The difference between a scalp serum & hair serum

Every alive hair has a scalp, but not every scalp has hair, to the dismay of many an owner of such a hairless head. But for those who harbor a full head of hair, this brings a whole new set of problems in properly caring for it and keeping hair strong and healthy well into the golden years.

People have understood how much time and energy they've invested solely into caring for their skin, specifically facial skin, and have in recent years extensively expanded their selfcare routines to cater to the often neglected body areas, such as the armpits or the scalp, giving rise to its majesty - the hair serum.

Hair serums and skinification

Language is alive and reflects pop culture's interests and main currents, creating new words for emerging tendencies. One of these recent shifts in the selfcare landscape is called "hair skinification," which involves treating your hair and scalp with the same care as you would your skin.

The boom of skinification and the growing interest in hair health have carried hair and scalp serums into the spotlight, following the quick rise to fame pattern they have previously achieved in skincare. Skincare serums earned the loyalty of selfcare enthusiasts thanks to their high concentration of active ingredients, power to reach deeper layers of the skin than other topicals, and for delivering visible results quicker and more reliably.


The serum trend in haircare follows similarly, offering an intensive treatment that complements your washing schedule and daily hair care routine. The best hair serums and scalp serums are typically known for their lightweight and liquid texture and can be combined with new hair care technologies and devices for a boosted synergistic effect.

What are the main benefits of hair serums?
 

• Concentrated formulas with ingredients that strengthen hair and stimulate hair growth. 
• Protection against daily external agents and heat.
• Improved texture and appearance, shinier hair with a more vibrant sheen.

What is the difference between a hair serum & scalp serum?

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet." said the eloquent wordsmith, Mr. Shakespeare, highlighting how irrelevant naming things is for their true nature. For a rose, we agree, but in the case of hair and scalp serums, the name says it all.

Hair serums are designed to enhance the condition of the entire hair strand by spreading it evenly across the surface. In contrast, scalp serums take care of the scalp skin and the follicles below the skin. Although some are interchangeable, we'd still advise using your preferred serums as the bottle instructs because, for example, hair serums for dry hair might be too heavy and clog the follicles if applied to the scalp, causing irritation, excess shedding, or dandruff.

Scalp serum

The scalp serves as a foundation for healthy hair growth but is frequently overlooked and plays second fiddle to the quick gratification of hair styling. What does a scalp Scalp serums usually address scalp dryness, irritation, or hair thinning. The scalp is also exposed to bacteria, reacts to hormonal changes or pollution, absorbs chemicals from hair products, and can get buildup or clogged follicles, directly impacting the look and health of our hair. The skin is quite thin, contains, on average, 120,000 hair follicles, and is directly connected to blood vessels, which deliver oxygen and essential nutrients to every hair follicle to keep it healthy and produce strong hair.

How to apply scalp serum correctly?

It is important to make sure that our scalp is clean before applying the scalp serum and, depending on the formulation, you can use it on dry or wet hair, so at night, before going to bed, apply it with a dropper or a scalp brush, gently massaging it into the scalp for an added benefit of stimulating microcirculation to promote hair growth.

Ideally, divide your hair from front to back. Apply to 4 (or more if you have a lot of hair, you lucky goose) sections to cover the entire scalp. If you have a very oily scalp, keep the serum on the scalp for a few hours and then wash it out. However, a dry, irritated scalp or one with dandruff can benefit from leaving the serum overnight or for an entire day if it doesn't leave a greasy residue. Since the scalp will absorb the compounds from the serum into your bloodstream, make sure your scalp serum is formulated primarily from natural and clean ingredients.

Serum for hair

Once it pushes out of your scalp, hair is technically biologically dead, but it stays chemically active and can interact with the environment - often unhospitable with heat, UV radiation, dry air, and hard water. All of this damages this semi-alive structure. Hair serums aim to repair the damage and protect the strand to enhance the shine and smoothness, shield hair from heat or humidity, or focus on fixing, hydrating, and controlling the annoying frizzing.

How to use hair serum?

