12 new scalp serums that get to the root of hair issues

Unless they’re suffering from noticeable hair shedding, most people probably never give their scalps a second thought.

As the founder of Nulastin, a Colorado-based beauty brand steeped in technology aimed at replacing lost elastin in the skin and hair, Leah Garcia isn’t most people. “My perspective is that the scalp is sacred,” says Garcia, a former pro athlete and television reporter turned cosmetics entrepreneur. “Nurture and pamper it as if it’s the only chance your hair has to survive and thrive.”

While that might sound a tad dramatic, it isn’t hard to find other hair experts who echo Garcia’s sentiments.

“People are starting to understand that the foundation for healthy hair is a nourished scalp,” says Jennifer Yen, founder of JooY, a “fermented superfoods” beauty brand that sprang from Yen’s own Covid-related hair loss. “When we nurture our scalp, we can prevent a host of issues such as flakiness, irritation, product buildup and dryness, while improving follicle health, which promotes hair growth.”

Although the end goal — a healthy, nourished noggin — is woven through a crop of new scalp serums and elixirs, the vibes and aesthetics range from high tech and super science-y to more natural and plant-fueled.

In the first camp we have Nulastin Vibrant Scalp Treatment, SickScience PowerCycle Scalp Treatment Serum, Living Proof Scalp Care Exfoliator and Spoiled Child A22 Biotin Boost Hair + Scalp Serum. In the second, there’s Bur Bur Growing Season Botanical Hair Serum, JooY Leave-In Soothing Scalp Serum and Goldie Locks Scalp Serum.

Landing somewhere in the middle are the two bee-centric offerings from storied French beauty house Guerlain. As part of its extensive Abeille Royale collection for skin and hair, both Scalp & Hair Youth-In-Oil Serum and Double R Radiance & Revitalization Mask tap nutrient-dense honey produced by black bees from Ouessant Island in Brittany, on France’s northwestern coast.

As a hairstylist and trichologist (aka a specialist in treating disorders of the hair and scalp), Arey co-founder Jay Small is uniquely suited to weigh-in on the myriad reasons we might need to add a product like the brand’s new Calm It Down serum to our regimens. In particular, oxidative stress from UV light and hair color does a number on our scalps.

Billed as “the first clinically effective” post-dye serum, Calm It Down is applied directly to the scalp after color, shampoo and conditioner have all been fully rinsed. For best results, Small suggests using it for three to five days après color. Two decades in the hairstyling trenches, followed by his trichology training, has left zero doubt in Small’s mind that routinely trying to cover our silver strands has left our scalps compromised.

“What I’ve found from working and speaking to those who use hair dye is that most people become used to mild irritation and see it as ‘part’ of the process,” says Small. “Our aim is to help relieve the stressors on and below the scalp.”