Itching and dandruff may be alleviated with the use of a scalp cleaner. They’re often utilized to clean your scalp during wash day—whether it be in the form of a pre-cleanse or weekly deep treatment in replacement of your go-to products. However, their uses go beyond merely washing your hair!
A scalp cleanser is a product intended specifically to clean your scalp of debris like dirt, oil, and leftover styling products. As a mask or scrub, you may put them to good use. You might use one of these products if you need something stronger than a typical cleaning wash. This is owing to the fact that using these items on your hair will assist in clearing any blocked follicles of oils or debris.
By maintaining a consistent routine of applying and rinsing off hair care products, you can promote quicker hair growth and better hair quality. Ahead, we rounded up the best scalp cleansers on the market to help get rid of dandruff and debris.
1. Redken Scalp Relief Dandruff Control Shampoo
Redken’s Scalp Relief Dandruff Control Shampoo is an effective treatment for your hair that eliminates annoying flakes and leaves your hair feeling soft and manageable. Calm inflammation and flaking with this mild shampoo that cleans the scalp softly. The formula’s active components combat dandruff by soothing itching, flaking, and scaling.
Clinical studies have shown that pyrithione zinc, the active ingredient in this shampoo, improves skin health by decreasing inflammation of the sebaceous glands. This shampoo is particularly effective at relieving dryness on the scalp. Its clarifying composition washes away debris and oil without drying out your hair, so your hair maintains its luster all day long.
2. Pramāsana Purifying Scalp Cleanser
Pramāsana’s Purifying Scalp Cleanser is an all-natural, gentle cleanser that helps to exfoliate the scalp, eliminate dirt, and restore the scalp’s natural sebum balance in only a few uses. It offers a clean scalp foundation for attractive hair. Gentle cleansing agents derived from the babassu plant and exfoliating salicylic acid from wintergreen help prepare the scalp for healthy hair growth.
“Since I have curly hair, I don’t wash it often but I have bad dandruff so I sometimes have to wash even when my hair looks great. The soothing effects this product has is amazing. You don’t need a lot and it lathers on dry hair, which I find so crazy. My scalp feels great after wash day,” revealed one haircare enthusiast.
3. Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo
This one-of-a-kind hair care product employs Binchotan charcoal to remove toxins from the scalp and hair follicles, setting the stage for a healthy scalp and strong hair. Micro-exfoliants made from vegetables help maintain a clean, balanced, and healthy scalp by sloughing off dead skin cells and product buildup.
Meanwhile, tea tree oil’s antiseptic and therapeutic characteristics help soothe irritated and inflamed scalps, while a calming combination of peppermint and spearmint oil helps soothe itchy scalps. Coconut oil’s ability to hydrate the scalp effectively makes it a potent weapon against dryness and flakiness. Briogeo’s exfoliating shampoo is a great grab for those that need a deep cleanse.
4. Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Shampoo
Use a gentle cleanser and massage it into the scalp to stimulate new hair growth and provide the illusion of fuller hair. This shampoo for thinning hair is suitable for those who dye their hair, and it uses a proprietary Regeniplex® mix of Kakadu plum, pea peptides, clover flower, turmeric, and ginseng to stimulate the scalp and produce fuller, thicker hair. It adds fullness by making each strand thicker.
“I have been suffering hard for ten years with thinning hair. This along with the conditioner has made a big difference in my hair. I noticed far less hair fallout at shampoo time,” shared one reviewer.
5. Crown Affair The Cleansing Scrub
Healthy hair begins with a healthy scalp, and The Cleansing Scrub is the ideal way to revitalize your scalp. Its delicately gritty texture and whipped froth lift buildup, remove impurities, and polish skin for a soothing, balanced sensation, all thanks to the formulation’s use of nutritious Bolivian pink salt grains that exfoliate softly and dissolve thoroughly in water.
Each time you wash, your scalp becomes cleaner and more moisturized, creating space for your roots to breathe and increasing volume. It leaves the hair feeling nourished and silky smooth from the root to the tip without stripping it or leaving any residue behind.
6. Klorane Balancing Shampoo with Galangal for Flaky Scalp
This shampoo uses natural ingredients to help combat dandruff. Using plant-based components, it soothes the scalp and promotes microbiota balance. You can apply the gel-like product as much as you desire without worrying about damaging your hair or skin because of how mild it is.
For those with sensitive scalps, this product is a great option because it does not contain silicones or parabens, two common ingredients in other shampoos that can cause irritation.
As one buyer noted, “It really does help loosen all the dry flakes off my scalp, leaves it flake-free, soft and manageable without the flaking.”
7. OUAI Detox Shampoo
OUAI‘s Detox Shampoo is a clarifying wash designed to remove residues like oil and styling products. Keratin helps fortify hair, and apple cider vinegar is included in the composition for treating the scalp. The chelating ingredients in the shampoo get rid of buildup from hard water and other nasties. You’ll feel revitalized and very clean after using this sulfate-free cleanser.
The bottle is fully recyclable—you can even throw it in the recycling bin!
“This detox shampoo has literally saved me. I would be scared to part my hair because of the flakes and now my hair isn’t shedding and my dandruff I almost clear. I’m so thankful,” explained one buyer.
8. Mizani Wonder Crown Scalp Clarifying Foaming Pre-Cleanse
This pre-cleanser, which is both foamy and non-stripping, is great for removing product buildup from the scalp before styling. It’s convenient for use with protective styles because of its direct-to-scalp applicator.
This foaming pre-cleanser gets the scalp ready for style by removing buildup, grime, and oil, cleansing thoroughly, and restoring a healthy, balanced appearance to the scalp.
According to one reviewer, “Loved using this on my hair, it made it smell so great and soft, I used this with my protective hairstyle and it made my hair grow so fast and I loved it, will definitely buy this again and loved it.”
9. Nioxin Scalp Recovery Cleanser, Medicating Shampoo
Nioxin’s shampoo has been clinically shown to reduce scalp irritation and protect against its recurrence. With continued usage, it completely gets rid of apparent flakes, which means less hair is lost to scratching. The shampoo’s moisture-regulating properties are especially useful after chemical processes like dyeing or perming.
Dry skin on the head or routine cleaning with detergents that are too abrasive on the hair’s surface may lead to a flaky scalp, which this treatment is designed to treat.
10. Oribe Serene Scalp Exfoliating Scrub
In order to get rid of oil, filth, and product buildup on the scalp, this potent scrub uses exfoliating beads to give it a nice, gentle gloss, while a combination of alpha hydroxy acids and fruit extracts deep cleans the pores and nourishes the hair. You’ll be left with a prepared and well-cleansed scalp that pairs perfectly with a leave-in condition or Oribe’s scalp treatment.
With so many options available, it is easy to find a scalp cleanser that fits your needs. The key is knowing what your skin type is and then looking for products that will help you achieve the look you want. This article has outlined some of our favorite picks for those who suffer from flaky scalps or just want to keep their hair feeling great all day long!
