If you find yourself scratching your head-and not because you’re stumped-good news: There’s hope. The best dry scalp treatment can provide instant relief from itchiness and tightness-and, as a bonus, these formulas may also promote healthy hair growth over time. Plus, some of these scalp serums and sprays come with extra perks, like lending hair a reflective shine or dousing it in a delightful scent. You’re in luck if you fancy your itch relief with a whiff of woody, ambery orange blossom.
To find the best dry scalp treatments, we turned to the pros. Ahead, find treatments and practical tips for treating a less-than-optimally-hydrated scalp, with input from three board-certified dermatologists as well as Allure editors.
Top Picks for Dry Scalp Treatments
Best Dry Scalp Treatment Overall: Aveda Scalp Solutions Overnight Scalp Renewal Serum
A 2023 Best of Beauty Award winner, Aveda’s Scalp Solutions Overnight Scalp Renewal Serum is infused with hyaluronic acid to hydrate the scalp. The humectant is paired with a biotech-derived blend of natural ingredients, which work together to balance the scalp’s microbiome to ease dryness, dandruff, and itchiness. Plus, skin-care mainstay Centella Asiatica (also known as cica) soothes and calms the scalp, while lactobacillus ferment, a probiotic, balances the microbiome to prevent inflammation. Another key ingredient is ectoin, an amino-acid derivative with powerful hydrating properties. While the ingredients carry quite the scientific cred, there will be no pop quiz: All you have to do is massage the serum into your scalp before bed, then let the ingredients seep in to soothe and hydrate while you rest.
Tester feedback: Allure commerce writer Jennifer Hussein put the product to the test and reported: “It’s a godsend when my scalp is at its itchiest.”
Key ingredients: Centella asiatica, andrographis, lactobacillus ferment | Who it’s for: All hair types and scalp types
Best Pre-Wash: Briogeo Scalp Revival Pre-Wash Oil
Kiran Mian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City calls Briogeo’s Scalp Revival Pre-Wash Oil her “go-to oil treatment,” citing its blend of natural oils as the hair-and-scalp-loving ingredients that keep her coming back for more-particularly on wash days. “Coconut oil is great for hair shine, while rosemary, olive, and grapeseed oils contribute an antioxidative advantage,” she says. “The vitamins and fatty acids in the blend of oils help add strength to strands, prevent breakage, and clarify and nourish the scalp. Plus, this product in particular washes out very easily.” The oil can also be used as an overnight mask.
Editor’s tip: Rosemary oil is a popular ingredient in scalp care as it can reduce inflammation and boost circulation to encourage hair growth-but it can be irritating on some scalps. In this formulation, the ingredient is blended with oils for an ultra-gentle, non-tingly feel that suits sensitive scalps.
Key ingredients: rosemary oil, castor oil, tea tree oil | Who it’s for: those with sensitive, dry scalps or dull hair
Best Serum: Kérastase Initialiste Advanced Scalp and Hair Concentrate
Designed for hair and scalp alike (like the name implies), Kérastase Initialiste Advanced Scalp and Hair Concentrate smooths on with a featherweight feel. It’s infused with glycopeptides, which sink into hair cuticles to strengthen natural hair fibers; the treatment also has wheat protein to boost the hair’s smoothness and elasticity. The French concoction has a light floral scent, and it makes the hair infinitely softer and shinier. Its primary goal is to reduce hair breakage and strengthen the fibers, but it can also offer soothing benefits to a dry scalp: The formulation is infused with native plant cells, which hydrate the hair and the scalp while strengthening the roots.
Editor’s tip: Ashley Graham has credited this product with helping her recover thick, lustrous hair after she experienced postpartum hair loss.
Key ingredients: glucopeptides, wheat protein | Who it’s for: those with thin or brittle hair
Best Spray: Crown Affair The Calming Scalp Serum
This easy-to-spritz-on serum instantly soothes the scalp with a touch of aloe vera, which has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, and cooling peppermint oil. Crown Affair the Calming Scalp Serum also hydrates and protects the skin barrier with hero humectant hyaluronic acid, while tea tree oil has a calming effect on irritation such as redness and flaking. “Tea tree oil is included in scalp products because it has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that can treat symptoms associated with dandruff,” says Brendan Camp, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York. Tsubaki seed oil, a signature ingredient for Crown Affair, also makes its way into the serum. The ingredient moisturizes the hair, adds shine, and helps keep frizziness at bay. And, as an added perk, the product carries the brand’s signature scent. Designed to boost the mood with sparkling notes of yuzu and lemongrass, the scent is so popular that it also comes as a hair perfume.
