A Hair Solution Born from the Troubles of Ballet Dancers: "Aurora Shampoo" for Healthy Scalp with Proper Hair Care

Many ballet dancers face hair issues behind the scenes of dazzling performances.

The reputation of "Aurora Shampoo" has spread through word of mouth, gaining support not only from ballet dancers but also from individuals struggling with scalp problems.

We spoke with Hiroyuki Akagami, a certified hair diagnostician® and hair technician associated with Ballet Japon, about the features of Aurora shampoo and proper hair care techniques.

Ballet Dancers Struggling with Thinning Hair & Hair Growth

Can you tell us about the origins of Aurora shampoo?

Originally, "Ballet Japon" was established in 2012 to support the conditioning of ballet dancers.

In countries like France and Russia, where ballet originated, professional instructors with national qualifications conduct lessons. In contrast, Japan lacks any licensing system for ballet instruction.

Since the golden age for ballet is considered to be from ages 3 to 8, many children often engage in improper body usage and unhealthy dieting from a young age. To address this, we established the "Safe Dance Association" to provide conditioning and guidance from experts in body and mind for ballet instructors.

One of the prominent issues that surfaced is the scalp troubles experienced by ballet dancers.

What kind of troubles are most common?

In ballet, it is common to wear a hairstyle called a "chignon" to enhance the beauty of the body and expressions. This involves tightly bundling hair at the back and sides, securing it with gel or wax to adhere it to the scalp.

This hairstyle is maintained not only during performances but also during regular lessons and travel. Many dancers have experienced hair loss and developed "traction alopecia" due to the physical burden placed on their hair and scalp since childhood, sometimes facing these issues as early as their teenage years.

Even if they become concerned about their hairline, they cannot change their hairstyle to stand on stage. In response to this serious situation, we’ve initiated a scalp care venture focused on achieving "fundamental hair care" and ensuring beautiful, healthy scalps and hair suitable for ballerinas.

Aurora Shampoo: A Shampoo Focused on Water Quality

What do you mean by "fundamental hair care"?

First, shampoos are often thought of merely as cleansers. Especially for ballet dancers, who use styling products to secure their hairstyles, many prioritize the removal of dirt. However, petroleum-based shampoos that contain synthetic surfactants are too harsh and can cause skin troubles.

On the other hand, amino acid-based shampoos, which are gentle on hair and scalp, have the drawback of being less effective at cleansing.

Thus, we focused on water. In foundational cosmetics, the quality of water is said to influence the overall quality of the product. Aurora Shampoo uses natural water from the Shirasu-Daichi plateau in Kirishima, Kagoshima, known for its rich minerals and excellent pH balance, and incorporates a technology called "rock water," where volcanic rock is melted into the water and ionized. By enhancing the quality of the water, we can effectively remove dirt from hair roots while delivering nourishment. In fact, the effectiveness has been confirmed through microscopic examination, showing a clear reduction in scalp impurities.

Molding a healthy scalp that can effectively receive nourishing ingredients is what we define as fundamental hair care.

What approaches do you take regarding "beautiful and healthy scalp and hair"?

Our hair is produced by hair follicles absorbing essential nutrients for hair growth from capillaries and sending them to hair matrix cells. In scalp care, it is also vital to deliver these necessary nutrients to the scalp.

Therefore, we are using carefully selected organic ingredients certified by Ecocert［1］, under the theme of "adjusting the environment with the power of nature."

What are the key ingredients?

One is fulvic acid extract. This organic acid exists in the soil and contains a balanced mix of minerals, amino acids, vitamins, and enzymes. Our fulvic acid is extracted through a patented method using deep ocean water and natural water from components of ancient soil created on the ocean floor over approximately two years.

The other is a minoxidil derivative. This is a familiar ingredient in hair growth lotions, but many side effects have been reported. Therefore, we decided to incorporate a minoxidil derivative that has fewer side effects and high penetration ability.

After actually using it, I feel it has an oil-like smoothness.

I believe that is due to the moisturizing effect of fulvic acid. If you use a proper shampoo suited for the scalp and follow the correct hair care, your scalp will become well-balanced, adjusting the necessary oils and moisture, and your hair will naturally become shiny.

Daily Proper Care Is Essential to Maintain Scalp Health

As mentioned in the instructions, does it take about 10 days for the scalp to become healthy?

Among customers using Aurora Shampoo for the first time, many express concerns like "it doesn’t lather" and "it doesn’t feel refreshing."

This is because many years of incorrect hair care have resulted in a layer of oil on the scalp. In fact, there are twice as many sebaceous glands on the scalp compared to the face. The reason you may not notice it is that your hair absorbs that oil. In other words, it also serves as a natural moisturizer, but if left unattended, it can oxidize, become food for resident bacteria, increase scalp bacteria, and lead to discomfort and itchiness of the scalp.

Without resetting this, amino acid shampoos will particularly not lather. Therefore, we ask you to use it for about 10 days. Once the layer is reset in about 10 days, lathering will improve.

It seems like it could also serve as a check for your scalp. Are there any other common hair care mistakes?

Since oil oxidizes, it’s important to shampoo daily to thoroughly remove the oil clogged in your pores.

As for washing, many people have a very short pre-wash time. It’s essential to warm your scalp thoroughly with warm water for about 1 to 2 minutes to soften the oil.

For those who have accumulated oil for many years or have a poor scalp environment, the pores are clogged with oil, and the shampoo is rubbed on top of that. Therefore, after applying shampoo, make sure to massage the oil out from the pores. It might be painful at first if you're not used to it, but unless you massage thoroughly, the oil won’t come out. In fact, this massage washing technique is being taught in seminars for certified hair consultants® and hair specialists at high-quality certified hair growth salons.

Finally, regarding treatment, hair from the scalp to about 5 cm is considered a natural treatment. Thus, healthy hair doesn’t require additional treatment. However, if the ends are damaged and lack moisture retention, it's advisable to apply treatment only to the ends without touching the scalp.

Last year, we also released a scalp serum and hair growth lotion, but when using scalp care products, it’s recommended to dry your hair and scalp thoroughly before application. This is because the solvent is most stable when in the container, and when the scalp is wet, the water can destabilize the solvent. While it doesn't mean it won’t work, for 100% effectiveness of the product, applying it after drying is the correct method.

If you take proper hair care, your hair will become vibrant. I hope you will give it a try.

Not only ballet dancers but anyone with scalp concerns should start with the right hair care.