Beauty Hair Haircare The 13 Best Dandruff Shampoos of 2023, Tested and Reviewed Achieve a flake-free scalp and radiantly healthy hair with these vetted dandruff shampoos. By Linne Halpern Linne Halpern Linne Halpern is a Denver-based freelance writer. She is a regular contributor to Architectural Digest and publishing work in other outlets including Domino, Coveteur, and Teen Vogue. As a Commerce Writer for InStyle, she shares her favorite fashion brands and must-have beauty products. InStyle's editorial guidelines Updated on May 30, 2023 @ 04:25PM Pin Share Tweet Email In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews Our Testing Process What to Keep in Mind Your Questions, Answered Why Shop With Us What Is InStyle Picks? We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. InStyle / Kristin Kempa We’ve likely all experienced dandruff at some point in our lives. It’s an incredibly common scalp condition that is, luckily, not too difficult to treat with over-the-counter shampoos. Yet finding the right dandruff shampoo for your specific hair type and scalp condition that isn’t overly drying, lathers nicely, doesn’t smell like literal medicine, and still looks cute on your shower shelf can be quite the slog. That’s where we come in. We sent our team of trusted InStyle editors 22 of the highest-rated dandruff shampoos, and asked them to incorporate these treatments into their haircare routines for 12 weeks. Throughout that time, we analyzed each product on its cleansing ability, oil absorption, and — most importantly — its overall performance to minimize dandruff. After collecting this data from each editor, we tallied the scores and ranked the shampoos we tested. This list features the 13 best dandruff shampoos that made a serious difference in our scalp health. The 9 Best Shampoos for Oily Hair in 2023, Tested and Reviewed Our Top Picks Best Overall: Head & Shoulders Clinical Dandruff Defense Intensive Itch Relief at Amazon Jump to Review Best Drugstore: Neutrogena T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo at Amazon Jump to Review Best Splurge: PHILIP B Anti-Flake II Relief Shampoo at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Itchy Scalps: Jupiter Dandruff Shampoo at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Sensitive Skin: Klorane Balancing Shampoo with Galangal at Howl.me Jump to Review Best Natural: R+Co Water-Activated Enzyme Exfoliating Shampoo at Nordstrom Jump to Review Best for Buildup: Olaplex No. 4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Flaky Scalps : amika Reset Exfoliating Jelly Scalp Scrub at Sephora Jump to Review Best for Dry Scalp and Dandruff: Briogeo Scalp Revival Shampoo at Target Jump to Review Best for Oily Hair and Dandruff: Canviiy Scalp Bliss Scalp Purifying Foam Treatment at Walmart Jump to Review Best Overall Head & Shoulders Clinical Dandruff Defense Intensive Itch Relief 5 Target View On Amazon View On Target View On Walmart What We Love: Our dandruff flakes and itchiness cleared up after a single use. What We Don’t Love: If you’re looking for a nice, foamy lather, you won’t find it with this shampoo. Head & Shoulders Clinical Strength Dandruff Defense Shampoo earned our best overall pick for how quickly and effectively it performed. To our surprise, it cleared up most of our dandruff issues after just one wash — our scalp was less itchy, flakes disappeared, and we no longer had redness or irritation around our hairline. After four washes, the overall health of our scalp greatly improved, and our hair looked shinier and stronger. The shampoo’s scent was subtle and fresh, and we appreciated the way our hair air dried a bit wavier than normal when using it. The final look was reminiscent of the perfect beach day — but with a cleansed scalp, free from sebum and buildup. Though this formula didn’t really lather, it was easy to spread throughout our scalp for a deep clean. We do recommend following up with a conditioner to keep strands moisturized, but otherwise, we were completely impressed with this dandruff-fighting powerhouse. Price at time of publish: $12 Size: 13.5 oz | Active Ingredients: Citric acid, selenium sulfide | Hair Type: All Best Drugstore Neutrogena T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo With Build-Up Control 5 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Herbspro.com What We Love: The formula is gentle enough for daily use. What We Don’t Love: The bottle is small, and because it doesn’t lather, we found ourselves using more product and going through it quickly. We’re big fans of any dermatologist-recommended drugstore product, and this Neutrogena Therapeutic Shampoo is no different. Throughout our 12-week test, we found this fragrance-free formula to be very gentle and soothing on our scalp. It didn’t trigger any kind of tingly sensation and didn’t have an overpowering medicinal feel. Though we don’t experience persistent flakes, we used this