Ash Meredith’s Pro-Tip Rosemary Treatments and More for Your Scalp Care Routine

Healthy hair starts at the root. And when your hair is dry, brittle, and isn’t falling the way you feel that it should, it usually means your scalp is to blame. We take so much care to make sure our face is glowing with multi-step routines, but we often leave the skin of our scalp by the wayside.

Take a closer look at your scalp. Do you see dry patches, flakiness, or redness? Does it feel tight, itchy, or just straight-up uncomfortable? Although easy to ignore, these are signs pointing to scalp irritation and an unhappy scalp environment.  

From climate to stress to certain skin conditions, there can be many layers that affect scalp and overall hair health. But thankfully for us, there are certain practices and products we can incorporate into our routines that help stimulate, detox, and hydrate our scalps in order to start achieving the hair goals of our dreams.  

We asked professional makeup artist and beauty expert (who just so happens to be a scalp care fanatic with gorgeous hair) Ash Meredith to walk us through what scalp care means to her and how she lives by it in her day to day.  

Ash Meredith has worked in the beauty industry for 12 years as a professional makeup artist and content creator.   

How would you describe your hair type + texture?

Fine, and a lot of it! I’m on the drier, more processed side being a fake blondey. I only wash my hair once or twice a week, and I would definitely say if it gets oily it’s due to working out, lifestyle, or environment things more than actually producing too much oil. My hair tangles easily, and I always watch for split ends. If I'm not taking care of it, it’ll feel fragile.  

What are your personal hair goals?

I’m kind of a crazy person because I just want mermaid hair! I can’t stop myself. Ill often get tempted by a shorter, smoother style, but no! I really just want wavy mermaid hair!

To me, mermaid hair is effortless. I love the idea of texture, that like easy beachiness. I tend to steer away from that over-styled, over-super sleek look, and I’m more about embracing what my hair naturally does. For me that’s more on the texture side. I’ve never had super smooth or soft hair. I used to try to fight against my natural texture for so long with blow outs, pin straight down-to-the-ends style, straightening until completely smooth. But now I just love to let my hair be unruly by air drying and allowing it do what it wants and naturally does. If you’re always fighting against your hair, you can cause real damage.  

Do you notice your hair change or grow differently with the seasons?

Most people say winter, but I live in Texas so it doesn’t snow here or get very cold, and the seasonal shifts are mild. I notice more changes to my hair in the summer because I’m in the pool a lot, and my hair will need way more TLC and hydration. I think stress and environment play a big, big part in scalp health. When I notice drastic differences like a flaky, red, dry, or itchy scalp, it’s usually the fault of my environment, stress, or hormones. I think it’s important to consider this first, and then go from there in choosing your products.  

What does healthy, happy hair look like to you?

For me, my healthiest hair is when my scalp is healthy. I’m in the beauty industry and so styles are so fun, but there’s just something different about hair that’s healthy. I’ll have those moments for myself in between styles to let my hair just be free. Embrace what your hair wants to naturally do, give it a break, and let your scalp breath. So, when you do express your styles, it looks really good.  

At Pacifica we love the phrase scalp care is skincare. Could you tell me a little about how you live by this in your am +/or pm routines?

I treat my scalp 1 to 2 times a week. I’m religious about it, I have been for years. It has made the biggest difference in my hair and scalp health hands down compared to before. I notice that my hair is just so much healthier, I feel like I have less hair fall, and my hair is way more manageable.  

The easiest way I do this is scalp stimulation. I love massaging my scalp at night before bed. Even if it’s not a treatment night, I love using our Clarifying Scalp Massager to massage my scalp for 3-5 minutes. It’s honestly such a nice little moment. I don’t do it for a long time because you don’t want to cause scalp irritation, so it should be a super gentle massage. Our massage tool is perfect for that because the bristles have a bend to them, they’re not stiff. I’ve used other kinds of massagers that look the same but they’re not, the bristles are hard and not forgiving at all. Ours have that little bit of movement and it really helps from overapplying pressure. I’ll do this most nights, 4 to 5 times a week. It feels stimulating, and I notice that overtime my hair has much more volume at the roots and sits up a little higher. And it’s really relaxing before bed. I’ll keep it on my bedside vanity and love to do it with a face mask on.  

