How To Treat A Dry Itchy Scalp #EmbarrassingBeauty

Something's in the beauty world we just don't want to talk about and Dandruff is one of them.

Dandruff, Itchy Scalp, Dry Scalp, Sensitive Scalp call it what you will it all results in the same white flakes that plague your head right when you don't want them to (not that there's ever a time when you DO want them to!) I myself suffer from a dry/itchy scalp that reacts to high concentrates of SLS and flares up whenever I'm stressed ... yes it is a shit storm all at once for me as my adult acne flares up when I'm stressed as well, yippee! 

I've tried everything for my hair and scalp and annoyingly I have a very common problem... something that's great for my scalp so rubbish for my hair and vice versa. If my scalp is feeling calm, flake free and great you can bet anything that my hair will be looking lank, rank and greasy. Equally my hair can look voluminous, healthy and shiny but create a parting in the side and behold the flurry of flakes just waiting to be unveiled.

Whilst I've tried the traditional "Anti-Dandruff" shampoos such as head and shoulders it just doesn't give me the hair that I want. It never feels right if you get my jist. Also I personally find buying that white and blue bottle of medicinal crap embarrassing, it doesn't exactly scream subtle and it doesn't ooze luxury whenever you go to use it, instead it makes me feel like someone that has a gross scalp and probably doesn't wash enough.and no amount of advertising on Britain's Next Top Model is going to change that for me I'm afraid. 

However, there have been products that I've found over the last few months/year that work and don't make me feel like a grim human for purchasing them. 

The Body Shop Ginger Shampoo - Firstly this shampoo has pretty neutral packaging so you don't feel judged when you go to buy it. The active ingredient in this is the ginger which is a natural anti-fungal so good for those little flaky build-ups. This does work after pro-longed use but do not expect it to be a miracle cure. I've found that if I stop using this the scalp issues flare up again. This doesn't solve the problem but it does make it more manageable whilst you're using it.

Lush Superbalm - This is a scalp treatment that you put on 20 minutes before washing (or if you're like me then the night before!) its main ingredients are coconut oil, lavender and camomile creating a calming soothing balm to apply to your scalp and moisturise the crap out of those dry areas. Coconut oil is great at treating the flakes are re-hydrating your scalp whilst the lavender and camomile get to work soothing those sore itchy patches and relieving any tightness. This also contains Salicylic Acid and is able to give your scalp the exfoliation it needs to really help get rid of that flake. 

Lush The Plumps Solid Conditioner - If you're like me and have all the contradictory hair problems in the world you need a conditioner to add moisture to your scalp without making your predominantly oily hair greasy. For me that product is The Plumps. This solid conditioner is very light and you are able to control how much product you use very easily through its format. This doesn't weigh my roots down and is better for my scalp than just ignoring it from conditioner at all. I would like to note though that if you don't have straight hair give this a miss as it will not be conditioning enough. I only use this on the roots of my hair as I need something more conditioning for the bleached ends (Hello John Frieda Go Blonder Conditioner). 

Other options that are worth mentioning: 

Lush Soak and Float Shampoo Bar - This is meant to be phenomenal for those of us with flurry heads. It's main ingredient Cade oil helps to banish the flakes and leaves your scalp feeling nourished and clean. This has been particularly recommended for people with psoriasis as it stops the flakes without hurting the sensitive scalp. I have yet to try this (although highly tempted) mainly due to the smell. Imagine a bonfire made from soap and your getting the idea of what this smells like. Lush have tried to remedy this smell issue by adding Tonka and Rose oil but it still doesn't float by boat. That being said once my current shampoo bar runs out I will probably go out and purchase this just to see if it works for my hair any better. 

Phillip Kingsley Flaky Itchy Scalp Shampoo - A more traditional shampoo but very highly rated. I would consider this if I had run out of all other options but at a steep £23 for a 250ml bottle I think I will try out cheaper options first. It's main ingredient is Piroctone Olamine which is meant to relieve itching and flaking whilst the cleansing ingredient is Lauryl Betaine for a mild cleanse without causing to much stress on the scalp. It is also SLS free so that's a winner in my books ... (As I'm writing I'm convincing myself to buy this, god help my purse!) 

Phillip Kingsley Exfoliating Scalp Mask - This is something that I have been considering purchasing for awhile. This mask is a pre-wash treatment similar in nature to the Lush Superbalm and you are able to purchase in a smaller 20ml size to try it out for the less painful price of £8. Like Superbalm you apply this to the scalp, leave for 20-30 minutes and then wash off for clean flake free hair. I will probably try this out once my Superbalm has run out and let you know the verdict at a later date so keep you're eyes peeled for that! 

I hope this has given you some direction with what to do for your scalp if it's playing up. I know it is a horrible issue that leaves you feeling crap and embarrassed. The best thing to do is to just tackle it head on and try out different combinations of products until you find something that works! 

If you have any more suggestions please leave them in the comments below!