shampoo when we had flare ups, and it quickly and efficiently mitigated the issue. Plus, it didn’t dry out or strip our hair in the process. We appreciated the bottle’s sleek and discreet design, meaning that no one using our bathroom would realize we were using a dandruff shampoo. Since this formula doesn’t lather or foam, we found ourselves using greater amounts of product to suds up. If you’re using this as your daily shampoo (it is gentle enough to do so), you might go through it quickly. Price at time of publish: $7 Size: 4.5 oz | Active Ingredients: Salicylic acid | Hair Type: All InStyle / Sara Luckey InStyle / Sara Luckey Best Splurge PHILIP B Anti-Flake II Relief Shampoo 4.6 Amazon View On Amazon View On Nordstrom View On Walmart What We Love: This is a rare dandruff shampoo that actually lathers really nicely.What We Don’t Love: While the formula reduced oiliness on our scalp, it left our hair feeling dry. Philip B Anti-Flake Shampoo is worth the splurge for its intensely clarifying results. During our test, we could immediately feel the strength of the tea tree oil penetrating our scalp. It wasn’t quite a burning sensation, but it was definitely tingly, and anyone with sensitive skin may want to stay away from this pick. Unlike most dandruff shampoos, the formula actually lathered very well and was easy to spread across our scalp, too. Aside from the impressive lather, this also differs from other dandruff shampoos because of the instructions. We needed to massage the shampoo into our hair and let it soak in for three minutes before rinsing. We were shocked to see that our scalp’s oiliness significantly reduced after just one wash. While we were amazed by the rapid results, the shampoo did leave our hair feeling somewhat dry. Although our scalp felt comfortable and balanced, our hair definitely needed some extra conditioning after, but a good deep conditioning mask post-wash fixed the issue. Price at time of publish: $55 Size: 7.4 oz | Active Ingredients: Zinc pyrithione, coal tar | Hair Type: Oily to normal InStyle / Chantia Murphy InStyle / Chantia Murphy Best for Itchy Scalps Jupiter Balancing Dandruff Shampoo 4.8 Amazon View On Amazon View On Hellojupiter.com What We Love: This option minimized our itchiness after one use. What We Don’t Love: While light, the floral earthy scent may be a bit polarizing for some. Though we’re somewhat embarrassed to admit it, our scalp was perpetually itchy until we introduced the Jupiter Balancing Shampoo into our routine. We noticed an improvement in itchiness and flakiness right away, but even better, our scalp was completely soothed and flake-free by the end of the 12 week test. We attribute the fast-acting results to the medicated active ingredient — zinc pyrithione — which has been scientifically proven to treat dandruff without causing a harsh burning sensation. Formulated with hydrating heroes coconut oil and squalane, this shampoo was much more moisturizing than most others we tried during our test. Plus, we found the scent (a mix of lavender, sage, mint, and vanilla) to be natural and pleasant, but if you’re not a fan of floral scents, you may want to try something else. Price at time of publish: $25 Size: 9.5 oz | Active Ingredients: Zinc pyrithione | Hair Type: All InStyle / Phoebe Sklansky Best for Sensitive Skin Klorane Balancing Shampoo with Galangal for Flaky Scalp 4.8 Klorane View On Howl.me What We Love: This dandruff shampoo doesn’t use harsh ingredients and is gentle enough for sensitive scalps. What We Don’t Love: We noticed ourselves using twice as much product than usual because it doesn’t lather much. Ideal for those with sensitive skin, this Klorane Balancing Shampoo uses nourishing lactic acid and galangal root to gently exfoliate flakes from the scalp without causing irritation. During our test we noticed that it took three washes to really see and feel a difference on our scalp — possibly due to the gentler, plant-based formula — but after that, we were massively impressed with the results. Three washes was the magic number to reduce oiliness, itchiness, and flakiness. After the full 12 weeks, we couldn’t remember the last time we had dandruff, and we experienced fewer psoriasis flare-ups along our hairline, too. Unlike many other dandruff-specific formulas that use harsh ingredients, smell funky, and cause excessive dryness, our experience with this shampoo was overall pleasant. We did find ourselves using larger handfuls of product because it didn’t spread or lather easily, but at 13.5 ounces, the large bottle lasted longer than we expected. Plus, at less than $25, we’ll happily keep re-stocking. Price at time of publish: $24 Size: 13.5 oz | Active Ingredients: Lactic acid, galangal | Hair Type: All InStyle / Alena Kharlamenko The 16 Best Restorative Shampoos for Every Type of Hair Damage Best Natural R+Co Submarine Water-Activated Enzyme Exfoliating Shampoo 4.8 R+Co View On Nordstrom View On Target