“Dandruff is primarily caused by a yeast that proliferates on the skin, especially in oily areas. By proliferating, it creates a lot of inflammation on the scalp and it starts to scale as a result,” says explains Muneeb Shah, DO, a board-certified dermatologist in Mooresville, North Carolina. “And so what you experience with dandruff oftentimes is the flaking and scaling, but the primary problem is the yeast. Now in the winter, you tend to get a little bit more dry skin, and that can contribute to flaking. But in the summer, especially in humid environments, yeast can really proliferate.”

So if you’re dealing with flaking caused by this excess of yeast, applying the types of heavier moisturizing products you relied on all winter long to your scalp won’t help—it can actually make it worse, explains Rae Lynne Kilner, MD, a hair transplant surgeon in Beverly Hills, California.

“If the flakes are caused by an oily scalp and yeast or fungus are a factor, applying more occlusives or emollients is not the answer as it may exacerbate the condition,” says Dr. Kilner. “Additionally, some essential oils on the scalp can also cause a reaction or irritation.” (Dr. Shah adds that olive oil is a big no-no when dealing with dandruff, no matter the time of year, as it makes the yeast flourish.)

Instead, you should focus on fungus-fighting and exfoliating ingredients.

“Antifungal shampoos are going to be your best bet. There are a few active ingredients that address the yeast that may contribute to dandruff, including pyrithione zinc, selenium sulfide, and ketoconazole,” says Dr. Kilner. She adds that you can up the ante by using an exfoliating pre-shampoo serum.

8 products to manage summer dandruff

3 pre-shampoo serums for summer dandruff

Vegamour, Gro Scalp Detoxifying Serum — $42.00

Dr. Kilner loves this pre-shampoo serum that uses zinc PCA and willowherb extract to absorb excess oil, reduce irritation, and remove flakes. Plus, it has wild-harvested baobab and marula oils, both rich in omega 6 and 9 fatty acids, for antioxidant support and moisturization.

 

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The Inkey List, Salicylic Acid Exfoliating Scalp Treatment — $16.00

Dr. Kilner also recommends this lightweight pre-shampoo serum that’s made with exfoliating and oil-balancing salicylic acid, soothing Fluidipure 8G, and hydrating vitamin B5.

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Sunday Riley, Clean Rinse Clarifying Scalp Serum — $48.00

Three to 30 minutes before you shampoo, you can apply this buildup-busting serum that Dr. Kinler recommends. It’s infused with alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids to exfoliate the scalp’s surface and dissolve sebum buildup. Plus, it has rose clay, which gently removes impurities from the scalp.

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5 shampoos for summer dandruff

Nizerol, Anti-Dandruff Shampoo — $16.00

Gentle yet effective, this shampoo contains 1 percent ketoconazole, a dandruff-fighting ingredient that kills scalp fungus. It’s the first pick for both Dr. Shah and Dr. Kilner.

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Neutrogena, Scalp Therapy Anti-Dandruff Itchy Scalp Shampoo — $11.00

“Neutrogena has a whole new line of salicylic acid shampoos that just came out,” says Dr. Shah. This one blends 2.5 percent salicylic acid with cooling menthol to soothe irritation while removing excess oil and dead skin from the skin surface.

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Briogeo, Scalp Revival Charcoal Coconut Oil Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo — $42.00

“If you find that your scalp is sensitive or easily irritated, consider switching to more gentle hair products,” says Dr. Kilner. She recommends this shampoo from Briogeo. It’s made with binchotan charcoal and plant-based exfoliators to remove oil and buildup while a blend of peppermint, spearmint, tea tree, and coconut oils soothe and refresh.

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Philip B, Anti-Flake Relief Shampoo Extra Strength — $55.00

This shampoo from Phip B is made “with a great blend of zinc, coal tar, aloe vera, tea tree oil, sage, and juniper,” says Dr. Kilner. This blend cleanses while soothing irritation and balancing oil production.

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Head & Shoulders, Classic Clean 2-Pack — $21.00

‘Zinc pyrithione shampoos from Head & Shoulders can be really good,” says Dr. Shah. Zinc pyrithione has antifungal and antibacterial properties, protecting against dandruff, itchiness, and dryness. Plus, it’s gentle enough to use daily.

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Once you work some of these into your routine, give them a few weeks to see if they help. However, “if the OTC products you try are not working or you are not getting any relief with them, then you should see a specialist and consider prescription products,” says Dr. Kilner.

“Biotin can be used in hair-care to stimulate hair growth and prevent hair loss by helping to improve the keratin structure in the hair,” says Dr. Jeannette Graf, a board-certified dermatologist and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Keratin is a protein that makes up the outer structure of hair, so incorporating an ingredient that improves its efforts can have a lasting impact on the health of our strands. 

If you’re looking for the best biotin shampoo for hair growth on Amazon, you’ll find it in the Maple Holistics Biotin Shampoo ($12), which features natural ingredients and is designed specifically with thinning hair in mind.

The Best Biotin Shampoo for Hair Growth

Maple Holistics Biotin Shampoo — $23.95

Recommended Use: Apply to roots and allow it to sit for two to three minutes before rinsing so that it can better absorb into the scalp. 

Size: 16 ounces 

Key Ingredients: Biotin, coconut oil, rosemary 

 

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Per its name, the shampoo features biotin along with coconut oil in its formula to promote nourishment, hair thickening, and volume. After testing it out, one Amazon customer going through menopause says, “It made a world of a difference” on their thinning hair.  Another writes, “This shampoo has changed my hair! It’s less thin and wispy, has more body, and for the first time in forty years I can grow it longer than a pixie cut! I still have fine, barely manageable hair, totally white, but there’s more of it and it doesn’t fall out as much.”

In addition to biotin and coconut oil, the shampoo is enhanced with rosemary, which is a potent ingredient for hair growth. According to research, rosemary is just as effective at promoting hair growth as minoxidil, a popular medication for hair growth that is often found in products such as Rogaine. With a combination of keratin-supporting biotin, rosemary, and coconut oil, the shampoo is an excellent first step in revitalizing strands and incorporating thickening haircare formulas. 

Can biotin shampoo actually help hair growth?

While many people take biotin supplements to help hair growth, Dr. Graf says incorporating products formulated with the vitamin can further support hair health efforts. “Shampoo formulated with biotin may benefit some hair by stimulating hair growth and thickness,” she explains. “It does this by strengthening the hair follicles while improving circulation to the scalp, which helps with hair growth.” 

With that said, Dr. Graf says biotin shampoo won’t be a miracle worker. It can improve the overall health of hair and leave it looking thicker and more voluminous. Still, considering the amount of time shampoo stays on the scalp, there’s not enough time for the formula to absorb to work at a follicular level. 

Nonetheless, it doesn’t hurt to incorporate shampoo with biotin, as it can still provide impressive styling results. Will it give you a new head of hair? Probably not. But it can help prevent more fallout, and it helps make hair appear thicker and more voluminous. For 12 bucks, we’ll take it.

“The scalp is the foundation for long, healthy, luscious, hair, and using a serum that helps to nourish the scalp can make all the difference,” says Michele Green, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City.

Although I’ve been testing these scalp sprays while my hair is in braids, these are products that can be used on all different styles so long as you don’t mind your hair getting a bit wet. If you’re wearing your hair straight and are worried about texture reverting when wet, apply the spray to your scalp at night and then tie your hair down with a scarf. “This will ensure the hair won’t swell when trying to revert back due to it being compressed by the scarf, leaving your roots nice and straight,” hairstylist Gabrielle Henderson previously told Well+Good.

When looking for the best scalp sprays to incorporate into my routine, I wanted one that strengthens, one that nourishes, and one that cleanses. I’ve scoped out the options and found three that I now can’t live without that you can shop below.

3 scalp sprays to strengthen, nourish, and cleanse your scalp

Nioxin, Ultimate Power Serum — $50.00

In 2018, scientists discovered that your hair follicles have a sense of smell and the smell of sandalwood helps them to anchor into the scalp while increasing their growth phase, leading to longer, stronger strands. So Nioxin partnered with those researchers and put sandalore, a synthetic version of sandalwood, into this power serum. Although my braids aren’t tight, I love using a product that allows my hair to anchor into my scalp, reducing shedding and any tension-related damage.

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Uzima, Usawa Fermented Rice Essence — $45.00

I reach for this mist that nourishes and moisturizes your scalp and strands all. the. time. It’s rich in antioxidants to protect the scalp while rehydrating dry skin, maintaining the scalp microbiome, alleviating itchiness, soothing irritated skin, and strengthening hair roots. For the strands, it improves manageability, maintains moisture, smoothes, detangles, fortifies hair strands, nourishes, hydrates, and restores shine. It smells light and refreshing and feels so so good on my scalp.

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Sunday II Sunday Root Refresh — $31.00

I can’t just go and wash my hair every time I sweat. So when my scalp is in need of a cleansing refesh, I reach for this spray from Sunday II Sunday. It’s a dry shampoo alternative that cleans your scalp with micellar water, which attaches to dirt and sweat and removes them from the scalp, plus apple cider vinegar to lower scalp pH, which minimizes bacterial growth. Plus, it has super-moisturizing glycerin. In all, it leaves my scalp feeling clean and cared for.

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Thus, the idea to plant a “skin-care garden” was born.

Necessary Materials

Burpee, Muddled Mocktail Windowsill Herb Kit — $19.00

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The Burpee Muddled Mocktail Windowsill Herb Kit ($19), which I received as a press gift, turned out to be the perfect starter kit. Though it’s technically meant to be used to grow muddling herbs for cocktails, it was everything I needed to grow plants for my beauty DIY projects. It looks like an ice cube tray, and sits on top of a drainage well to help you avoid mess. It comes with everything you need to grow basil and lemon balm (including soil pellets for each section and seeds for each herb) and can be used over and over again to plant new herbs.

Le Crueset, Stoneware Herb Planter — $32.00

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For something slightly more statement-making, opt for the Le Creuset Stoneware Herb Planter ($32). While it’s bigger than the herb kit, the ceramic planter is still small enough to fit on a windowsill. The 5.5-inch pot comes with a separate tray for drainage, and is a great choice if you’re looking for an option that’s visually beautiful and can still meet your needs. What’s more, it comes in six colors—white, navy, hunter green, mustard yellow, gray, and light purple—to match the vibe of any space.

Skin-friendly herbs that grow easily

What’s great about herbs is that they grow quickly and can thrive in almost any environment. As long as they’ve got water and sunlight and are trimmed regularly, they should be able to flourish—it’s honestly pretty hard to kill them. In my experience, I’ve found that the easiest skin-friendly herbs to grow are basil, lemon balm, lavender, mint, and rosemary.

I dedicated my larger, Le Creuset planter to an established English lavender plant, and popped the rest of the seeds into my Burpee Windowsill tray. It didn’t take long for them to grow—I had sprouts within a couple of days (basil and lemon balm came first, followed by mint and rosemary). After three weeks of regular watering, I had plants that were mature enough to begin clipping from.

How to repurpose your herbs into DIY beauty recipes

The good news about these recipes is that they’re fairly difficult to mess up. You can use your judgment to eyeball the ratio of herbs to other ingredients until you find the mix that works best for you—there’s really no wrong way to do it.

1. Rosemary mint scalp bars

I’ve talked to countless hairstylists about how amazing rosemary oil can be for hair growth and scalp health, so it’s no wonder it’s become a key ingredient in my new favorite DIY scalp bar.

“Rosemary is a plant-based ingredient that can help the overall health of your hair and scalp due to its anti-inflammatory properties,” says Annagjid “Kee” Taylor, a Philadelphia-based hairstylist. “It can stimulate new hair growth, thicken your strands from the roots, help increase blood circulation, improve your scalp microbiome, and even help reduce stress thanks to its calming aromatherapy properties.”

Making these scalp bars is easy (I followed the below recipe, which I found on TikTok), and you don’t need a ton of rosemary or mint clippings from your beauty garden to bring them to life. Just a few will do! Simply steep them in water, let the mixture cool, and pour it into an ice mold so you can pop them into the freezer to form (we like this one, which has little massaging bumps to increase blood flow to your scalp). I like to use this treatment once a week, on Sundays, to give my scalp a little reset. I let the ingredients sit on my scalp while I sleep, then wash them out the next day.

Rosemary mint scalp bars
Rosemary
Mint
Water

1. Fill a pot of water, add rosemary sprigs and mint leaves, and bring to a boil.
2. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool before pouring it into the molds.
3. Freeze overnight.

2. Lavender body oil

Lavender is known for its zen-inducing properties, which make it a great addition to a body oil. “Lavender has been used for centuries for its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties,” Sara Panton, co-founder of essential oil brand Vitruvi, previously told Well+Good. “And in aromatherapy, it’s used to calm and center.”

As I discovered, growing lavender from scratch can be challenging. It requires a lot of sunlight, and would likely do better in an actual garden than on my windowsill. But I was able to grow just enough this spring to make a batch of body oil, though I’ll probably buy an established plant next time.

To create the oil, I followed the below recipe—which requires nothing more than lavender,  a carrier oil, and a mason jar. I decided to use jojoba oil as my carrier oil, because it’s moisturizing and I know it works well on my skin, but coconut, rosehip, almond, olive, and hemp oils are also great options. I used 10 pieces of lavender, mixed them with oil in the mason jar, and let it sit to give it a chance to “steep” the same way you would a cup of tea. Then, I strained the mixture through a cheesecloth to remove the lavender sprigs.

I like to add a little bit of this oil to my body lotions, as it helps me use less product and provides deeper nourishment to my skin where I need it the most (which is typically on my legs, which flare with eczema all year round and dry out quickly).

