At Peppermint Teal we get excited about methods, techniques and products that promote healthy and great-looking hair and skin while using as little 'nasties' or expensive, high-tech gadgets as possible. The more natural and inexpensive, the better. So when we came across this video on Yasuko Kawamura's YouTube channel for reverse hair brushing, we were instantly taken with it and had to find out more... Not to mention try it out for ourselves!
Reverse hair brushing, also known as inverted hair brushing (but not to be confused with the inversion hair method which also promotes healthy hair growth but is a different technique) is something we hadn't come across before but we were drawn to it initially because it looked so satisfyingly relaxing and pampering, and appeared so simple to do. Plus we were intrigued by the use of the camelia oil and the wooden hair-brushing tools. Then we delved into the benefits of reverse hair brushing and the theory behind why it works and we just had to give it a go. So for those of you who are also new to reverse hair brushing and want to know more about it - read on!
WHAT IS REVERSE HAIR BRUSHING?
Kawamura has said that this type of brushing technique is very popular among celebrities in Japan in order to keep their hair beautiful and free of those pesky grey strands!
It is a hair brushing technique that involves tipping your head forward and then brushing your hair from the base of your head to the tip of your hair as often as a hundred times.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
It is believed that brushing stimulates blood circulation to the scalp which is important for delivering more nutrients and oxygen to the hair follicles. This is important for healthy hair and melanocytes - the cells in the deepest part of the skin's epidermis (incidentally, melanocytes are also found in eyes) which produces and contains melanin. By keeping your melanocytes active and producing melanin which is then taken up into the hair, this may help keep your hair's natural colour and prevent greying - or at least excessive greying.
While we haven't come across scientific evidence to back up these claims, the jury definitely seems to be out regarding the effectiveness of reverse hair brushing - or just brushing in general and the part in plays in hair and scalp health. Beverley Hills-based Dr. Ken Washenik, Board member of the North American Hair Research Society, claims that the belief that brushing your hair vigorously so that your scalp is stimulated thus increasing hair growth, is not backed up by any scientific or medical study. Though Arizona-based trichologist William Gaunitz believes that brushing can help with healthy hair growth.
If the comments posted on Yasuko Kawamura's video are anything to go by, it would appear that those who have tried reverse-hair brushing or have done so for years, are very happy with the results. Perhaps it depends on the individual. The only way to find out for yourself if this will work or not is to give it a go. After all - you've got to brush your hair anyway so what have you got to lose?
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF REVERSE HAIR BRUSHING?
Although Yasuko isn't making any wild claims, she does talk about this relaxing technique (one plus point already!) possibly helping to prevent grey hairs from appearing. She also states that it produces softer, smoother, more tangle-free hair. Yasuko doesn't mention anything about reverse hair brushing causing your hair to thicken or grow longer in record time. But people who have previously used various scalp massaging techniques have noticed such improvements so it's a possibility.
Yasuko does go on to state that massaging the back of the head does give a facelift effect (though thankfully not of the aging-Hollywood starlet facelight variety!) and the reverse brushing technique can also help with that. How's that for an added bonus?
HOW OFTEN SHOULD THIS TECHNIQUE BE DONE?
When asked in the comments, Yasuko suggested once a day. Every other day can also work, but we also recommend taking a short break every so often to get better results.
HOW LONG BEFORE YOU NOTICE RESULTS?
Around one month but of course it varies from person to person
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
THE HAIR BRUSH
And not just any old hair brush either! Because you need to massage the scalp, you don't want a brush that has sharp bristles. And it's best to avoid nylon or plastic brushes which can cause that dreaded staticky hair. No one wants to look like Mr. Majeika! A paddle brush with some cushioning, and wooden, fairly spaced-out, round-tipped bristles works best for this technique.
Wix
Yasuko Kawamura explains that in Japan, people would use combs or brushes made with boxwood. But boxwood brushes are far from cheap! Therefore bamboo makes a good substitute, doesn't create static, and requires less maintenance than boxwood.
HAIR OIL
Although the oil step is not essential, it is a welcome addition to the reverse brushing technique. Yasuko Kawamura uses camelia oil, also known as Tsubaki oil, which is an oil used in hair and skincare in Japan. When used in haircare, it creates soft, beautiful, manageable hair.
If you cannot get hold of camelia oil, then use an oil that has great haircare benefits such coconut, avocado or olive. You can also add a drop of essential oil that also has great haircare benefits such as rosemary or lavender.
Remember that you are not creating a hair mask treatment so you don't need a lot of oil. One to two drops of oil in the palm of your hand (depending on the length of your hair) and then rubbed into the tips of the hairbrush bristles is all you need.
You can skip the oil step altogether if you worry that it will make your hair too oily, or maybe you can use the oil as and when you want to, if you don't want to use it every day.
THE TECHNIQUE
It couldn't be simpler!
Tip your head and flip your hair forward. Remember that your hair must be completely dry to carry out this method as it's never advisable to brush wet or damp hair.
Start brushing from the base of your head all the way down to the tips of your hair.
You can do this one hundred times OR...
you can brush for fifty strokes before flipping your head and hair back, and then brushing the regular way for another fifty strokes.
A hundred strokes may sound like you'll be there for an hour but you'll you'll have completed this technique in minutes!
THINGS TO NOTE
Your hair might become quite greasy very quickly even though you're using the bare minimum amount of oil. This will mean washing your hair a lot more frequently which could result in dry hair. Either skip the oil step completely, or just incorporate the oil every so often.
It might not be so comfortable for people who have issues with their neck, back or shoulders. This is one of the reasons why Yasuko suggested brushing fifty strokes each way.
If you notice any damage to your hair, it's best to stop and switch to a more suitable hair-improvement method.
It might be necessary to take a break every so often (perhaps a three or four days every two weeks) to get better results.
Are you a curly-haired girl or guy and wondering if this method will work for you? Check out Angel's post to find out more!
Many thanks to Yasuko Kawamura for bring the reverse hair-brushing technique to our attention. We may never have heard of it if it hadn't been for her. We had a great time testing it out. You can find out the results in the following post but the fact that we're going to carry on with the reverse hair brushing tells you everything you need to know!
And thanks to the lovely Eri for providing information which contributed to this post.
Photos: Pixabay
Blog graphics: Angel Noire
