Why Fermented Hair Care Is the Next Big Thing — Think Kombucha for Hair

Fermentation has been gaining popularity in skincare and nutrition for years, and it’s now made its way to hair care. The process is thought to amplify the power of a product’s ingredients and make them more bioavailable. The Rootist’s products contain the patent-pending Rootbiomic Ferment, a multivitamin superfood made of red ginseng root, reishi mushroom, coffee berry, rice and pea proteins, and other fermented ingredients –– think of it as kombucha for hair.

I only recently learned the importance of treating my scalp before shampooing, and I’ve been guilty of not giving it enough love on wash days. So I found The Rootist AHA+ACV Pre-Shampoo Scalp Clarifying Rinse to be the perfect introduction to fermentation. It gives you an easy way to get rid of excess oil and product buildup. I applied it all over my scalp using the nozzle, massaged it in well, and let it sit for about 10 minutes before rinsing. Glycolic and lactic acids along with hibiscus and apple cider vinegar balanced my scalp pH. The rinse is fragrance-free, but it contains peppermint oil, which gives it a pleasant, minty smell.

“A clarifying rinse is a great way to reset the pH of your scalp and restore scalp health,” says Dr. Margarita Lolis, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Hackensack, New Jersey. “Its purpose is to deeply cleanse the scalp, removing buildup that regular shampoos might not be able to fully eliminate. This can help prevent dandruff, scalp acne, and other scalp conditions associated with clogged follicles.”

A Small Amount for a Big Result

I tend to use a lot of shampoo because of my hair’s thickness, so I was intrigued when I first heard about concentrated hair products. Instead of the water typically added to shampoos and conditioners, The Rootist Strengthen Concentrated Shampoo and Strengthen Concentrated Conditioner contain Rootbiomic Ferment, so you can use less. I only needed half of my regular shampoo and conditioner amount.

I was surprised at how much the shampoo lathered even though I was applying half of what I normally use. Along with the Rootbiomic Ferment, the shampoo and conditioner contain bio-peptides to strengthen hair as well as fruit extracts and other ingredients to help improve shine, softness, and smoothness. Both products are subtly scented but not overpoweringly so. Source