It’s fall, which means many of us see more hair in the brush and shower. In this episode, Sarah explains the real biology behind seasonal shedding (melatonin/cortisol shifts → more follicles in “rest” phase), how stress compounds it, and what to do before the shed hits so it stays mild and temporary. By the end of this episode you will have an inside out plan: supplements and habits to stabilize your system, a scalp care routine that keeps follicles clear and calm, and topical options to nudge growth.

Links & Resources (mentioned)

Pro lines (shop here) or their respective websites:

• Pureology • Kérastase • Redken → studiogaven.com

Amazon items:

• Act + Acre Scalp Detox / Peptide Treatment 
• Nutrafol Women / Women’s Balance
• Women’s Rogaine 5% foam
• Mielle Rosemary Mint Oil
• Briogeo rosemary pre-wash oil
• The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum
• Scalp massage brush
• Vitamin D3 / Stress B-Complex / plant-based iron + C

Connect with Sarah

Questions or topic ideas? Reach out- Sarah would love to answer, and your question might even become a future episode.

IG/TikTok: @lessonsfromyourhairstylist • Email: sarah@blacktieandblush.com

[INTRO]

(gentle, inviting tone)

Every fall... I start hearing the same thing in my chair.

Clients sit down, run their fingers through their hair, and say—

“Okay… I’m not imagining this, right? My hair is everywhere right now.”

[pause]

And they’re right.

But what they’re noticing isn’t breakage, or some sudden product failure.

It’s actually one of the most predictable—and natural—things the human body does.

[pause]

You might not think about your hair as being connected to the seasons...

but it absolutely is.

The same way your skin gets drier in winter...

or your mood shifts when the days get shorter—

your scalp and follicles respond to light and hormones too.

[pause]

So today, we’re digging into why this happens,

what’s actually going on beneath the surface,

and most importantly—how you can prevent the heavy shed before it even starts.

We’ll talk about the real biology behind it—

not myths, not “just use this serum”—

but what your body is really doing…

and how to work with it, instead of against it.

[SEGMENT 1 — WHY FALL SHEDDING HAPPENS]

(shift into educator tone, confident and calm)

Every hair on your head lives through a cycle:

growth, rest, shed, repeat.

But here’s what most people don’t realize:

That cycle isn’t isolated—it’s deeply influenced by light.

As days get shorter in the fall, your brain senses it through your eyes.

The pineal gland—a tiny organ inside your brain—

starts producing more melatonin, the sleep hormone.

Now—melatonin doesn’t just control sleep.

It’s connected to your stress system, the one that regulates cortisol.

Think of melatonin and cortisol as dance partners.

When one rises, the other dips.

[pause]

Normally, that rhythm is smooth:

Melatonin climbs at night so you can rest.

Cortisol drops.

Then in the morning, melatonin falls, cortisol rises, and you feel alert again.

But in early fall, when the light changes, that rhythm has to reset.

Melatonin starts rising earlier and stays higher into the morning.

Cortisol lags behind—and that little timing wobble affects more than your sleep.

It affects your hair.

[pause]

Your hair follicles actually have receptors for both melatonin and cortisol.

Melatonin helps them stay in the growth phase.

Cortisol tells your body, “We’re stressed—conserve energy.”

And one of the first places your body cuts back on energy?

Hair growth.

So when cortisol fluctuates, more follicles enter their resting phase—called telogen.

After a few weeks, they all release together—

and that’s what you see as seasonal shedding.

[pause]

Here’s the good news:

It’s temporary.

It’s natural.

And it’s part of your body’s way of renewing itself.

New hair is already forming under the surface, ready to grow.

[pause]

Some scientists even think this rhythm is evolutionary—

that humans developed this pattern to “refresh” our scalp coverage before winter.

So when you see more hair on your brush in October or November,

it’s not hair loss—it’s your biology adjusting.

[pause]

But—if your hormones, nutrition, or scalp health are off balance when this shift hits,

that normal shed can turn into a dramatic one.

That’s why prevention doesn’t start when you see shedding—

it starts before.

The best time to prepare your body and scalp?

Late summer—August or early September.

That’s your window to get ahead of it.

