The Best Shampoos for Dry Scalps, According to a Dermatologist

Itchy dome? Makes sense you’d be looking for the best shampoos for dry scalps. If you’ve got flakes, the first item on the agenda is to figure out which kind you’re dealing with—because nothing in 2025 can be simple. Dry scalp flakes tend to be small, round white specks, while dandruff tends to be flat, yellow, and oily.

“Dry, flaking scalp is due to a break in the barrier of the scalp skin, causing skin cells to slough off abnormally,” says Dr. Macrene Alexiades, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. To help remedy this, you’ll typically want to look for hydrating, replenishing ingredients; however, you have to be careful because sometimes the dandruff-causing fungus malassezia can lurk on your scalp and feed off of “yeast, including fruit extracts, pectin, honey or sugars that are often seen in natural shampoos.”

Clearly, it’s complicated—so to get to the bottom of which shampoo products you should use, we polled Alexiades for her favorite formulas. Here, she shares her top picks, many of which contain hydrators alongside zinc or selenium sulfide to fight dry skin flakes and dandruff alike.

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The Best Shampoos for Dry Scalps, According to GQ:

Best Overall: Head & Shoulders Dry Scalp Care Shampoo

While shampoos with zinc pyrithione—which, in addition to helping curb fungal growth, has been shown to help remedy eczema and psoriasis—can be slightly drying, Alexiades recommends using this one at least once per week to remain flake-free and to curb any fungal or yeast production on the scalp, all while hydrating dry hair and maintaining all your good natural oils.

This one is super effective and has a light scent that comes from the addition of almond oil, which also works to moisturize the strands. It’s also paraben-free and comes in large containers that are really cost-effective, so one bottle will stand the test of time.

Best Affordable Formula: Dove DermaCare Scalp Anti Dandruff Shampoo

Dove is really good at creating formulas that feel rich and moisturizing, and this shampoo is no exception. The texture is incredibly creamy, and it works into a satisfying lather that will help pull away dead skin cells.

While it’s lightly scented, the active ingredients are the stars of this shampoo’s show, which work together to inhibit the growth of fungus, yeast, and iron sulfur proteins—all of which can build up and cause dandruff and flakiness on the scalp. The formula is also pH-balanced, which will alleviate scalp issues by maintaining its newfound healthy environment after each wash and protect your hair follicles.

Best for Dandruff: Jupiter Anti Dandruff Shampoo

If you’re looking for a dandruff shampoo that actually works—but isn’t too harsh on your actual hair—this is the way to go. It’s vegan, sulfate and paraben-free, and in addition to containing zinc pyrithione, it also has nourishing ingredients to keep your scalp from feeling tight and dry.

One of these ingredients is squalane, which works to add moisture to the strands while strengthening them so that they’re less prone to breakage. It also nourishes with coconut oil and uses sugar kelp, which is known for its antimicrobial properties, to prevent further flaking.

Best for Itchy Scalps: Neutrogena Scalp Therapy Anti-Dandruff Shampoo for Itchy Scalp

Not only does this shampoo contain salicylic acid and menthol—both of which will work to soothe irritation—but it smells like peppermint and musk, which will leave you feeling awake and refreshed. The salicylic acid in this formula works as a gentle exfoliant that will remove dead skin cells from a flaky scalp, as well as style product build-up that could cause clogged pores. Plus, it’s great at breaking down oil without stripping your skin. All of these factors will keep you from feeling more irritated and itchy later down the road.

Best for Thinning Hair: R+Co DALLAS Biotin Thickening Shampoo

If you experience hair thinning, Alexiades suggests looking for a shampoo that contains biotin. This one is great because not only does it have that ingredient, it has lots of other scalp health-promoting ingredients as well. “If someone struggles with a dry scalp, it’s essential to look for ingredients that provide hydration, soothe irritation, and maintain scalp health, while avoiding those that can cause further dryness or irritation,” adds Federico.

This formula has provitamin B5, which provides hydration by coating the strands and holding in moisture. Provitamin B5 can also act as a protective element for the strands when using shampoos with harsher ingredients. The coconut oil and saw palmetto berry extract in the formula will also nourish and add body to your hair.

Best for Moisturizing: IGK Legendary Hydrating Shampoo

Especially if you have dry strands, you want to make sure you’re not constantly washing your hair with harsh chemicals that can do more damage. Franck Izquierdo, a hairstylist and the co-founder of IGK Hair Care, notes that one of the problems he typically sees when styling people with dandruff or dry scalp is that they tend to over-treat by using dandruff shampoos every time they wash their hair. “This can actually lead to further skin issues and reactions by overly-medicating or drying out the scalp,” Izquierdo says.