How To Give Yourself A Relaxing Scalp Massage

As far as we're concerned, the most underrated of all beauty treatments has got to be the scalp massage. That feeling of someone running their fingers back and forth through your hair and gently caressing your scalp is shiver-inducing levels of blissed-out relaxation. We get goosebumps at the salon when we're getting our hair washed for that exact reason.

But, it's not just that scalp massages feel good — they're actually amazing for the health of your hair.  As Zoe Irwin, editorial stylist and brand ambassador to Manta Brush, explains, "The more that you can increase blood flow to the hair follicles, that’s when you’re going to get more hair growth and you are going to get healthier hair." You also help remove dead skin build-up which can cause flakes and dryness. Zoe recommends you "move" your scalp around every day for optimal hair health.

Unfortunately, trying to give yourself a scalp massage at home never feels quite as satisfying. Usually our hands get tired about two minutes into it, get tangled up and accidentally yank out strands, and we just give up before we can get the true benefits. Which is where the Manta Brush comes in. 

Made with a flexible pad, easy-grip handle, and 360-degree rotating bristles, this detangling and smoothing brush has completely transformed our hair — in fact, we were so blown away by it that we knew we had to get this British brand over here. This thing has won pretty much every beauty award in the U.K. and for good reason — it's fabulous. And, now you can find it on this side of the pond, only at Shen.

The brush was designed by hairdresser Tim Binnington after his wife went through chemo treatment. He saw how hard it was for her to brush her hair because of how fragile and easily broken the strands were, so wanted to create something that detangled, but was so gentle it felt like you were just running your fingers through your hair. It's meant to fit in the palm of your hand and, as Zoe notes, it flexes and curves around your head, rather than pulling and dragging your hair down.

In addition to detangling and helping work conditioning treatments into your hair better, it also functions as an extremely satisfying scalp massage tool. You get all the benefits of a stimulating scalp treatment, without messing up your hair or causing it to snarl.

There are two main ways to massage with the Manta. Zoe recommends starting at the nape of the neck and brushing forward and then moving around the head in a sweeping motion. You'll want to press down to ensure you are really moving the scalp. "This will relax the scalp and relieve tension, but also really stimulate the follicles and increase blood flow," notes Zoe. "The differences I have seen in the thickness of my clients hair that have done this is incredible." 

Another option is to just press the brush firmly against the scalp, without moving it through the hair. If you have very textured hair or just don't want to brush out your style, this lets you massage without messing up your 'do. Again, start at the nape of the neck and press down, lift up, then move to the next area and repeat. Zoe likens it to the sensation of an acupressure mat, stimulating the skin and relieving tension.

We've officially replaced our usual go-to brushes with this wet/dry wonder, using it in the shower to get rid of snarls, on dry hair to smooth out straggly ends or refresh a 2nd-day blowout, and before bed to give our scalps a relaxing wind down after a long day. Our hair has never looked fuller, shinier, or more healthy. 

Manta comes in three colors: black, white, and Zoe's personally designed burgundy hue. Best part? It's only $30. We couldn't love this thing more if we'd made it ourselves. Shop it now!