Lavender body oil
Lavender
Carrier oil of your choice 

1. Loosely fill a jar with lavender (either full flower heads or just the buds).
2. Fill the remainder of the jar with the carrier oil of your choice.
3. Seal the jar with a lid and let it sit in a warm, dry place for 2-4 weeks.
4. Strain the flowers, and use the oil all over to lock moisture into your skin.

3. Lemon balm herbal syrup

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I take pride in my evening routine. I luxuriate in each step of my p.m. skin-care regimen, use my Phillips SmartSleep Sleep and Wakeup Light ($180) to cycle through a meditation and some breathing exercises, and sip a cup of tea to calm myself before shutting off the lights. When searching for other ways I could turn my routine into more of a ritual, I found a recipe for an herbal syrup made from lemon balm—which is known to be a sleep aid.

“Lemon balm extracts have been found to produce a sedative effect in mice and a handful of human trials have found calming and anti-anxiety effects,” registered dietitian nutritionist Karen Collins, RDN, previously told Well+Good. “Some studies suggest that lemon balm combined with valerian might help reduce insomnia.”

Now, I simply add a spoonful or two of the stuff to my tea before slipping into a good night’s sleep.

Lemon balm herbal syrup 
2 cups lemon balm leaves
5 cups water
1 1/2 cups honey
1. Rinse the lemon balm leaves and remove stems. Place them at the bottom of a pan and add water, ensuring the leaves are fully covered.
2. Over medium heat, bring the water to a boil.
3. Cover the pan partially and bring down the heat. Let the leaves simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Strain the leaves, keeping the herbal water.
5. Return to heat until the herbal water is reduced to about 3 cups.
6. Let the herbal water cool before pouring it over the honey.
7. Pour into a jar and stir until completely combined.
8. Keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

French hair-care brand Klorane is hosting a major Friends & Family Sale with 25 percent off its inventory of plant-based conditioners, styling products, scalp treatments, and more. But if there’s one can’t-miss product to snag during the event, it’s the brand’s cult-favorite Anti-Yellowing Shampoo (originally $22, now $18), which, according to shoppers, is a *must* for gray, white, blonde, and platinum hair.

Klorane, Anti-Yellowing Shampoo with Centaury — $18.00

Originally $22, now $18

 

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As mentioned, it’s a purple shampoo, which hair-stylists recommend for neutralizing brassy, yellow tones. To bring you back to elementary school art class, purple is across from yellow on the color wheel; when washed over silver or blonde hair, it “masks” warms tones to leave hair brighter and whiter. And while other shampoos use artificial colors or dyes to give their purple products such a vibrant hue, the Klorane Anti-Yellowing shampoo and accompanying conditioner are both formulated with ethically harvested organic centaury, a European flower that blooms in shades of violets and blues. This means it’s gentler on your hair and won’t stain your strands (or your bathroom tile, for that matter.)

Best of all, it works—hundreds of Klorane customers praise this plum-colored product for how soft, shiny, and silver it leaves their gray and white strands. One shopper in her 60s calls it the “best shampoo for gray or white hair” and swears by it for brightening up her curly mature strands. “I thought the pure white version of anti-yellowing shampoo was the best, but this new purple shampoo surpasses that product, as well as any purple shampoo on the market,” she writes. “You can use it every day and it never puts any bluish tint in your hair. Most importantly, it leaves your hair extremely soft and manageable!”

Another shopper writes that it gives his straight white hair “fabulous results,” saying, “I have tried numerous anti-brass shampoos and conditioners and Klorane beats them all. All natural, non-staining, goes on easy, and leaves my platinum hair silvery white. Love it.”

And, as we mentioned, it’s not just for gray or white hair, but for blondes, too. Those who highlight or bleach their hair will appreciate the instant toning effects it has on tendrils, saving them an expensive touch-up trip to the salon.

“This Klorane Anti-Yellowing Shampoo with Centaury should be a staple in every blonde girl’s shower!” writes one reviewer. “Once you work it into your hair, it lathers richly and is easy to massage into the hair…I have cool, naturally blonde hair with silver strands and cool ash highlights—it brought the icy color right out!”

Whether you’re naturally blonde, are a silver fox, or just want to protect your new highlights from getting copper-y in the summer sun, Klorane’s Anti-Yellowing Shampoo and Conditioner are your best bet to beating brassiness. Scroll to pick up your new purple products below and remember: save 25 percent off your Klorane purchase now through July 5 with the code SAVE25. Shop here for all Klorane deals. 

Klorane, Banish Brass Kit — $30.00

Originally $36, now $30 

Bundle and save more with the Banish Brass Kit, which includes a bottle of the shampoo and conditioner.

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Klorane, Anti-Yellowing Conditioner with Centaury — $18.00

Originally $22, now $18

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“Your hair color comes from melanocytes in the hair follicle. And once you lose those melanocytes, you usually don’t get them back,” says Dr. Shah. “Theoretically, if you stimulate them, you could produce more pigment.”

For years, researchers have been working to figure out how to do just that. A potential treatment is alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH). It’s a peptide and the main ingredient in Scenesse, a prescription implant that increases eumelanin in the skin and thus tolerance to the sun and light in adults with a diagnosed sunlight sensitivity. It’s also the main ingredient in Greyverse, a topical treatment that has not yet been commercialized nor approved by the Food and Drug Administration. A 2022 study of one 25-year-old woman experiencing premature gray hair found that after five months of applying an α-MSH solution to her scalp, 90 percent of her grays returned to black.

Researchers are able to purchase this peptide for research use, and Dr. Shah adds that some doctors may even prescribe it off-label. But the commercialization of α-MSH won’t happen anytime soon. “It is interesting, but there is not enough evidence yet to support the use,” says Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. First and foremost, researchers have to establish whether or not it is safe.

“Do we want to be stimulating our melanocytes? Because melanocytes also contribute to melanoma” (AKA skin cancer), says Dr. Shah. “Some of the studies are showing that it works. And so the next stage would be safety. I don’t know necessarily where or when that will be commercialized, but the fact that those studies are coming out is exciting.”

If a prescription to reverse gray hair does come to fruition, it could save people time and money spent on dyeing their grays.

“A lot of people right now, when they go gray, they just dye their hair,” says Dr. Shah. “But there are a lot of problems with the hair dyes out there because a lot of them irritate the skin or cause allergies, especially the permanent hair dyes.”

Beyond dye, you can try antioxidant hair products, like Arey, which are designed to delay graying by reducing oxidative stress on the hair that can contribute to premature graying. “Theoretically, that would be the equivalent of using vitamin C on your face as an antioxidant to protect against the aging effects of the sun,” says Dr. Shah. “Sure, it does a good job [of that], but it’s not going to prevent natural aging.”

Although the science of gray hair reversal is still up in the air, Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Hamden, Connecticut, says it’s very possible that we’ll eventually see it in action.

“Twenty-five years ago, when everyone was getting facelifts, we would never have thought that you could stick a needle in somebody’s face and make wrinkles go away,” says Dr. Gohara, in reference to Botox and other neuromodulators. “Now you just go in on your lunch hour and get a little teeny injection and boom, it’s like magic. So I’m not saying that the science for gray hair reversal doesn’t exist, I just think that it needs to be perfected a little bit.”

“Until then, I’ll be dyeing my hair every three weeks,” says Dr. Gohara.

There have been rumors all over social media that hair supplements can cause you to break out, so we chatted with experts to figure out what exactly the deal is.

What is biotin?

Also known as vitamin B7, biotin is one of the B complex vitamins that help the body convert food into energy. It’s found in a variety of foods such as broccoli, nuts, fish, and eggs. “Biotin is an important and necessary ingredient for maintaining healthy skin, hair, nails, eyes, and the nervous system,” says Jaimie DeRosa, MD, a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon. Biotin has the reputation of being linked to breakouts and increasing the amount of skin protein (aka keratin) we produce, which is why you notice your hair and nails growing when taking a supplement that includes biotin. An excess amount of keratin leads to clogged pores, blackheads, and acne.

When it comes to biotin, it’s all about the dosage. Daniel Yadegar, MD, the co-founder of supplements brand Wellbel, says that hair supplements with high doses of biotin (2,500-10,000+ mcg) are more likely than others to cause breakouts. “Biotin, at high doses, competes with the vitamin B5 for absorption and can leave you with low vitamin B5 levels,” he adds. Low levels of B5, in turn, can cause breakouts. (The recommended dosage of biotin for anyone 19 years old and older is 30 mcg.)

Here’s where your gut comes into play. When you take a supplement that includes biotin, the amount of biotin in the gut may be higher than the amount of other B vitamins such as vitamin B5 – known as pantothenic acid, which can help prevent acne. And again, low B5 in your body can lead to breakouts. Because of this, Dr. DeRosa says that although there is some truth in saying that biotin is responsible for acne, that belief is not completely accurate. “It’s just when we knock off the normal balance within the skin—be it from over-drying, increasing cell turnover without shedding, or exfoliation—that issues such as acne breakouts occur,” she adds.

Other ingredients that lead to breakouts

Dr. DeRosa says that hair supplements are generally safe to take without any appreciable consequences or side effects. But a handful of other ingredients commonly found in hair supplements may lead to acne breakouts.

Sugar is commonly found in hair supplements, simply because of how many brands are creating gummy and candy forms. Excess sugar can trigger acne breakouts because it may contribute to your insulin levels spiking; this also is dependent on your diet and daily sugar intake as well. When your insulin increases, it also increases the production of oils in the skin, leading to your follicles and pores clogging. Board-certified dermatologist Yoram Harth, MD, says that most gummy and candy “supplements” contain a high amount of sugar, and a minimal amount of essential vitamins and collagen. Therefore, he says, it’s better not to use them.

Vegetable oil can trigger the inflammatory hormones that make acne worse. Many processed foods contain vegetable oil and unfortunately, so do a lot of supplements. When you’re taking a gummy, sugary hair supplement that includes sugar, vegetable oil, and other not-so-healthy ingredients, you may notice more and more breakouts as you ingest the supplement.

High doses of vitamin B6 can lead to acne that’s monomorphic, meaning that in appearance, your acne is similar in size and shape on your skin. Vitamin B6 is important; it supports healthy hair growth because of its role in protein metabolism. It also ensures that hair cells have access to the amino acids needed to create the proteins in your hair. Unfortunately, high doses of vitamin B6 can make your existing acne worse and create new breakouts. Many of us get a good amount of this vitamin daily because it’s found in foods such as turkey, fish, bananas, spinach, and avocado. When you get more than 1.3 milligrams to 1.7 milligrams per day of vitamin B6, it’s likely you’ll notice more breakouts.

Vitamin B12 may also cause breakouts. As an active ingredient in many hair supplements, the excessive supplement ingestion and the vitamin B12 you receive from food can cause an increase in acne. Vitamin B12 may alter your skin’s microbiome, meaning the good bacteria living on the surface of your skin. This bacteria keep your skin healthy, and when there is a lack of it, acne-causing bacteria tends to thrive.

The bottom line

Any supplement you take introduces the possibility of unwanted breakouts, which typically resolve quickly once you stop taking the supplement. But not all supplements cause acne; a well-formulated and well-chosen one can stimulate hair growth without causing breakouts. Ahead, a few doctor-recommended options.

Nutrafol Hair Growth — $88.00

Dr. DeRosa recommends Nutrafol’s supplements. “They offer daily hair supplements formulated for women, men, pre-and-post-menopausal women, and those who are post-partum. Each is designed for people experiencing compromised hair health and contains essential vitamins and proprietary Nutrafol blend designed to keep hair thick and healthy.” 

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Wellbel Hair+Skin+Nail Supplement — $68.00

Dr. Yadegar shares that Wellbel is doctor backed and doctor formulated. “The products are vegan, non-gmo, gluten free and have no artificial colors or harmful fillers. Wellbel avoids the unwanted issues of breakouts many people experience with other products due to biotin overload.” 

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Vegamour GRO Biotin Gummies — $36.00

Dr.DeRosa recommends the brand Vegamour. Their GRO Biotin Gummies feature a proprietary combination of vitamins and minerals that support healthy hair. The gummies are 100% vegan, gluten-free, gelatin-free and contain no artificial flavors. 

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R+Co Rodeo Star Thickening Foam — $36.00

Pros:

• Oil-absorbing
• Conditions hair, making it look ultra shiny
• Individual strands legitimately look thicker from the moment you apply

Cons:

• Can be tricky to style
• Some may be put off by the scent

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What is R+Co?

If you’ve been following along on my hair journey, then you’re likely well aware that I’m a big fan of R+Co. The brand is the brainchild of three of the most renowned stylists in the industry: Thom Priano, Garren, and Howard McLaren. Since launching the brand in 2014, this trio of hair wizards has blessed beauty lovers with product after product of high-performing formulas, many of which smell fabulous and all of which look like little pieces of kitschy art thanks to truly unique packaging.

My honest review of the R+Co Rodeo Star Thickening Foam

The R+Co Rodeo Star Thickening Foam is not your average mousse. It pumps out in hefty dollops, one or two of which is plenty to primp my entire head of hair. The foam has the same scent as the brand’s Dallas line, which has citrus undertones with what I register as hints of licorice. Is it my favorite scent in the world? No. Is it too overpowering for my sensitive nose? Also, no.

From a formula stance, this thickening foam is infused with a bunch of effective ingredients. Where Moroccan lava clay helps to absorb any excess oil from the strands, aloe vera leaf extract deeply conditions hair to leave it looking shiny and hydrated all day long. Meanwhile, hydrolyzed soy protein helps to strengthen strands for a thicker appearance.

