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9 best scalp scrubs for thicker, healthier hair
Fed up with your itchy scalp, dandruff and thinning? Look no further than our expert-tested treatments
Tested by Maria KumarBeauty and Grooming Testing Manager
While we're all pretty clued up on the benefits of exfoliating in our skincare regimes, we often forget about our scalps. But with searches for “treatment for dry scalp” up 70 per cent on Pinterest, it’s clear we're keen to get to the root of our hair problems in 2025.
Cue our tried and tested best scalp scrubs. The solution to an itchy or flaking scalp, they're also a useful starting point for stimulating hair growth and keeping locks healthy and shiny, whatever your hair type.
Which scalp scrub is best?
Our beauty experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute tried 15 brands of scalp scrubs to find the products that really work. These are their favourites, with the full reviews below:
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Are scrubs good for your scalp?
Just like the best body scrubs, scalp scrubs are used to exfoliate and slough away dead skin cells, excess oil and dirt.
“Often, the products we use in our hair aren’t designed for the skin,” explains leading hair expert Michael Van Clarke. “They can seep down to the scalp, build up and cause the hair follicles to clog up, often leading to thinning and dullness.
“Exfoliation allows the scalp to breathe from this build-up of excess hair product, keeping your hair healthy. Furthermore, plant extracts used in scrubs can help clear flakiness, stimulate blood flow and promote cell renewal. This will help to relieve itching, prevent dandruff build-up and replace thin hair with thick, healthy locks.”
So yes, the best scalp scrubs are good for your scalp.
Trichologist Anabel Kingsley adds: "If you think of your hair as a flower, and your scalp as the soil supporting it, it makes complete sense to nourish and care for it in order for something healthy and beautiful to grow."
How we test
With the help of 225 panel members, our Good Housekeeping Institute experts tested 15 brands of scalp scrubs over a fortnight. Panellists gave feedback on how easy each treatment was to use, whether they experienced any irritation or discomfort, and if they saw any improvements to their scalp and hair.
In the lab, our testers used a HairMetrix machine to take magnified pictures of the scalp before and after use. Helped by an expert trichologist, they were able to note any improvements in flaking, follicular plugging, scalp debris and overall scalp health.
Time to find out which products scrubbed up best and why...
Score: 83/100
Our best scalp scrub is designed to remove product build-up without being too drying on curls. It contains micro-exfoliating particles to unclog follicles gently before rinsing clean without leaving any residue.
It aced every lab test, effectively reducing scaling, flaking, debris and follicular plugging, and it left all our panellists with cleaner feeling hair. They found it easy to dispense from the squeezy tube, loved its fresh scent, and almost everybody reported less itchiness and irritation after use.
Key specifications
| Scalp type | Flaky, dry, itchy |
|---|---|
| Suitable for all hair types | Yes |
| Size (ml) | 250 |
R+Co Crown Scalp Scrub
Score: 82/100
If gentle yet effective is your skincare mantra, then make this your scrub of choice. Our testers loved its creamy texture, and all said their scalps felt more "squeaky clean”, less flaky and in overall better condition throughout the trial.
Those with sensitive scalps were particular fans, with no redness or irritation reported. The only niggles involved the packaging and dosage – some found it tricky to dispense and others needed to use more product than expected to cover their scalps.
Key specifications
| Scalp type | Sensitive, oily |
|---|---|
| Suitable for all hair types | Yes |
| Size (ml) | 162 |
Score: 82/100
If it’s that refreshing, almost clinically clean feeling you’re after, rest assured that this scrub got the thumbs up from our testers with naturally oily hair. Moisturising but not at all greasy, it lathered up like a shampoo but didn’t leave any residue on their scalps.
The luxuriously packaged range is inspired by Indian traditional alchemy in homage to the founders’ grandmother, and this is reflected in its gentle formula – it calmed itchiness and irritation for everybody. Though pricey for a small pot, you can get away with using less than the brand suggests.
Key specifications
| Scalp type | Sensitive |
|---|---|
| Suitable for all hair types | Yes |
| Size (ml) | 237 |
Score: 81/100
Packed with soothing flower complexes, this hydrator/exfoliator hybrid employs both chemical and physical exfoliators to cleanse pores while polishing and sloughing away build-up. In short, it comes at exfoliation from both angles (beads and acids), leaving your scalp feeling primed and deeply purified.
Many testers admired its chic yet practical packaging, with one telling us they “really liked the pointed nozzle” for easy distribution directly onto the scalp. They enjoyed a boost in bounce, too, making this scrub a top pick for anyone looking to reinvigorate flat or thinning hair.
Key specifications
| Scalp type | Healthy |
|---|---|
| Suitable for all hair types | Yes |
| Size (ml) | 125 |
Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt
Score: 81/100
This sea salt-studded scrub was celebrated among our panel for its deep clean properties and dandruff-blitzing power. Even oily, itchy and scaly scalps were left feeling fresh, soothed and less flaky after two weeks of testing.
