Most dry hair is not short of nourishment. It is damaged — the outer cuticle is roughened by colouring, heat or simple age, so it loses water quickly and reflects light poorly.
That distinction changes what to look for.
What to look for
- A gentle cleansing base. The single most important factor. Anything that strips undoes the rest
- Moisture and repair positioning rather than volume or clarifying, which are formulated to leave hair light and bare
- Sulphate-free, if your hair is also coloured — gentler on both the cuticle and the colour
- A matching conditioner. With dry hair the conditioner does more work than the shampoo
What matters more than the shampoo
Washing frequency. Dry hair rarely needs daily washing. Two or three times a week is enough for most, and the scalp adjusts within a fortnight.
Water temperature. Hot water opens the cuticle and accelerates moisture loss. Lukewarm, with a cooler final rinse.
Where you lather. Scalp only. The lengths get cleaned by the run-off, and scrubbing them roughens the cuticle further.
How you dry. Rubbing with a towel is one of the biggest causes of everyday damage. Squeeze, then wrap.
Heat styling. The most common cause of dry hair in the first place. Lower temperature, heat protection, and fewer passes.
The routine
- Wash the scalp with a gentle moisturising shampoo, two or three times a week
- Conditioner on the lengths and ends every wash, left for the stated time
- A mask once or twice a week in place of the conditioner
- A leave-in cream or oil on damp ends
- Trim regularly
What shampoo cannot do
It cannot repair split ends — only cutting removes those — and it cannot restore hair that has been bleached repeatedly. It improves how hair behaves and looks, which is genuinely worthwhile, and it is not a reconstruction.
If your hair is dry because of what you do to it, changing the shampoo without changing that produces very little.
If the scalp is dry too
Dry hair with a flaking, itchy scalp is a different problem. That is scalp care rather than hair care, and persistent flaking is worth asking a doctor about.
For formulas by hair type, see the shampoo guide.