Where some styling products don’t show off their results until the end look, I found that this foam started thickening my strands from the moment I massaged it in. While this might sound like a good thing, it’s not without a downside. Since I applied it to unparted, towel-dried hair, I found that my hair was difficult to comb through post-application while damp. After using my Wet Brush to work it through and situate my hair for drying, I switched to my Dyson and found that the thin bristles of the round volumizing brush also had trouble maneuvering my newly thickened tresses. Eventually, though, once my strands started to dry a bit, the brush passed through with ease and the end results were well worth it. My hair looked and felt thicker, and my blown-out ends held their shape.

With this in mind, I recommend rough drying your strands (ie: without a brush) until your hair is roughly 90 percent dry, then going in with your brush and dryer (or Dyson if you have one).

A TikTok video posted by the user @SalonPinkk, a hair salon based in Longview, Texas, has quickly racked up 2.4 million views and counting in just two days for a “genius” gray-hair hack using a bottle of just that—root touch-up spray. In the video, the stylist can be seen spraying Milkshake’s SOS Root Spray ($27) into the roots of a client’s hair, adding about an inch of brunette “growth” and dimension at the scalp, which they blend seamlessly into the hairline using their fingers as they go along.

Milk_shake, SOS Roots — $27.00

Shades: 6

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“You don’t really have to go all the way down there,” they say, pointing to the rest of the client’s strands. “You stay up here in your root, so it looks like you got a full color.”

@salonpinkk the end result!! #hairstylistsoftiktok #hairinspo #hairideas #milkshakehair #rootspray #hairtutorial #hairtiktok #hairstyletutorial #fyp ♬ original sound – Salon Pink!¡

By the end of the video, the client looks like she just got the most beautiful blonde and silver highlights in her naturally brown hair. “It just gives it a whole new look,” the stylist says. And it does—just scroll through comment after comment praising how a few spritzes of the Milkshake root spray “took years off” her hair and was a “game changer” for quick-fix styling.

Many of the comments echo each other for how quickly it added natural-looking dimension to her hair. “Wow, that took 10 years off instantly!” writes one user. “Holy moly, that gave her hair so much depth!” writes another.

Many of the other comments ask for the name of the root spray used (which, again, Milkshake’s SOS Root Spray, friends), where to buy it, and how long it lasts. If you’re wondering about the same things, you can nab a bottle directly through Milkshake’s website as well as a handful of other small beauty supply brands. As for how long it lasts, it’s totally temporary and washes out with your next shampoo. When it’s in your hair, though, it stays in place—the formula dries quickly at the root without staining your scalp (or, worse, getting on your clothes). Just spray, tousle with your fingers to blend it in, and voila—you’ve got a fresh new ‘do.

And you don’t have to go brunette; the Milkshake root spray is currently sold in six stunning shades, so you can mix and match however you please: light blond, blond, mahogany, brown, dark brown, and black. Each bottle is sold with a special applicator brush, too, so you can really blend it out for a natural-looking finish. Whatever hue you decide on, just do it fast—with 2.4 million views and counting, word is sure to get out. Add this root-spray hack into your repertoire while you still can.

Recently, I stumbled upon a terrycloth pillowcase that piqued my interest enough to reach out to some trusted dermatologists and hairstylists. (Some people have takeout on speed dial, but I have the experts). Read on to discover whether or not a terrycloth pillowcase is the product that will “change your life,” or at the very least, improve your hair and skin.

What is a terrycloth pillowcase?

As the name suggests, a terrycloth pillowcase is a pillowcase made with terrycloth. The idea behind using such an absorbent fabric is to allow you to sleep comfortably with wet hair without worrying about dampening your pillow, thereby reducing the risk of bacteria and mold growth, while also allowing your hair to dry as you rest. These towel pillows are also an excellent choice for individuals who sleep with deep-conditioning masks or oil in their hair. (Trust me, no one wants the lingering scent of oil on their pillowcase.)

Are there any hair care benefits?

According to a popular terrycloth pillowcase brand, one of the main benefits of using a terrycloth pillowcase is its ability to absorb moisture from wet hair overnight, thus eliminating the need for damaging heat-styling tools. However, Wendy Iles, a renowned celebrity editorial stylist and founder of ILES FORMULA, points out that the loose weave and thick fibers of terrycloth fabric—while excellent for drying the body—can increase friction on the hair, resulting in tangles, frizz, and split ends. “Terrycloth is highly absorbent and can draw moisture and natural oils away from the hair, leading to dry and brittle hair,” she adds. For the purpose of drying fine and delicate hair, Iles suggests opting for a microfiber alternative instead. Microfiber towels are crafted from fine fibers tightly woven together, offering excellent absorption for drying hair.

Iles strongly advises against sleeping with wet hair altogether. “Not only is wet hair more prone to breakage and damage,” she says, “but the damp and warm environment is also unhealthy for the scalp.”

“I would recommend using terrycloth as a fabric specifically for drying the body only.” —Wendy Iles

When it comes to pillowcases, Iles suggests using a silk pillowcase for sleeping. “The texture of silk fabric reduces friction and minimizes hair breakage,” she says. “Silk is also breathable, allowing for natural heat and moisture circulation during sleep.” In addition, silk is a hypoallergenic fabric, naturally repelling dust mites and other allergens.

Are there any skin-care benefits?

Okay, but can a terrycloth pillowcase help with skin health? That’s what some brands claim, but Kseniya Kobets, MD, Director of Cosmetic Dermatology at Montefiore Advanced Care, says that there are better materials for skin and scalp when it comes to external pillowcases. For instance, silk or bamboo cotton reduce friction, thereby decreasing wrinkles and hair frizziness.

“Terrycloth is great for absorbing humidity and oils, making it an excellent material for towels and pillow protectors as it helps absorb any sweating or excess moisture during the night,” Dr. Kobets says. But when it comes to comfort, a terrycloth external pillowcase may not feel the best on the skin or scalp, potentially increasing skin friction.

Dr. Kobets also advises against sleeping with wet hair: “I would recommend drying the hair at least 50 percent or more before sleeping on it.” She explains that wet hair on the pillow can come into contact with the face and neck, potentially irritating the skin and causing breakouts, particularly if hair products have been applied. Additionally, damp materials can create an environment for yeast and bacteria to thrive, leading to potential skin issues. All in all, maybe it’s just another reason to keep using that Airstrait after the shower.

I had tried pretty much every hair product under the sun before someone recommended K18, the brand that’s beloved by celebrities by the likes of Hailey Bieber, Rihanna and Selena Gomez. I’m not one to fall for a product just because a Hollywood A-lister swears by it, but what caught my attention is the its promise to actually repair damage caused by chemical processing, hair highlighting, sun exposure, heat styling, you name it.

What is K-18, and what makes it special?

Unlike most haircare products that work from the outside in to hydrate strands and make them look healthier, K18’s line of products, including its now-famed K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask ($75), is patented for clinically improving hair on a molecular level, repairing polypeptide chains that have been broken over time. It essentially mimics the natural biochemical processes involved in hair’s natural growth structure and development, explains Cassondra Kaeding, Celebrity Stylist and K18 Ambassador.

K-18, Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask Treatment — $75.00

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Just before I signed off “yes” to begin my K18 treatment, which is essentially a step-by-step process involving their products, I was quite disappointed to learn I had to give up one hair care product I held dear to my heart: conditioner. If you’re a dry-haired girl like me, you live for conditioner. In fact, the only way I can brush my hair is by using an alarming amount of conditioner. But, as it turns out, skipping conditioner when using K-18 is vital to allowing it to work properly. In fact, most conditioners out there contain certain ingredients like silicone that coat the hair and prevent the K18 from actually being able to penetrate and repair the broken bonds.

My honest review of K-18

That information was convincing and compelling enough for me to give it a shot. I started out with a few of their basic products, including their K18 Peptide Prep pH Maintenance Shampoo ($32) which was useful for someone like me who tends to use a ton of products in their hair. This product works deep within the cortex of the hair to heal the hair from the inside out, explains Kaeding. “If there is buildup on the surface of the hair, the peptide will not be able to penetrate and the product will just sit on the surface of the hair,” she says. She recommends a clarifying shampoo like the K18 Peptide Prep Detox Clarifying Shampoo ($34) to anyone who frequently uses dry shampoos, heavy oils or silicones so that the K-18 treatment can work to its optimal abilities.

K-18, PEPTIDE PREP Smoothing pH Maintenance Color-Safe Shampoo — $32.00

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K-18, PEPTIDE PREP Color-Safe Detox Clarifying Shampoo — $34.00

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In the shower, I’d apply the clarifying shampoo and then towel dry my hair—no conditioner—and then apply the K18 Mask directly after the shower. I left the mask on for four minutes, as instructed, to ensure that it was fully absorbed. I could not believe that I actually had no trouble brushing through my hair after that four minutes was up. No conditioner, yet here I was brushing through my usually-tangly strands without trouble.

I used the product for a total of two months and switched between the Peptide Prep Detox Clarifying Shampoo and the Peptide Prep Shampoo, which are both color-safe and pH-optimized, and designed for daily use. The latter is also formulated with amino acids, which help strengthen the hair shaft.

Verdict?

I was so impressed with the K-18 hair care line and noticed improved results almost immediately. My hair was more brushable, it had more shine, it looked healthier and it moved more freely. I noticed after about three uses, my hair started completely changing—like the entire biology of my hair shifted to the point where I felt like I had reversed several year’s worth of damage.

I will say that, in order for the K18 mask to work, you really have to be diligent about using it. I went on a short vacation to Florida and forgot to pack the molecular repair mask and noticed my hair felt more coarse and less healthy. Once I returned home and started using it again, I again saw the improved health.

My hair by the end of June:

Luckily, a little bit goes a long way—which is good, because the line is not cheap. The mini version, which is just .5 ounces costs $29 and the bigger one is $75 for just 1.7 ounces. At first, this seemed like a total rip-off, but I will say that you really don’t need much. In fact, you don’t want to overdo it and use more product than you need. “Since K18 works deep within the cortex of the hair, whatever is not absorbed into this area will just sit on the surface of the hair,” explains Kaeding. “This could cause the hair to feel a little weighed down.” She recommends using just 1-2 pumps for short hair and 2-3 for longer hair.

Overall, I would recommend K18 to anyone with super damaged hair—I definitely don’t think this treatment is necessary for anyone with basic dry hair who is in need of a little pick-me-up. There are plenty of conditioners and masks out there that can do the job of hydrating dry hair. If, however, you’re looking for a product to actually repair the broken molecules that are causing this breakage and dryness, turn to K18.

“I started using it last August and by October I noticed they were so much fuller,” says Dr. Gohara, who is based in Hamden, Connecticut. “I get a blow dry once a week and my friend who blow dries my hair was like, ‘Holy shit, you’ve got brows!’ And I was like, ‘Oh my God, I know!”

“I had my genetics, my autoimmune condition, my age, and the fact that I was one of those ’90s over-plucking chicks all going against me. And this somehow gave me brows.” — Mona Gohara, MD

Obagi, Nu-Cil Eyebrow Boosting Serum — $145.00

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Obagi Nu-Cil Eyebrow Boosting Serum ($145) uses a blend of lipids, hyaluronic acid, vitamin B5, and biotin to promote growth.

“Hyaluronic acid is a humectant so it absorbs water into the hair so the brows look thicker,” says Dr. Gohara. “And then the fullness comes from lipids that help to increase the anagen, which is the growth phase of the hair follicle. Probably what was happening with my hair follicle was that my growth phase was really short. And my shedding and resting phases were a lot longer. This ingredient basically protracted the growth phase, so my brows actually had a chance to grow, which never was happening before.”

The Obagi Eyebrow Serum is working to give Dr. Gohara the fullest brows she ever had despite her autoimmune condition, genetic age-related hair loss, and the fact that she overplucked when she was younger.

“I’m 47, I’m not a spring chicken. And when you get older, the hair on your head, your eyelashes, and your eyebrows, all just thin out,” she says. “And in my generation when I was growing up, it was cool to have like really thin over-plucked eyebrows. So when you do that you can scar the hair follicle and when you scar the hair follicle, it’s not gonna grow anymore. I had my genetics, my autoimmune condition, my age, and the fact that I was one of those ’90s over-plucking chicks all going against me. And this somehow gave me brows.”

Additionally, Dr. Gohara has heard from many others that this serum helped them out too.

“I’ve recommended it to a lot of people and thus far nobody said that it hasn’t worked,” says Dr. Gohara. And when she shared her experience with the product on her Instagram story, “a couple of people were like, ‘Yes, I’ve used this too and it’s amazing.”

This serum has grown out Dr. Gohara’s brows without causing any hyperpigmentation or irritation. For the first two months, she used it every day. Now, she uses it once or twice a week for maintenance. Pro tip: Use this serum in the morning.

“I was using it at night and it’s so effective at growing hair that I was getting hair on my eyelids because I would rub against my pillow as I slept and it would spread,” says Dr.Gohara. “I looked like a werewolf because I would have hair on my eyes, which I just shaved and I didn’t care cause I finally had eyebrows, I didn’t really give a crap. But now I use it during the day.”

So if your brows are sparse and you’re looking to get them fuller, the Obagi Nu-Cil Eyebrow Boosting Serum is a must-buy.

“Chlorine from pools burns into the hair, and then when it dries, it crystallizes, which causes more problems,” says Nexxus global creative director Kevin Manusco.

