I am no stranger to a spa experience or a luxe-y facial, but a 'head spa' that’s new. After experiencing a global trend here in Auckland, I see why it is so popular. Read on to learn more about the Japanese head spa at Morgan and Morgan The Hair Collective, says editor Trudi Brewer.
Famous across Asia and India, this luxurious scalp treatment is designed to get to the root of any hair issue. For anyone with hair that is not looking at its glorious best, including a dry scalp, dandruff, hair shedding or thinning hair with age, this treatment helps boost hair growth, relaxing your entire body simultaneously. The senior stylist at Morgan and Morgan The Hair Collective, Koji Hirota, the master of this hair service, says a Japanese head spa is much more than a relaxing hair treatment. "The 'head spa' originated in Japan, where it has become a tradition for deep cleansing and relaxation from a unique scalp massage. The result is that it helps improve your scalp and hair's overall well-being and health." Keen to see what lies beneath my style, I was ready to indulge.
Before and after the Japanese Head Spa at Morgan and Morgan The Hair Collective in Auckland’s Takapuna.
Discover the Japanese head spa step-by-step.
The Schwarzkopf Professional Clinix in-salon range helps to re-balance your scalp with biotic technology that protects and strengthens the scalp’s microbiome. The key ingredient in the range is allantoin, derived from glyoxylic acid; it not only accelerates the turnover of cells on the scalp is soothes and improves conditions such as dandruff, dryness, oily scalps and even hair loss.
What is it?
Using the Schwarzkopf Professional Scalp Clinix range of products, the treatment begins with a magnified look at my scalp with an amplifying camera tool. The sci-fi-looking images enlarge the hair roots and the skin on the scalp's surface. This determines my scalp's condition and what healing concoction is needed to improve it. Every Japanese head spa starts with a scalp exfoliation, here it’s the Schwarzkopf Professional Clinix Pre-Shampoo Scrub. In the same way, small, circular motions help exfoliate the face, Hirota's fingers vigorously massage the exfoliant into the skin on my scalp. This removes dry patches and product build-up (in my case, dry shampoo). It also helps to unclog pores and balance the scalp's microbiome (the microorganisms or healthy bacteria on the scalp that protects it, ultimately boosting hair health). Then it's off to the private hair pod. I lie flat in the ergonomic recliners (that massage while you relax), so my hair is draped in the basin, and my face is covered with a towel. To say that Hirota is an expert in this technique is an understatement. He's the scalp maestro. His attention to my scalp and the relaxation experience is meticulous; he diligently cleans and massages my head with a precision rhythmic routine that, at one point, I was sure I could hear myself snoring. Schwarzkopf Professional Clinix Soothing Shampoo is applied twice; a hot towel wraps my hair, and warm water rinses off the shampoo and residue scrub through the towel. Next, a bespoke blend of Schwarzkopf Professional Clinx Biotic Soothing Treatment is methodically massaged into every inch of my scalp, designed to soothe and hydrate. I have always loved the shampoo part of any hair service, but this head spa is beyond what you would expect from any basin experience. The pressure point and the lymphatic drainage massage created by Hirota's magic fingers are a toe-tingling, heavenly experience. "This treatment stimulates blood flow to the scalp and, of course, helps you to relax," says Hirota, who shares a five-minute scalp massage is the equivalent of an hour-long body massage. So after 60 minutes of warm water trickling over my head and a firm massage, you may now get how dreamy this hair service is. Back to the salon chair, a neck and shoulder massage along with a bouncy blow dry completed this service, and before I knew it, unfortunately, 90 minutes was up.
The magnifying scalp camera that hones in on the hair root and skin on the scalp.
My scalp and hair roots magnified, a before (left) and after (right) view post the Japanese head spa.
The combination of warm water and massage makes this hair service unique.
Why do I like it?
I never think about my scalp. But I do think about my hair. It gets treated to the best conditioners and styling products (I am a Schwarzkopf Professional BlondME fan), but I also torture my hair. I am a dry shampoo addict (to stretch out the blow dry); I always heat style my hair with a range of hot tools and often tie it back with very little care. Add sweat and the grime from daily life, and that gunk on my scalp under the magnifying lamp may stop my hair from looking and feeling its best. Yes, it's uber-relaxing, but is it indulgent? I don't think so. With stress and pollution levels at an all-time high, it's hardly surprising our scalps are under serge. I read once, 'The flower bed and soil from which your hair grows is your scalp.' It's true. I lovingly care for my skin with serums and moisturises, I exfoliate and use a mask weekly, yet until now, I have largely ignored the scalp - lesson learnt.
The Japanese Head Spa & Blow Wave, 90 minutes, $125, and the effects last around a month. It’s ideal for anyone with scalp issues or as a monthly wellness treatment if your budget allows.
Here are the tips and products to try now.