Editor’s tip: The brand generally recommends using the serum on damp hair, either at night or before drying during the day. However, it can also be used as a quick pick-me-up for a dry and irritated scalp anytime. Just stash it in your bag and spritz as needed.
Key ingredients: aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, tea tree oil | Who it’s for: Those with normal, dry, or mildly irritated scalp types
Best for Styling: Ouai Scalp Serum
Celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin’s brand specializes in products that tend to hair and scalp health while keeping styling needs in mind. Ouai Scalp Serum is made with natural ingredients that work together to hydrate the scalp and strengthen its skin barrier, which helps it keep moisture intact. The formulation pairs hyaluronic acid-an all-star humectant-with skin-barrier-nourishing adaptogens like Arctic root, chaga mushroom, and ginseng. You’ll also find red clover extract, which soothes the scalp from potentially irritating styling habits, such as pulling the hair back into a tight ponytail or yanking on it while detangling. Another key ingredient, peptides, help the serum foster healthy hair growth.
Editor’s tip: The serum is infused with Ouai’s Cape Town scent, which mixes notes of wet grass, amber, ginger, basil, spearmint, green fig, and tomato leaves for an earthy, herb-garden-fresh aroma.
Key ingredients: arctic root, red clover flower extract, peptides | Who it’s for: those with shedding or thinning hair or a dry scalp
Best Leave-In: Living Proof Dry Scalp Treatment
Living Proof Dry Scalp Treatment is a favorite of Dr. Camp, who likes that it’s color-safe and free of sulfates, which may potentially dry out the scalp. “This leave-in scalp treatment contains hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to provide sustained hydration and soothe symptoms like itching and flaking,” he says. Designed to balance the microbiome, the fast-absorbing treatment has a bright citrus scent, and it can be used three times a week. The brand recommends dividing clean, damp hair into six sections, and then using the slim nozzle to distribute the treatment. Massage it into the scalp, let it rest, and be patient: While the product can relieve itchiness on contact, it can take about four weeks for its full, dryness-defying benefits to kick in.
Editor’s tip: The formulation includes the hyaluronic acid derivative sodium hyaluronate, which has a small molecular size, helping it easily penetrate the scalp for deep hydration.
Key ingredients: hyaluronic-acid-based molecular patch, niacinamide complex | Who it’s for: those with itching, flaking, and irritation on the scalp
Best for Flakes: Jupiter Renewing Scalp Moisturizer
Designed for daily use on a damp or dry scalp, Jupiter’s targeted moisturizer has a no-fuss application method: Simply massage it in, and let the product stay put while its scalp-quenching ingredients get to work. Powered by MoistuRestore Technology-the brand’s patented complex of hydrating ingredients-the Jupiter Renewing Scalp Moisturizer has a creamy gel texture that feels like a sip of water for the scalp. The treatment tends to dryness with glycerin, which bolsters the skin barrier by balancing its moisture levels. It also has olive-leaf extract, an emollient that’s packed with microbiome-balancing antioxidants, and pre- and probiotics, which also balance the microbiome by regulating its amount of beneficial and harmful bacteria.
Editor’s tip: If scented products are not your preference, rest assured: This moisturizer is fragrance-free.
Key ingredients: jackfruit, olive leaf extract, prebiotics, probiotics | Who it’s for: those with a tight, dry scalp and powdery flakes
Best for Dandruff: Person & Covey DHS Tar Shampoo
It might not sound (or smell) cute, but Person & Covey’s DHS Tar Shampoo makes up for that in sheer efficacy. “Coal tar has anti-inflammatory properties that make it an effective ingredient for treating scalp conditions such as dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis,” says Dr. Camp, who recommends this particular formula. Along with stabilized coal-tar extract, which helps the skin shed dead cells from its top layer, the fragrance-free cleanser has just seven other ingredients to decrease the risk of reactions in sensitive skin. (Among those extra ingredients are citric acid, which keeps the product pH balanced and therefore beneficial for the skin barrier.) Also antibacterial and antifungal, the medicated shampoo can be used three times a week. For best results, lather it up and allow it to sit on the scalp for several minutes before rinsing it out.
Editor’s tip: Coal tar can increase the skin’s sensitivity to UV light, so avoid direct sun exposure or wear a hat after using the shampoo.