While there’s no stopping some of that damage, there is one simple tip that hair colorists and stylists are begging you to keep in your back pocket this summer: That is, give your hair a nice rinse pre-cannonball—okay? “When you wet your hair before swimming in a pool or ocean, you fill the shafts with clean water rather than chlorinated or salt water,” explains James Miju, hair colorist and owner of LV1 Studio. “This helps reduce discoloration and drying damages that cause hair to be really brittle and prone to breakage.”

To review, all you really have to do is head to the locker room shower and saturate your hair fully before you jump in. However, celebrity hairstylist Laura Polko, Aquage brand ambassador, adds that what you do after you’ve toweled off matters, too.

“Whenever you leave the pool or ocean, the most important thing to do is put a leave-in conditioner in the hair, such as the Aquage CBD Leave-In Conditioning Spray,” she says. “Using a leave-in conditioner will serve as a buffer to help prevent that damage.” She adds that you should also avoid brushing your hair at this point, because doing so could cause even more damage.

And, should you wake up in the morning, and find that your hair is drier and more damaged-looking than you’d like, you can always slap a hair mask on for good measure. “Let it soak in for a while and then rinse out—no need to shampoo,” she says. If you must brush your hair out, use a gentle option like a Wet Brush rather than anything too harsh.

Keep all this in mind, and you’ll be able to swim all summer long without worrying too much about how your hair looks by the time fall comes around.

Hairstory, Hair Balm — $37.00

Curly-haired folks will love Hairstory’s lightweight leave-in conditioner that’s designed for no-heat styling. Throw this in your swim bag, and enjoy post-pool waves all summer long.

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Aussie Hair, Insurance Leave-In Conditioner with Jojoba & Sea Kelp — $10.00

This affordable drugstore buy gets a lot done for its price point. It uses jojoba oil and sea kelp extract to protect and nourish strands, and it’s gotten me through years worth of deep-end dives.

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Aguage, Leave-In Conditioning Spray — $26.00

Polko’s recommendation offers seed oils and plant extracts to nourish your hair right after you take a dip. Plus, it’s a great size to throw in your bag.

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But not just any shampoo will do, you’ll want to reach for something that gently cleanses and leaves hair feeling thick and strong from root to tip—like the Kérastase Bain Densité Shampoo ($40). The French hair care brand’s best-selling thickening shampoo claims to do the most for fine, thinning hair: wash away build up, boost the density of strands, and strengthen hair for your fullest, healthiest mane. And just like Kerastase’s other offerings, like the growth-boosting shampoo to the hydrating oil serum that quenches dry hair, pro hair stylists swear by it.

Kérastase, Bain Densité Shampoo — $40.00

The French hair care brand’s best-selling thickening shampoo claims to leave fine, thinning hair feeling fuller and stronger than before—for your healthiest, most lustrous mane.

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LA-based celebrity hairstylist, Bradley Leake, whose client list spans reality TV’s biggest names (read: Chrishell Stause, Stassi Schroeder, Lala Kent and the queen herself, Ariana Madix) loves the Bain Densité Shampoo. “The Kérastase Densifique Bain Densité is simply a powerhouse of a shampoo,” he tells us. “[It’s] packed with incredible ingredients that treat, cleanse, and strengthen your hair.”

How it works

Take a look at the shampoo’s ingredient list, and you’ll find some familiar faces. Hyaluronic acid, for example, the skin-care world’s hydration hero,  plays a unique role in Kerastase’s Bain Densité Shampoo. “Think of Hyaluronic acid as a preventative treatment for your hair,” explains Leake. “It removes the risk of breakage and builds strength and volume.” The shampoo even contains ceramides, moisturizing superstars that help the lock in moisture while boosting shine and elasticity.

But the MVP of this thickening formula, according to Leake, is the shampoo’s special gluco-peptide. “People often neglect to care specifically for their hair cuticles, focusing instead only on repairing split ends or containing frizz,” he explains. “[Gluco Peptide] penetrates the cuticle to ensure that as hair grows, it’s strong and healthy from the inside out!” The gluco peptide essentially plumps up each and every strand, giving you stronger, thicker-looking hair.

Why we love it

We obviously love Bain Densité for its strengthening, strand-thickening powers, but it’s also a fantastic volumizing shampoo. “It’s a deep cleansing agent that will keep your hair looking flawless by preventing build up as your volume increases!” says Leake. Which means you’ll never have to worry about dirt, oil and styling product residue bogging down your hair and scalp. And unlike other thickening and volumizing formulas I’ve tried that strip my hair of any and all moisture in the name of bouncy lightness, Kerastase’s winning formula proves that you needn’t compromise hydration for fullness. It has a rich, fluffy lather that deeply cleans without drying out my hair—and the scent is divine, perfume-y in the best way. The result? Fabulously full and hair with that coveted salon-shine.

“I LOVE Bain Densite Shampoo,” gushes one Kerastase shopper in a 5-star review. “It is without a doubt the best shampoo I have used…It cleanses my hair without any harshness, creates fullness like I had in my 20s, and smells amazing!” Another shopper says that Bain Densité totally transformed her mature, fine hair. “I love everything about it. It’s thick and smells wonderful. It lathers beautifully,” she says in a 5-star review. “My very fine hair looks beautiful and shiny, and coupled with the other products in this line, [it has] transformed my flat lifeless hair into beautiful, healthy, shiny, and thick hair!”

To all my fellow fine, thin-haired folks—you need this thickening shampoo in your shower, STAT. To double down on the strand-plumping benefits, you can’t go wrong by pairing Bain Densité with the line’s matching Fondant Densité Conditioner ($46) too.

Most recently, I decided to try out a scalp hydrafacial—the benefits of which go well beyond the hydration that the name implies. And with summer weather (and the greasy, sweaty hair concerns that come along with it) on the horizon, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

What is a scalp hydrafacial?

In the last few years, hydrafacials for the face have gained popularity thanks to their ability to clear congested pores and moisturize the skin. They work by sucking out gunk from your complexion while simultaneously infusing them with nourishing serums. In other words, they extract and hydrate at the same time, giving you the best of both worlds.  Re-purposing this type of treatment to your scalp offers the same skin-friendly benefits, with the added bonus of reinvigorating the health of your hair.

If you suffer from thinning hair, postpartum hair loss, or scalp buildup leading to excessive dandruff or inflammations, a scalp hydrafacial can help. It not only removes the buildup that impacts hair growth and poor follicle circulation, but it also treats your strands with ingredients that stimulate growth and promote fullness.

“For long-term results, scalp hydra-facials can help with overall hair growth especially those with thinning hair,” says Tatiana Almonte, an esthetician at Peace.Love.Med. Aesthetic Rejuvenation in Florida. “Having a healthy scalp and unclogged hair follicles allows more nutrients to reach the area and often results in improved hair growth and fullness.”

The scalp hydra-facial treatment uses a Keravive peptide complex, which employs growth factors to help with blocked follicles and thinning hair. It also contains niacinamide to protect against environmental stressors and vitamin b5 for hydration. “Keravive is pretty much for everyone—men or women, and all textures and tones. Anyone looking to improve overall scalp health and anyone looking to improve thinning hair. It uses growth factors and skin proteins to stimulate hair follicles,” says Almonte.

She recommends trying the treatment once a month, but notes that depending on your individual needs, you can go as frequently as three times a month to kickstart hair growth.

What it’s like to experience a scalp hydrafacial

The treatment

I’ve had hydra-facials for my skin before and absolutely loved the results. My complexion looked clearer and after the mild redness subsided, my tone was evened and I felt products were absorbing better. I expected the scalp version of the treatment to be quite relaxing, as the tip of the hydra-facial suction wand normally feel a little scratchy and I figured it would clear out the gunk from my hair follicles and stimulate blood flow, just as a hydra-facial clears congestion with your skin.

My scalp treatment, which took place at the Manhattan offices of board-certified dermatologist Michele Green, MD, started with a conversation. I answered questions about my hair concerns, my hormonal cycle, my weekly wash schedule, and my experience with hair loss.  I let the practitioner know that while I don’t deal with shedding or dandruff, there were other concerns I wanted to address.

Because I test a lot of product (and frequently refresh my style with dry shampoo on non-wash days), my scalp gets greasy and needs to be shampooed every other day. What’s more, it often feels itchy or hot to the touch, likely due to the eczema flare-ups I experience from time to time.  Once the consultation was over, I laid back and my esthetician got to work, carefully separating and parting my hair every which way she could. She dragged the wand along various parts of my scalp, and it lightly exfoliated my skin and extracted product buildup and sebum while replenishing my scalp with the Keravive Peptide Complex.

The results

According to Almonte, following the treatment “you will immediately see less flakiness on your scalp, feel less itchy, and your scalp will feel fresh and hydrated.”

This was absolutely the case for me. My scalp felt noticeably more comfortable when the hydrafacial was over, and there was no grease or irritation to speak of. The coolest part of the experience, though, was being able to see all of the sebum, dirt, and other impurities that the machine had suctioned out of my skin:

From there, “we can identify a build-up of product, moisture imbalances, any redness, and irritation,” says Almonte. My esthetician showed me where my problem areas for buildup were and used a mirror to confirm that my hair was healthy and growing properly.

I left the treatment with my hair feeling slightly wet at the root, but by no means soaking wet—almost as if I’d just worked out or had been caught in the rain for a few minutes. I was instructed to wait at least 24 hours before washing my hair to let the Keravive peptide complex soak into my scalp and work to its full potential.

All in all, the treatment left my scalp feeling like a nice, clean canvas—no buildup to speak of. It’s a great option for anyone dealing with hair loss or scalp discomfort, and was the perfect reset to allow me to take on the grease-inducing conditions in the summer months ahead without worry.

My roster just grew thanks to the launch of the Squigs Gooseberry Delight Hair Oil ($34). It’s a super-nourishing, pre-shampoo treatment designed to be applied to dry hair the night before you shower, allowing your strands to soak up all the goodness while you snooze. It was created by Nikita Charuza, a former beauty editor who wanted to bottle an elevated version of the hair oil her great-grandmother taught her how to make as a child.

Squigs, Gooseberry Delight Hair Oil — $34.00

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“The hair oil that we make at home, because it has all these awesome ingredients in it that are great for hair growth, scalp health, things like that, it gets very sticky,” says Charuza. “It would get all over my pillowcases and my clothes, and I would have to sit there like shampooing out my hair 15 times and putting a towel down before I go to sleep to make sure it doesn’t go anywhere. ”

The Squigs version of this hair oil—which took Charuza three years to formulate—is lightweight and easy to wash out, while still including the nourishing goodness of the OG recipe.

“It’s an amla-based [Indian gooseberry] hair oil, which is why it’s called Gooseberry Delight,” says Charuza. “It also has coconut oil, kalonji oil, and castor oil. Plus, it has no synthetic fragrances or dyes in it, which are often a very big trigger for my scalp.”

Charuza grew up sharing this special hair oil with her friends. “I moved a lot—I was born in Jersey but I moved to Dubai, I moved to Bombay, I moved to Philly, so I was a perpetual new girl,” she says. “How I made friends was by saying ‘Oh hey you wanna come over and watch Gossip Girl?’ And then I was like ‘Do you know what hair oiling is? Here I can show you how we can make it.'”

Creating the Squigs hair oil allows Charuza to share this experience with everyone. “Hair oiling is a part of my ritual that I wanna share with the world and just have everyone use,” she says. “You don’t have to be South Asian to use an Ayurvedic product,” she says.

My experience using the Squigs Gooseberry Delight Hair Oil

You know that feeling when you don’t even realize you’re thirsty but then gulp down a glass of water in seconds? That’s what it felt like putting the Squgs hair oil on my strands. The night before the Big Wash Day, I separated my hair into sections and applied the Squigs hair oil, and though the formula is quite viscous, my hair soaked it up. I wasn’t worried about it running down onto my face or ruining my pillow.

I left it on for most of the next day as I puttered around the house, washing dishes and packing for a trip. Every so often I’d touch my hair to appreciate how soft it felt. Once I finally shampooed, about 24 hours after putting on the oil, it washed out beautifully. I didn’t feel like I was washing something additional out of my hair—it just felt like a normal shampoo. Granted, I have naturally dry, coarse, 4C hair and have never in my life described my scalp as oily. I imagine someone with a finer texture would notice the feeling of the oil more, but I doubt that it would feel uncomfortable or gunky—the formula is just so good.

Once I went through the rest of my routine and blew out my hair, it still felt so incredibly soft. Even my braider remarked that my hair felt super soft and healthy. Whether you too have wash days with sport-level intensity, or want something to bring your strands to life with little effort, the Squigs Gooseberry Delight Hair Oil should be in your cart

What is bond-building technology?

Your hair gets its texture, elasticity, and density from keratin protein structures in your hair, and three different types of bonds hold these structures together. “There are disulfide bonds, which give the hair its strength and shape and can be broken by heat and chemical treatments; there are salt/ionic bonds, which are temporary, weak bonds that can be broken when hair is wet or because of a pH imbalance; and there are hydrogen bonds, which are temporary but strong bonds that can be broken by water and heat,” Nassim Belhaq, innovation director at Coco & Eve, previously told Well+Good.

When these bonds are broken, it can lead to hair damage in the form of dryness, breakage, and an overall change in texture—and that’s where bond-building technology comes in. These types of products come in to repair broken bonds, leaving you with smooth, soft, healthy hair. “Prior to bond-building products, you could only repair your hair in the salon,” says Adel Chabbi, a celebrity hairstylist in New York City. “Bond-building technology is fairly new, but has become extremely popular due to its repair abilities.”

When you apply bond-building treatments, they repair the three different types of bonds in your hair.

To experience the best bond-building serums, oils, and sprays, shop some of our favorites below.

