Product review: Head & Shoulders Itchy scalp shampoo

I still read comments about this shampoo ( and other products) where people think it's not harmful at all, because it's on the market.

The ugly truth is it doesn't mean anything if a product is on the market, this is NOT a guarantee for safety. And if you read my other article about Why natural/organic products are better?, then you will understand what I am talking about.

People often don't read the ingredient list on a product, they trust the companies and this is what the companies are taking advantage of. I read somewhere: "If it has more than six syllables you probably shouldn't put it on your skin" and in most cases I agree with that (but not always).

I found that Head & Shoulders shampoo contain harmful ingredients and it's still on the market.

Ingredient list of Head & Shoulders shampoo for "Itchy scalp".

Pyrithione Zinc (1%), Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLES), Cocamide MEA, Zinc Carbonate, Glycol Distearate, Dimethicone, Parfum /Fragrance, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Xylene Sulfonate, Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Chloride (table salt), Sodium Benzoate, Guar Hydroxypropyltimonium Chloride, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide, Benzyl Alcohol, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone

My personal experience with this shampoo:

I have tried Head & Shoulders shampoo (almost every type) and it did not work for me at all. My scalp was a little bit "burning" because of the Eucalyptus (in this case). Try to avoid the eyes, because it's not a good feeling, believe me. And try to avoid the whole Head & Shoulders collection. It dryes my hair and -altough I don't have too much-, it didn't get rid of my dandruffs.

My opinion and experience:

There is no ingredient list on the bottle and for some reason you can't even see it on their official site.

So I did some research and I finally found it. But I am not impressed. The first 2 ingredients are the most harmful substances on the market and the list continues. Surfacants, stabilizers, thickeners and preservatives. Nothing actually for the healthy hair, just man-made chemicals.

They even say it on their site that their shampoos don't actually treat the dandruff, just makes it "visibly flake free". This basically means that the shampoo just "glues" the flakes to the scalp, but doesn't solve the problem.

Let me quote Pat Thomas about anti-dandruff shampoos and what we can actually expect from them:

"Anti-dandruff shampoos are nothing but advertising puff and chemicals. The main function of a shampoo is to clean the hair. Its function is so simple – so boring even – that manufacturers have to work doubly hard to make it sound more complicated and exciting than it actually is. Underneath all the puffery, however, a shampoo is just a bottle of highly coloured, highly perfumed detergent, and – in spite of ‘scientific’ claims for specific ingredients such as pro-vitamins – the difference between an own-brand bargain bottle and a designer shampoo is usually only the price.

Dandruff shampoos are made with detergents to which anti-flaking agents, such as coal tar, zinc pyrithizone, salicylic acid and selenium sulphide, are added. While they can relieve itching and decrease flaking, none can control dandruff completely. Zinc pyrithizone can slow the production of flakes; beyond this, little is known about exactly how anti-dandruff shampoos work. All anti-flaking agents have some side effects. They can be irritating both to skin and eyes. Dandruff appears to be related to the fungus Pityrosporum ovale. Tea tree oil has antifungal properties with activity against P. ovale and may be useful in the treatment of dandruff.

Studies have shown that a shampoo containing at least five per cent tea tree oil can be an effective way to tackle flakes. Effective as they may be, most of the shampoos that you can find online and in your health store don’t come with the big advertising budget of a multinational behind them, so most of us never hear of them and never think to try a simpler alternative.

Because dandruff is caused by a fungus it is probably most effectively tackled from the inside out. Effective dietary measures include cutting out sugar and yeasty foods, supplementing with B-complex and probiotics (acidophilous and bifi dobacterium), and drinking plenty of water each day. Essential oils of tea tree, rosemary and thyme can also be applied topically (mixed with cider vinegar) at bedtime."

About dandruff, hair problems and their treatments I will write in an other post.

They do test on animals.

Please note: I am not affiliated with this company and I purchased the product myself for personal use. My opinion is completely honest and based on my own experience and knowledge.