would resveratrol be better as a topical in alcohol solution ?

resveratrol , taken orally, may not work, especially if only taken with water

would topical resveratrol be better , directly on the scalp ?

My advice - take it or leave it - would be to not waste either your time or money on putting together this topical. Different topical antioxidant formulations have been put together in the past, and mind you with some good logic behind them, but they simply do not do what they're hoped to. I've seen the gamut. Topical ascorbic acid, vitamin C derivatives, water-soluble quercetin, vitamin E, different essential oils, etc. etc. ad nauseam.

Unless you've got something really novel I would not waste your resources on this. A topical antioxidant simply isn't going to deliver what you need, to where you need to in sufficient amounts and for long enough of a time to make a dent in the underlying process.

Resveratrol works on liver enzymes and the gut microflora. As a topical it's not going to produce all of the benefits.

resveratrol can be taken with black pepper to increase absorption, I have heard that otherwise it is poorly absorbed.


Enhancing the bioavailability of resveratrol by combining it with piperine
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3295233/