Key ingredients: coal-tar extract, citric acid, sodium laureth sulfate | Who it’s for: those with dandruff, psoriasis, or seborrheic dermatitis
Best for Fine Hair: Act + Acre Daily Hydro Scalp Serum
“Act + Acre Daily Hydro Scalp Serum contains effective humectants, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid, to bring moisture to the surface of the scalp and protect against dryness,” says Blair Murphy Rose, MD, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in New York, NY and Newport, CA. “This is a great choice for those who want to avoid scalp oils while fighting dryness.” Those with fine hair in particular can benefit from using an oil-free solution to a dry scalp since oils can weigh the hair down. Sensitive scalps can also benefit from the hydrating serum: “It is free of fragrance, parabens, phthalates, and sulfates,” Dr. Murphy Rose says.
Editor’s tip: The serum is formulated by celebrity hairstylist and trichologist Helen Reavey, whose clients include Harry Styles and Amal Clooney.
Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, amino acids, glycerin | Who it’s for: those with dry and normal scalp types and straight, wavy, curly, and coily hair textures
Best for Color-Treated Hair: Fable & Mane SahaScalp Amla Soothing Serum
Amla, an Ayurvedic ingredient derived from Indian gooseberry, is a powerhouse ingredient in scalp-care. "It's rich in vitamins C and E, as well as antioxidants making it both nourishing and hydrating for the scalp," Audrey Kunin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Kansas City, MO, previously told Allure. "These vitamins help fight free radical damage and support healthy scalp skin. It's also believed to have both calming and antiseptic benefits." In Fable & Mane’s formulation, the buzzy ingredient pairs with aloe and the anti-aging herb bakuchi to nourish dry and sensitive scalps. Though the oil-serum has a lightweight texture, a little goes a long way on fine hair, where one to three drops will suffice; those with thicker hair can apply a whole dropper’s worth of product.
Editor’s tip: The scent-a mix of tea rose, blackcurrant, woody amber, and orange blossom-supposedly has aromatherapeutic benefits and was designed to inspire a feeling of peace and calm.
Key ingredients: amla, bakuchi, aloe | Who it’s for: those with dry, itchy, or sensitive scalps
Best Splurge: Dr. Barbara Sturm Scalp Serum
German physician Barbara Sturm takes a scientific approach to treating issues ranging from dull skin to a dry scalp. Her scalp serum incorporates hyaluronic acid and purslane, an anti-inflammatory plant extract, to hydrate the scalp, while panthenol adds additional moisture. “Dr. Barbara Sturm's Scalp Serum is a gem when it comes to hydration," Margarita Lolis, MD, board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in Hackensack, New Jersey, previously told Allure. But the secret sauce, so to speak, is a special complex designed to bring anti-aging benefits to the scalp. The patented blend pairs ATP-a naturally occurring molecule that tames inflammation and boosts collagen production-with antifungal papaya extract. The complex also contains algin, an algae derivative that helps the scalp retain its moisture balance.
Editor’s tip: In addition to quenching dryness in the scalp, the serum adds a glossy gleam to the hair.
Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, purslane, panthenol | Who it’s for: those with irritation or signs of aging on the scalp
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you treat dry scalp buildup?
According to Dr. Murphy Rose, buildup that appears to be linked to a dry scalp isn’t always what it seems. “The scalp is a difficult area to self-diagnose because you cannot see it well on your own,” she says. “For this reason, I recommend consulting a dermatologist if a scalp issue isn’t improving with product adjustments or basic care. What may seem like simple dryness could be dandruff, psoriasis, a hypersensitivity reaction, or another condition, each requiring a unique treatment approach.”
However, if the buildup truly is due to dryness, adding moisture to the scalp is a tried-and-true antidote. “Try mas...
What causes dandruff, and how do you get rid of it? - Thomas L. Dawson
Examples of Dry Scalp Leave-In Treatments Mentioned:
- As I Am Coconut Leave In Conditioner
- African Afro Argan Oil Leave In Conditioner
- Cantu Weightless Daily Leave-In Cream
- Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream
- As I Am Dry & Itchy Scalp Care Leave In Conditioner
- Hairitage Anti-Dandruff Scalp Balancing Leave-In Conditioner
- Head and Shoulders Dry Scalp Care Daily-Use Anti-Dandruff Conditioner
- KeraCare Dry & Itchy Scalp Moisturizing Conditioner