View On Dermstore What We Love: This formula uses fruit AHAs and naturally-derived enzymes to physically exfoliate the scalp without beads or harsh ingredients.What We Don’t Love: It’s only offered in a small, three ounce bottle. Concocted with nutrient-rich natural ingredients, this R+Co Exfoliating Shampoo targets pesky build-up and dandruff using highly concentrated fruit extracts that provide a refreshing and cleansing effect. We immediately felt a tingly sensation while spreading the shampoo across our head, but it didn’t burn or feel irritating. In fact, we actually enjoyed it — it made us feel like it was actually getting to work on our scalp woes. After the first wash, we instantly noticed a visible reduction in flakes. And after two, they were completely gone. As a bonus, the shampoo also extended the amount of time between washes. Though our hair doesn’t get very oily, we typically wash our hair every four to five days. But since introducing this shampoo to our hair, we felt comfortable waiting six days. Though the shampoo only comes in a small, three ounce bottle (and the price is on the higher end), we found that a little really does go a long way. We ended up using half the recommended amount per wash and still experienced serious results. We also couldn’t get enough of the very spa-like lavender, cardamom, bamboo, and tangerine scent that turned our bathroom into a mini oasis. Price at time of publish: $36 Size: 3 oz | Active Ingredients: Lactic acid, glycolic acid | Hair Type: All Best for Buildup Olaplex No. 4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo 4.7 Olaplex View On Amazon View On Nordstrom View On Walmart What We Love: This clarifying shampoo actually creates a robust lather. What We Don’t Love: We found the shampoo to fade hair color, albeit minimally. Olaplex is known for their proprietary ingredient blend, which they call the “broad spectrum clarifying system.” It’s beloved for its ability to break down buildup, revealing stronger, shinier hair, and lucky for anyone with dandruff, this blend makes up the foundation of this shampoo. This shampoo exceeded our expectations when it came to busting buildup and we were equally impressed that it worked into a really nice lather, which was a nice surprise as many do not. Though our scalp felt extremely clean after the first wash, we started to notice that our results began to last longer after the second wash, which is when it calmed our itchiness and decreased the number of flakes. The sulfate-free formula is also pH-balanced to ensure it is targeting oiliness without stripping too much moisture from hair. We definitely wouldn’t consider it a hydrating product (our hair felt a bit straw-like after using this), but after following up with a conditioner, our hair felt silky once again. We do need to note that the color of our highlights slightly faded with continual use. We didn’t have an at-home gloss on hand, but we bet using one in tandem with this shampoo would keep color vibrant. Price at time of publish: $30 Size: 8.5 oz | Active Ingredients: Bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate | Hair Type: All Best for Flaky Scalps amika Reset Exfoliating Jelly Scalp Scrub 4.5 Amika View On Sephora View On Loveamika.com What We Love: The texture of this shampoo is more gel-like than any others we’ve tried; it feels silky and akin to skincare. What We Don’t Love: The exfoliating beads are pretty spread out within the formula, making them less effective. If you’re seeking a long-term solution to flakey scalp concerns (and have a little bit of patience), this amika scrub might be your new hero product. This shampoo requires some time to really work its magic and we did endure a purging period when we started using it. After our first few washes, we actually noticed extra flakes around our hairline, almost as if the scrub was bringing longtime grime and sebum to the surface. Mercifully, our dandruff, dryness, and flakiness was seriously gone for good around the six-week mark. We also loved the shampoo’s unique gel texture. It was developed using many skincare-grade ingredients, like salicylic acid, pink clay, and charcoal, which makes sense considering the scalp is really just skin. Our only wish is that there were more exfoliating beads to really get our scrub on. Price at time of publish: $28 Size: 4.7 oz | Active Ingredients: Salicylic acid, pink clay | Hair Type: All, but not recommended for color-treated or chemically-treated hair InStyle / Alexandra Domrongchai InStyle / Alexandra Domrongchai InStyle / Alexandra Domrongchai Best for Dry Scalp and Dandruff Briogeo Scalp Revival Dandruff Relief Charcoal Shampoo 4.5 Briogeo View On Target View On Sephora View On Dermstore What We Love: This formula is powerful enough to combat advanced scalp concerns, like psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis, using only clean and vegan ingredients. What We Don’t Love: It