Do you have a simplified routine for when time is tight?

Yes, and if I’m being honest, this is the one I’ll do usually 2 to 3 times a week. I notice that my healthiest hair growth is when I do these consistent easy routines instead of a crazy multi-product treatment that I do only once (because I’m a mom and that takes way too long).  

I’ll section out my hair and add about 3-5 pipettes of Scalp Love Rosemary Mint Serum. Then I‘ll massage it in with my Clarifying Scalp Massager for like 5 minutes. I’ll typically leave it in for 6-8 hrs minimum, and I can still go about my life because the serum doesn’t leave my hair greasy. If I apply it during the day, I’ll style it in a braid or a slicked back bun and my hair just soaks it up.  

Do you have a more deluxe routine for when your scalp + hair need a little extra love? I always do this on a really chill day, usually a Sunday, where I can spare a couple hours to myself and just wind down and get ready for the week.

1. I’ll take Scalp Love Rosemary Mint Serum and just put it all over, sectioning my hair and really focusing on areas of my scalp that need more love.
2. Then I’ll put the Coco Bond Damage Care Leave-In Mask all throughout the bottom of my hair, put it up or braid it in, and leave it in for as long as I want to, usually 4-6hrs.
3. After that I’ll swap out my shampoo with the Rosemary Apple Cider Vinegar Scalp Detox Tonic and section my hair with the nozzle. I don’t think a lot of people realize but this tonic is such a good cleanser and really suds up with water. It’s also so great for in between washes for a deep detox without that stripped feeling.
4. After I’ve cleansed and toned, I apply the Hydrating Scalp Smoothie, focusing on my scalp from my ears up, pulling it through all the way to my ends to really condition them.
5. I’ll let that sit in the shower for like 5-10 mins while I make sure to exfoliate with Island Vanilla Body Scrub.
6. Then I’ll just let my hair air dry as usual, and I won’t really use any other products that day other than the Coconut Milk Detangler Elixir if I have left over knots.  

How do you make your hair + scalp-care routines an enjoyable, self-love experience?

I would say the biggest thing is, when you really map it out and see what a small portion of your day a routine takes, it’s so worth it. But I also have to make sure that I’m doing it in a way that’s intentional, not just rushing through the steps. Because I have kids, I can’t apply my scalp serum while I’m making them a snack, and I’m not doing my routine right now during our interview. I’m purposefully shutting myself in the bathroom and lighting my candles, or keeping my scalp massage brush on my nightstand as a reminder to take that moment, no excuses. I have to be intentional and realize that I am important enough to take that time for selfcare. At the very least, I owe myself (and my scalp) 4-6 minutes.  

Having a good scent in the room is a game changer. I love warm, sweet, and woody combos for that whole body spa relaxation. I’ll diffuse essential oils or use Silver Moon Body Lotion to moisturize my body. I also love the Vegan Collagen Body Oil, it smells so clean and fresh. I actually keep it in my pro-kit because all my clients love it and it photographs so well. For my face, I’ll definitely always do the reusable masks with a Future Youth Gravity Rebound Serum, of course. If that’s out of stock, then Wake Up Beautiful Retinoid Serum is my second fav.  

Why do you choose Pacifica for your scalp and hair needs?

I tell people I was a consumer of Pacifica before I was anything else, content creator, professional makeup artist. It’s about trust really. Once you get in the door with a brand and you’ve used it, gotten great results, and you trust their brand statements, you know okay this actually works for me. I trust Pacifica as a brand because I’ve been using them for over a decade and I’ve seen the results first-hand. If I’m comparing Pacifica with another brand, it isn’t only that it looks cute, its accessible to me, or that I trust the ingredients. Really, they stand out because they’re a brand that cares. Accessible, vegan, cruelty-free, and cares about the environment. It’s such a simple thing we can do these days. When you weigh that out with another brand that is just trending, it’s an easy choice. Especially because Pacifica’s been doing this before it was even trendy.  

Finally, what do Rosemary Purify + Scalp Love smell like to you? How does their scent make you feel?

Spa day. It’s the perfect balance of that invigorating mood boost with the mint and yet that relaxing feeling as well. It makes me feel calm and happy.