I've been dealing with flakes and itchiness on my scalp for as long as I can remember—sometimes as a result of product buildup, other times as a result of not applying enough products that can moisturize and mitigate dryness.
Either way, I know I'm not alone—the fact that the market is stacked with remedies for itchy scalp, flakes, dandruff, and everything in between is evidence. Still, it's taken me years to finally settle on a lineup of haircare products that are not only designed to provide relief from the issues above, but also actually work for me.
My personal scalp care routine has come a long way, but if you're curious about what products I'm quick to grab when dry scalp and flaking are an issue (or if you're looking for some products to try out on your own), read ahead to find out.
Wash This Way
Of course, the first step to addressing a flaky scalp is to shampoo. These formulas are detoxifying and include ingredients that hydrate and lift buildup off the scalp for healthier results all around.
After testing out the entire Cécred lineup last year (including the viral edge drops), this happened to be one of my favorite products of the bunch. The bottle itself has a nozzle, which makes it easy to apply straight to the scalp, and even though it's a scrub (with tea tree oil that detoxes and lifts dirt!), the micro-crystals are small enough to exfoliate without being harsh on the scalp.
Salicylic acid is often present in medicated shampoos, but it makes an appearance here alongside lactic acid to clear away dirt, oil, buildup, and dandruff. The charcoal in the formula also has a detoxifying effect that feels cooling and refreshing on the scalp.
Moisture Boosters
The best way to follow a deep-cleaning shampoo is with a super-hydrating conditioner that adds all the moisture back to your strands. I'll be a fan of these picks forever.
This conditioner doesn't address anything specific for flakiness, but I like to use it since it's one of the best conditioners I've come across for my color-treated hair. It softens my hair almost instantly and even makes detangling a breeze.
I'm a big fan of this conditioner because of its soft texture, but I also love it because it smells great, it has amazing slip, and it's light enough to condition my hair as opposed to sitting on top of it like thicker products.
Scrub It Out
Ever shampooed your hair and then realized after you've already rinsed out the soap that there's still some leftover buildup on your scalp? This would happen to me after almost every shampoo until I finally started using a scrubber while cleansing my hair. The bristles usually help lift up dirt and flakes much better than my fingers can.
This is the scalp massager I use every time I wash my hair. The pointed bristles may look a little intimidating, but they're just pointy enough to exfoliate away dirt and dead skin while still being gentle.
Grab this 3-in-1 tool if you want to exfoliate your scalp, stimulate blood flow, and detangle your hair all at the same time. The bristles are a lot smaller, but they're spaced far enough apart that they won't tug or pull on your hair.
Oil Up
To keep my scalp moisturized, I like to alternate between oils and serums—scalp oils come in handy when I want some moisture but I also know that I'll be giving myself a heavy duty wash within the next day or two (they can sometimes be heavy and cause buildup), while serums are my go-to when I want something a little lighter that'll still moisturize and address overall scalp health.
After taking an online quiz in which I specified my flaky scalp issues, I was given a custom scalp oil from Prose. It's one of my favorite oils to use, not only because it's on the lighter side, but also because it's lightly fragranced and doesn't have the heavy, greasy smell that some hair oils do.
This drugstore spray comes in handy when I'm wearing my hair in braids or any protective style, since I can just spritz some on my scalp and throughout my braids to moisturize my hair while it's tucked away.
Speaking of protective styles, my scalp tends to get irritated with braids and braiding hair within the first few days of getting them installed. To soothe it, I like to apply a few drops of this squalane-forward serum to my head, which reduces irritation and gets rid of flakes before they even have a chance to appear.
Hyaluronic acid is already known as a hero moisturizing ingredient for your skin, so why would it not have the same effect on your hair? Along with squalane, it's a featured ingredient in this serum, which hydrates the scalp while promoting barrier function.
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