Unlike hair scalp serum, hair serums are usually applied from the mid-length to the ends to avoid greasy-looking roots and prevent weighing the hair down. Hair serum should be applied just after you have washed your hair, as it will be more receptive and absorb all of the formula for better benefits.

Before applying the hair serum, warm it up by placing a little product (5+ drops depending on the length of your hair) and rubbing it between your palms for a few seconds so the application is easier and more effective.

How to boost hair and scalp serum results?

It is important to apply it consistently and correctly and, above all, to choose products with well-researched formulas and proven results. Also, serums alone can only do so much. Still, you can boost their absorption and action by pairing them with the newest technological advancements in hair care, designed to deliver professional results at home.

Look for ingredients such as Cica, argan oil, eucalyptus, frankincense oil, jojoba oil, red clover, probiotics, omega-9, panthenol, peppermint, squalane, sunflower seed oil, tea tree, vitamin E, and rosemary oil with repairing benefits that enhance nutrient delivery to hair follicles to promote hair growth and reduce scalp irritation. FAQ™ Scalp Recovery & Thick Hair Probiotic Serum includes Cica to protect the scalp and hair growth, among other ingredients such as red clover extract for hair strengthening & volume and microbiome balancing Probiotics that help combat flakiness or oily scalp.

 

Combined with the FAQ™ 301 LED hair-strengthening scalp massager, the serum provides a holistic hair experience for faster and more visible results. Specifically designed to work with a liquid hair growth serum, FAQ™ 301 enhances the absorption of ingredients so they can penetrate deep into the hair follicle - where they work best. Its 20 red LED lights stimulate and strengthen hair follicles to prevent hair loss, and T-Sonic™ massage will effectively boost scalp microcirculation to help essential nutrients and oxygen-rich fresh blood reach the hair follicle. The device has 637 silicone touchpoints that gently yet effectively loosen buildup on the scalp to prevent dead skin, sweat, and oil from clogging hair follicles and causing hair loss. The bristles also help to part hair, so the LED light can evenly reach all parts of the scalp with no barriers. You will only need 4 minutes – 1 minute per hair area.

Suppose you want to keep your scalp healthy, repair hair damage further down the strand, and provide additional hydration to dull and lifeless hair. In that case, FOREO’s brand new LUNA™ Dual-Peptide Scalp Serum is an ideal choice. Formulated with Cica, and portulaca extract with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant powers, it calms the scalp, shields it from oxidative stress, and keeps it moisturized as the peptide complex boosts scalp and hair health by ramping up collagen production and fortifying the hair shaft to reduce breakage and improve hair texture. You can enhance the power the dual-peptide serum with the new LUNA™ 4 hair device. The 2-in-1 scalp massage combines red LED light and T-Sonic™ massage for a reparative and strengthening effect on the scalp but with a focus on a design perfect for coating the entire hair length and surface so you can make the most out of your precious hair serum. LUNA™ 4 hair is also 100% waterproof and designed for your convenience to use in the shower or a relaxing bath routine after work.

It's not true that hair is the new face. It's a new age in which the myopic, short-sighted selfcare focused solely on the facial skin is fading into the background in favor of a more well-rounded selfcare. There is no point in spending an hour on your makeup while neglecting everything else. You'll never look well-kept and healthy without lush hair, regardless of the hair style you choose. Think of it as a classy old money style - nothing is ever in your face, and everything is high quality, demure, and on point.

When it comes to hair and at-home recovery, hair serums are one of the best things you can do, and they take fairly little time and effort once they take hold in your routine. Some serums act as intense pre-wash treatments that get washed out after doing their job, but a growing number of leave-in formulas don't need to be rinsed out. These will mostly be hair serums for very dry hair, but a good scalp serum will help even the oiliest hair by balancing out the moisture and oil, relieving your scalp of always having to secrete new layers of oil to protect the stripped scalp.

We hope we've given you some useful information and that you will find the best hair serum that perfectly fits your needs. Stay fresh, beautiful, and curious, and may you have a very good hair day.