Root of the Matter
TO GET TRULY BEAUTIFUL, HEALTHY HAIR, TRYING TREATING YOURSELF TO A HEAD SPA.
Yes, the head spa.
This means a deep-cleansing scalp massage, plus a course of nutritional hair treatments. These are nourishing and revitalizing therapies, and they encourage blood circulation and overall relaxation. Think of it as a facial, but for your cranium.
“In Japan, they are very popular, not only at our salon, but all across Japan,” says Daisuke Kume, director of operations at Hatsuko Endo Hawai‘i. “If you go to a hair salon, usually you find the price for a cut, color and head spa on the menu.”
While head spas have been around for over a century in Japan, the concept appears to have only picked up in the U.S. over the past few years. Hatsuko Endo at The Kahala Hotel & Resort are early adapters, relatively speaking, offering the Signature Scalp Treatment Course since opening at The Kahala, in 2017. That’s not to say the company is new to the scalp treatment game, though: Hatsuko Endo’s top-down mentality dates back to when its first salon opened, in Japan, in 1905.
“[It’s] just like how you take care of the skin and pores on your face,” says Kume. “If you take a look at your scalp, it’s the same layer of skin. So basically the skin on your nose, forehead and cheeks continue back, and it’s actually connected to your scalp.”
The Signature course is pure luxe. It begins with a thorough consultation, followed by an oil-cleansing massage, shampoo, revitalizing treatment, scalp nutrition treatment, mask treatment, nutrition ointment and, finally, a blow dry.
At head spas in Japan, they concentrate on cleansing the scalp first, to get rid of any extra substances. After, the staff apply treatments for nutrition and massage it into the skin. By doing this, the veins in your scalp are stimulated, helping to get the blood flowing.
“By first adding the treatments from the outside, we’re adding nutrition to your freshly cleaned pores. The average human has over 10,000 pieces of hair on their head, so that’s 10,000 small holes on your skin,” Kume says. “If you imag- ine the whole scalp, that’s a lot of space for extra gunk, extra substances, dead skin, and all the oils that naturally come out of our hair, sweat and perspiration to build up.”
Kume explains Hatsuko Endo’s philosophy thusly: Everything is connected. “That’s the reason we add nutrition from outside,” he says. “After cleansing, we have a freshly cleaned scalp with nothing to interfere with nutrition.”
If the benefits of visiting the head spa sound dubious, you can ask to see the results. For the more curious among us (and those who aren’t concerned with the ick factor), the stylist can scoop out some of the dirty water with a vial after the cleansing massage, to show the client how their buildup looks.
“It’s very interesting to see,” says Kume. “Especially for people who use hair styling products. Because you have little particles—hundreds and thousands of particles—that you spray into hair every day.”
Those particles go straight into your pores. And because they are so sticky and small, you really can’t wash everything out with everyday shampoo.
“Once you take a look at it, you really realize just how many pores you have on your head, and if each pore has a little build up, it really adds up,” Kume says.
The benefits of head spa are hardly exclusive to women. Accordingly, in addition to its Signature Scalp Treatment Course, which lasts approximately 120 minutes, Hatsuko Endo also offers a 90-minute scalp treatment course for men. Older clients might also be interested in the shorter, 90-minute Relaxation Course.
“At our salons in Tokyo, we have people in their teens all the way to 70s and 80s,” says Kume.
And the results are immediate. You’re sure to feel refreshed, and begin to notice a difference in the short-term health and shine of your hair. Still, to maintain scalp health, regular visits are encouraged.
“This isn’t something that if you do it once, it’ll last for years and years,” Kume says. “Once you start getting that build-up, your scalp will go back to the state that it was in before the visit.”
While he doesn’t recommend receiving the head spa treatment more than twice per month, enthusiastic clients often return for a full course on a monthly basis. To him, that’s affirmation of the Hatsuko Endo approach.
“I think the clients who repeat two or three times can fully understand how much of a difference clogged pores make in everyday life.”
BRAIN CANDY
Head spas like Hatsuko Endo aren’t the only option for upping your wellness game at a follicle level. The Hair Rituel line from SISLEY PARIS is designed to energize the scalp and restructure hair fiber. The brand’s beauty experts offer personalized hair analysis at four Hawai‘i locations—Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. Stop by the Sisley counter for a quick scalp massage using the Revitalizing Fortifying Serum. Meanwhile, AVEDA channels Ayurveda, the ancient healing art of India, with its Scalp Benefits Balancing Shampoo and Conditioner combo. These products have a nurturing blend of burdock root, echinacea and sage to gently cleanse and nourish the scalp. Aveda’s dedicated Pramasana Scalp Care line—including Purifying Scalp Cleanser, Protective Scalp Concentrate and Exfoliating Scalp Brush—is at Ho‘āla Salon & Spa at Ala Moana Center and Ka Makana Ali‘i. Finally, Genesis by KÉRASTASE PARIS promises a dual-action fortifying haircare system that addresses breakage from brushing. A top-seller is the Genesis Serum Fortifiant, an at-home scalp treatment that offers a daily dose of fiber strength. Simply apply four pipettes on dry or towel- dried scalp, section by section, focusing on areas of the scalp where the hair needs the most strength. Intrigued? Swing by ephora at Waikiki Shopping Plaza.