8 best bond-building hair treatments

IGK, Antisocial Overnight Bond Building Dry Hair Mask — $34.00

Refresh and strengthen your strands without washing using this dry mask. Just spray on dry hair and brush through immediately before going to bed. Then, wake up, comb, and style. The formula uses bond-building tech and vegan silk extract to repair and softens hair without mess or residue.

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Olaplex, No. 7 Bonding Hair Oil — $30.00

Unlike Olaplex’s famed original formula (a rinse-out, pre-shampoo treatment), the brand’s ultra-lightweight styling oil is designed to stay in your strands. It makes hair soft, shiny, and vibrant while strengthening strands and protecting against heat damage. It’s made with bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, an ingredient that finds single sulfur hydrogen bonds and crosslinks them back together to form disulfide bonds. It’s also got nourishing grape seed oil and fermented green tea oil.

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Living Proof Triple Bond Complex Leave-in Hair Treatment — $20.00 to $45.00

This weekly leave-in repair treatment uses 3-D Fortifying Technology, a patent-pending tech that forms a 3D network within strands to build new bonds. It also has encapsulated cellular oil to protect against thermal and UV damage (and the color fading that comes along with them) and a blend of smoothing and softening emollients. After you shampoo and condition, apply it to damp hair and let it sit for 10 minutes before adding heat or additional products.

 

 

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K18 Biomimetic Hairscience, Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask — $29.00 to $75.00

This leave-in treatment is designed to replace the conditioning step in your wash-day routine. It’s made with the K18Peptide, an ingredient previously used in rug fiber repair, to fuse bonds back together. Apply it after you shampoo, let it sit for four minutes, and follow up with any additional leave-ins and styling products.

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Philip Kingsley, Bond Builder Split End Remedy — $41.00

Instantly seal split ends, strengthen existing bonds, and repair broken ones with this fortifying treatment. It uses Granrepair Powerbond, a bonding technology that protects, strengthens, and repairs damaged hair; Prodew 500, a moisturizing, strengthening amino acid; antioxidant-rich and protective purified green tea; and more. Every three washes, apply it through the mid-lengths and ends of roughly towel-dried hair, paying close attention to the most damaged areas.

 

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The Inkey List, PCA Bond Repair Hair Treatment — $14.00

After you shampoo and condition, roughly towel dry your hair and add a few spritzes of this lightweight spray. It repairs, protects, and strengthens damaged hair with Granrepair Powerbond, a bonding technology, Crodasone P, which protects hair from thermal damage and splitting, and Betaine, which conditions hair.

 

 

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Sebastian, Professional No.Breaker Leave-In Bonding Spray — $36.00

Swap out your conditioner with this leave-in spray. Shampoo, towel dry, and spray from roots to ends. It uses apple acid and styling polymers to penetrate the hair cuticle and repair even damage due by creating new bonds within the hair fiber and providing volume.

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Alterna, Caviar Anti-Aging Restructuring Bond Repair Leave-In Heat Protection Spray — $32.00

This long-lasting heat protectant spray is enhanced with caviar-based tech and algae extract to seal damaged hair cuticles, protect hair from free-radical damage, and restore moisture, elasticity, and shine to hair. Spray it on towel-dried hair.

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“I don’t use combs. I haven’t used a comb to detangle since the ’90s,” says Shorter, who is based in Kansas City, Missouri. “Combs don’t have any give. So if you’re coming across a tangle, it’s just ripping through it, whereas a brush will glide through that tangle.”

Although a comb can effectively detangle, it does so at the cost of your hair, causing more pain and breakage than necessary. While this was the most shocking revelation of our call, Shorter also shared two other common detangling mistakes that she wants you to avoid.

3 detangling mistakes to avoid and cut down on breakage

1. Detangling with a comb

Instead of using a comb, Shorter says you should always use a detangling brush and ensure you’ve got the right one for your hair type. “Choosing the right tool for your hair type is almost as important as the product you use to detangle,” she says.

For medium to thick hair, Shorter says to use a firm-bristled brush.

“The thicker and coarser of the hair, the firmer you want your bristles to be on your detangling brush,” she says. “One of my favorite brushes to detangle medium-to-thick hair is the T3 Paddle Brush ($35). It’s cushioned, but the bristles have a little give, so they’re not super duper firm. If there is a tangle or something, it will wrap around the tangle versus comb through the tangle.”

T3, Smooth Paddle Brush — $35.00

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For thin, fine hair, she loves going in with just her fingers or a super flexible brush.

“A person with fine hair shouldn’t use a paddle brush or something that has more firm brittles because you don’t need all that tension going through fine or thin hair,” she says. “If you have thinner hair, you can use your fingers almost like a rake to detangle or use a brush that has very maneuverable bristles. So if you run your thumb through the bristles, they almost flex as easily as a broom bristle.”

Her go-to detangling brush for fine hair is the handle-free Tangle Teezer Fine & Fragile ($13). It has two tiers of soft-flex teeth that are 30 percent softer than the original Tangle Teezer to glide from root to tip with no pulling and less breakage.

Tangle Teezer, Fine & Fragile — $13.00

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2. Wetting knotted hair

It’s often best to detangle textured hair during the conditioner stage of your wash day because the water and product make it easier to glide through tangles without breakage. But if you’ve got straight-up knots, wetting them will make them harder to remove.

“The only time I detangle before shampooing is if there are knots present—you don’t want to start wetting hair that already has knots in it because that’s just going to create larger knots,” says Shorter.

Instead of dampening your knots with water, Shorter recommends saturating them with a product to provide some slip. “The hair always needs to be slippery for it to be detangled with ease and without breakage,” she says. Her go-to’s for detangling are the Mizani 25 Miracle Milk ($25) and the Mizani 25 Miracle Cream ($25), two leave-in products that work on different hair textures.

“I love the 25 Miracle Milk. It’s a liquid, so it’s fantastic for finer hair that’s a little thinner,” says Shorter, adding that it’s also great for thick, straight hair as it won’t weigh it down or make it look limp. “For thicker curls, I like the sister version of this product, which is a cream instead of a milk. So it’s a thicker consistency, but it still has those 25 essential oils.”

Mizani, 25 Miracle Milk — $25.00

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Mizani, 25 Miracle Cream — $25.00

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3. Trying to start detangling at the scalp

It would be glorious to be able to start at your root and slide your brush down to your ends in a flash, but tangled hair doesn’t work that way—your brush will likely get stuck before it makes it halfway down the hair shaft. So make sure you start detangling from the ends of your hair and work your way up.

“I like to grip the hair midway through and then staring my detangling at the end and releasing any tangles there,” says Shorter. “And then I move up, releasing any tangles there, and then I just keep moving up until I’m brushing the roots.”

One of those people is Christina “Tinx” Najjar, a content creator who’s come to be known as TikTok’s big sister. Over the last few years, she’s used her platform to share her unfiltered thoughts about dating and mental health, and now, she’s doing the same for hair loss.

“When I was in high school, I started to lose my hair, and I was really self-conscious about it because I felt like it was something that was only supposed to affect older men, not young women,” Najjar says in a recent TikTok video. “So for a long time, I was kind of in denial, even though my ponytail was getting smaller and smaller and even though I could see so much of my scalp when I pulled my hair to the side.”

Tinx began using Hers’ topical drops to combat her hair loss, then switched to oral minoxidil (which she supplements with the brand’s shampoos and conditioners), and says she loves the ease and accessibility that the brand’s course of treatment offers. “They make it so convenient,” she says. “A licensed medical professional will help you determine what is right for you, and then your treatment will be shipped right to your door.”

Now, she’s partnered with the brand for the launch of its new suite of products, Hers Hair Blends. These new “blends” combine prescription-grade actives, like minoxidil and finasteride, with nutrients known to support healthy hair, like biotin, vitamin C, B5, and B6, zinc, and selenium, and make them available in oral and topical formats so that everyone can find a product that fits easily into their lifestyle.

“This is really about bridging the gap between beauty and the pharmacy,” Hilary Coles, co-founder of Hims & Hers and Senior Vice President of brand and innovation, said in a press release. “Customers have shared with us that they feel as if they are left to research solutions on their own—and what they are often finding is not meeting their goals… We’re stepping in to fill that gap with Hers, by providing women with access to tailored treatments that can be prescribed to address each individual’s unique needs, hair type, lifestyle, and goals.”

For Tinx, finding what works for her means trading her usual minoxidil pill for the new prescription Minoxidil + Biotin Chew from the Hers Hair Blends line. The lemon-flavored tablet pairs tried-and-true minoxidil (which increases blood flow to the scalp to bring oxygen and nutrients to the hair follicle) with biotin (which boosts keratin production in hair and stimulates follicle growth, if you’re deficient in biotin) to promote strong, healthy hair, and stave off shedding.

Hers, Minoxidil + Biotin Chew

Get the Prescription

Of course, in classic Tinx fashion, she’s going shout about this tasty new swap from the (TikTok) rooftops. “Partnering with Hers felt like a good fit because they’re genuinely passionate about destigmatizing things that are so important to women, such as hair loss, and this felt like a true brand alignment for me—I want my followers to feel entertained, informed, and supported, and partnering with Hers felt right,” she tells Well+Good. “… I’m so glad that I’m at a point in my career where I’m confident enough to speak about this to predominantly young women out there, because I know it’s a sensitive subject. I’ve been there, I am there, I still deal with it.”

While I’ve tried many R+Co products over the years, most recently, the Dallas Biotin Thickening Treatment earned its permanent spot on my shower shelf. And now, its post-shower styling sister, the R+Co Dallas Thickening Spray ($32), has received the same star treatment.

R+Co, Dallas Thickening Spray — $29.00

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In the bottle, the R+Co Dallas Thickening Spray honestly looks like water. It’s a true liquid, not a serum or oil that spritzes on. It’s formulated with hydrating and smoothing aloe leaf extract, protecting and conditioning ginger root extract, volumizing pro-vitamin B5, and an amino acid complex that protects against heat damage while boosting the hair’s overall structure. While it’s infused with fragrance, it’s not heavy or overpowering—it simply smells warm and delicious like the rest of the Dallas line.

To put this spray to the test, I spritzed it onto towel-dried hair. Usually, when I apply styling products, I try to spritz them in while my hair is still quite damp, but by the time I got around to sitting down with my Dyson Airwrap ($599), my hair was probably 85 percent dry already. Because of this, I was slightly worried that spritzing on the Thickening Spray would leave a weird, product-y residue that even my Round Volumizing Brush attachment couldn’t salvage. But that was so far from the case. Instead, after spritzing my hair from roots to ends and between layers of hair—focusing primarily around my roots—I found that the styling process couldn’t have gone more smoothly, literally and figuratively.

Normally,  I ward off frizz by spritzing my hair with the Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray Anti-Frizz Treatment ($28), a tried-and-true I’ve sworn by for years. But to objectively analyze the R+Co Dallas Thickening Spray’s performance, I let it be the only styler in my strands. And the results speak for themselves.

While this spray doesn’t give me va-va-voom volume reminiscent of retro rollers (I wish it were that easy!), it absolutely made my hair feel thicker and look smoother. Best of all, it gave each strand a bit of grip, which my hair normally lacks. Because of this, I found that my face-framing layers didn’t separate from the rest of my hair, which they normally do.

I’m not the only one who’s a fan of the formula—it’s earned nearly 2,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. “I have very fine thin hair and it really leaves my hair fuller and manageable,” writes one user. “I have purchased so many hair products that never work like they say. This one is awesome and worth the money. Highly recommend,” says another.

Needless to say, I will be keeping a bottle of this chicly-packaged thickening spray on my vanity from now on, and at last, I’ll be able to feel confident wearing my hair fully down.

Jay Small, co-founder of hair-care brand Arey, says that the controversy over dry shampoo has to do with the delivery system of the product, as the propellants can contain non-purified benzene, now known to be harmful when inhaled. “Benzene can cause irritation to the skin, and when inhaled, it can have longer-term effects on the body’s cellular activity and prevent bone marrow from producing enough red blood cells,” he says. “The propellants serve no function for hair and scalp health and eliminating them means that you are increasing the positive benefits of dry shampoo.”

Neera Nathan, MD, a board-certified dermatologist who works with the hair-care brand Vegamour, echoes Small’s concern over the harmful chemicals found in some of these shampoos, citing an independent 2022 study that found a number of dry shampoos to be laden with carcinogens, which led to a wide recall. [Editor’s note: The benzene found in the recalled products was present in trace amounts, which were much lower than the amount that would need to be inhaled to cause harm to humans. Still, they were removed from the market immediately.] But the good news is that the new guard of benzene-free dry shampoos are actually good for your scalp, ultimately boosting overall hair health.

Why are traditional dry shampoos bad for your hair?

Less frightening than finding carcinogens in your haircare products—but still concerning in other ways—are the chalky powders and alcohols that can be found in some dry shampoo formulations.

“While they quickly soak up moisture and artificial fragrances can mask odor, these quick fixes are actually quite harmful to the scalp, as they can have a negative effect on the scalp microbiome with continued use,” says Helen Reavey, trichologist and founder of the scalp-forward hair-care brand Act+Acre. “Although dry shampoo makes our hair and scalp look better temporarily, it can lead to a large amount of buildup on the scalp, blocking the hair follicles and causing various scalp issues when we don’t check ingredients properly.”

Because the scalp microbiome is the root of our overall hair health, disrupting this barrier (which can happen when you use certain dry shampoo ingredients) impact the appearance of our strands. Sweat, pollution, oil, and product buildup can all cause bacteria to fester, leading to discomfort, dryness, and itchiness.

