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The Best Dandruff Shampoos For Curly Hair
Flaky scalp? We don’t know her.
No matter your hair type, dandruff can be difficult to treat — so when it comes to curly hair, which tends to be more prone to dryness, developing an effective treatment plan for your dandruff becomes even trickier. “Curly hair is often dry and more prone to frizz due to its unique shape and texture,” hairstylist Michael Duenas explains to Bustle. Using a dandruff shampoo designed for curly hair will help your strands stay moisturized even as the product deep cleans and gently exfoliates your scalp. The best dandruff shampoos for curly hair combine dandruff-fighting actives like zinc pyrithione, ketoconazole, and salicylic acid with gentle, moisturizing ingredients.
The Experts
Michael Duenas is a celebrity hairstylist specializing in curly hair who trained at DevaChan in Soho. His clients include celebrities like Illana Glazer and Padma Lakshmi, and brands like Michael Kors and Oscar de la Renta.
Dr. Cheri Frey is a board-certified dermatologist, the chair of the dermatology section of the National Medical Association, and an assistant professor of dermatology at Howard University.
What To Look For In A Dandruff Shampoo For Curly Hair
“Dandruff is caused by a combination of factors,” explains Duenas, like a buildup of sebum on the scalp and an overgrowth of a type of yeast called malassezia. “Although this yeast normally lives on the scalp, some people make more of it or are sensitive to it,” Frey tells Bustle, leading to an inflammatory response that causes an itchy, flaky scalp. Treating dandruff can involve both exfoliating the hair follicles and addressing the yeast overgrowth on the scalp.
Frey says that her two favorite ingredients to look for in dandruff shampoos are zinc pyrithione, “which helps to limit the amount of yeast on the scalp,” and AHAs and BHAs like glycolic acid or salicylic acid to exfoliate the scalp. “If you have very dry hair or extensive breakage, you may want to avoid these exfoliants,” cautions Frey, “or apply them only to your scalp, and use a deep hydrating conditioner after.”
Another effective ingredient that can help treat dandruff is tea tree oil, which has been shown to have anti-fungal properties. Frey also notes that ketoconazole is a “popular and effective topical anti-fungal,” but shampoos with ketoconazole also often contain sodium lauryl sulfate, which “can strip textured hair which is already prone to dryness,” so some curly-haired folks might enjoy the benefits of ketoconazole shampoos, while others might find them too stripping.
That’s the catch with finding a dandruff shampoo for dry, curly hair: dandruff shampoos can be especially drying because of their active ingredients, says Duenas, and that’s not something a curly-haired person is looking for. “Applying a good conditioner when using a dandruff shampoo is a must,” says Duenas, and try to use your dandruff shampoo just once a week.
Shop The Best Dandruff Shampoos For Curly Hair
In a hurry? Here are five of the best dandruff shampoos for curly hair:
- Best Exfoliating Dandruff Shampoo: LivSo Moisturizing Shampoo
- Best Dandruff Shampoo With Pyrithione Zinc: Head & Shoulders Royal Oils Scalp Care Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
- Best Dandruff Shampoo With Ketoconazole: Nizoral Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
- Best Dandruff Shampoo With Tea Tree: Tea Tree Lavender Mint Moisturizing Shampoo
- Best Splurge-Worthy Dandruff Shampoo: Leonor Greyl Paris Gentle Dandruff Treatment Shampoo
1. Best Exfoliating Dandruff Shampoo
Frey recommends LivSo, created by a board-certified dermatologist, for curly-haired folks who are dealing with an itchy, flaky scalp. The formula contains glycolic acid to gently exfoliate the scalp, coconut oil to moisturize and condition hair, and xylitol, a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that helps moisturize hair and combat the overgrowth of malassezia. The product is also sulfate-free, so it shouldn’t dry out your hair or irritate your scalp.
Sulfate-Free: Yes Key Ingredient: Glycolic Acid Size: 8.5 oz.
