How to Choose the Right Dandruff Shampoo for You
It is not uncommon to find yourself scratching your scalp sometimes. But when you do this frequently and you see white flakes sitting on your hair and scalp, you may be suffering from dandruff. No need to worry–having flakes in your scalp is definitely not hygiene-related. There might be several factors that are causing it: like the weather, your diet, and your hair type. Dandruff affects almost everybody, and the right anti-dandruff product can help solve it. Read on as we learn the common causes of these flakes and list the best dandruff shampoo for women.
What Causes Dandruff in Women’s Hair?
Contrary to popular belief, dandruff is NOT caused by skipping a hair wash. If you see dandruff on your scalp and hair, it is because of several possible causes. What causes dandruff in women’s hair? There are different causes and we list down the most common ones.
One main cause of dandruff is the presence of the fungus Malassezia on your scalp. “Malassezia uses sebum and other lipids in the scalp as nutrients and then converts these into waste materials that can penetrate the scalp and cause an inflammatory response,” explains Peter Bailey, Unilever’s research and development manager. To help fight this fungus, anti-dandruff shampoos have anti-fungal agents in them like salicylic acid.
Another reason is frequent washing of hair with hot water. Hot showers may be great when the weather is cold, but it’s not great for your hair. The heat washes off your hair’s natural oils, and this can lead to a dry and flaky scalp.
Are you fond of using hair wax, sprays, mousses, and gels? These are also the main culprits of flakes in your scalp! Make sure you wash them off at the end of the day because product residue on your scalp can clog your pores, leading to scalp irritation.
Those who want to have a flake-free scalp should think twice before leaving their hair squeaky clean, too. While we all want to keep our scalp and hair clean, washing your hair too much can strip off its natural oils and natural protective layer. On some days, you may skip the shampoo and just use conditioner to keep your locks moisturized.
How to Choose the Right Anti-Dandruff Shampoo: Things to Look for
With numerous options in the supermarket aisle and online, it’s easy to get lost with which hair product is right for you. We always encounter the ‘How do I choose a dandruff shampoo?’ dilemma, and we tapped our experts to help us answer that. Check out these tips to help you choose the right dandruff shampoo for you, along with a round-up of the best dandruff shampoo for women:
1. Look for the right ingredients.
“The key ingredients that anti-dandruff shampoos contain is either an anti-fungal agent or a keratolytic agent,” says Peter. “By treating the scalp with an anti-fungal such as Zinc Pyrithione or Octopirox or Climbazole the level of Malassezia on the scalp can be reduced or removed which enables the scalp to recover.”
Aside from these anti-fungal agents, Peter adds that a keratolytic agent like salicylic acid also helps because it breaks down clumps of dry skin. “In other words, while antifungals treat the underlying cause of dandruff, keratolytics address the symptoms. Often the two types of agents can be combined into a dual-action type formulation.”
So when buying an anti-dandruff shampoo, make sure these ingredients are present before putting the bottle into your cart.
There are so many dandruff shampoos in the market but we love CLEAR Complete Soft Care Anti Dandruff Shampoo because of its fresh Sakura fragrance. This shampoo is gentle on your scalp, while its Nutrium 10 helps protect your hair from dandruff.
Your defense against dry itchy scalp can also be made with natural ingredients. The paraben-free CLEAR Botanique Nourished & Healthy Shampoo features a Triple Anti-Dandruff Technology infused with the sweetest smelling anti-microbial ingredients: a mixture of lavender, rosemary, grapefruit, tea tree, and bergamot.
2. Choose a dandruff shampoo that thoroughly cleans.
One of the best characteristics of this type of shampoo is its ability to cleanse thoroughly. Make sure that it lathers well as this helps strip off your hair’s dirt and particles. It is equally important that the shampoo rinses well and does not stick to your hair even after rinsing it.
Living in a tropical country where it’s hot all-year-round, most women struggle with a greasy scalp. Wash your hair with CLEAR Ice Cool Menthol Anti-Dandruff Shampoo for thorough cleansing minus the flakes! It soothes the scalp and leaves a refreshing minty sensation that’s perfect especially in this heat.
You can also prevent dandruff before it starts. A greasy scalp can lead to flakes, so we recommend using a purifying shampoo like the Love Beauty and Planet Tea Tree Oil & Vetiver Radical Refresher Shampoo, which contains Australian tea tree oil to cleanse and detoxify the scalp.
3. Get a shampoo that suits your hair type.
There are a lot of choices for this in the market today. If your hair is oily, then, go for the dandruff shampoo that’s best for oily scalp. On the other hand, go for the dry hair shampoo if you have dry hair so that it leaves your scalp moisturized.
A good shampoo for dandruff is one that’s strong yet non-drying. We’re loving the Dove Dermacare Scalp Soothing Moisture Shampoo, an anti-dandruff shampoo for women that will remove the flakes after just one wash. It has added benefits of Olacare Scalp Actives, which nourishes your scalp without the drying squeaky clean feel.
If your hair is dry and damaged, it is a must to follow-up with a conditioner after washing with your favorite anti-dandruff shampoo. For best results, pair it up with the Dove Dermacare Scalp Soothing Moisture Conditioner, for a stronger and more hydrated scalp. Flakes? We don’t know her.
The Takeaway
Although dandruff can be annoying, it’s easy to combat scalp dryness and flakes with a dandruff shampoo. Beautiful hair starts from having a healthy and clean scalp, so make sure to bust dandruff once it starts showing. The right shampoo can help you with this.
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