7 Easy Ways To Moisturize A Dry Scalp From Derms & Hairstylists

If you've ever dealt with a dry scalp—and since you're here, there's a decent chance you have—you likely experienced one or more of these symptoms: tight skin, itchiness, flakes, ashiness, or redness.

No, a dry scalp is no small annoyance. And while the face and body tend to get most of our skin care attention, the scalp's skin woes should be attended to with the same diligence.  So now you may also be wondering how best to deal with it.

With your face or body, the solution tends to be a bit simpler: Slather on a nurturing lotion and do so consistently. With your scalp you don't have that solution, since for most people, you have hair in the way. 

There's an oil for everything. You have your face oils, usually formulated to nurture skin without clogging pores or bothering the delicate skin.

You have body oils, which tend to be a bit thicker and able to cover a larger surface area. You have hair oils, which help trap in moisture and add shine. 

For scalp oils, there are a few avenues to take based on your additional needs. If your dry scalp comes with flakes, you may consider using one with a clarifying, yet gentle, tea tree oil to help lift off the dead skin cells—while still being soothing.

If you want to encourage growth as an added bonus, consider rosemary (or any of these essential oils). 

But for an all-around safe bet, jojoba oil is thin, fast-absorbing, isn't comedogenic, and isn't as prone to buildup.

Just like the rest of your skin, you can hydrate internally.

You have a few avenues available via supplementation. First up: Collagen supplements are made of amino acid peptides, which are able to be absorbed by the body where they aid in various functions.* For the skin and hair, they help in two ways.

First amino acids are the building blocks of keratin, or what makes up your hair, so collagen supplements can provide those precious nutrients to your strands.*

Second, they can also support a healthy scalp by promoting your body's natural collagen and elastin production1.*

For a hydration boost, hyaluronic acid is another one to look into. Hyaluronic acid is found naturally in the body and helps your skin naturally pull in and retain water. You can supplement the nutrient, to help keep your skin hydrated. *

Most experts also recommend vitamin E for the scalp. Vitamin E is "full of nutrients and is one of the best vitamins for the scalp," says trichologist Shab Reslan.*

Vitamin E is believed to work by maintaining healthy inflammatory pathways on your skin and scalp2, slowing free radical damage around your hair follicles that can lead to early graying.* 

If you have buildup at your scalp, it doesn't matter if you are using the best scalp mask or oil out there—that film of product, dead skin cells, sebum, and dirt is going to keep it from penetrating your dehydrated skin cells. (It's the same reason most people are encouraged to exfoliate their faces and bodies one to three times a week.)

But it's not only that: Buildup can actually lead to hair shedding. "When you have product, dirt, and oil building up around your follicle opening—which is where your hair grows out of—buildup around that starts to slowly suffocate your hair root," Reslan once told us. To remove buildup, just reach for a scalp exfoliator.

Much like the rest of your body, exfoliators come in two kinds: chemical (with AHAs or BHAs) or physical (with granular materials).

Sulfates are cleansing agents often found in shampoos—in fact, they're the actives that give shampoos that lather.

However, they are very drying to both the strand and scalp. (They are highly stripping of your scalp's natural oils, which can disrupt the delicate scalp microbiome, and can contribute to frizz and fading of hair dye.)

That's why so many make the switch to sulfate-free shampoos, which use gentler surfactants in their place so you're still cleansing your hair without irritation or long-term effects.

Just as you might apply a hydrating mask to your face, you can also do so on your scalp. (Seeing a trend here? All the things you regularly do for your face you can also do for your scalp.)

Scalp masks should be used as a pre-shampoo treatment and applied directly to the skin and root.

It may take some work getting it on the scalp itself—especially for those with dense or curly hair—so try to work it in through sections.

Once you've covered the skin sufficiently, you can wrap your hair with a shower cap to keep the goop from dripping. Let it sit for anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. Then take your shower as normal. 

Many styling products, notably dry shampoo, are very dehydrating for your scalp.

Many styling products contain oil-absorbing ingredients, which keep your style looking fresh and give your roots lift but can be bothersome in the long run. (Not only can they disrupt sebum production, but they can also cause buildup—for which we'll refer you back to the previous point.)

And if you just can't imagine your hair routine without your favorite products, just be mindful of the ingredients in them.

Opt for natural-leaning options that can aid in hair and skin health through soothing botanical extracts—and do your best to keep styling products on the hair rather than the skin.

"Beautiful, strong hair depends on good blood circulation, proper nutrition, and a healthy and supple scalp," says board-certified dermatologist Raechele Cochran Gathers, M.D., who specializes in hair care and founded MDHairMixtress, tells us about scalp massages.

One of the most effective ways to get your circulation going is through massage (not to mention easy and cheap!). 

"Use your finger pads (not nails) to apply medium-firm pressure to your scalp, in a circular motion," says Cochran Gathers. You can keep it as simple as that, no fuss. Or you can definitely put a few spins on it if you so desire.

Those with a tight or tense scalp will need a bit heavier hand than those who simply hold less tension in the area—so play with the strength of your fingers, or even invest in a tool like a jade comb.