The Cascata Expert Series
A September Series with Emma King
Throughout September, I’m delighted to introduce something new to Cascata: our Cascata Expert Series.
As someone who has spent my career working with hair and understanding the incredible connection between healthy hair and a healthy scalp, I have become increasingly passionate about one simple message: We need to start caring for our scalp in the same way we care for the skin on our face and body.
Your scalp is skin. Yet, for many of us, it is often one of the most overlooked parts of our skincare and self-care routine. That’s why I wanted to bring together some of the brilliant experts I personally admire and invite them to share their knowledge, experience and expertise with our Cascata community.
Over the coming month, we’ll be exploring the connection between scalp health, skin health and overall wellbeing and looking at the everyday habits that can help us better understand and care for ourselves.
I’m delighted to begin the series with the brilliant Michelle from Sásta Skin Health.
Michelle brings a wealth of expertise in skin health, and I absolutely love the way she has brought her own knowledge of the skin barrier and the microbiome into the conversation around scalp care.
I know I’m biased, but I think this is a brilliant read!
Her message is beautifully simple: Your Scalp Is Skin Too
We have become so much more conscious about caring for the skin on our face and body. We think about our skin barrier, the importance of not over-cleansing and, increasingly, the role of the microbiome in skin health.
But how often do we apply that same thinking to the skin underneath our hair?
I couldn’t think of a better person to help us start this conversation than Michelle.
I hope you enjoy this Q&A as much as I did.
With love,
Emma King
Founder, Cascata Hair
Your Scalp Is Skin Too
A Q&A with Michelle from Sásta Skin Health
1. We have become much more conscious of caring for the skin on our face and body. Why do you think the scalp is often overlooked as part of our overall skin-health routine?
I think we have traditionally separated hair care from skincare. We tend to focus on the hair itself — how it looks, feels or styles — while often forgetting that underneath it is skin.
We have become much more aware of our skin barrier, over-cleansing and the microbiome when it comes to the skin on our face, but we don’t always extend that same thinking to the rest of our body.
For me, it is about taking a more holistic view of skin health. The scalp is skin too, and recognising that is a good starting point.
2. From a skin-health perspective, what does the skin barrier do, and why is it useful to think of the scalp as skin rather than simply focusing on the hair growing from it?
The skin barrier is an important part of the skin’s natural defence system, helping to protect it from external influences and maintain its natural balance.
Alongside the skin barrier, we have the skin microbiome — a diverse community of microorganisms that forms part of the skin’s natural ecosystem. Both are important when we think about skin health and resilience.
This is why, from a skin-health perspective, I believe we should support the skin’s natural systems rather than constantly trying to strip, correct or change them.
When we think about the scalp purely in terms of hair, it is easy to focus only on what we can see. But underneath the hair is living skin with its own barrier and natural ecosystem.
At Sásta, we talk a lot about supporting the skin rather than constantly trying to correct or strip it. I think we should have that same mindset when we think about the scalp.
3. You often talk about supporting the skin's natural environment and microbiome. Can the same principle of being mindful about how we care for our skin help us think differently about scalp care?
Absolutely.
Our skin is home to a complex community of microorganisms, often referred to as the skin microbiome, which forms part of its natural ecosystem.
At Sásta, our philosophy has always been less is more. Rather than constantly bombarding the skin with unnecessary products or overly aggressive routines, we believe in being more mindful about what we use and how we care for it.
I think this is a useful mindset for the scalp too. It is not about creating a complicated routine or chasing perfection. It is about recognising that the scalp is skin and considering how our routines may support its natural environment.
4. Modern hair routines can involve styling products, dry shampoo, oils and other products. Why is it important to think about regular cleansing and removing everyday build-up from the scalp?
Just as we think about cleansing the skin on our face to remove the day's build-up, it is useful to consider the products and environmental factors that may also come into contact with the skin on our scalp.
From a skin-health perspective, the key is balance. Cleansing does not have to mean stripping the skin. It is about finding a routine that leaves the skin feeling clean and comfortable while respecting its natural barrier and environment.
5. When it comes to cleansing, how do you know if a routine is being too harsh? What should people look for in a cleansing routine that leaves the skin and scalp feeling clean and comfortable rather than stripped?
One of the things I often say about skin health is that clean does not have to mean stripped.
We have sometimes been conditioned to think that a product has to leave the skin feeling extremely tight or squeaky clean to be effective, but that isn't necessarily the case.
A good cleansing routine should leave the skin feeling clean and comfortable.
For me, it always comes back to paying attention to how your skin feels and recognising that more is not always better.
6. We often change our skincare routines depending on the seasons or how our skin is feeling. Should we be paying similar attention to changes in our scalp and hair routine?
I think it is always important to listen to your skin.
Our skin is a living ecosystem and can be influenced by changes in our environment, lifestyle and the seasons.
We are generally quite good at noticing when the skin on our face feels different and adjusting our routines accordingly, but we may be less conscious of extending that same awareness to the rest of our skin.
It is not necessarily about constantly changing products, but about becoming more aware and mindful of how our skin feels.
7. Why is it important to extend our awareness of skin health beyond the skin on our face and pay attention to areas such as the scalp?
We tend to give the skin on our face a huge amount of attention, but skin health is about much more than what we see in the mirror.
The skin is a living organ and is influenced by what is happening within us and around us.
Our overall wellbeing — including things such as stress, sleep, nutrition, movement and changes within the body — can influence how our skin behaves and feels.
This is why I believe in looking at skin health more holistically rather than viewing the skin in isolation.
The scalp is skin too, so it makes sense to extend that same awareness to it.
Rather than only thinking about the scalp when there is a concern, we can become more conscious of how it feels and recognise that it is part of our wider skin-health picture.
For me, skin health is about looking at the whole picture and supporting the skin's natural environment, rather than constantly trying to correct what we see on the surface.
8. For someone who has never really thought about their scalp as part of their overall skin-health routine, what are three simple ways they can start to think differently about caring for it?
My three top tips would be:
1. Start thinking of your scalp as skin.
We naturally pay attention to the skin on our face, but the scalp is skin too and deserves the same awareness.
2. Think less, not more.
You don't necessarily need a complicated routine or lots of products. Being more mindful about what we use and how our skin responds can be a good place to start.
3. Listen to your skin.
Skin health isn't about perfection. It is about understanding your skin, noticing changes and supporting its natural environment.
9. Finally, if there was one message you would like people to take away about the relationship between skin health, scalp care and healthy-looking hair, what would it be?
My biggest message would be that your scalp is skin too.
We often separate hair care from skincare, but underneath the hair is skin with its own barrier and natural environment.
I think there is an opportunity to take what we are learning about skin health and apply that thinking to our overall health.
For me, it always comes back to the Sásta philosophy: less is more, and skin health is about supporting rather than constantly trying to correct.
Healthy-looking skin, wherever it is on the body, is not about perfection. It is about understanding, respecting and supporting the skin's natural environment.
A Final Thought from Emma
I hope Michelle's insights encourage you to think a little differently about your scalp.
For me, the biggest takeaway is a simple one: we spend so much time caring for our face and body, but our scalp deserves that same awareness and consideration.
And perhaps Michelle says it best: Your scalp is skin too.
With love,
Emma King
Founder,
Cascata Hair