[SEGMENT 2 — INTERNAL BALANCE & NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT]

(slightly more personal, steady pace)

Let’s start from the inside out.

Because your hair is a reflection of what’s happening internally.

As the seasons shift, your HPA axis—that’s the Hypothalamus–Pituitary–Adrenal system—

has to recalibrate.

That’s the control center for your hormones, stress, and energy.

And when that system gets overworked—say, from chronic stress or poor sleep—

it keeps cortisol levels higher than they should be.

And elevated cortisol says, “We’re under pressure—save energy.”

Unfortunately, one of the first places your body cuts energy from?

Your hair follicles.

That’s why stressful months or illness can cause shedding—

and when you combine that with fall’s hormonal shifts,

it amplifies the effect.

[pause]

So what do we do?

We stabilize your internal system before that happens.

[pause]

This is where Nutrafol comes in—not as a gimmick, but as a formula built around biology.

Here’s how it helps:

Ashwagandha, specifically Sensoril®, helps balance cortisol by calming adrenal overactivity.

Think of it as your internal buffer against stress spikes.

Curcumin, the compound from turmeric, helps reduce low-grade inflammation around follicles.

And it fills in the nutrient gaps most of us don’t even realize we have—

Vitamins A, C, D, E, biotin, zinc, and iron—

all of which your follicles need for energy and keratin production.

When you start Nutrafol six to eight weeks before fall,

you’re basically syncing your body to the season before it gets thrown off.

[pause]

In the first three months, shedding starts to slow.

By month four or five, you see new growth that’s denser and shinier.

After six months, the whole texture of your hair changes—

stronger, smoother, more balanced.

If you’re over 45 or perimenopausal,

Nutrafol’s Women’s Balance version adds ingredients for hormonal support—

which makes that seasonal reset even easier on your body.

[pause]

To round this out:

Add Vitamin D3 for sunlight support,

a Stress B-Complex for energy metabolism,

and if your ferritin levels run low, a gentle plant-based iron plus vitamin C.

These are the building blocks that keep your follicles energized and consistent through the shift.

You’re not forcing growth—you’re stabilizing your system

so your hair can keep doing what it’s already programmed to do.

[SEGMENT 3 — SCALP HEALTH & CIRCULATION]

(friendly and grounded tone)

Now let’s talk about the surface—your scalp.

Because this is where all of your internal work shows up.

Your scalp is living skin.

It breathes, it regulates oil, it has its own microbiome—

and it needs attention just like your face does.

[pause]

Here’s where a lot of people go wrong:

When they notice shedding, they wash less.

They think, “If I don’t wash as much, maybe less will fall out.”

But that actually backfires.

When you go too long between washes,

you build up layers of sebum, sweat, and product residue.

That buildup can clog follicles, suffocate new growth,

and alter the scalp’s pH—creating the perfect environment for inflammation.

[pause]

What you want is balance:

exfoliate gently, cleanse consistently, stimulate circulation, and protect the barrier.

Here’s how to do that:

Exfoliate once a week.

Use Pureology Exfoliate Scalp Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo—

it’s sulfate-free and gentle on color, but powerful enough to lift residue.

Or try Act + Acre Cold Processed Scalp Detox before your shampoo—

it dissolves buildup and clears the follicle openings.

Cleanse regularly.

Two to three times a week is ideal.

For fragile or dry hair, Kérastase Genesis Bain Hydra-Fortifiant keeps the hair strong while cleansing.

For oilier scalps, Redken Amino-Mint Scalp Shampoo cools and balances pH.

Stimulate circulation.

Massage your scalp for at least 60 seconds every wash.

Use your fingertips or a Heeta Scalp Brush.

That little boost of oxygen and blood flow is one of the best free treatments you can give yourself.

Support the barrier.

After washing, apply Kérastase Sérum Potentialiste.

It strengthens the scalp microbiome and adds hydration as humidity drops.

[pause]

If you start this system in August or early September,

your scalp is clear, oxygenated, and strong before the shedding wave begins.

That means new growth can push through easily,

and your shed feels light and manageable instead of heavy and alarming.