has a strong tea tree scent, which is an acquired taste. If a dry scalp and oily hair is your specific set of concerns, this Briogeo Charcoal Shampoo quickly addresses both. It effectively diminished the oil in our hair (almost a little too much, as our strands felt a bit dry), and it worked like magic on our scalp, eliminating nearly all of our dandruff. And it only got better from there — after every wash, we experienced fewer flakes and felt far less itchy. By harnessing highly concentrated clean and vegan ingredients, including salicylic acid, lactic acid, and binchotan clay, this formula is efficient and effective, even when treating serious cases of psoriasis and eczema. And while the brand recommends using the product twice per week, we actually found the formula gentle enough to act as a regular shampoo — we used this three times a week without experiencing any irritation. But to enjoy this option, you must be a fan of tea tree oil, as the scent is quite pungent. Price at time of publish: $42 Size: 8.4 oz | Active Ingredients: Salicylic acid, lactic acid, binchotan clay | Hair Type: All, but not recommended for extremely dry hair InStyle / Stella Yu Best for Oily Hair and Dandruff Canviiy Scalp Bliss Scalp Purifying Foam Treatment 4.8 Canviiy View On Walmart View On Jcpenney.com View On Sallybeauty.com What We Love: This shampoo has a unique, foamy texture that feels lightweight and airy.What We Don’t Love: We needed two to three pumps of product per wash, as opposed to the brand directions which recommended one pump. Canviiy is a scalp-care brand that uses innovative plant science to target both oily hair and skin irritations. Jam-packed with antioxidant-rich natural ingredients like lactic acid, organic glycerin, shea butter, and aloe vera, this formula evolved into a foam consistency that melted right into our scalp within 20 seconds. For this reason, we had to be quick in applying and spreading it across our head before it dissipated. But once absorbed, it felt weightless and thoroughly removed all traces of oil. We did find the formula to be slightly drying to our hair, so we recommend it for those with both oily hair and dry scalp concerns — just make sure to follow up with an ultra-moisturizing conditioner. More than anything, we enjoyed the aftereffects of this shampoo. Our hair’s usual oil-slicked look was nowhere to be seen and our scalp remained calm (aka no itchy flare-ups) for days after washing. Because our hair is long and coarse, we found ourselves using double the recommended amount, but there was still plenty of it left by the end of the 12 weeks (this product was made to last!). Price at time of publish: $15 Size: 8 oz | Active Ingredients: Lactic acid, organic glycerin | Hair Type: All, but not recommended for extremely dry hair InStyle / Helen Liu Best for Curly Hair Bondi Boost Dandruff Repair Shampoo 4.6 Bondi Boost. View On Ulta View On Bondiboost.com What We Love: The peppermint oil leaves a refreshing, cooling sensation on the scalp. What We Don’t Love: Though sulfate-free, we recommend following this with an ultra-hydrating conditioner to keep your curls hydrated. Silicone- and sulfate-free, this dandruff shampoo from Bondi Boost is a fantastic option for curly hair. In just about two weeks, natural curls will be restored to a healthy, flake-free state. After one week, our itchiness subsided, and after two weeks, our dandruff flakes became few and far between. At six weeks, they were gone completely. This shampoo actually lathered surprisingly well, and one to two pumps did the trick to completely cover our whole head. The formula’s natural peppermint oil left a cool and refreshing sensation on our scalp, as other ingredients, including zinc pyrithione and aloe vera, worked to resolve itchiness and repair the moisture barrier. We’ll admit that the shampoo felt a bit drying to our often moisture-deprived curls, but just let your conditioner soak in for an extra minute or two and you’ll be in good shape. Price at time of publish: $24 Size: 10.14 oz | Active Ingredients: Zinc pyrithione, peppermint oil | Hair Type: All InStyle / Dwija Patel Best for Natural Hair Melanin Haircare African Black Soap Reviving Shampoo 5 Sephora View On Target View On Sephora View On Ulta What We Love: It’s the most effective treatment we’ve found to mitigate seborrheic dermatitis and maintain healthy 4C hair texture. What We Don’t Love: The formula takes consistent use to really get the best results, but within six weeks, it remedied our persistent scalp issues. If you have tightly textured natural hair and suffer from extreme flaky patches (or even more advanced scalp-centric eczema), we’ve finally found the shampoo for you. After trying many different doctor-prescribed medicinal shampoos over the years, we can officially say that nothing works quite as well as this Melanin Haircare formula. Free of silicone and sulfates, and rife with natural essential oils