered, conditioner still has its place–and it’s right here.
Again, it’s important to keep your hair type in mind when choosing a formula.
For fine and thin hair like mine, a lightweight, volumising conditioner is best, while thicker, coarser hair types can benefit from something richer.
And if you still aren’t quite sure, here’s a little quiz to help you find *the one*.
As touched on, conditioners work best on the ends, coating the cuticle in a protective seal that helps prevent damage from external elements like the sun, pollution and heat damage.
Simply work a small amount through your mid-lengths to ends, avoiding the scalp. Allow the conditioner to sit for a couple of minutes before washing thoroughly.
My top conditioners for weightless volume:
- VIRTUE Flourish Conditioner for Thinning Hair 200ml: This conditioner smells amazing and leaves hair soft while weightless.
- KEVIN.MURPHY Angel Rinse 500mL: Besides its heavenly scent, the Angel range makes the hair feel baby-soft with an enviable shine.
- Aveda Invati Ultra Advanced Thickening Conditioner: Light 200ml : Thickens thin hair from the ends for fuller, bouncier-looking locks.
Once my hair is washed and towel-dried, I add a couple of drops of the VIRTUE Healing Oil 50ml through my mid-lengths and ends (can you tell I'm obsessed with Virtue?)
Final Verdict.
After my first-ever hair diagnosis, I came to a startling realisation: my scalp and I were not on the same page.
I was treating my hair with rich, hydrating products meant for my dry ends, while my scalp was silently suffering from product buildup and excess oil. But armed with a new regimen tailored to my scalp’s needs, I’ve already noticed a significant difference.
My hair feels and looks lighter, has more bounce, and stays fresher for longer.
It may require an extra minute or two in the shower, but as someone who takes every chance she has for a lengthy, steamy spritz, I don’t mind one bit.
My water bill on the other hand…
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