If your scalp is prone to dryness, you know it can be a struggle to find products that provide relief without weighing down your strands. Luckily, the best oils for dry scalps provide plenty of hydration without excess greasiness. Many products that are designed specifically for dry scalps use a blend of oils so that you can reap their different benefits all at once. When selecting products, look for ingredients like antioxidant-rich argan oil, marula oil, lavender oil, and coconut oil, which can be moisturizing for your scalp.
If your dry scalp causes discomfort, look for ingredients that address your concerns. An itchy scalp can benefit from ingredients like peppermint oil, which is cooling and soothing to help relieve irritation, or inflammation-reducing lavender oil. To remove residue or buildup, opt for a treatment with tea tree oil. And if you notice that you have flakey patches on your scalp, consider an oil treatment with ingredients that help to exfoliate, like salicylic acid. Note that if your chosen treatment does include essential oils, it could cause irritation for some, so you may want to patch test before using.
If you’d rather try a scalp oil without all the extra ingredients, some people with dry scalps stand by pure argan oil or coconut oil — just be sure to not use too much in one application since you may find that they can make your scalp a bit greasy.
Finally, as a general rule, people with dry scalps should avoid using any products on their heads that have sulfates, which can strip away natural oils, only worsening the issue. You won’t find any sulfates on this list — but what you will find are five products that are a dry scalp’s best friend, since they contain oils to combat dryness, itchiness, and flakiness. Tried and true on Amazon, these picks all get the stamp of approval from reviewers.
We only recommend products we love and that we think you will, too. We may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was written by our Commerce team.
This dry scalp treatment from OGX is highly adored on Amazon — with a 4.4-star rating overall after more than 10,000 reviews — and it's largely because it's packed with ingredients that can soothe your dry scalp and address related concerns like itching and irritation. Suitable for all hair types, the product contains buildup-battling tea tree oil and witch hazel, as well as peppermint oil for a cooling feel. The treatment is supremely lightweight, so it won’t leave your hair or scalp feeling weighed down. It's also sulfate-free.
If you like this pick, you can also purchase a coordinating shampoo and conditioner to pair with it.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "This is a life saver!!!! I was desperate... I have tried many other products and oils that have worked for other people but this time around they were not working for me. My dry scalp has been excruciating for the past 4 months now [...] I have gotten to the point were I was ready to just shave my hair off, then I looked one more time and found this read all the reviews and everyone swore by it!!!! [...] I love it!!! I’ll never be without it!!!! And it smells great!!! It is so soothing to the scalp and I swear it works !!!"
With more than 38,000 reviews on Amazon and a knockout 4.7-star rating overall, this Viva Naturals coconut oil clearly has a cult following. Tons of reviewers confirm that it works wonders on dry scalps, providing plenty of moisture and hydration without being overly sticky — just be sure to apply it in moderation! The pure coconut oil is made from fresh, organic coconuts so it smells absolutely amazing. And since you get a whopping 16 ounces worth of product for less than $10, this is the most cost effective option on this list.
If this pick doesn’t work out on your scalp, coconut oil has a ton of other uses and it's also naturally free of sulfates, so you really can’t go wrong.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "Originally we bought it for my hubbie. Now that his scalp is dry, he wanted to message his head/scalp with some organic coconut oil. But, now our whole family (3 of us) uses it. We try to apply this Viva coconut oil at least once a week and after a month my husband stopped complaining about his dry scalp and hair issue. It feels really great after washing hair. I definitely recommend it."
Argan oil is known for being amazingly hydrating, and luckily this pick from Moroccanoil is packed with it — perfect for dry scalps. Beyond that, the treatment also contains salicylic acid to gently exfoliate and help remove flaky skin. The product is sulfate-, phosphate-, and paraben-free, and it has a spicy amber, musk, and sweet floral scent.
This pick may be on the pricier side, but reviewers on Amazon stand by it for its effectiveness. Besides, a little goes a long way!
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "This product is a must have in my house! Being prone to dry scalp and skin after coloring my hair and beard, this stuff is amazing to soothe the skin and avoid itchy or flakiness in my hair - nobody wants that. It’s really light and the light clean smell I’ve grown to love. You’ll love it too."
Marula oil and lavender oil combine in this treatment from Design Essentials to bring hydration and moisture to the scalp without excess oiliness. The lightweight formula doesn't contain any sulfates or fragrances, but users report that it smells really good regardless. The treatment is cruelty-free, too.
Design Essentials also sells other oil-based products to help with different scalp, skin, and hair issues, including an anti-itch treatment that might also appeal to dry-scalped individuals.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "I love this stuff. It has a soothing feeling once it's applied, and it's not greasy at all. I use it once a week after I shampoo. I like it."
People with dry scalps totally rave about pure argan oil — like this bottle of it from Majestic Pure — as a simple solution to the pesky problem. And it makes sense that they like it: Argan oil is rich with vitamin E, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids, all of which help to hydrate and moisturize. This pick comes in a lovely dark amber glass bottle with a glass dropper. It is smooth in texture, and it has a mild nutty smell.
Argan oil can also be used on the skin, hair, cuticles, foot, lips, face, and other parts of the body as a natural moisturizer.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "I have dry itchy scalp, and have tried everything I can to help. A doctor even told me it was an allergy. After shampooing one day I [dropped] some on to my fingers and while hair was still wet, rubbed it onto my scalp and ears and BINGO, the itch and dry skin was soothed. Found my answer!"