and plant extracts, our moisture-deprived curls and coils loved this stuff. And we found that it was even gentle enough for kids. The thoughtful nozzle dispenser design made it easy for us to squeeze the liquid directly onto our roots, so that we could target the specific spots with dandruff. It lathered nicely and didn’t leave our scalp feeling too oily, nor too dry. While our itchiness resolved within the first three weeks, it only took two to see a serious reduction in dryness. After six weeks, we found our scalp issues (namely, seborrheic dermatitis) to be entirely gone. This shampoo may not provide overnight results, but with time we saw visible difference in the way our hair looked and felt. Price at time of publish: $20 Size: 16.1 oz | Active Ingredients: Peppermint, tea tree, black cumin seed | Hair Type: All InStyle / Jada Allison Best for Color-Treated Hair Rahua Scalp Exfoliating Shampoo 4.9 Rahua View On Bluemercury.com View On Rahua.com What We Love: While most dandruff shampoos are incredibly drying, we found this one to be surprisingly hydrating.What We Don’t Love: The exfoliating beads can feel a little rough on sensitive scalps. Many dandruff shampoos contain exfoliating ingredients that can strip hair of color, but this pick from Rahua actually did the opposite. During our 12 week test, we dyed our hair red (notoriously the fastest shade to fade) and noticed zero stripping. In fact, our color remained so vibrant, we almost wonder if the shampoo helped to maintain it. We think we experienced these results because the formula is so moisture-rich. Most dandruff shampoos tend to be drying, but this one had a rich lather and left our scalp and hair feeling extremely hydrated and looking shiny. Plus, our hair is rather thick, and all we needed was a quarter-size amount to easily and evenly spread through it all. After using the treatment once per week, we noticed a real transformation in our scalp health and hair radiance after about a month — no more oiliness or dandruff. The earthy, citrus-like scent also enhanced the entire shampooing experience. We do wish this was made without exfoliating beads, though. Price at time of publish: $40 Size: 9.3 oz | Active Ingredients: Glycerin, kaolin clay, star anise | Hair Type: All InStyle / Cydnie Cole Our Testing Process After extensively researching the top dandruff shampoos market and asking experts for their recommendations, we carefully selected the 22 products to send on to our team of InStyle editors. We instructed each tester to incorporate the shampoo into their routine for 12 weeks, and analyze how it affected itchiness, flakiness, oiliness, and dryness over time. In addition to tracking the changes in their own scalp and hair health, testers also took into account factors like cleansing ability, lather effect, scent, texture, and more. At the end of the testing period, we went through everyone’s notes, and narrowed down the picks to 13 shampoos that effectively minimized dandruff. What to Keep in Mind Your Dandruff Severity Mild to moderate dandruff can be easily treated with one of the above products — as long as you choose the right one for your particular hair type and scalp concerns. Overall, we recommend Head & Shoulders Clinical Strength Dandruff Defense Shampoo for a quick-acting solution that works well with all hair types to alleviate the visible effects of dandruff. If your dandruff is a bit more severe, over-the-counter medicated shampoos may be a better option. “Depending on the severity of your dandruff, it can be treated with mild or extra-strength over-the-counter medicated shampoos that are made with lower concentrations of active ingredients like selenium sulfide, zinc, salicylic acid, or corticosteroid and coal tar,” explains New York City-based celebrity hairstylist, Jackie Seabrooke. On our list, PHILIP B Anti-Flake II Relief Shampoo contains zinc and coal tar to really mitigate dandruff after one wash. If your condition isn’t clearing up after two months of consistent dandruff shampoo use, you may need to seek prescription-strength options from a dermatologist, especially if your condition has advanced to psoriasis or eczema. Active Ingredients What ingredients help alleviate dandruff? Florida-based certified trichologist and hair care expert Bridgette Hill advises people to look at the product labels. Selenium sulfide, salicylic acid, sulfur, zinc, and alpha hydroxy acids are the ingredients you want. “In general, zinc and antifungal actives with antimicrobial properties will help prevent unhealthy bacteria from developing on the scalp,” she explains. Selenium sulfide is an agent that reduces inflammation, itchiness, and redness of the scalp, while zinc acts as an antifungal. Acids help to gently exfoliate the scalp, whisking away excess flakes. “If the scalp is tight and mildly flaky, look for products with ingredients like peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, rosemary, and