The “lovely scent” was a crowd-pleaser, but while most testers found the product a breeze to dispense and use, some had to spend a lot of time rinsing to get every crystal out. It may also be too abrasive for those with more delicate scalps.
Key specifications
| Scalp type | Sensitive, oily |
|---|---|
| Suitable for all hair types | No |
| Size (ml) | 250 |
Umberto Giannini Grow Scrub Scalp Scrub
Score: 81/100
Housed in a recyclable jazzy orange tub, this good value scrub claims to be a safe companion for chemically treated, relaxed and coloured hair.
Exfoliating without stripping, it foamed up and rinsed out well to leave all our testers with less flaky, altogether healthier scalps. Some found the product a bit messy to apply, but when you’re indulging in a much-needed head massage, this is unlikely to be a dealbreaker.
Key specifications
| Scalp type | Any |
|---|---|
| Suitable for all hair types | Yes |
| Size (ml) | 250 |
Score: 79/100
This made our testers’ scalps sing. They loved its velvety texture and how efficiently it dislodged product build-up. Many agreed that their scalp felt cleaner and less greasy after use, and if it’s shine you’re after, note that silk peptides in the formula promote glossy locks from length to tip, even before the new hair has grown through.
Though easy to scoop out of its jar, the heavier consistency made application and rinsing more of a faff than some panellists with thicker hair had hoped for. Its subtle yet refreshing scent, however, was a hit.
Key specifications
| Scalp type | Healthy, dry, flaky |
|---|---|
| Suitable for all hair types | Yes |
| Size (ml) | 90 |
Score: 77/100
Here's an expert exfoliator with a sweet finish. Natural sucrose sets to work physically sloughing off dead skin while moisture-locking shea butter keeps the scalp hydrated.
It claims to calm itchiness for a long-lasting soothing effect, and all our testers appreciated the fine-grain texture that ensured it did just that. Their only qualms were over the packaging – a few said they would have preferred a pump for more targeted dispensing.
Key specifications
| Scalp type | Sensitive, oily, itchy |
|---|---|
| Suitable for all hair types | Yes |
| Size (ml) | 250 |
The Inkey List Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Scalp Scrub
Score: 76/100
This scrub by trendy brand The Inkey List is doing the rounds on social media, but does it live up to the hype? Not quite in terms of reducing flakiness, but many testers raved about its ease of use, largely thanks to the smartly designed nozzle for straight-to-scalp application.
Boasting both chemical and physical exfoliators, it removed product build-up to leave all scalps feeling revitalised. Everyone found it quick to rinse out, too; a factor worth considering if you’re always running late for that meeting or party...
Key specifications
| Scalp type | Any |
|---|---|
| Suitable for all hair types | Yes |
| Size (ml) | 150 |
How do scalp scrubs work?
Physical scrubs contain exfoliants that create friction and lift dead skin cells when massaged into the scalp. Chemical exfoliants, on the other hand, use acids to resurface the skin by breaking bonds between healthy and dead skin cells. Not only will both methods promote a healthy scalp, but they’ll also encourage strong hair growth.
"Some scrubs, such as those rich in olive oil, lemongrass and comfrey, have anti-inflammatory properties that further help to strengthen hair and reduce hair loss," adds Van Clarke.
How do you use a scalp scrub?
It's super easy to slot a scalp scrub into your shower routine. Before applying your shampoo and conditioner, divide your hair up into four sections, massage a dollop of the product into each parting and then rinse thoroughly.
Kingsley suggests using a scrub once weekly for the best results. For an extra stroke of exfoliating goodness, ruffle your hair follicles with a detoxifying scalp brush before every shower.
Can everyone use a scalp scrub?
Scalps scrubs are suitable for everyone, but Van Clarke recommends avoiding abrasive formulas if you have sensitive skin, as these may cause irritation.
Why trust the Good Housekeeping Institute?
The Good Housekeeping Institute has been testing products for over 100 years, including everything from the best mops for your floors and the best skincare subscriptions to the best LED face masks.
Our testers are experts in their fields, whether that's home appliances or skincare science. They develop rigorous protocols to ensure we're putting every product through its paces in the lab. We also use an at-home panel to try products in real life, to ensure they live up to their claims.
Senior Beauty Writer, Florence Reeves-White, has been writing about beauty products for several years, which includes trying them herself at home to see which claims can be substantiated, and which are just too good to be true.
8 May 2025: This article was updated to reflect the latest stock levels and prices. We also adjusted headlines and seasonal references and linked to other relevant Good Housekeeping content.
Maria is our Beauty and Grooming Testing Manager, and since joining in mid-2022, she has managed the testing for mutiple categories including scalp scrubs, collagen supplements and retinol serums. In addition to her master's degree in chemical engineering and a diploma in cosmetic science, she recently received her MBA from the London College of Fashion, focusing on case studies within the beauty industry. Prior to joining the company, she worked within the global technical team at the Estee Lauder Companies for over six years, collaborating with the chemists and engineers to launch luxury beauty products at scale and to quality. She has also worked as a formulation scientist within the pharmaceutical industry and takes this evidence based approach into all her product testing.
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