For the past few years, I’d noticed more and more hair coming out in the shower.
At first, it was mild — an extra handful here or there.
Then it became alarming. Four giant hairballs every wash, a brush full every morning, and a visible thinning along my hairline.
I couldn’t wear my hair up anymore because you could see my scalp through the strands.
To make things worse, my scalp itched constantly. The more I scratched, the worse it got.
I hadn’t realized how much of my identity and confidence were tied to my hair until it started disappearing.
Like many of us do when our bodies send distress signals, I went straight to social media.
Soon, my feed was full of ads promising thicker hair: vitamins, serums, shampoos, scalp oils.
Each one claimed to be the answer.
But instead of clarity, I got confusion — and overwhelm.
So I took a step back and did what I teach in yoga: start with one small, sustainable change.
What I tried first: switching to clean hair care
My first move was simple — replace my Costco shampoo with something cleaner.
A friend recommended Earthling shampoo and conditioner bars, made with natural, non-toxic ingredients.
Switching away from harsh detergents felt like a win.
But after a few weeks?
Still shedding. Still itching.
The truth: I had swapped my products, but I hadn’t changed my strategy.
Do hair oils and masks actually help with shedding?
Next, I tried the internet’s favorite fix — scalp serums and oils.
I experimented with Veganic Hair Oil for light nourishment and Inde Wild Hair Oil for deeper weekly treatments.
While the ritual felt soothing, I noticed something strange: every time I used an oil mask, even more hair came out.
It turns out, oiling can loosen follicles that are already ready to shed. It’s not always a bad sign — but in my case, it was discouraging.
And as lovely as the self-care ritual was, my scalp still itched.
Could hair shedding be an internal issue?
When external fixes weren’t working, I turned inward.
Maybe my scalp wasn’t the problem — maybe it was my nutrition.
That’s when I found Alaya Hair Vitamins — a clean, plant-based alternative to Nutrafol (and about one-third the cost).
I liked that they contained biotin, saw palmetto, zinc, and ashwagandha — nutrients that support healthy hair growth and help regulate DHT, the hormone often linked to thinning hair in women.
But like most supplements, the results were slow. I was still shedding and still itchy.
The missing step: cleaning my scalp, not just treating it
Everything changed when I stumbled on an ad for a scalp brush.
It promised to reduce buildup, extend the time between shampoos, and stimulate circulation. But what caught my attention was this line:
“Your scalp ages faster than your face.”
I learned that our scalp has its own microbiome — a living ecosystem of bacteria and oils that keeps follicles healthy.
When that balance gets disrupted by buildup, sweat, and product residue, the follicles can’t breathe.
The result is shedding, itchiness, and inflammation.
I realized: I had changed what I was using, but I had never actually cleaned out where I was using it.
So I bought the brush.
What happened when I started scalp brushing
That first use felt spicy. The bristles were firm, and my scalp tingled with every stroke.
But after the second use, something incredible happened — hardly any hair came out.
By the third use, the shedding had almost completely stopped.
And the next time I shampooed--no exageration--there were zero hairballs in the shower.
It wasn’t just about the brush. It was about order and foundation — just like in movement practice.
I had been nourishing before I was clearing.
When I flipped that sequence — clear first, then nourish — my results finally showed up.
My current hair routine (and what I’d do differently next time)
If I could start again, here’s the order I’d follow — and why:
1. Clean the follicles first
Use a scalp brush to stimulate circulation and remove buildup before shampooing.
This wakes up dormant follicles and helps balance the scalp microbiome.
2. Wash with non-toxic, pH-balanced shampoo and conditioner
Earthling Shampoo + Conditioner Bars – clean, gentle, and ideal for sensitive or aging scalps.
3. Nourish with targeted oils
Once your scalp is clean and your follicles can breathe, then it’s time to nourish.
This is where oils can truly shine — not as a cover-up, but as food for your follicles.
I rotate between two oils, each with a slightly different purpose (and vibe)
Veganic Hair Oil - a comprehensive botanical blend for everyday nourishment
This is the one I reach for when my scalp feels dry or my ends need extra love.
What makes Veganic different is its depth of ingredients. It’s not just one or two trendy oils — it’s an 11-oil blend designed to target every layer of hair health:
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Rosemary oil to stimulate follicles and encourage new growth.
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Castor and coconut oils to seal moisture and strengthen strands from root to tip.
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Argan and avocado oils to protect against breakage and smooth texture.
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Coffee and parsley seed oils to wake up circulation and feed the scalp.
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Lavender and almond oils to calm inflammation and soothe irritation.
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Baobab and olive oils to provide deep antioxidant repair and hydration.
Together, they create a lightweight, non-greasy serum that absorbs quickly — no sticky residue, no heaviness — just a subtle shine and a scalp that actually feels alive again.
Veganic calls it “a right, not a luxury,” and that sentiment matches my own philosophy: your body deserves care that’s effective, ethical, and realistic.
(And yes, it smells faintly botanical and fresh, not perfumey — which I love.)
Inde Wild Hair Oil an Ayurvedic ritual with the best scent in the world
This is my Sunday night ritual oil. I use it once a week, and I swear the scent alone could lower your cortisol levels.
Inde Wild’s formula is rooted in Ayurvedic tradition, blending herbs and oils that have been used for centuries to strengthen hair and calm the nervous system:
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Amla for promoting hair growth and natural shine.
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Brahmi to reduce split ends and strengthen weak strands.
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Bhringraj — often called the “king of herbs” for hair — to prevent breakage and shedding.
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Almond oil for moisture and softness.
It comes with a dropper, which makes it easy to apply directly to your scalp. I like to use about 2–3 pipettes, massage it in slowly, and leave it on overnight.
By morning, my hair smells incredible and feels soft, grounded, and alive. The scent lingers for days — even Oli notices every time I’ve used it.
This oil isn’t just nourishment — it’s sensory therapy. A moment of stillness that doubles as hair care.
Both oils support hair health, but in different ways:
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Veganic feeds your follicles daily with a science-backed botanical blend.
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Inde Wild grounds you in ritual and relaxation while fortifying the strands from within.
Together, they’re the perfect pairing for a scalp that’s both healed and happy.
4. Support growth from within
Alaya Hair Vitamins – biotin, saw palmetto, and adaptogens for follicle strength and DHT balance. (A clean, affordable alternative to Nutrafol.)
What this taught me about healing (and not just hair)
Fixing my hair wasn’t about chasing products — it was about restoring communication between my body and myself.
When we’re overwhelmed, we often treat symptoms instead of systems.
We look for the one product, the one supplement, the one “hack.”
But real healing starts when we clear what’s blocking the body’s natural intelligence.
That’s true for your hair.
It’s true for your hips.
It’s true for every part of you that’s trying to find its way back to balance.
Because your body knows how to heal — you just have to give it room to breathe.
PS – Steal My Routine (and My Products!)
Because you know I’d want to steal it too.
๐ชฎ This Brush — My daily scalp brush that changed everything. It stimulates circulation, clears buildup, and helps rebalance the scalp microbiome.
๐งด Earthling Shampoo + Conditioner Bars — Clean, pH-balanced, and gentle enough for daily use.
๐ Alaya Hair Vitamins — Plant-based biotin, zinc, and saw palmetto blend that supports hair growth naturally (and half the cost of Nutrafol).
๐ง Veganic Hair Oil + Inde Wild Hair Oil — My two go-to oils for light and deep nourishment.
(Full transparency: these are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them — at no cost to you. I discovered these products on my own and was not approached by the companies to promote them. I only share products I genuinely use and trust.)
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