If you’re reading this, chances are, you struggle with a dry, itchy, flaky scalp. Welcome to the club nobody wants to be a part of! 😉 The good news is 1) you’re not alone and 2) help is here! That’s right, we’re right there with ya, friend. And by “we” I’m referring the majority of the LIY Team. Happens to the best of us! Whether it’s the time of year, over-washing, or the consequences of too much dry shampoo; the struggle is real! In order to combat the itchy flakes that we’re all too familiar with, we took matters into our own hands [errr, scalps]. Several LIY ladies tested the top rated scalp care products on the market to find the Best Hair Products for Dry Scalps!
Note: the ladies that tested the following products struggle with dry, flaky, itchy scalps and irritation due to product buildup. This is commonly confused with dandruff which is a chronic condition—often considered to be a mild form of seborrheic dermatitis. If you suspect you have dandruff, check with your doctor or dermatologist about a medicated shampoo!
Now, let’s get this party started. Here are the best hair products for dry scalps!
“If you’re someone who struggles with product buildup [to the point of an itchy, flaky scalp] a clarifying shampoo might be the solution! You probably already know and love Olaplex products, and this clarifying shampoo is no exception! It’s specially formulated to remove product buildup, excess oil, and hard water minerals. I use once a week and my hair has never felt so clean!”
-Claire, LIY Team
“Ouai Detox Shampoo is arguably one of the most popular detoxing shampoos on the market, so I was excited to give it a try! It did a great job removing product buildup, but left my hair feeling slightly dry. I think this product would work best for someone with an oily scalp.”
-Claire, LIY Team
“If you’re looking for something a little more budget friendly to get the job done, Kristin Ess is your girl! It smells SO good without being overpowering and we love that the pointed tip allows you to apply the shampoo directly to your scalp [great for someone with thick hair or extensions!]. It creates a rich lather and you can actually feel the product working! You can find this one at Amazon, Target, and most drugstores! Several members of the the LIY Team use this one regularly!”
-Claire, LIY Team
“I wanted to try this product for a few reasons, the price point and the ingredients! After some trial and error, I found it best to apply 2-3 drops into dry, clean hair right before bed. If you apply too much, your hair may look a little greasy. After applying the drops, I would massage into my scalp for a few minutes. Overall, I noticed that my head didn’t feel as itchy and even when I would scratch my head without realizing it, I didn’t see as many flakes as I did before. I definitely still had some here and there, but I definitely saw the improvement! 4/5 from me!”
-Cassidy, LIY Team
“I had heard nothing but great reviews about divi so was thrilled to give it a try. The product smells amazing and the peppermint gives a cooling sensation when applied which helped instantly relieve any itchiness I was having. Since using divi I’ve also noticed new hair growth which was super exciting since I just went through some serious postpartum hair loss.”
-Macy, LIY Team
“Scalp Scrub days are my favorite days of the week! If you’re looking for a product that really removes flakes and buildup, try adding at scalp scrub to your hair care routine. This one is on the pricy side, so I would recommend starting with the mini size to test it out! I use it about once a week and it’s lasted several months – a little bit goes a long way!” -Claire, LIY Team
“I LOVE the the Goop Exfoliating Shampoo! It has helped my product build up so much! I’ve been using it for the last year and use it every 2-3 washes. It’s a pricey purchase, but each tub lasts me about 4-6 months.”
-Heather, LIY Ambassador
“I actually stopped using this product after 3 uses. I found it to be very soothing on my scalp, felt a little cooling! Unfortunately, I found that it dried my hair out and the scalp results weren’t worth the dry hair. I checked out the reviews after trying it out and found I wasn’t the only one that felt that way. I did see others loved this product from the reviews, but it just wasn’t a good fit for my hair.” -Heather, LIY Ambassador
“While this didn’t cure all of my dry scalp issues [hello flakes], there were a few things I loved about it: the scent, the ease of application, and the fact that it didn’t make my hair greasy, but rather a silky smooth. Perhaps I didn’t use it enough times to really heal my dry scalp, but from my initial tries the past few weeks, I didn’t notice major changes.” -Erin, LIY Team