If you feel like your hair has been lackluster lately, you're not alone. At-home trims and root touch-ups during lockdown—plus a break from regular heat styling—changed the way many viewed hair care. Rather than seeking temporary styling fixes, we began prioritizing hair health and searched for targeted solutions with a focused intensity once reserved for skincare. In response, the hair-care industry started developing products that spoke to health first and utilized traditional skin-nourishing ingredients such as peptides, squalane, and salicylic acid. “Hair care is taking a more holistic approach,” says Shani Francis, a dermatologist in Los Angeles. In turn, we’ve singled out 31 exceptional problem solvers that tackle top concerns like thinning, damage, dryness, and flakiness.
Coarse, curly, or overprocessed hair can feel chronically parched. To boost moisture levels, the best formulas are using skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane. “Hyaluronic acid has been among the best ingredients to enter hair care because it increases the hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture,” says Shab Reslan, a trichologist and hairstylist in New York.
Pattern Treatment Mask uses rice-water ferment and moringa-seed extract to quench thirsty hair.
L'Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Curls No Build-Up Micellar Shampoo
Hyaluronic acid and castor oil in L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Curls Micellar Shampoo act like micellar water, gently removing buildup.
Redken All Soft Moisture Restore Leave-In Treatment wraps strands in nourishing hyaluronic acid and provides heat protection.
Hemisqualane in JVN Complete Blowout Styling Milk hydrates, while peptides shield from damage.
Mist this hydrating spray over dry curls to perk them right up and extend time between shampoos, thanks to conditioning aloe leaf juice and scalp-soothing rosemary extract.
Fine hair gets frizzy too! This lightweight serum contains jasmine flower and almond protein to block humidity without weighing hair down.
TRESemmé One Step Sleek 5 in 1 Smoothing Hair Cream
Serum-cream hybrids are common in skincare to deliver multiple benefits in just one step—this launch from TRESemmé is the same idea. On busy mornings, we love reaching for this to smooth and protect hair in seconds.
Sparse hair is not a one-size-fits-all issue. “The causes are so varied and complex,” says Francis. As a result, the best treatments tackle thinning in more than one way, aiming to support existing hair by improving its elasticity and minimizing breakage, as well as encouraging healthier new growth with scalp-stimulating actives like saw palmetto and caffeine.
Antibacterial neem wood in the Augustinus Bader the Neem Comb keeps the scalp clean and hair follicles healthy.
Virtue Flourish Mask for Thinning Hair uses keratin to strengthen and tetrapeptides and caffeine to support new growth.
Stripes Ectoine Calming & Thickening Scalp Serum
Stripes the Root of It Ectoine Calming & Thickening Scalp Serum nurtures thin, aging hair with plant extracts, pea peptides, and ectoine, the brand’s hero ingredient, which moisturizes the scalp and hair.
Kérastase Genesis Bain Nutri-Fortifiant Shampoo reinforces weak hair and reduces shedding with ginger root and edelweiss.
Better Not Younger Wake Up Call High Hold Thickening Hair Spray
Better Not Younger Wake Up Call Thickening Hairspray uses biotin and hops-plant extract to strengthen thin strands and impart a volumizing effect.
Michiru Fullness Shampoo and Conditioner
This thickening shampoo and conditioner duo contains senburi, a Japanese medicinal herb, to improve blood circulation to the scalp, plus silk protein to strengthen and boost shine.
This hair-boosting foam adds volume right away and fullness over time, thanks to ingredients like saw palmetto, amino acids, B vitamins, and a proprietary biotin and peptide blend.
Thinning hair can still benefit from a smoothing oil, as long as it doesn't interfere with volume. This lightweight option makes our hair feel (and smell!) incredible with five plant-based oils.
“The scalp is the soil, and hair is the plant. You don’t see a healthy plant growing from terrible soil,” says Francis. Active formulas that soothe and clarify scalp skin can improve its health—as well as the fitness of hair growth. To accomplish this, many new products are utilizing ingredients like hydrating hyaluronic acid and exfoliating fruit enzymes, which are commonly found in skincare.
Lanshin Scalp Jade Stimulator
Lanshin Jade Scalp Stimulator targets acupressure points, increasing blood flow to hair follicles and maximizing their health and efficiency.
Nécessaire the Scalp Serum contains anti-inflammatory green-tea extract to soothe the scalp and minimize flakes, hyaluronic acid to hydrate, and a blend of peptides to support healthier hair growth.
Rahua Scalp Exfoliating Shampoo
Like skin elsewhere on the face and body, your scalp benefits from routine exfoliation. Rahua Scalp Exfoliating Shampoo uses fruit enzymes and crushed star anise to gently slough away dead skin cells and product buildup.
Act + Acre Scalp Renew
The salicylic acid in Act+Acre Cold Processed Scalp Renew pre-shampoo treatment regulates sebum and calms irritation.
Shaz & Kiks Rice + Chai Refresh Spray uses rice starch to absorb excess sebum, but, unlike traditional dry shampoos, it also contains glycolic acid to break down follicle-clogging buildup.
Like a clay mask but for your head, this weekly, color-safe cleansing treatment helps remove gunk from your scalp and absorbs excess oil with ingredients like lactic acid and kaolin clay.
Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Tea Tree Cooling Hydration Mask
If you need instant relief after a scalp scrub, reach for this cooling mask from Briogeo. Charcoal and tea tree oil help moisturize and soothe.
Ouai's Anti-Dandruff Shampoo makes eliminating flakes an Instagrammable moment.
Hair that’s been damaged by chemical processing, heat, or aggressive styling can appear dull and lifeless and is more prone to breakage and split ends, says Reslan. To treat it, the most effective products will act kind of like IV infusions, filling anemic, weakened strands with nutrients like antioxidants, plant proteins, fatty acids, and minerals that strengthen and improve elasticity.
Dyson’s updated Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete uses high-velocity airflow to quickly smooth and shape, minimizing the use of heat.
Packed with antioxidants, Olaplex No. 9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum protects from environmental stressors.
Oribe Hair Alchemy Resilience Shampoo uses plant proteins and bio-fermented bamboo leaf to reinforce hair and minimize breakage.
Amika the Kure Multi-Task Repair Treatment is packed with omega fatty acids and vegan proteins that mimic hair’s natural keratin, making strands less apt to snap and split.
Clairol Color Gloss Up fights oxidative damage with a dose of temporary color that counters brassiness and boosts shine.
Conair InfiinitiPro By Conair Cool Air Curler
This unique tool combines heated plates with channels of cool air to set curls while styling them, resulting in loose, smooth bends with less damage overall.
Lolavie Restorative Shampoo and Conditioner
If you want Jennifer Aniston's shiny, healthy hair—you should probably use Jennifer Aniston's shampoo and conditioner. Ingredients like niacinamide and chia seed help repair damaged hair during your shower.
Pracaxi oil, an Amazonian superfruit, powers this pre-shampoo detangler, which lends enough slip to gently detangle curls before your wash day. Remember: Hair is weakest when wet.
Dr. Shani Francis is a dermatologist in Los Angeles.
Shab Reslan is a trichologist and hairstylist in New York.
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