Scalp Care Is The Buzzy Category At Sephora Helping Us Get To The Root Of Our Hair Concerns

For years, the scalp category was largely out of sight, out of mind. As a result, unless you were dealing with visible flakes or constant itchiness, caring for the scalp didn’t seem like it truly fit under the shine-boosting, frizz-fighting, color-protecting umbrella of hair care. That’s no longer the case, and fortunately so, considering the overall health of your scalp has a direct impact on the health of your hair.

Incorporating scalp-specific products into your daily routine can ensure you’re maintaining the best possible environment for your follicles, and thus, your hair. That brings us to the inevitable question: How, exactly, should you be doing this? Not all scalp products address the same issue, which is why we teamed up with Sephora to bring you TZR editors’ go-to solutions. Here, they get to the root of their major scalp concerns and which products are helping them deal.

Many of us rely heavily on our styling products for our hair to behave. Without the proper care though, over time that can lead to product buildup which leaves behind residue that can stick to your scalp and hair. “I have curly hair, and I tend to use several products to achieve whatever look I'm in the mood for,” says Lexi Novak, senior branded beauty director. “I also tend to layer on products as I go through my non-wash days,” she says. That means she deals with a lot of buildup, which can lead to increased shedding and irritation for her sensitive scalp. “The upshot is that I need to be extra diligent about deeply cleansing and toning my scalp to remove excess product,” she says.

Since she needs the exfoliation but isn’t into super gritty scalp scrubs, she turns to the light-as-air formula of Virtue Exfoliating Scalp Treatment instead. “It feels very gentle, like super fine sand in a heavy cream,” Novak says. “My hair also doesn’t feel sticky or squeaky after rinsing, which is another experience I've had with some scalp products.” She’s able to rinse it out easily and without any residue, and her scalp “stays balanced and calm until my next shampoo,” she says.

Novak also recommends the acid-based Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Happi Scalp Scrub. Off the bat, she was a fan of the point-tip applicator, which makes it easy to apply directly to the scalp in sections. While its grit is slightly denser, “it’s still gentle, and when the acid blend sits for a bit, I really like how exfoliating it is,” she says. “My scalp feels like how my skin does after I do a peel — decongested and healthy.” She also appreciates the subtle volume boost in her curls, too.

For the shower, Novak notes that old-school clarifying shampoos are notoriously harsh, and years ago, she swapped them out for raw apple cider vinegar. The downside? It was painful if it dripped into her eyes, and it smelled like, well, ACV. The OUAI Detox Shampoo is a deep-cleansing wash that not only smells delicious, but is efficient, too. “My scalp feels much less inflamed and irritated, which can happen if there's been product and oil buildup for too long,” she says. “It gives me the same calming effect of ACV without the burn, smell, or need to shampoo after.”

Finally, Novak refreshes her scalp with the oil-gel texture of Amika’s Reset Charcoal Detoxifying Scalp Cleansing Oil. Not only is it a dream to massage into the scalp, but it’s also mentholated — which feels extra cooling according to Novak. “I love how it lathers up and how easily it rinses away as soon as it gets wet,” she says. “Delightful!” Even better: Her curls are bouncier and well-defined after rinsing this out. The results are so good, that while she saves the acid-based scrubs for heavy-duty cleansing and the clarifying shampoo for irritation flare-ups, “I want to use this the most regularly for general maintenance,” says Novak.

Flakes happens… more than you might think. “I struggle with dryness and flakiness all year round, but it's gotten so much worse this winter,” says Irma Elezovic, associate branded beauty director. “It must be the cold air and dry heat inside, so I've been testing a ton of products to find something that actually works.” The answer, at least, is simple: Give your scalp some extra (and moisturizing) care.

To help soothe her scalp, Elezovic recommends tried-and-true measures including the Moroccanoil Dry Scalp Treatment. This tiny bottle packs some big benefits thanks to a potent combo of argan oil and salicylic acid. “One bottle lasts a long time, so it's really worth the money. A little goes a long way,” says Elezovic. “And I love that the treatment moisturizes my scalp without feeling greasy or heavy.” It immediately soothes the itchy sensation on her scalp — so much so that it’s become a runaway winner for her.

A pre-shampoo treatment also works wonders when you’re dealing with flakes. The Mizani Wonder Crown Scalp Foaming Pre-Cleanse has a blend of tea tree oil to help decongest as well as soothing honey. “When I'm in a self-care mood, I incorporate this pre-cleanse foam into my shower routine. After letting it sit for a minute, I wash it out and continue my regular shampoo and conditioner routine,” says Elezovic. She notes it has a luxe texture and leaves a super clean feeling on her scalp.

While classic anti-itch shampoos can dry out hair, leading to dullness and a not-so-silky texture, Adwoa Beauty Baomint Moisturizing Shampoo does the opposite. “The wintergreen, peppermint, and spearmint oils help calm my itchy scalp, and the aloe leaf juice leaves my hair so smooth and shiny,” Elezovic says. She recommends using this shampoo to supplement dedicated scalp-soothing treatments to ensure you’re taking care of every flake-causing factor.

Incorporating a scalp scrub can also slough away flakes. Elezovic likens this to a spa session whenever she uses the Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-exfoliating Scalp Scrub Shampoo — about two or three times or week. “It has a strong peppermint scent that I enjoy and a cooling effect on the scalp,” she says. “Not only does it soothe my scalp, but it’s also pretty effective at minimizing my flakes.” The binchotan charcoal in this formula helps detox any impurities in the hair follicle, plus coconut oil helps to moisturize and ease any dryness or flakes.

Most hair problems start at the scalp — including thinning hair. “At the beginning of quarantine, I was distinctly losing a lot of hair to the point where my hairstylist was shocked seeing me after a three-month hiatus from my routine cuts,” says Shyema Azam, senior branded beauty editor. “She pointed out the breakage around the crown of my head and asked me if I'd been noticing more hair fall. It was at that point I realized how real this was.” Azam realized that the combo of environmental factors, like dry indoor temps, with the stress of quarantine could be at the root of it. So, she says, “I started focusing on conditioning and taking care of it from the roots, and that included refocusing on the health of my scalp.”

That includes incorporating the Kérastase Genesis Strengthening Serum for Hair and Scalp whenever she blow-dries and styles her hair. The heat does a number on both her scalp and ends, and this helps strengthen her scalp and strands. “This serum has ginger root and caffeine, which noticeably helps to reduce fallout,” says Azam. “And it's extremely lightweight, so I can add a few drops after getting out of the shower directly on to my scalp and work in.” Not only has does her hair look more silky, but she feels like her scalp feels healthier, leading to less overall breakage.

Using hair oil has also always been also long been a tradition in Azam’s Indian family for a healthy scalp and shiny hair. She first noticed Fable & Mane’s HoliRoots Hair Oil on social media, where it was touted as a godsend for weak or damaged hair (the brand also has Indian roots). “We would habitually massage in oils like olive and castor — both ingredients in this oil as well — and then braid our hair to sleep in overnight before we washed it out the next day to really let the oils do their thing,” says Azam. This treatment oil has noticeably strengthened her hair. Plus, she’s a fan of its lovely floral scent.

The star product Azam added to her line-up for thinning hair is Living Proof's Scalp Care Revitalizing Treatment. It contains a proprietary Healthy Follicle Complex which is a blend of yeast proteins, zinc salts, and actives that lend itself to noticeably stronger hair and less fall out. It can be applied to dry hair, but Azam says she prefers using it on wet hair after a shower, and then working it in with the included massager. "This really helps balance out my scalp, and the peptide blend plumps each strand so my hair looks thicker and feels stronger," Azam says.