“I always try to tie scalp care back to skin care – would you ever layer on makeup and leave it on your skin for three plus days without washing it?” says Reavey. “The answer is probably ‘no,’ since it would leave your skin prone to breakouts and extremely dry. The same goes for your scalp.” She adds that since the skin on your scalp ages faster than your face, it’s also important to prioritize your scalp hygiene for healthy growth and improved hair quality.

What makes a dry shampoo good for your hair? Your scalp is an extension of your skin and is actually quite porous, so Dr. Nathan says you need to think carefully about the ingredients that go directly on your head. She likes products that are non-comedogenic and anti-inflammatory, and include calming agents.

Small adds that since the scalp produces natural oils designed to nourish and protect the hair from UV exposure and environmental pollutants, we need to choose products with highly absorbent ingredients to balance out oil without clogging pores. In addition, he says conditioning agents are key. “We also need conditioning agents and active ingredients because both the hair and scalp are exposed to water from perspiration, humidity, and when we rinse our hair in the shower,” he says. “And since they are water soluble, when exposed to moisture, they can then further nourish the hair and scalp.” Together, these nourishing ingredients will mimic the function of the scalp and serve as a healthy addition to your overall routine.

What to look for when shopping for a dry shampoo

“When choosing a dry shampoo, I strongly recommend trying a non-aerosol powder dry shampoo, as these formulations don’t contain any harmful propellants, and a majority of them include ingredients that balance oil, increase volume, and extend the time between washes,” says Small.

Hair-friendly, oil-absorbing ingredients are usually starches, like aluminum, rice, corn, and tapioca. “We’ve found aluminum starch to be the best at oil absorption as it is not water-soluble so it will isolate oil, and when hair is rinsed, the combination of starch and oil are easily rinsed away,” Small says. While Reavey agrees that starches are great plant-based ingredients, she also loves fulvic acid, a super-nutrient that’s extracted from organic plant matter, which she included in her brand’s own dry shampoo. When it comes to active ingredients, Small says to look for extracts, conditioning agents, or peptides.

As far as what to avoid, he lists synthetic fragrances and excessive preservatives, which can cause irritation without providing any benefits.

With hair health in mind, what’s the best way to use dry shampoo?

The best way to use dry shampoo, stylists say, is on clean hair or one day after washing.

“I suggest that you apply the product to the hair strand near the root as well as the mid-shaft, but would avoid applying it directly to your scalp or on very dirty hair,” says Small, adding that applying it to the scalp can prohibit oils from being spread throughout strands. “If your hair and scalp are too oily, it will be harder to add volume to the hair, which is a lovely byproduct of using dry shampoo.”

Reavey says her number one rule is to apply dry shampoo no more than two times in between washes. “Ideally, you should never use dry shampoo to replace washing your hair—only as a means to freshen up your look as needed,” she says. And keep in mind that extending washings can lead to scalp build-up and clogged pores (dry shampoo doesn’t remove oils and build up, it just makes them less noticeable).

Finally, Nathan reminds us that no dry shampoo can completely replace washing with actual shampoo and conditioner. Traditional washing removes grime from products and can soothe scalps that are prone to becoming itchy or dry. And conditioning is essential for restoring moisture to your hair and to help protect against daily damage caused by heat. “Just remember that if you are going to use a dry shampoo, use it in moderation and in conjunction with a great shampoo and conditioner duo.”

Shop scalp-friendly, benzene-free dry shampoo

Arey, Wait a Sec Dry Shampoo — $36.00

Containing silica and aluminum—two science-backed ingredients for oil absorption—along with a gorgeous, light fragrance by way of natural cedar and sage, this dry shampoo won’t clog pores or cause build-up.

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ACURE, Dry Shampoo — $13.00

This dry shampoo powder is not only propellant-free, but it’s infused with peppermint and rosemary—two ingredients that stimulate scalp circulation to promote healthy hair growth. Reviewers note that the original formula leaves a white residue on darker hair colors, but luckily the brand also offers a brunette-friendly formula that swaps peppermint for cocoa (but still contains rosemary) and blends well with richer tones.

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Act+Acre, Fulvic Acid Volumizing Dry Shampoo — $26.00

Reavey says this formula is so clean, it’s actually edible (but maybe… don’t eat it). For added scalp benefits, fulvic acid delivers over 65 minerals to the hair follicle to restore the microbiome. And while the fact that it’s aerosol-free means that it sprays on white, it leaves no residue whatsoever once you massage it into your scalp or brush it through your strands.

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Crown Affair, The Dry Shampoo — $36.00

This award-winning, weightless dry shampoo comes with a handy kabuki brush to gently dust the powder along your roots. Persimmon leaves hair smelling so fresh, you’ll swear it’s just been washed, while tapioca starch soaks up oils and nourishes the scalp.

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Vegamour, GRO Dry Shampoo — $36.00

The plant-based phytoactives in this formula are responsible for revitalizing hair on non-wash days. And while the product uses a propellant, it’s made without talc or benzene for a scalp-safe spritz.  Plus, it’s packed with red clover, which can act as a natural DHT blocker to help minimize hair thinning and loss.

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Why scalp sunscreen is important

If you experience recurring ultraviolet damage (which can happen with or without getting sunburn, FWIW) on your scalp, you can run into a few issues. Scalp melanoma (aka skin cancer) represents 35 percent of head and neck melanomas cases and is accountable for 5 percent of all melanomas.

“The scalp—especially the part—is exposed to a lot of UV rays and is a frequent location for the development of pre-cancers and skin cancers,” says Nava Greenfield, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology in New York City.

Plus, preliminary research has found prolonged sun exposure may be tied to hair damage. And according to Dominic Burg, PhD, trichologist and chief scientist at Évolis Professional, UV damage on the scalp can lead to inflammation that can disrupt the hair cycle, AKA the pattern for hair growth and regeneration.

“When the hair cycle is interrupted, the main thing that happens is the growth phase is shortened,” says Dr. Burg. “A short growth phase means less hair growth and more hair resting and falling. As this cycle of dysfunction progresses, hair quality decreases, and follicles eventually stop being able to regenerate a new hair, resulting in hair loss and hair thinning.” Burg adds that hair that isn’t growing optimally may also lose its natural wave or curl, appear drier, and not hold color or treatments.

Should you use scalp sunscreen every day?

Before you start applying sunscreen on your scalp daily, Heather Woolery-Lloyd, MD, a Miami-based board-certified dermatologist, says you only need to worry about this kind of intense sun exposure if you’re spending a ton of time in the sun, say, on a beach vacay or while gardening or if you’re changing up your part by say, wearing French braids or Senegalese twists. Then, you’re exposing bits of scalp that are essentially virgin skin.

“It’s almost as if you were tanning your bottom,” explains Dr. Woolery-Lloyd. “You’re going from zero sun exposure to full sun exposure, so your scalp can burn.”

How to choose a scalp sunscreen

Technically, any sunscreen can be a scalp sunscreen, but many formulas out there can be too drying or too greasy for your scalp and strands. “Many people, including myself, do not like applying regular lotion or cream sunscreen to the scalp because it makes the hair and scalp very greasy,” says Dr. Greenfield. But as any skin pro will tell you, the “best” sunscreen is the one you will wear consistently.

If you have an oily scalp, SPF powders are the way to go—”Powder is a great way to protect while staying grease-free,” says Dr. Greenfield. And while a spray might be great for some, they may be too drying for others—”My hair is chemically straightened,” says Dr. Woolery-Lloyd. “I don’t want an alcohol-based liquid because it will really dry out my hair.” If you have a dry scalp, Dr. Woolery-Lloyd recommends an SPF product that contains oils, providing protection while also moisturizing your scalp. If you’re somewhere in between, congrats—you have options!! Shop the best scalp sunscreen options below.

9 best scalp sunscreens to protect your part(s) all summer long

3 best powder scalp sunscreens

Colorscience, Sunforgettable Total Protection Brush-On Shield SPF 50 — $69.00

Though this stuff is technically meant for your face, it has awesome applications for your scalp, too. It comes in four different shades to match most hair colors, and delivers SPF 50 mineral protection.

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Supergoop!, Poof 100% Mineral Part Powder SPF 35 — $34.00

Because it’s straight zinc oxide, this powder provides great sun protection. It’s also free of damaging alcohols and silicones. It comes in a “spray” bottle that more or less shoots out a pile of product, so use a light touch or even do a trial spray before heading straight for your part. Keep in mind that this powder has a chalky beige tinge, so you may want to avoid it if you’re a brunette or have a deeper complexion.

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Brush on Block, Translucent Mineral Powder Sunscreen SPF 30 — $34.00

Toss this brush in your bag for easy way to re-up your scalp coverage throughout the day. It’s sweat and water-resistant, which makes it perfect for any sunny summer trips to the beach. It’s got SPF 30, the minimum protection that dermatologists recommend for daily use.

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3 best oil-based scalp sunscreens

Supergoop!, Glow Oil SPF 50 — $15.00 to $38.00

Because I have dry hair, I love a scalp oil, and this one from Supergoop! is perfect. It’s lightweight and made with a nourishing blend of vitamin E, soybean oil, grape seed oil, radish seed oil, meadowfoam seed oil, sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, and more. It provides SPF 50 protection with chemical blockers.

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Glossier, Invisible Shield — $25.00

This sheer face SPF is also great for your scalp. It comes out looking like a bit like vaseline, but it isn’t greasy and disappears into your skin when you rub it in. It’s alcohol and paraben free and has a pleasantly subtle orange scent.

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Babo Botanicals, Swim & Sport Mineral Sunscreen Balm SPF50 — $18.00

If you want surefire protection and don’t mind a bit of a white cast, this balm is perfect. It’s thick and made with bentonite clay, so it can withstand physical activity from the ocean to the mountains, plus a blend of jojoba oil and passionfruit oil and bentonite clay.

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3 best spray-on scalp sunscreens

Oars + Alps, Face & Scalp Mist SPF 35 — $16.00

Spray this lightweight mist on your face and scalp for lightweight, quick-drying, never-greasy coverage. It’s a chemical sunscreen that also includes aloe and cucumber to provide hydration and antioxidant-rich safflower oil, sunflower oil, and Alpine Caribou Moss to defend skin from environmental damage.

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Sun Bum, Scalp & Hair Mist SPF 30 — $18.00

This lightweight, fast-drying scalp mist protects your scalp with chemical blockers without weighing down your hair down or making it feel greasy.

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Coola, Scalp & Hair Mist Organic Sunscreen SPF 30 — $28.00

This scalp mist uses monoi oil and gotu kola extract to promote healthy hair while chemical UV blockers protect your scalp and hair from sun damage.

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Bonus: Apply an antioxidant scalp serum before your SPF for a boost of protection

“A scalp serum with antioxidants may help protect the skin from environmental free radicals, but this is never a substitute for sunscreen. However, using a scalp serum with antioxidants in addition to scalp sunscreen can help provide optimal protection from environmental aggressors,” says Iris Rubin, MD,  a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Seen Skin & Hair Care. “Seen’s Restore Scalp Serum helps hydrate, soothe, and balance scalp skin, supporting a healthy scalp microbiome and helps reduce the appearance of flakes and irritation.”

Seen, Restore Scalp Serum — $48.00

This serum uses antioxidant-rich bisabolol, detoxifying propanediol caprylate, rebalancing sarcosine, nourishing ethylhexyl olivate, and moisturizing squalane to soothe, protect, and reset the scalp for healthy hair.

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In my search for products to improve my hair’s health, one shampoo and conditioner that has made a big difference is Vegamour’s Hydr-8 line. If you’re unfamiliar with the brand, Vegamour started as a small eco-conscious, science-backed line in 2016, and has become a fan-favorite for its hormone-free hair growth products. The brand’s nature-based approach resonates with consumers seeking effective hair loss treatments without side effects, and the before and after photos are seriously impressive.

Over the last seven years, Vegamour has moved beyond its (literal) roots in hair growth and created additional products for common hair conditions. The Hydr-8 line was developed specifically for dry or damaged hair, and has helped to seal my split ends while making my fine hair look full. When I found out the brand was launching a new Hydr-8 product–a leave-in conditioner to protect and tame hair throughout the day—I was immediately curious if it would replace my post-shower hair treatments the way the other Hydr-8 products have replaced the rest of my routine.

Spoiler: It did.

Vegamour, Hydr-8 Leave-In Conditioner — $34.00

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The benefits of Vegamour Hydr-8 Leave-In Conditioner

The new Hydr-8 leave-in conditioner claims multiple benefits: heat protection, frizz-fighting, and hydration while leaving a “glass-like” shine. It also contains Karmatin, Vegamour’s signature vegan keratin alternative.

Karmatin has a smaller molecule than animal-derived keratin (a common ingredient in other strand-smoothing treatments), meaning it can sink into tiny bits of damaged hair without needing to be rinsed out. Because it stays in the strands, it can nourish them over time to repair breakage and deliver fuller hair.

“It’s a perfect product for your hair, especially after a harsh winter, going into the summer, with the water and sun damage,” senior stylist Vincent Minchelli of David Mallett told me when I asked if this product would work on my fine, color-treated strands. “It’s easy to use and weightless–perfect for thinner hair, great for cuticles and UV protection.”

What happened when I tried Vegamour Hydr-8 Leave-In Conditioner

Given my success with the rest of Vegamour’s Hydr-8 products, I had high expectations for the leave-in conditioner. It comes in a (chic!) spray bottle for easy application and has a very light botanical scent.

After drying my hair, I spritzed the product throughout my midsection and ends. As I lightly blow-dried, I noticed my brush slid through my hair without catching, and each section gave a little bounce when released from the brush.

