5 Tips for Dealing With Dry Scalp With Curly Hair

Why Is Curly Hair Usually Dry?

One important distinction we’ll make here is between dandruff and dry scalp. If you’re experiencing flaking, is it heavy and oily or light and fluffy? If it’s the former, you’re probably dealing with dandruff, not a dry scalp. Read this for more details on how you can treat those types of flakes here. But if the flaking is due to a dry scalp, read on!

Understanding Curl Patterns

Your hair doesn’t just rely on deep conditioners and masks to get moisturized. There are thousands and thousands of glands on your scalp (900 per square centimeter, to be exact) whose biggest function is to hydrate and protect your skin and hair. 

These are called sebaceous glands, and they produce a substance called sebum. Sebum is a natural oil produced all over your skin, but the sebaceous glands are most dense on your chest, on your face, and of course, on your scalp. 

Sebum has many uses for your body. As a waxy lipid, it forms a protective barrier on your skin to prevent damage and help facilitate wound healing. 

It also helps coat your hair strands, protecting them from damage. For people with straight hair, that’s a, forgive the pun, straightforward process. Sebum can easily move down the hair strand because it only has to move in one direction. It’s why many people with straight hair complain about oiliness. 

For people with curly hair, however, it’s more difficult for sebum to move down the hair shaft. And the curlier your hair is, the harder it becomes to move moisture from the scalp to the ends. 

The system of measuring curl patterns (1A to 4C) can help you understand why your hair is especially dry. While everyone’s hair and scalp health are different, people with tighter curls generally deal with the most dryness. 

Put differently, the curlier your hair is, the more sebum is required to coat it adequately. So yes, curly hair puts you at a higher risk of dry scalp and dry hair.

Lifestyle and Hair Care Choices

But non-genetic factors also apply. From the products you use on your hair and the frequency you use them to the tools you apply to your hair, many of the lifestyle choices you make can contribute to the health of your curls. 

The fact is that curls require certain methods for maintenance, and the wider culture of hair care tends to cater to straight hair. Thankfully, that’s starting to change. But we’ll call out a few lifestyle and hair care choices that might be contributing to your dry scalp:

• Heat styling

• Hair care products with harsh, drying ingredients like sulfates

• Overwashing your hair

• Lifestyle and nutrition choices, like not drinking enough water or smoking

Which brings us to…

5 Tips for Helping Moisturize Your Curly Hair and Dry Scalp

Let’s look at some ways you can help moisturize your curls and give your scalp the hydration it craves!

1. Switch Up Your Wash Schedule

If you’ve had curly hair for your whole life, you’ll know that figuring out a wash routine is important and, at times, difficult. But it’s one of the best pieces of advice we have for ensuring your hair isn’t being stripped of oil too often. 

Try washing your hair less often (if you wash everyday, switch to every other day) to see how your hair responds. We know that might feel a little off, especially if you’re working out or using products, but it can go a long way in protecting your scalp. 

The best rule of thumb is to listen to your hair. You’ll probably know when it needs to be washed. 

And when it comes to washing days, stick to shampoos that exclude sulfates from their ingredient lists. Sulfates are chemicals featured in lots of shampoos, they’re what creates the lather effect, but these ingredients can do more harm than good. 

Sulfates are often too effective at cleaning your scalp and can strip your scalp and hair of sebum, causing irritation and dryness. Curly-haired people can’t afford to lose any more sebum. So stick to a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo.

2. Deep Condition at Least Once a Week

3. Drink More Water

4. Skip the Heat Damage

5. Protect Your Curls at Night

Last Thoughts on Curly Maintenance, Dry Scalp, and Hair Care

Curly hair can be a handful, but with a little TLC and some information, you can bring moisture back to your scalp and your locks for bouncy, voluminous, and gorgeous curls. Have patience, drink your water, and love those curls! It’s most important to remember that curly hair health starts at the scalp, so picking the right shampoo and scalp care products is essential to maintaining those luscious locks. That’s why we’ve formulated our line of scalp care products with luxe hydrating and moisturizing ingredients like coconut oil, squalane, and colloidal oatmeal (among others!) that provide much needed moisture to your scalp and hair strands. Learn more here.