“If you’re religious about exfoliating your face but have never thought about your scalp—consider this your wake-up call”, stresses renowned hairstylist Samantha Cusick.
The foundation for growth, follicle strength and strand retention, scalp care is the not-so-secret way to secure the healthy head of hair of your dreams - and yet so many of us don’t give it a second thought.
That should all change. Much like the first step in your skincare routine is to cleanse your face, so too is it important to do the same to remove product buildup, dead skin cells and grime and dirt that can leave your locks lacklustre. A thorough dissolving of the aforementioned is the missing component in the hair regimens of many but there is a simple fix. Enter the scalp exfoliator.
Why is scalp exfoliation important?
“Scalp health is hair health”, Cusick reiterates. “Over time, product buildup, excess oil and dead skin can clog hair follicles, leading to dullness, irritation and even slower hair growth. A good scalp exfoliation routine removes all that buildup, keeping your scalp balanced and your hair thriving. Think of it like skincare for your scalp—because healthy, happy hair starts at the root”.
Danielle Garner, an award-winning hairstylist, encourages us to think about it like this, “Consider how exfoliating the skin on your face works: it removes dead skin cells by breaking the bonds that hold them together, allowing fresh, new cells to emerge, which instantly revitalizes the skin’s appearance and glow. Now, apply that concept to your scalp”.
She continues, “Just as your skin needs periodic exfoliation, your scalp also requires it. It’s constantly subjected to the accumulation of products, oils and environmental debris that can clog hair follicles, affecting growth and overall health”.
What types of scalp exfoliators exist?
Cusick reveals the differences between physical and chemical exfoliation. She explains:
- Physical exfoliation: Start by wetting your hair, then take a gentle scrub, like the Authentic Beauty Concept Sensorial Cream Scrub, and massage it into your scalp using circular motions. Focus on areas where buildup tends to sit (like the crown and hairline), then rinse thoroughly before shampooing and conditioning as usual.
- Chemical exfoliation: If flakes and buildup are your biggest concern, a pre-wash treatment like the Hello Klean Break Down Anti-Flake Scalp Soak is a game-changer. It helps dissolve stubborn product residue and hard water minerals without the need for scrubbing. Leave it on for a few minutes before shampooing, and your scalp will feel like it’s had a deep reset.
How to exfoliate your scalp
Chloe Swift, hair stylist and haircare expert highlights that this shouldn’t be a painful or irritating process. “Exfoliating your scalp is actually much more gentle than it sounds, it’s definitely not taking a harsh brush and giving the scalp a good scrub (this is really not great for the scalp and will cause micro-abrasions) instead it’s all about the products and luckily scalp health has evolved so much in the last couple of years especially so we have a lot more to choose from.”
Garner breaks it down step by step:
- Choose the right exfoliant: Look for a scalp-specific exfoliant, such as a scrub or scalp massager.
- Apply to dry scalp: For best results, apply the product to a dry scalp to break down buildup.
- Massage gently: Use your fingertips or a massager to gently scrub the scalp in circular motions for a few minutes.
- Rinse and follow up: Rinse with lukewarm water, then wash with shampoo and conditioner to hydrate the scalp.
How often should you exfoliate your scalp?
All three stylists - Samantha Cusick, Danielle Garner and Chloe Swift – are in agreement that weekly exfoliation will yield the best results. “Think of it as a detox for your hair routine”, adds Cusick.
What ingredients should you look for?
Calling on the expertise of the hairstylists, the ingredients to look out for include the following:
- Jojoba beads or pumice: natural ingredients that gently remove build-up
- Glycerin or coconut oil: to counteract that possibility of stripping by hydrating
- Aloe vera and chamomile: to soothe and calm irritation
- AHAs like glycolic acid: gently remove dead skin cells
- BHAs like salicylic acid: to unclog follicles
- Apple cider vinegar: to break down oil and build up
- Peppermint extract: to cool, refresh and promote circulation
- Tea tree oil: to soothe and balance oil
- Charcoal or clay: to absorb oil
Garner concludes by highlighting, “Exfoliating your scalp isn’t just about cleanliness—it’s about creating the best possible environment for healthy hair growth”.
So with that in mind, we have selected the best scalp exfoliators below to add to your routine.
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Living Proof Scalp Care Exfoliator
One of our favourite haircare brands on the market, Living Proof has long been a staple in our bathroom cabinets for its science-backed solutions. This extends to scalp care too where this treatment, applied prior to shampooing, has a gentle exfoliating effect that removes product and dead skin cell build-up.
This is made possible through a supercharged combination of glycolic acid, BHAs and PHAs - chemical exfoliants that are paired with botanical extracts and humectants so as not to irritate the area. To round off the formulation, a trademarked prebiotic known as Pentavitin will leave your scalp flake-free, hydrated and best of all, feeling clean and fresh.
Buy now £31.00, Space NK
Kérastase Symbiose Micro-Exfoliating Cellular Anti-Dandruff Hair Treatment
A favourite among professional hairstylists, Kérastase is a brand that will never let you down. The Symbiose Micro-Exfoliating Cellular Anti-Dandruff Hair Treatment calls on the exfoliating powers of salicylic acid to encourage cell turnover on your scalp. It uses this chemical exfoliant paired with the physical apricot and argan to effectively combat flakes and dandruff.