When I was done, my hair had volume and shine without frizz; I was so pleased with the dare-I-say-sultry results. Even later in the evening, while taking a waterfront stroll (with the accompanying humidity), my hair stayed bouncy and sleek—all the way down to its typically-dry ends.

This magic potion now replaces my heat protectant and styling cream, but also works great when I want to air dry. I’ll bring it aI’ll on an upcoming trip to Arizona, where the dry climate leaves hair parched (and because I never want to be without it). It’s quickly beIt’s a holy-grail product, with increasing benefits the longer I use it. Finally, a good hair summer!

Kérastase, Elixir Ultime L'Huile Original Hair Oil - 50 mL — $26.00

Key ingredients: marula oil, argan oil, camellia oil

Also available in a 100 mL bottle ($54).

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Two things immediately came to mind. The first—my mother was under no circumstances going bald. She’s had a luscious head of thick, curly, wild hair for as long as I can remember. Was her hair breaking? Probably. She has a tendency to pull it back in a tight ponytail away from her face when she gets annoyed with the frizz and fluff. When she styles it (about once a week), she’ll part it in the same place and blow it out with the same, strong blow-dryer brush. After inquiring more, sure enough, her stylist said her hair was breaking in the very two spots I suspected: at the crown (from pulling it back) and in her front “swoop” where she was blowing it out most.

My second thought—this would be an excellent time to put Kérastase’s fan-favorite products to the test. “Yes, I know Kérastase very well. I got you,” I replied. “But stop blowing out your hair and wear it natural and curly.” After that, I tapped my friends at Kérastase (the perks of being a commerce editor) and had the elixir, a hair oil, and the brand’s Force Architect Damaged Hair Set ($101) (which includes a bottle of the damage-repair shampoo, conditioner, and a blow-dry primer) sent to her door.

Six weeks later, I followed up with my mother, the fabulous, sometimes overdramatic Geri Krempa, to see how her hair was holding up. Unfortunately, she didn’t see a massive change from the shampoo and conditioner, something she blames largely on the hard water she showers with at her home in western New Jersey. But her review of the L’Huile Original Hair Oil was glowing:

“Oh, this stuff is the bomb,” she says. What makes it the “the bomb”? Let’s dive in.

It’s dripping with hydration heroes that my mom’s hair happily slurps up

“I love that there’s argan oil in here,” my mom explains over the phone. “My hair is so dry and coarse that it always needs extra moisture. The argan oil smells so good!”

Can confirm that argan oil is an excellent hydrator—the Moroccan oil is loaded with essential fatty acids and vitamin E that quench hair from the inside out. But Kerastase Elixir Ultime L’Huile Original Hair Oil also contains a blend of marula oil and camelia hair oil, which are doubly good for parched strands. Both of these fatty oils absorb into hair to give it that burst of moisture it craves. And even though my mom’s hair is some of the thickest, coarsest I’ve ever seen, she doesn’t need a lot to zhouz it up: “I just use a few drops and it goes along way. It really feels so much silkier, Frank.” Good to know, Mom!

It protects her hair from breaking further

Hydration aside, all of those oils coat the hair to protect it from further damage which was my mom’s goal all along. “I mostly just apply it to the ends of my strands where my split ends are like my stylist told me to do. It makes them sleeker and less unruly looking.”

The blend of oils keep hair supple as opposed to stiff and brittle, which is when it tends to break. All those antioxidants—particularly the vitamin E—heal hair and make it stronger, boosting its elasticity so it doesn’t just snap off after wear-and-tear. Now that she’s not using heat on her hair or pulling it back (which I triple checked to make sure she’s not doing!) her hair can finally relax and restore itself.

It adds shine without making her feel like an oil slick

Even though my mom’s hair is thick, it can still get greasy and weighed down with the wrong product, especially when it’s not blown out. “I only wash my hair once or twice a week,” she says. “I mean, I don’t use a ton of the oil, but it definitely doesn’t weigh my curls down or overdo it.”

On the flip side, she says it makes her hair “so shiny and smooth” compared the dull, lackluster locks she was complaining about weeks earlier. “I also got the Nutritive 8H Magic Night Serum ($59) that I put on at night and sleep in, which helps make my hair shinier in the morning,” she says. “It really looks healthier with these two products.”

Geri’s stylist was right: she really did need Kérastase’s Elixir Ultime L’Huile Original Hair Oil in her routine. (And to give it some rest from all the ponytails and heat damage.) While she’s definitely wasn’t going bald, she was absolutely breaking her hair and putting it through the ringer—thankfully, this silky serum came to the rescue.

Finally, I asked my mom the million-dollar commerce-editor question: “Would you recommend this to our readers?”

Her answer was a resounding, “Oh, 100 percent. And the Magic Night serum!” There you have it, folks. Glad it’s working out for ya, Mom! (We both hope it’ll work out for you, dear reader, too.)

We spoke with top hair color experts to find out how best to keep hair color fresh between salon visits, whether you’re in need of a root touch-up or a root-to-strand dye job. And, as it turns out, the answer is in the formula—the drugstore formula, to be exact. From glosses and glazes to color-depositing sprays and hairstylists’ best-kept shampoo secret, we share eight expert-approved drugstore hair color products that will hold you over until your next salon appointment, ahead.

The best drugstore hair color products to hold you over until your next salon visit

Head & Shoulders, Classic Clean Dandruff Shampoo — $18.00

“Head & Shoulders is a little secret by salon professionals to help keep the scalp healthy and hair silky, even if you don’t have scalp issues like dandruff,” says Cody Renegar, a celebrity hairstylist who has worked with Gwyneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz, and Madison Watkins.

When hair is dry and dull, color can also appear faded, even if it isn’t. Using a product like Head & Shoulders shampoo, which is safe for color-treated strands and formulated without parabens can with the hair a dose of deep nourishment, which creates a silkier and softer texture that, in turn, makes color look more vibrant and rich.

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Paul Mitchell, Color Protectant Daily Shampoo — $15.00

Paul Mitchell is a haircare brand that dominated salons throughout the ’80s and ’90s, and, according to Renegar, is still trusted amongst colorists and hair professionals—especially as a drugstore formula—since the brand has proven to address many hair care needs and issues and typically boasts a budget-friendly price.

“The Color Protectant Daily Shampoo is good at preserving your hair color and keeping your hair hydrated and smooth,” he explains. This shampoo is specifically formulated for colored hair and is designed to protect strands from sun damage and hair color from fading over time. Its nourishing formula also helps keep the drab, faded appearance of dry stands at bay, which can make for longer-lasting color, too.

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L’Oréal, Magic Root Cover-Up — $10.00

Renegar says you can also trust L’Oréal products for drugstore haircare that is the best bang for your buck. He recommends Magic Root Cover-Up because it’s “a handy way to keep whites and grays hidden between services.”

While there are other drugstore root touch-up products you can choose from, this one is the best because it comes in an excellent range of colors making it much easier to match your hair color, is washable so you don’t have to worry about messing up your hair color between salon visits, and is easy to use (it’s essentially tinted hair spray).

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Wella, Color Fresh Mask — $27.00

A color-depositing hair mask is also an excellent route to take, and Ghanima Abdullah, a cosmetologist at The Right Hairstyles recommends Wella Color Fresh Mask for a drugstore formula that will hold you over between salon visits.

“This is actually a hair mask, so it conditions, softens, and gives shine and color,” she explains, noting that it comes in several different colors and fades after a week or two, making it a good temporary fix. In addition to keeping color fresh, the mask is also excellent for toning a balayage look or highlights and is also recommended as a weekly at-home hair treatment for brass prevention, too.

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John Frieda, Luminous Glaze Shine Hair Gloss — $19.00

While the John Frieda Luminous Glaze Shine Hair Gloss only comes in clear and brunette colors, Abdullah swears by it for in between salon visits, since it “does an awesome job at adding 3D quality shine,” which can create the illusion of richer-looking color (especially if your hair tends to go dull and dry).

The best thing about this product is that, despite being a treatment, you can actually use it as part of your haircare routine every time you rinse—whether that be daily or weekly—to ensure you extend the life of your salon-quality strands until your next visit.

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Redken, Shades EQ Hair Color Gloss — $16.00

The Redken Shades EQ Hair Color Gloss is actually a salon product that you can use at home. “Because it’s a demi permanent, you can actually change your hair color with it, if you’re going darker,” Abdullah explains. “It’s also perfect for toning out unwanted colors,” she adds.

This drugstore color-saving product doesn’t leave behind a line of demarcation, so it’s nothing like box dye or other risky at-home color products. Plus, it lasts about a month, so it’s a great choice for someone who can’t get into the salon for a few weeks and needs a longer-lasting solution.

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IGK Color, Color Depositing Mask — $29.00

The IGK Color Depositing Mask is another nourishing formula that Abdullah recommends. “It’s a very hydrating mask and has the largest range of colors with 18 hues from brown to hot pink,” she notes.

This color-depositing product can help hair color stay fresh-looking, especially if your hair is dyed in fun and funky hues like purple, pink, and blue. With that said, this is not intended to cover up grays, so it’s better to use a root touch-up spray (such as the L’Oréal Magic Root Cover-Up) if that is your concern.

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dp Hue, Color Boosting Gloss + Deep Conditioning Treatment — $37.00

The dp Hue Color Boosting Gloss + Deep Conditioning Treatment is a semipermanent gloss with 11 shades of natural colors. “You can easily match your existing color and simply add more pigment with this line,” Abdullah explains, noting that this is another top pick for in between salon visits.

The product is formulated for both natural and color-treated hair and, despite its coloring properties, won’t damage hair so it can be used as often as you wash and condition your hair. On top of that, the deep conditioning treatment provides lots of luscious shine, which can breath life back into strands, especially if you haven’t been to the salon in a while and are overdue.

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Drugstore products to avoid

When it comes to color-saving drugstore products, Renegar says there are also a few things to avoid, no matter how tempting they are. This includes box dyes, which can have long-lasting effects on strands and even ruin your hairdresser’s work because, once it’s in, it’s in (I did not listen to this advice and spent three years growing out box dye—trust me, it’s not worth it). “Once hair dye has been applied to our hair, it’s there until it grows out or is cut,” Renegar explains. “It’s almost impossible to restore it to the original color, at least not without a high cost.”

If you must choose a more DIY dye route, Renegar says to stick with glosses or glazes, like the dp Hue Color Boosting Gloss + Deep Conditioning Treatment, Redken Shades EQ Hair Color Gloss, and John Frieda Luminous Glaze Shine Hair Gloss, which Abdullah also encourages over box dye.

Going to an all-girls school with frizzy hair and a body that seemed to be developing a whole lot faster than those around me was a recipe for disaster. When I was 13, my mom encouraged me to start straightening my curls, which led to weekly trips to the salon for a treatment followed by seven days dedicated to maintaining that straightness. I couldn’t get it wet. I couldn’t get it sweaty. I couldn’t put my hair up during the day or sleep on it too hard. My curls were my Achilles heel, and I refused to let anyone see what they actually looked like untamed. At the time, I preferred that the rest of the world see me for who I thought I wanted to be: A reflection of the blonde, skinny girls who bounced around the cafeteria like they were the main characters in their own TV shows. I felt too big, and assumed the rest of the world found me to be too much, too. So I made myself smaller and straighter.

Then, I went to college, and two things happened. Freshman year, I started watching Sex and the City, and grew to appreciate Carrie Bradshaw’s curls as a part of who she was (plus, she was a writer, something I desperately wanted to be)—even if I wasn’t quite there yet with my own hair. Then, Sophomore year, I discovered I was gay. I’m grateful that coming out was a pretty seamless process for me (and luckily I went to a college that basically shouted, “Don’t forget to bring your rainbow to class!”), and looking back, it makes perfect sense that this was when my relationship with my curls started to change. Revealing one truth was helping me adjust to another, and I began to feel more comfortable wearing my hair natural. I wasn’t all the way there, but I was getting closer.

By the time I graduated, my hair was cropped short and curled at the top (which, yes—made me look even more like my dad). It would still be several years until I fully stepped into my identity, but as I struggled with figuring out how to dress my body and be comfortable with bigger boobs and wider hips, I experimented with what it meant to be who I was. Devoting less time to taming my curls meant more time for introspection, writing, reading books, and getting outside. Instead of fighting with my hair, I started looking for ways to let pieces of my personality out: I got a few tattoos, pierced my cartilage, wore bright colors, and even dyed my hair red. In her best-selling book, Untamed, Glennon Doyle writes, “When a woman finally learns that pleasing the world is impossible, she becomes free to learn how to please herself.” And this was certainly the case for me.

Like so many people who were forced to distance themselves from their stylists during the 2020 lockdown, my relationship with my hair shifted once again in quarantine. In the months of stillness, my hair grew longer, and I celebrated small milestones like putting it up in a ponytail. I cut it myself just one time, but things felt different—it was like I had realized that cutting my hair was a way for me to dissociate from myself, and performing what had once been a ritual now felt like I was trying on someone else’s identity in the hopes that it would help me find my own.

Now, my partner (a fellow curly girl) frequently tells me how much she loves my hair, and never fails to make me feel beautiful for leaning into its thick, wild, and (on some days) unruly nature. I’ve been growing it out for the last few months, experimenting to see how long I can keep it without it driving me up the wall or requiring hours of in-shower detangling. And throughout the process, my hair has become an extension of my personality: vibrant, bold, and bouncy. After years of trying to look like everyone else, I finally look like me. And I’m exactly who I want to be.