[pause, softer tone]

I always tell clients—treat your scalp like you’d treat soil before planting.

You wouldn’t throw seeds into dry, compacted dirt and expect a lush garden.

You prep the soil first.

Your scalp deserves that same kind of care.

[SEGMENT 4 — TOPICAL ACTIVES AND STIMULATION]

(steady, knowledgeable tone)

Once your internal balance and scalp health are steady,

you can help your follicles from the outside too.

That’s where topical actives come in—

small, daily rituals that remind your follicles to stay awake.

[pause]

Let’s start with the one backed by decades of research: Minoxidil.

You’ll find it in Women’s Rogaine 5% Foam.

Here’s what it actually does—

it expands the blood vessels around your follicles,

delivering more oxygen and nutrients right to the hair bulb.

That extra circulation tells the follicle,

“Hey, we’ve got what we need—keep growing.”

Consistency is everything.

Apply it once a day to a clean scalp, massage lightly, and let it dry.

If you stop, follicles simply drift back to their old rhythm.

[pause]

Now, maybe you prefer a plant-based route.

Rosemary oil has earned its place in serious studies,

showing growth results comparable to 2% minoxidil after six months.

It improves circulation, quiets inflammation,

and keeps the scalp’s microbiome calm and balanced.

Try:

Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Oil — biotin and menthol for that cooling boost.

Briogeo Scalp Revival Pre-Wash Oil — rosemary with castor oil for moisture.

Act + Acre Stem Cell Peptide Treatment — rosemary plus peptides for density.

Or a lighter option: The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for daily use without weight.

[pause]

No matter which you choose, start early.

Introduce it in late summer so follicles are already stimulated

before the fall reset begins.

Because your scalp doesn’t respond to panic—it responds to pattern.

Small, steady signals beat occasional over-effort every time.

[SEGMENT 5 — THE REGROWTH CYCLE AND LONG-TERM STRATEGY]

(grounded, reassuring tone)

Here’s what happens next.

Once a hair sheds, that strand was already at the end of its journey.

You can’t stop that particular one from falling—

but you can decide how quickly its replacement grows in.

When your hormones are balanced,

your scalp is healthy,

and your stress system is regulated,

follicles return to growth fast and strong.

[pause]

Here’s the timeline most people experience:

Months 1 to 3:

Shedding starts to taper.

Scalp feels calmer.

Those cortisol swings level out.

Months 4 to 6:

New “baby hairs” appear—soft fuzz near the hairline or part.

They’re proof your follicles are active again.

Shine and elasticity start to return.

After 6 months:

Density improves.

Individual strands grow thicker and smoother.

Styling feels easier—because your hair’s structure has literally rebuilt itself.

[pause]

That’s what happens when you work with your body’s rhythm

instead of fighting against it.

The pattern is predictable every year.

So if you treat August and September as your “pre-season,”

and give your scalp, your stress system, and your nutrition

the right support before the shift,

your follicles barely react when fall arrives.

Instead of clumps in the shower,

you might see a few extra strands—and that’s it.

You’ve stabilized the cycle.

[pause, softer voice]

That’s the real goal.

Not perfection—just partnership with your biology.

[CLOSING — BRING IT ALL TOGETHER]

(warm, steady energy)

So as we move into fall, remember:

your hair isn’t betraying you—it’s adapting to the light, the weather, and your stress rhythm.

Support that process, and it supports you back.

Here’s your roadmap one more time:

1️⃣ Start early—August is prep season.

2️⃣ Balance your stress and nutrition from the inside.

3️⃣ Keep the scalp clean, exfoliated, and oxygenated.

4️⃣ Use your topical of choice consistently.

5️⃣ Be patient. Biology rewards consistency, not urgency.

[pause]

Your hair is part of a living system that knows what it’s doing.

When you create the right environment, it renews itself beautifully.

Next week, we’ll dive into curly and coily hair—

how seasonal changes affect curl definition,

moisture retention, and scalp care in 3C to 4C textures.

Until then—drink your water, massage your scalp,

and remember: a few extra hairs in the brush

might just mean your next growth cycle is already on its way.

[pause, gentle smile in voice]

You—and your hair—are right on time.