aloe,” she says. These will often provide a cooling sensation that enhances the entire shampoo experience, soothes irritation, and prevents dryness. Bondi Boost Dandruff Repair Shampoo feels especially invigorating thanks to the peppermint oil in the formula. Your Hair Type Different hair types may develop dandruff for various reasons. “Those with very curly hair tend to suffer from dandruff more as sebum and oils can get trapped on the scalp due to the curl patterns being tighter, not allowing natural oils to travel down the full length of strands, which leads to dry or frizzy hair,” explains Seabrooke. When it comes to curly hair, choosing a dandruff shampoo without sulfates is best to prevent excessive dryness (we like Bondi Boost Dandruff Repair Shampoo). Hill notes that there’s a delicate balance to treating dandruff when you have dry hair and recommends that anyone with dry hair only use a dandruff shampoo once a week. For any other washes that week, reach for a traditional shampoo. Those with oily hair, on the other hand, should be able to use a dandruff shampoo twice a week, as many formulas contain ingredients that curb excess oil, like Canviiy Scalp Bliss Scalp Purifying Foam Treatment. Your Questions, Answered What causes dandruff? According to Hill, dandruff is caused by an overproduction of yeast, which results in two different types of conditions — pityriasis capitis (dry dandruff) and pityriasis steatoides (greasy dandruff). “When there is an overproduction of yeast, it disrupts the natural balance of the scalp, creating abnormal fungal growth,” explains Hill. “This causes the skin to turn over and shed in flakes instead of forming the tightly coherent skin cells of a balanced scalp.” Seabrooke adds that an assortment of diverse factors, such as oily skin, dry skin, not shampooing enough, sensitivity to hair care products, and other skin conditions, which can all contribute to excess buildup, itchiness, and flaking. How do you get rid of dandruff? Most standard cases of dandruff can easily be resolved with the introduction of a targeted dandruff shampoo. More advanced cases — especially where other skin conditions such as psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, or eczema are present — may require a medicated treatment prescribed by a dermatologist. Hill recommends first determining whether your dandruff is of the dry or greasy variety. “Dry dandruff can be treated with shampoos that use active ingredients like selenium sulfide, salicylic acid, and sulfur zinc,” she says. “With dryness, you’ll want to alternate between dandruff-fighting actives and gentle daily shampoos to maintain the scalp’s microbiome, and be sure to follow with a conditioner based on your hair type and texture.” Meanwhile, for greasy dandruff, Hill recommends having two types of shampoos in your arsenal. “Use one shampoo that has the ingredients suggested for dry dandruff, and another shampoo that is specifically formulated for oily hair,” she says. “Clay-based formulas are great for this; the healing properties of clay slow the overproduction of sebum, which is a culprit to greasy dandruff.” Does dandruff mean your hair or scalp is unhealthy? “Dandruff signifies that there is an imbalance in the body creating an imbalance on the scalp,” explains Hill. “To characterize dandruff as ‘unhealthy’ is contradictory, as dandruff is the physical manifestation of the body responding to self-regulating and healing other essential tissues negatively impacting the scalp’s microbiome.”. Seabrooke also helps us reframe this question with a helpful outlook. “Give tender love and care to your scalp, the way you do with the skin on your face,” she says. “If you don’t moisturize, you’ll get dry. If you don’t properly cleanse and exfoliate, dead skin cells build up, pores get clogged, and irritation is caused. The same goes for your scalp.” Why Shop With Us Linne Halpern is a freelance beauty, fashion, and lifestyle writer. For this story, she collected and read the data from the team’s 12-week dandruff shampoo test, and interviewed two experts on hair health, including New York City-based celebrity hairstylist Jackie Seabrooke and Florida-based certified trichologist and hair care expert Bridgette Hill. What Is InStyle Picks? Did you notice the InStyle Picks seal of approval at the top of this story? That means our team of testers has reviewed every product on this list using a unique methodology to ensure it's really worth your time, money, and attention. We may get samples for free to try but we never promise positive (or any!) coverage in exchange. Put simply: InStyle picks are products we love, and we've put them to the test to be sure you will too. Want more product recommendations? From best-in-class concealer to the black pants you need for work, check out all of our InStyle Picks content. The 10 Best Scalp Massagers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed