17 Best Shampoos and Conditioners for Dry Scalp

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A dry, itchy scalp is nothing but a nuisance! Get the relief you need by upgrading your hair care routine, and start with this list of the best shampoos and conditioners for dry scalp.

What Causes Dry Scalp?

Not to state the obvious, but a dry scalp is caused by your scalp losing too much moisture. A few conditions can trigger dry scalp, such as psoriasis, contact dermatitis, ringworm, or actinic keratosis (a kind of sun damage). If you don’t have any of these conditions, though, the cause could be simple, you’re using the wrong products!

Many hair care products turn to harmful ingredients that strip moisture from your scalp, leaving that uncomfortable dryness. The main culprits include parabens, sulfates, silicone, formaldehyde, and synthetic dyes and fragrances. If any of the products you use on your hair contain these ingredients, you may be unintentionally drying out your scalp.

How Can You Treat a Dry Scalp?

Treatment for a dry scalp varies depending on the cause of your dryness. Here are how some scalp issues are typically treated:

• Psoriasis: If you have psoriasis, your dermatologist may prescribe you an ointment that you can apply to itchy, red, scaly skin. They may also point you toward a medicated shampoo, products with salicylic acid in them, oral medications to treat psoriasis, or light therapy to cut down on inflammation.

• Tinea Capitis: This fungal condition is often treated with antifungal medication or medicated shampoos. There are some ointments and creams that can be applied directly to the scalp as well.

• Actinic Keratosis: Topical medications are often the way to go with AK, and some cases may be severe enough to warrant surgery or even photodynamic therapy to reduce damage.

• Using the Wrong Products: This is clearly the easiest issue to fix! If you’re concerned about a dry scalp, it’s also the best place to start. Examine the products you use on your hair and look for harsh chemicals or additives that may be causing dryness. Then, upgrade your products, replacing them with any of the shampoos or conditioners on this list, which are all designed to soothe dry scalp!

What to Look for in Shampoos and Conditioners for Dry Scalp?

You might be wondering what makes a shampoo or conditioner right for my dry scalp? Here are some green light ingredients:

• Salicylic Acid. This chemical exfoliant buffs off dry flakes, which can relieve you if you’re dealing with dryness and/or dandruff.

• Tea Tree. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, hair products with 5% tea tree oil are effective at reducing dryness, itching, and flaking in your scalp. This ingredient is ultra-hydrating, and also has antifungal properties, which is great for those with fungus-caused dryness.

• Menthol. You don’t just want moisturizing properties in the shampoos and conditioners you use on your hair, but some soothing, too! That’s where menthol comes in. It offers relief from irritation and itching with a pleasant cooling sensation.

• Aloe Vera. This is one of the most prized conditioning and soothing ingredients out there, so it’s probably our favorite ingredient in products for dry scalps.

• Natural Oils. Oils like jojoba, coconut, avocado, and argan contain tons of moisture and nourishment, helping to give new life to your scalp. They’re also great for your hair in general. A win-win if there ever was one!

1. Blu Atlas Shampoo and Conditioner

You won’t find a better pair of products for a dry and itchy scalp than Blu Atlas Shampoo and Conditioner. Using clean formulas (the shampoo is made of 99% ingredients of natural origins; the conditioner 98%) and input from an impressive medical advisory board, Blu Atlas makes the ultimate hair care products sure to soothe your scalp, and leave hair looking so much healthier and fuller than ever before.

Let’s start with the shampoo. Jojoba oil is a main ingredient, providing unbeatable hydration and tons of nutrients. Aloe barbadensis leaf is in this formula, too, soothing and moisturizing the scalp to make itching and flakes a thing of the past. As added bonuses, the shampoo also includes saw palmetto and biotin, sure to boost hair growth and strengthen hair.

The conditioner, meanwhile, takes the moisturizing and scalp soothing up a notch. It all begins with argan oil, which tames frizz and provides antioxidants to protect skin and hair. White tea extract addresses any scalp inflammation before deeply conditioning, barley protein makes hair more manageable, and avocado oil brings home the moisture, ensuring that hair and scalp stay hydrated without being weighed down. Both products come in either the classic scent (a fresh and herbaceous one) or irresistible coconut apricot. With Blu Atlas, you’ll finally get that much-needed scalp relief!

2. LivSo Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner

LivSo is a brand created to serve those with curly hair, so if you have kinky, coily, curly, or wavy hair and a dry scalp, check this set out. The moisturizing shampoo comes with all you need to cut down on dryness and flaking, including xylitol to tamp down microbes that can lead to scalp issues. Glycolic acid takes those flakes off, coconut oil provides extra comfort, and shea butter provides intense hydration suited to curls.

When used alongside the conditioner, the shampoo really shines. That’s because the conditioner complements the shampoo’s work, furthering its mission to soothe the scalp. Coconut oil provides moisture, abyssinian oil makes hair shinier, white silk extract gives hair lightweight hydration, and hydrolyzed oat strengthens each stand. There are plenty of other hydrating and soothing ingredients in the conditioner, such as olive fruit oil, panthenol, and avocado oil. The scent is light and energizing, with just a hint of lemongrass.

3. Aveeno Fresh Greens Blend Shampoo and Conditioner

Aveeno offers a lot of great shampoo and conditioner options, but none are as soothing to the scalp as the Fresh Greens Blend. The clarifying formula contains greens and herbs designed to calm an irritated scalp and inject hair with new life and volume. While the shampoo comes out in a lightweight gel, the conditioner is rich and creamy, so you know it will impart lasting moisture into your hair.

The shampoo runs on colloidal oatmeal extract, an ingredient prized for its ability to soothe the scalp and clear the way for thicker hair growth. Peppermint oil is another important scalp soother, providing a cooling sensation and stimulating the scalp to boost circulation. Cucumber fruit water provides hair with essential vitamins and minerals while adding its own calming powers, and rosemary leaf oil is included for anti-inflammatory benefits. As you can see, the formula has all kinds of good stuff for your dry scalp!

The matching conditioner provides similar benefits, with all the same scalp-loving ingredients, and some extra hydration to ensure that hair stays soft. Users love how this duo cleans and refreshes without weighing down hair or causing it to look greasy!

4. Shea Moisture High Porosity Moisture Replenish Shampoo

Shea Moisture is (obviously) known for their moisturizing products, so if a dry scalp is your biggest concern, have a look at this Moisture Replenish Shampoo. This shampoo caters to high porosity hair, which means the hair cuticles are far apart, allowing moisture to penetrate but fade quickly. You may have high porosity hair if it constantly looks and feels dry, gets frizzy and tangles easily, dries quickly without a hair dryer, often looks dull, and is prone to breakage.

To combat the issues faced by those with high porosity hair, this shampoo blends deeply hydrating ingredients that stick around regardless of the distanced cuticles. It just so happens that these ingredients are great for the scalp, too, and are sure to moisturize throughout. We’re talking about shea butter, jojoba oil, and panthenol, which will lock in moisture. Baobab seed oil then moisturizes and strengthens, mongongo calms inflammation in the scalp, and aloe treats itchiness and irritation. If dry hair and dry scalp are issues for you, this product may just be your saving grace!

5. Moroccan Oil Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner

This brand works with high-quality natural oils that are chock full of hair benefits. Moroccan Oil’s best shampoo and conditioner for dry scalp are safe on color treated hair and don’t contain any sulfates, parabens, or phosphate to provide a gentle clean. The formulas contain natural oils and ingredients like argan oil for antioxidants and fatty acids.

The shampoo also contains algae, a natural hydrator and anti-inflammatory ingredient, and vitamin E that boosts scalp circulation. Glycerides treat hair and scalp to moisture as well. Meanwhile the conditioner has a thicker formula, using algae and argan oil to condition hair, but also turning to burdock root and rosemary to cut down on scalp inflammation, arnica to get rid of impurities plugging up hair follicles, and canola oil for its emollient properties. These two products in combination provide intense hydration and some extra anti-inflammatory benefits that may come as a relief when your dry scalp gets inflamed.

6. Vanicream Shampoo

If you have dry or sensitive skin, you probably know Vanicream, a dermatologist-recommended brand with a whole line of moisturizing products. One of them is this shampoo, which cleans both scalp and hair in a way that won’t cause any negative side effects. This product is simple as they come, but has been a favorite for years, especially among those with itchy scalps.

The list of ingredients you won’t find in this formula is almost as long as the list of the ones that made it in. No dyes, fragrances, lanolin, parabens, formaldehyde, sulfate, protein, gluten, or others make this an easy choice for those who tend to react to most products. Coconut-based surfactants clean hair, then glycerin, panthenol, and other hydrating ingredients flood hair and scalp with moisture. There’s an accompanying conditioner as well that helps hair become easier to style and adds volume as well as additional moisture.

7. Philip Kingsley Flaky Scalp Shampoo and Conditioner

Trichologists (doctors who are concerned with hair and scalp health) created this best shampoo and conditioner for dry scalp, using their expertise to put together products sure to transform scalp and hair health. The shampoo clarifies the scalp using cocamidopropyl betaine, then relies on piroctone olamine to eliminate dandruff and flaking. Then aloe seeps into the scalp to calm it down, and glycerin promotes moisture throughout the scalp and hair.

The conditioner, meanwhile, uses pataúa oil, an ingredient full of fatty acids and oleic acid to bust inflammation in the scalp. Panthenol also appears in this formula to hydrate hair, and varisoft BT 85 provides featherweight moisture. Both these products are cruelty-free and CO2 negative, meaning that using them doesn’t harm the world around you. Both the shampoo and conditioner are suitable for all different hair types, so they’re a one-size-fits-all solution for those with dry scalps!

8. Head & Shoulders Dry Scalp Care 2 in 1

Head & Shoulders is a favorite drugstore brand for those dealing with dandruff, and in this product, they’ve combined their usual magic with dry scalp care, giving you a 2-in-1 product that helps you save time on your hair care routine. If flaking is an issue for you, rest assured that this product will take care of it—clinical results show that up to 100% of flakes can be reduced once you use this regularly!

To ensure a happy scalp, this product provides an in-depth clean with plenty of moisture, and the added benefits of sweet almond oil. The oil is able to penetrate both the scalp and the hair shafts, leaving you fully moisturized without any leftover grease or heaviness. Keep in mind that there are a few less-than-ideal ingredients in this formula, so it’s not a good option for those with sensitive skin.

9. Maria Nila Head and Hair Heal Shampoo and Conditioner

Often dryness and inflammation come together, leaving you in a cycle of neverending scalp discomfort. Sometimes, these issues even affect hair growth, leading to thinning hair. When that happens, pull out the Maria Nila Head and Hair Heal products! The two of these work together to address many different scalp issues, promoting healthy hair growth, calming irritation, and inundating hair with intense moisture.

The shampoo leads with aloe vera, the superhero soothing ingredient sure to relieve a dry scalp. There is also clover flower extract in here, which helps you avoid scalp irritation while strengthening hair at the same time. Sunflower seed oil brings moisture and nutrients, and oleanolic acid provides antioxidants for environmental protection.

The accompanying shampoo has many of the same tricks up its sleeve, turning to clover, sunflower, and aloe vera to improve scalp and hair health. Tocopheryl acetate is also included, neutralizing sun damage, and castor oil nourishes and promotes growth while killing off harmful microbes. With this set, you get hydration, soothing, and protection all in one, allowing you to grow thicker and more resilient hair without any scalp itching or dryness.

10. Herbal Essences Jojoba Oil Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner

As part of the brand’s Real Botanicals line, Herbal Essences released these Jojoba Oil products, designed to deliver smoothing effects for your best hair yet. Neither formula contains sulfates, mineral oils, or dye, making them pH-balanced and safe for dyed hair. Plus, both of these smell amazing! Picture coconut with chai and citrus-like bathing in your favorite chai latte.

You might be able to guess from reading the labels, but these products are both powered by jojoba oil, a majestic natural oil that moisturizes hair from root to tip. The shampoo also contains gentle surfactants, citric acid to tame frizz with a balanced pH, and aloe barbadensis leaf juice for unparalleled scalp soothing. The conditioner also uses jojoba oil to boost hair health, plus aloe for additional conditioning and histidine for softer hair and fewer tangles. Users report how great these products make their hair feel, and mention the scent as a major selling point.

11. Nutrafol Root Purifier Shampoo

The scalp microbiome is the ecosystem of microorganisms within your scalp, and it protects your scalp from harm by fending off everything from toxins and infections to irritation and more. By keeping your scalp microbiome healthy, you keep your head feeling fine and your hair growing at a healthy rate. This Root Purifier shampoo from Nutrafol is designed to whip your scalp microbiome into shape, making it a great option for those experiencing dryness.

This shampoo is pH optimized, combining super hydrating ingredients with thorough cleansing agents to give you a truly transformative clean. It all starts with a foaming surfactant agent to lift away dirt, impurities, pollutants, and product buildup. Glycolipids help your skin cells to connect, aiding in boost recovery and keeping things moisturized. Hydrolyzed quinoa delivers multiple benefits, including intense hydration, lilly pilly extract creates fuller hair, and tasmanian pepper extract soothes inflammation. Dry scalp irritation be gone!

12. Dove Dermacare Coconut and Hydration Scalp Shampoo and Conditioner

Dandruff and dryness don’t always go hand-in-hand (it’s usually caused by excess oil), but when they do you want a hair product that tackles both issues. This best shampoo and conditioner for dry scalp nourishes and soaks your scalp in moisture, helping to alleviate symptoms of dryness while leaving hair healthier. Pyrithione zinc takes care of dandruff, while the rest of the ingredients ensure a moisturized scalp. The scent of these products is to die for combination of coconut and lime!

The conditioner has the same great scent but slightly different formula. Coconut water is included here to hydrate a thirsty scalp and stimulate blood circulation, while also bringing all kinds of helpful vitamins. Users love the scent of these products and how they hydrate without going too far and leaving hair greasy.

13. Klorane Soothing and Anti-Irritating Shampoo and Conditioner

Peonies have been cultivated in China for centuries, and remain a symbol of prosperity in the country. In this shampoo and conditioner combo, the flower stands for scalp prosperity, as it brings quick relief to a sensitive, dry, or irritated scalp. 93% of users in a trial claimed that the shampoo made their scalp feel calm, while 100% agreed that the conditioner made their scalp feel hydrated.

In the shampoo, surfactants clean away the grime of the day so that peony can sink in and provide scalp relief. Then maleic acid conditions and propylene glycol helps hair retain moisture over time. Peony extract goes to work in the gel conditioner as well, then betaine and glycerin take on the task of keeping hair and scalp hydrated. These products work some serious magic, especially on those with sensitive skin and angry scalps!

14. Pura D’or Scalp Therapy Shampoo and Healing Argan Oil Conditioner

This set here includes one of the best shampoos and conditioners for dry scalp, the whole point of these formulas. Using powerful botanicals, Pura D’or has created formulas that take care of hair, and absorb into the scalp to bring lasting relief and hydration. Both products rely on aloe vera for its soothing properties, instantly making your scalp feel a whole lot more comfortable.

You’ll also reap the benefits of argan oil when you use this shampoo, getting softer and more hydrated hair. Tea tree is an antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory agent, peppermint brings cooling relief, and cedarwood oil fights fungal and bacterial infections. Clary oil, meanwhile, has the ability to minimize hair loss, avocado fruit extract conditions the scalp, and folic acid works alongside vitamin C to nourish scalp and hair.

In the conditioner, meanwhile, lavender oil takes command of the soothing mission, coconut protein keeps hair strong, and meadowfoam seed oil ensures hydration while vitamin A boosts hair growth. The combination of these two products means you’ll never feel a dry scalp again!

15. Malin and Goetz Moisturizing Shampoo and Intensive Hair Conditioner

Malin + Goetz is the ruler of simple and straightforward products, and these two are no exception. The shampoo is incredibly rich and creamy, providing plenty of moisture and some extra strengthening benefits, too. This sulfate-free formula is especially ideal for those with chemically treated hair, as it gives a gentle clean and restores health to your locks.

The key here is coconut-based surfactants, a great natural alternative to harsher cleansing agents. Then a powerful group of amino acids nourish hair back to good health, glycol stearate (a naturally occurring fatty acid) traps moisture in your hair and sodium pca draws that moisture deeper into your scalp and hair shafts for lasting moisture.

Meanwhile, the intensive hair conditioner provides a whole new serving of moisturizing ingredients, turning to favorites like shea butter and safflower oil to cure your dry scalp. Argan oil imparts shine, soy and wheat amino acids nourish hair, polyquaternium-7 makes for easy detangling, and cetearyl alcohol softens. After this Malin + Goetz routine, you’ll be left with silky smooth hair and a blissed out scalp!

16. Yes to Naturals Tea Tree Scalp Relief Shampoo and Conditioner

A dry scalp is often an itchy scalp, which is why you may want a shampoo and conditioner set that treats both issues. Like this one from Yes To. The pH-balanced shampoo is made with 98% natural ingredients, like salicylic acid to buff off dead skin, tea tree to provide deep moisture, and sage oil to stimulate the scalp for better hair growth. Lemon peel gets rid of buildup, carrot seed tends to dryness and split ends, and kukui seed oil makes for an intense hydrator. Over 90% of users in a blind study felt that their scalp was less itchy and more moisturized after four weeks of use, and reviewers echo that sentiment!

Similarly, the conditioner in this set turns to sage oil and tea tree for its effects. Aloe provides further soothing power, cypress oil cuts down on hair loss, and menthol provides an energizing cooling effect.

17. Acure Ultra Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner

The simplest solution for a dry scalp is just plenty of moisture, which is what these formulas provide in spades. Users claim that both products leave their hair healthy, shiny, and fully hydrated, leading to better scalp comfort than ever before. In the shampoo, aloe vera contributes to these effects, argan oil makes hair shiny and soft, and pumpkin seed oil nourishes follicles while hydrating. Blackberry helps fend off shedding, rosa canina heals the scalp and busts inflammation, and green rooibos extract provides essential nutrients that hair needs to grow. There are plenty of other important botanicals in the formula to take really good care of your hair.

The Ultra Hydrating Conditioner is another vegan, clean formula that relies on argan and pumpkin oils for its effects. It also contains calming matricaria and calendula extracts, moisturizing sweet almond oil, and rich cacao seed butter to ensure your scalp is no longer dry. Cinnamon bark oil is an unexpected addition to the formula, working with your scalp to promote thickness.

Dry scalp is annoying, but you’re not powerless against it! These best shampoos and conditioners for dry scalp are sure to transform your hair, making you look and feel better than you once believed was possible.