Relevant Review: “I have been struggling with a flaky scalp all winter and thought I ran out of options until I found this. After using this shampoo a few times a week for about a month, my scalp has been back to normal. So glad I found this option, feel so silky and foams up nicely when shampooing into the hair.”
2. Best Dandruff Shampoo With Pyrithione Zinc
Made by Head & Shoulders, Royal Oils is specifically designed to treat dandruff on curly and coily hair types. It uses the active ingredient pyrithione zinc, an anti-fungal commonly used to treat dandruff and other skin conditions that cause flaking like seborrheic dermatitis. The Royal Oils shampoo also contains coconut oil to moisturize and apple cider vinegar, which has anti-microbial properties, to gently clarify and balance out scalp dryness with regular use.
Sulfate-Free: Yes Key Ingredient: Pyrithione Zinc Size: 12.8 oz.
Relevant Review: “I was struggling with itchy scalp and big flakes. I experimented with my routine and eventually stumbled on this version for curly hair. My hair is around 3c and has some coarseness. It's great! The smell is not too medicinal or overpowering, it gets rid of product buildup fairly easily, and definitely doesn't strip my hair of moisture. Best of all, my itchy scalp and those big flakes are gone.”
3. Best Dandruff Shampoo With Ketoconazole
Nizoral is the only OTC shampoo with ketoconazole, a powerful, clinically proven anti-fungal medicine. Nizoral controls the growth of malassezia rather than just addressing the symptoms of dandruff, like flaking and itching. While ketoconazole is one of the most powerful anti-fungals on the market, Nizoral is gentle enough to be used twice a week if needed (though as mentioned earlier, curly hair types should ideally only use a dandruff shampoo once a week). Note that it does contain sulfates, which might make it too drying for some — but it is super effective at getting to the root of severe dandruff.
Sulfate-Free: No Key Ingredient: Ketoconazole Size: 7 oz.
Relevant Review: “This shampoo works! I am African American and have curly hair so I was worried this shampoo would make my hair super dry. That was not the case. As long as you use a moisturizing conditioner afterward you'll be good to go. This shampoo would be worth it anyway because it really helps with getting rid of dandruff!”
4. Best Dandruff Shampoo With Tea Tree
Designed for coarse and dry hair types, Paul Mitchell’s Tea Tree Lavender Mint Moisturizing Shampoo soothes dry scalps while simultaneously cleansing hair and adding shine. The lavender and tea tree scent is more than just aromatherapeutic — tea tree oil has natural anti-fungal properties and has been shown to help treat dandruff. While tea tree calms the scalp, amino acids work to improve hair strength, moisture levels, and symptoms of dandruff. Keep in mind that this shampoo is also not sulfate-free; however, if your skin tends to be sensitive to the harsh actives that are found in most dandruff shampoos, tea tree is a great alternative.
Sulfate-Free: No Key Ingredient: Tea Tree Size: 10.14 oz.
Relevant Review: “I've been using this for anti-dandruff shampoo for years now based on the recommendation of my stylist. Haven't had dandruff since.”
5. Best Splurge-Worthy Dandruff Shampoo
The Leonor Greyl Paris dandruff shampoo utilizes the antimicrobial properties of bee propolis for a super-gentle yet effective remedy for dandruff and a dry, itchy scalp. The shampoo has a delicate ylang ylang scent and soothes with high-quality, naturally derived ingredients like chamomile extract, oat amino acids, wild pansy extract, and bee propolis, the latter of which was used by the ancient Greeks and Egyptians to calm inflammation and promote healing. It’s free of sodium lauryl sulfate, and rather uses the gentler ammonium lauryl sulfate to deeply cleanse hair with less irritation.
Sulfate-Free: No Key Ingredient: Bee Propolis Size: 6.7 oz
Relevant Review: “This shampoo works wonders on my scalp. I suffer from seborrheic dermatitis and I have tried innumerable medicated shampoos through out the years without any success until I tried Leonor Greyl shampoo. My dandruff completely disappeared and my scalp is healthy as I haven’t see it in years. The shampoo has a very nice aroma and it leaves my hair soft without drying it.”
