Core
Scalp Exfoliation & Scrubs
Scalp exfoliation lifts away what shampoo alone leaves behind: sebum plugs around follicles, dead skin cells and layers of product buildup. Menus use sea-salt, sugar, charcoal, tea-tree and gel exfoliants — AP's reporting on Japanese-style head spas describes fine sea salt crystals used for sebum plugs.
What happens
- A scrub or gel exfoliant is applied to the dry or damp scalp, usually before the main cleanse.
- The practitioner works it in with fingertips, brushes or combs, section by section.
- The product sits briefly while buildup softens and flakes loosen.
- It is rinsed out as the double cleanse begins, taking the loosened buildup with it.
Core or add-on?
Core in 60-minute and longer tiers. It may be shortened or skipped in some express tiers, so a very short, cheap 'head spa' without any exfoliation step is closer to an enhanced shampoo.
Typical price & duration
Included rather than priced separately in the menus we found. Galaxy Head Spa includes exfoliation in its Soul Rebalance ($125 / 60 minutes) and Stellar ($185 / 90 minutes) tiers, and Cosset includes it in its Signature and Ultimate tiers. We found no consistent standalone price for exfoliation, so we do not publish one.