Your scalp can really go through a lot of turmoil if you’re a product junkie (just because you’re washing your hair doesn’t mean all that sweat, oil and dry shampoo buildup are getting washed out, too). And when your roots are greasy and your follicles are gunked up, your hair can look, well, pretty blah. Enter scalp scrubs.
“They’re like a detox for your hair,” says celeb hairstylist Linet K. The gritty, body scrub-like formulas work to gently exfoliate dead skin cells and oils from your scalp using bits of sugar, salt, or charcoal, so your roots are left clean and bouncy. Use them once a week (and even less if you have color-treated hair, since the exfoliants can strip away some tones if you use it too frequently) and you’ll get insanely healthy, bouncy hair, fast.
1. If You Have Finer Hair
OUAI SCALP AND BODY SCRUB
Dhs140
“Finer textures tend to get [product] buildup more quickly,” says Linet, so opt for a scrub with slightly coarser exfoliants, like this sugar-based one from Ouai, to keep your scalp clean. It is filled with coconut oil to mitigate dryness, and also has a slight lather that helps you massage it through your roots. The biggest bonus? You can use it on your body, too.
2. If You Have an Oily Scalp
SHEAMOISTURE GREEN COCONUT & ACTIVATED CHARCOAL EXFOLIATING HAIR MUD
Dhs74
The charcoal in this scrub soaks up excess scalp oils, while the added white tea and coconut oil work to nourish and hydrate your scalp to help regulate your oil production. The consistency is thick, but once you work it in with your wet hands and massage it into your roots, you’ll get a lather that feels almost like a shampoo.
3. If You Have a Dry, Flaky Scalp
BRIOGEO SCALP REVIVAL CHARCOAL + COCONUT OIL MICRO-EXFOLIATING SHAMPOO
Dhs155
Although Linet says to stay away from scrubs if you struggle with dryness (“exfoliating your already-dry scalp will just cause it to flake more”), you can still use a gentle scrub, provided it’s filled with hydrating oils. This one from Briogeo is formulated with coconut oil for moisture, along with micro-exfoliators that work to gently remove flakes and dead skin cells.
4. If You Have “Normal” Hair
IGK LOW KEY CLEANSING WALNUT SCALP SCRUB
Dhs133
Okay, there’s no such thing as “normal” anything, but if your hair doesn’t exactly fall into a category, you can use a good-for-everyone scalp scrub, like this one from IGK. The sugar-based formula contains apple cider vinegar (to dissolve gunk and add shine) and walnut powder (to add some extra exfoliating powers). If you’re a product junkie, use this once a week, says Linet. If you’re not, you can opt for every other week.
5. If You Have a Sensitive Scalp
R+CO CROWN SCALP SCRUB
Dhs140
This product has a key natural component—Ecuadorian ivory palm seed powder—that provides light, yet effective exfoliation for the most sensitive of scalps. The formula is also loaded with kaolin clay to soak up grease (and, in turn, leave hair fuller) and argan oil to moisturise strands, so your skin will never feel stripped or dried out.
6. If You Have an Itchy, Irritated Scalp
CHRISTOPHE ROBIN CLEANSING PURIFYING SCRUB WITH SEA SALT
Dhs70
This sea-salt scrub breaks down the most severe buildup in one use, making it a powerhouse for treating gunky scalps, fast. Use it in place of your regular shampoo twice a week (don’t worry; it’ll still get your roots clean) and you’ll be left with cleaner-looking hair that lasts longer.
7. If You have Coarse or Thick Hair
OMOROVICZA REVITALIZING SCALP MASK
Dhs264
The nozzle applicator on this product helps target your roots more easily, which is a savior for thicker-hair types. Just apply it to your wet roots in sections, leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes (or, realistically, for the time it takes for you to shave your legs), then rinse it out. The result? Soft, silky, and super-shiny hair—and a perfectly moisturised scalp.
H/T Cosmo US