Building a simple scalp care routine

Wash your hair, let it dry without product, and leave it 48 hours. Then look and feel.

• Roots visibly greasy and hair flat within a day: oily scalp.
• Scalp tight, possibly with fine flakes, hair still dry at the roots: dry scalp.
• Comfortable, hair looks fine, maybe slight oiliness at the roots: normal.
• Greasy roots with larger yellowish flakes and itch: likely dandruff rather than a routine problem, and worth reading our comparison of dandruff and dry scalp first.

Cleanse

Shampoo the scalp specifically, using fingertips, and let it sit a minute before rinsing. Rinse longer than feels necessary. Frequency depends on your scalp type, from every other day for oily to twice a week for dry.

Condition

Mid-lengths and ends only. Keeping conditioner off the scalp prevents a great deal of the residue and itch that people otherwise blame on shampoo.

Oil, if it suits you

Before washing, not after. A modest amount, massaged in with fingertips, left for an hour or so. Two to three times a week for most people, less if your scalp is oily.

Leave it alone

The most underrated step. Constant product, constant manipulation and constant experimentation prevent you from ever learning what your scalp does at baseline.

Oily scalp

• Wash more often. Every other day is fine and is not damaging.
• Skip or minimise scalp oiling; concentrate oil on the ends.
• Keep conditioner well away from the roots.
• Use dry shampoo sparingly, since it adds to buildup rather than removing anything.

Dry scalp

• Wash less often, and use lukewarm rather than hot water.
• Pre-wash oiling suits you; this is where it helps most.
• Choose a gentler shampoo and avoid routine clarifying.
• Pay attention to indoor air, particularly heating and air conditioning.

Normal scalp

• Wash twice or three times a week.
• Oil once or twice a week if you enjoy it.
• Clarify occasionally, perhaps monthly, if you use styling products.
• Mostly, do not fix what is not broken.

• A clarifying wash every few weeks if you use styling products, dry shampoo, or live with hard water.
• A trim every few months to remove damaged ends before splits travel.
• A proper look at your scalp in a mirror, in good light, every so often. Most people never do this.

• Scalp scrubs used frequently. Occasional is fine; regular abrasion is not.
• Multiple new products introduced at once, which makes it impossible to tell what is working.
• Anything promising results in days.
• Vigorous brushing as a scalp treatment.
• Skipping washes to reduce shedding, which does not work and leaves the scalp uncomfortable.