Hair Recipe: Sam Brocato’s Sugar Shine Hair Treatment

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You probably exfoliate your face regularly—and completely neglect your scalp. By whipping up this sweet, sugary treatment every few weeks, you can easily revitalize both your scalp and your hair.

Valerie Fischel

“Sugar acts as an alpha hydroxy acid, which exfoliates by penetrating the hair’s cortex and stimulating cellular activity of the follicle,” explains Sam Brocato, owner and stylist at Sam Brocato Salon in New York City. “It also moisturizes and exfoliates the scalp leaving hair soft manageable.” Almond oil provides moisture and facilitates the work of the sugars while also delivering vitamin E, which is essential for hair and scalp health, according to Brocato. “Folic acid is also prevalent in almond oil, which is proven to stimulate hair growth, and lemon juice helps add shine.”

Ingredients:

2 ½ Tbs turbinado sugar

2 ½ Tbs white sugar

1 ½ Tbs almond oil

1 ½ tsp lemon juice

Blend all ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon or chopstick. For five minutes, gently massage into freshly shampooed hair, concentrating on the scalp. Then allow it to absorb for five minutes. Rinse out treatment with tepid water, then dry and style as desired.