Sound familiar? Plenty of others have been in your shoes (or, chair). In fact, spilling your emotions to your stylist is actually pretty common: One in three salon-goers consider their stylist to be like a therapist. But, most hairstylists don’t have any mental health training, let alone a degree in psychology.

Clinical psychologist and hairstylist Afiya M. Mbilishaka, PhD, has all of the above, though, and she’s made it her life’s work to support mental health through hair care (now with an assist from Maui Moisture). “I had one pivotal phone call with my Aunt Brenda that helped me figure out exactly what to do after college graduation,” Mbilishaka says. “I said, ‘I don’t know if I want to study psychology or hair,’ and my aunt says, ‘Why can’t you do both?’”

Although Mbilishaka’s aunt was probably suggesting she attempt to balance her two passions, Mbilishaka took it literally and started looking for ways she could combine them, while also addressing the huge mental health disparities in Black communities.

“To engage Black women on a cultural level, mental health providers must acknowledge the significance of hair and make use of the existing social support of hairstylists, the natural helpers in the community,” Mbilishaka says.

That’s how she came up with the idea for PsychoHairapy. As she reflected on her own experiences and culled through data that showed that Black women are more likely to book a hair-care appointment than a mental-health appointment, she cultivated a plan to equip stylists to provide support to their communities that they might not otherwise receive.

“The purpose PsychoHairapy is to direct attention to treatment modalities that culturally and spiritually fit within the lives of Black women,” she says. “To reach large numbers of this population, PsychoHairapy is centered on addressing the psychological needs of people who are often neglected, by offering accessible options in the safe space of the hair salon.”

The 12-hour, skills-based training course developed by Mbilishaka covers three key areas: the history of Black hair, how to identify, understand, and empathize with signs of mental illness, and how to respond to common client mental-health concerns.

“Hairstylists who have taken the course have become emotional over realizing their work could have such a far-reaching impact,” Mbilishaka says. “There is no mental health training in cosmetology school, therefore, hairstylists appreciate getting the language to process the emotions that come up in their chair. Hairstylists [also] love learning about the history of our hair in particular, and enjoy practicing techniques of…reframing some of the concerns coming up in their clients’ lives.”

PsychoHairapy also teaches the stylists how to make referrals to mental health professionals if a client reveals a concern that would necessitate speaking with a professional, Mbilishaka says.

All the good work PsychoHairapy is doing within the textured hair community caught the attention of curly-hair-care brand Maui Moisture, whose stated mission is to provide curl confidence to help improve the self-esteem of women in the textured hair community.

“Psychologists are trained to have quiet conversations about mental health, but Maui Moisture has developed a reputation of amplifying the most critical conversations in the textured hair community,” says Mbilishaka (who uses Maui Moisture products in her own hair).

Because getting a PsychoHairapy certification costs $600, which is a significant investment for many stylists, Maui Moisture donated $100,000 to PsychoHairapy to support the training of 100+ hairstylists and barbers while also helping expand the program’s reach.

“The possibilities of how mental health professionals can collaborate with hairstylists to enter spaces tailored for sisterhood-supported wellness is limitless,” Mbilishaka says. And thanks to the work of both PsychoHairapy and Maui Moisture, the future of transforming salons into safe spaces for all looks bright.

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Nourish & Moisture Coconut Milk Shampoo

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Nourish & Moisture Coconut Milk Conditioner

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Nourish & Moisture Coconut Milk Curl Foam Mousse

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Lightweight Hydration Hibiscus Water Shampoo

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Shea Butter Hair & Scalp Milk

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In the latest episode of Well+Good’s beauty podcast, Routine Rundown, the brand’s founder and CEO, Melisse Shaban, came on to talk all things hair loss, and explain just how much (and why) the industry has changed.

Listen to the conversation here: 

She shared a whole lot of interesting tidbits, but one of the biggest takeaways is that scalp health is critical to hair health—which means that in addition to using the right products (like Virtue Labs’ Flourish Density Booster) to stave off shedding, you also need to properly keep up with your routine. And that, says Shaban, all starts with the way you wash your hair.

“We went through this trend where we were all doing the ‘unwash’ thing and using dry shampoo, and people were washing their hair once a week or once every two weeks,” says Shaban. “But you have a lot of oils in your scalp, so that’s like not washing your face and then putting a moisturizer on. We put a lot of gunky products in our hair—all those pastes and sprays—and that grit is sitting on the scalp.”

Time and time again, experts have told us that all of that buildup creates a less-than-ideal environment for hair growth—and can ultimately contribute to thinning. “I know a lot of people who are losing their hair don’t want to wash it a lot because they think it weighs it down, but it’s actually healthy for the scalp,” says Shaban, who recommends washing regularly to get rid of all that gunk and stave off shedding. “Then, you can use conditioner from the midshaft down—just don’t use it on the root, because you don’t really need it there and that does tend to weigh the hair down.”

Thankfully, with the help of anti-thinning shampoos and conditioners—like the ones in the Virtue Labs Flourish Collection—these regular washes can serve double duty in cleansing your hair and boosting its density. “The alpha keratin is actually stimulating hair growth,” says Shaban.

Shop the products below, and listen to our full conversation on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your Podcasts.

Virtue Labs, Flourish Shampoo for Thinning Hair — $44.00

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Virtue Labs, Flourish Conditioner for Thinning Hair — $46.00

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Virtue Labs, Flourish Density Booster—$28-$55

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Until the rise of TikTok, specifically hairtok, I thought I was out of solutions for my hair. But as trichologists, endocrinologists, and Ayurvedic practitioners began posting information online, I was able to find a collection of holistic and evidence-based solutions, with hair oiling, an ancient Ayurvedic treatment where scalp health meets self care, being one of the most effective for me.

For most of my adult life, I’ve been rubbing oil into my hair—focusing the application on my scalp and ends—the night before I plan to wash it. As a South Asian woman, I’ve also grown up in a culture that views hair oiling as an essential part of hair health. To this day, my grandmother in India oils and brushes her hair every night; having long, thick, silky hair is ingrained in us from the day we’re born.

And yet, I’ve learned so much from hairtok and the interpretations of Ayurvedic medicine in the West as well, and it’s making me rethink the ancient practice and how it can help solve a modern set of problems, primarily damage from heat styling and processing.

The Ayurvedic approach to hair

Ayurveda is derived from the Sanskrit word ayur, meaning “life” or “vital power.” Its suffix, veda, means “knowledge,” roughly translated Ayurveda means “knowledge of life.” Originating in India more than 3,000 years ago, Ayurveda is composed of both preventive and curative health care—think herbal remedies, yoga/meditation, and diet tweaks. Ayurveda is rooted in the idea that our mind, body, and soul are interconnected with the outer world, causing an imbalance when our personal needs aren’t met.

All of this can translate into the health of our hair, which Carrie Jones, ND, a board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist specializing in women’s hormonal health, says is highly reactive. “Everything from chemicals, to how often you wash and brush it, to the oils you put on it,” can impact your hair, she explains. “We think hormones have only to do with our period or fertility, but really our little hair follicle is paying attention.”

From a holistic lens, Ayurveda addresses hair loss through three basic principles, referred to as doshas: vata (air), pitta (fire), and kapha (earth). When we experience hair loss, it is believed to be a result of excessive pitta, which inflames our hair follicles and creates a hormonal imbalance within us. These natural energies help us understand our health issues through Ayurvedic medicine, and comprehensively address hormonal imbalances that can lead to hair loss and thinning.

When it comes to hair loss, Ayurveda encourages its followers to examine every aspect of their lives: How do you manage stress? What are your go-to snacks? Do you stay active? And, most importantly, what does your pre-shower hair-care routine look like? Drinking herbs like ashwagandha, holy basil, and turmeric help improve our natural responses to stress, sleep, anxiety, and thyroid health, which can all impact our hormone levels, according to Dr. Jones, who emphasizes that native Ayurvedic practitioners from Asia are owed credit for these ideas. In addition, maintaining a clean scalp, regularly practicing hair oiling, and eating foods for a healthier scalp and hair like walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and salmon, as well as supplements that block DHT, a hormone that can shorten your hair’s growth cycle and reduce the size of hair follicles, can all help too.

Here’s how I go about my hair oiling routine

I’ve tried almost every hair oil I’ve been able to get my hands on. From the jasmine and coconut oils found in the back shelves of our local Indian grocery store to the brand-name bonding oils sold at Sephora, I consider myself an expert in the trial and errors of maintaining hair health. But the one I love the best is Gôlab Beauty’s strengthening scalp massage oil ($35), which combines Indian gooseberry fruit, castor bean, sesame seed, and organic flaxseed—all of which are rich in omega 3 and 6 and dermatologist-tested—to target different hair and scalp concerns. It’s already done wonders for my hair. In the two months that I’ve been using it, my hair is shinier, more defined, and less vulnerable to breakage, and I have new growth along my hairline.

Gôlab Beauty, Strengthening Scalp Massage Oil — $35.00

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First, I use a bamboo brush to detangle my hair for five to 10 minutes, which helps boost blood circulation. Then, I part my hair into sections and apply hair oil at the roots of each area, paying extra attention to where thinning is more obvious. After applying the oil into the affected areas, I finish by taking some extra oil in my hands and giving myself a scalp massage. I braid my hair and let the oil sink in for two to three hours before washing it out in the shower.

While shampooing, I use Gôlab Beauty’s organic rosemary essential oil ($20) and apply a few drops into my shampoo before emulsifying it between my hands. The product is described as a “natural vasodilator,” meaning it helps open up blood vessels, which in turn boosts blood flow (which is important for a healthy scalp and hair). Afterward I style my hair as usual.

Gôlab Beauty, 100% Organic Rosemary Essential Oil — $20.00

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Although Gôlab Beauty’s products are an effective favorite of mine, any plant-based oil will do. You can practice hair oiling at home with coconut, jasmine, pumpkin seed, or castor oil, to name a few.

I’d read that scalp scrubs could be the solution, so I tried several—but with moderate success. Although they did help a bit with itching and flaking, it felt like my hair became oilier more quickly and (despite plenty of rinsing) it seemed almost impossible to get rid of all the gritty scrub particles.

One day, I had a lightbulb moment. I am a total devotee of Japanese skin care thanks to the wonders certain J-beauty products have worked on my complexion, so I figured, “Why not give some Japanese hair-care products a try?” After researching several brands online, I took a punt and ordered Nature Lab Tokyo’s Perfect Clean 2-in-1 Scalp Scrub + Shampoo ($19). Six months on, I can’t believe I ever lived without it.

NatureLab Tokyo, Perfect Clean 2-in-1 Scalp Scrub + Shampoo — $19.00

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The product

We use products to exfoliate our face and body, and scalp scrubs are designed to do precisely the same. “[They] gently exfoliate the scalp and remove buildup of dead skin cells and product,” says board-certified cosmetic dermatologist Michele Green, MD, explaining that this process comes along with a host of benefits. “Exfoliating the scalp helps stimulate skin cell turnover, maintaining scalp health and freeing the hair follicles of debris,” she adds. As a result, scrubbing your scalp also aid in reducing flaking and itching.

However (as I previously discovered), not all scalp scrubs are made equal—and one thing that ensures this NatureLab Tokyo product stands out is its ingredients. First, we have beauty experts’ favorite, hyaluronic acid. This molecule holds up to 1000 times its weight in water, and your scalp loves hydration just as much as your face. “Delivering moisture to the scalp helps maintain its natural protective barrier, protecting the scalp and hair follicles from environmental stressors like pollution,” says Dr. Green.

Next up is a traditional Japanese ingredient: sake water. While sake is better known as a tipple, this rice by-product contains plenty for the scalp to love. “Sake water is a good antioxidant that protects the scalp from environmental stressors like pollution and UV rays,” says Dr. Green. “It also has many amino acids that support hydration and lock in moisture.”

Last but not least is a plethora of natural plant extracts. A key one here is grapeseed—which, according to Dr. Green, supports hair health and strength and encourages a silky shine. There’s also mango (“rich in fatty acids for hydration and nourishment”), tea tree oil (to “soothe the scalp and reduce dandruff and irritation”), and willow bark (which “helps facilitate exfoliation”).

The review

While my locks are sadly still not *quite* in the Jen Aniston realm, I’m not lying when I say this scalp scrub has transformed my hair. I can run my fingers over my scalp without feeling dry patches, itching and flaking have 99% disappeared, and my fine strands feel soft and look thick and flowing (even after being laid on overnight). Since using the scrub, my hair has also become much less greasy—and can now last three days between washes, something that was previously unheard of.

One thing that struck me when using the scrub for the first time was its texture. The product has a sugar crystal base, meaning it feels exactly like that: a thick sugary paste. As I scooped about two dollar coins worth of scrub from the tub, I thought there was no way it would lather up (the product also doubles as a shampoo) and disperse to cover my entire scalp. But I was wrong! I rubbed it between my fingers, then started massaging my scalp in circular motions. It began lathering within a few seconds, and soon my head was covered in a light foam. I have fine, shoulder-length hair and imagine you’d need a bit more if your hair is thicker—but a little of this scrub really does go a long way.

While the sugar crystals’ rough texture makes it a great exfoliator, these little granules dissolve after getting to work—meaning the scrub is easy to wash out, and I don’t encounter stray gritty bits when running my fingers through my hair later on. I also adore the smell: it’s a subtle almond scent that gives off more spa vibes than at-home shower.

In case you hadn’t guessed, I won’t be ditching my new BFF any time soon. Its shampooing powers make it a great multitasker (although I do follow up with my usual conditioner), and my scalp and hair are the happiest they’ve been in ages. At under $20, a pot of this scrub is more than worthy of your hard-earned dime.