Meisje van Moss

One thing about my routine is that I hate puffy, reverted roots. I would rather my ends show reversion as long as my hair stays stretched from the root. I sweat heavily overnight and am very heat sensitive, so this is always a struggle.

When I started using scalp serums to combat this, I thought, great, more root reverted items instead of those that keep them stretched. Can you prevent natural hair reversion from scalp serums? The answer to root reversion is yes and no. Even with serums, those with water as their first ingredient cause immediate reversion. Water does not care about your feelings.

Some serums are certainly more watery than others. What is wild is that even though they mostly all have water as the first ingredient, they have different levels when it comes to reverting. For example, Kérastase Genesis pours down your scalp and seems to have much higher water content than the Cécred Edge Drops, which somehow leaves my roots silkier despite the water. For some reason the Acts and Acre serum reverts my hair more than the Necessarie Rosemary Serum.

Here is exactly what I do to stop my roots from reverting while maintaining scalp health.

Method 1: Find a water-free alternative There is merit in oils, but in my experience, they achieve different things than serums do. There are some oils on the market that operate with similar benefits as serums. The Alodi Follicle Serum is one; it has many of the ingredients found in typical scalp serums. I just hated the smell, and the experience is 50% of why I purchase most products. It smells like a thousand carrots and pumpkin spice seasoning, so I had to return it.

Opting for an oil with a better profile. I love the Bur Bur Growing Season oil. But it is one of my favorite products, has great ingredients, and makes my roots feel somewhat smoother. The oil does not run down your face because it’s a pretty thick oil, and in fact it soaks in immediately, but also feels so great on my mids and ends. This SheaMoisture scalp oil is also good for this, but it is thinner and greasier (so it will run down your face and hairline). I like it because it makes my hair soft, without leaving a weed smell (it has a nice slightly aquatic scent); that weed scent made me return the Mielle one.

Method 2: Strategic application timing Instead of ruining your blowout, apply the watery serum the night before wash day. Then, apply it again immediately after washing, 20 minutes before blow-drying. The reversion does not matter at these stages.

Method 3: The tension and mini-bun method

Apply serum to each section and rub it in. Immediately apply a moisturizing lotion, brush gently with a boar bristle brush, and ponytail that section tight into mini buns or bantu knots. I do this about an hour before bed, as pictured here. Once the hair dries, I gently glide the ponytail holder lower by about a half inch. This prevents high tension on the scalp and hair all night long.

Method 4: Stretching with heat After applying the serum, use a blow dryer with a comb attachment to hit the roots directly and stretch them back out, or flat iron the roots (on the lowest possible setting).

The most immediately beneficial is a routine that goes with the serum, that allows you to experiment with any serum that your budget, preferences, and tolerances permit. Here is an exact schedule to balance scalp treatments with a straightened or stretched root.

Here is a sample schedule for those who want the flexibility of using whichever preferred serum to minimize reversion.

• Day 1: Apply scalp serum right after washing, then blow dry. Wear hair blown out a day before flat ironing (skip step 2 if you only blow dry, but don’t flat iron).
• Day 2: Apply serum that night, then flat iron the roots on day 3 in the morning.
• Day 3: Pull hair into tight ponytails at night to maintain the stretch similar to the photo, applying the serum on each section, a moisture lotion, and securing each section tightly until it dries (also described above).
• Day 4: Apply a scalp oil instead of a serum.
• Day 5 (Wash Day): Apply serum 20 minutes before washing. After washing, apply serum 20 minutes before blow-drying. Repeat. Hopefully you see where I am going with this, it’s not a mandatory exact schedule, but ways to put the serum into your roots without the frequent exposure that puffs roots.

I wash my hair every 5 days (my hair is very high porosity and under severe anemia recovery). But if you wash 1x per week, or every 2 weeks, keeping those roots stretched when applying by section until it dries maximizes the amount of times you can apply serums. If you apply a scalp serum that is water based without stretching, it will revert your roots.

Anyone else figure out something different?