Despite what the active ingredients may suggest, the formulation is not designed to irritate and can actually be used by those with sensitivities. It leaves your scalp feeling squeaky clean and clear.
Buy now £27.69, Amazon
Amika Reset Pink Charcoal Cleansing Oil
Not only with this cleansing product from Amika liven up your shower shelf, but it works wonders for the hair too. Much like you would cleanse your face, the oil texture should be massaged into your scalp as the first step in your wash day ritual to remove remnants of product, dead skin and grime from modern life.
The formula uses natural charcoal and pink clay that have a detoxifying effect. It also imparts nutrients to the scalp through the likes of sunflower oil and Indian cress stem extract which assist in making the scalp feel healthy, clean and renewed.
Buy now £25.00, Space NK
The INKEY List Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Scalp Scrub
There is both a glycolic acid and salicylic based exfoliating scalp scrub from The INKEY List depending on your concerns. The latter was created for oily, itchy and flaky scalps to buff away dead skin cells and balance sebum production. The glycolic works in much the same way but for all scalp and hair types. The named ingredient has a balancing effect that clears blocked follicles to give you the healthy locks you’ve been dreaming of. Both are lightweight serums that combine physical and chemical exfoliants and keep their formulas minimal to reduce the chance of irritation.
Buy now £14.00, Cult Beauty
Aveda Scalp Solutions Exfoliating Scalp Treatment
With a liquid gel texture, this treatment glides onto the hair, dissolving pollutant, product residue and grease and oil in its wake. The ingredients are 96 per cent naturally derived where salicylic acid forms the basis and is combined with a citrusy floral blend of lemon, orange, neroli and invigorating mint that ensures that it is a luxury part of your routine that you will cherish.
The treatment has an immediate impact on excess sebum and can be used on all scalp and hair types and textures.
Buy now £39.00, lookfantastic
Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt
Christophe Robin’s sea salt-based Cleansing Purifying Scrub has earned its place in the beauty hall of fame. The grainy buffing product has earned cult status among those in the know for its thorough cleaning properties and expert removal of impurities and build-up.
Since the product launched back in 2013, it has garnered many awards and that is no doubt due to its combination of the physical exfoliation of the granules with active ingredients that are kind and soothing to the scalp.
The scrub is applied to wet hair and massaged into the locks where it is deeply cleansing and gently foaming. You’d assume this would make it incredibly dehyrdating but this is not the case. Instead, strands feel squeaky clean, fresh and will give you more time grease-free between washes.
Buy now £13.30, lookfantastic
Virtue Scalp Exfoliating Scrub
Keep this scrub from Virtue on hand for a scalp spring clean no matter the time of year. The brand is known for its proprietary Alpha Keratin component that forms the basis of its reparative haircare and also features in this product.
It is set alongside papain and bromelain fruit enzymes and rice exfoliator to cleanse the scalp of irritants, dead skin cells and more that may be interferring with the healthy appearance and fresh feeling of your locks. In the formula, there’s also coconut, jojoba and Kalahari melon oils that ensure, while declogging the follicles, it is also hydrating and nourishing.
Buy now £48.00, Space NK
Oribe Serene Scalp Exfoliating Scrub
From the packaging to the formulations, Oribe is in every sense a luxury label. This scrub is made up of skincare-level ingredients and natural actives that buff away at dirt and oil to breathe new life into your locks. External aggressors can cause hair to become lifeless and dull, but this AHA and polymer bead-based formula has a clarifying effect.
The brand’s Signature Complex - a combination of watermelon, lychee and edelweiss extracts - is restorative without stripping the strands of its natural oils. Fear not for those with sensitivities as the Flower Complex also contained within counteracts irritants with a soothing cocktail of chamomile, cornflower, matricaria, linden, marigold and willowherb flower extracts.
Buy now £47.00, Cult Beauty
Bouclème Scalp Exfoliating Shampoo
Finding a clarifying shampoo that works on curly hair can be a little trickier but this option from Bouclème does all of the hard work without leaving your hair feeling flat.
An exfoliating shampoo designed to melt away product residue and stimulate hair growth, this rich, creamy lather contains hydrogenated castor oil beads that gently exfoliate and stimulate, leaving the scalp soothed and invigorated and strands soft and bouncy.
Buy now £26.10, Amazon
Grow Gorgeous Scalp Care Scalp Detox Scrub
Designed to be used every so often when your tresses needs that extra helping hand for some extra oomph, this scrub provides a total detox. It lifts away grease and grime to refresh from the scalp to the tips for a healthy, shiny head of hair. The formula is made up of white willow bark extract, bamboo exfoliating particles and pomegranate enzymes that act as the exfoliators. These bits provide the deep clean, while grapefruit extract encourages cell renewal by stimulating the scalp.
Buy now £15.00, lookfantastic
Cécred Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub
The shampoo is made up of gently buffing ingredients and tea tree oil that work to effectively remove build-up - whether that is from pollution or products. It dissolves impurities without stripping the hair of its natural oils. It was created for all hair types. There is also the Hydrating Shampoo.
Buy now £30.00, Cécred
