As soon as I spot the first leaf changing color, I make two changes to my beauty routine: one glamorous, the other, exactly its opposite. I transition to dark manicures with the deepest plum and navy shades I can find at my nail salon (to me, nothing screams fall more than a short, dark nail). On the other end of the spectrum, I add a weekly dandruff shampoo to my wash routine.
During the warmer months I’m more carefree about scalp care—my regular shampoo serves me well, and I'll only reach for a dandruff wash when I see some sporadic flakes. But as soon as the air gets drier, so does my scalp. I find that the only thing that keeps me flake-free is a OTC dandruff shampoo with time-tested ingredients like pyrithione zinc or ketoconazole, which help reduce the malassezia yeast that causes dandruff, as well as salicylic acid in serum or shampoo form which helps slough off dead flakes. An estimated 50% of Americans suffer from dandruff, so while this isn't the sexiest beauty topic in the world, it's clearly one that affects a lot of people.
The problem with a lot of OTC shampoos containing these ingredients is that they can be incredibly drying—my scalp just seems so parched after I use them—but avoiding them doesn’t help either. So, I’m stuck in a loop, and need to hydrate my scalp after shampooing. I do that by following up with a hydrating shampoo, a conditioner applied to the scalp, or a weightless scalp serum. I hate this added step and I’ve long wished for a flake-fighting shampoo that wouldn’t strip my scalp of its natural oils.
That’s why I was the perfect candidate to test out CeraVe Haircare, the sensitive skin brand’s foray into scalp care.
What is the new CeraVe haircare line
This new line contains five products, including an Hydrating Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, an Hydrating Anti-Dandruff Conditioner, and a 2-in-1 Hydrating Anti-Dandruff Shampoo & Conditioner, all $9.97 each. Both the shampoo and the 2-in-1 promise to remove flakes with 1% pyrithione zinc, which is a fairly standard active ingredient for drugstore anti-dandruff shampoos. What's unique is the focus on restoring scalp skin's protective barrier with three kinds of ceramides, fatty ingredients that keep the skin supple and moisturized. Niacinamide is also in there to balance oil production, and so is salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy acid which helps to loosen the bonds between skin cells, so that dead cells don’t stay adhered to the scalp. The conditioner also has 0.5% pyrithione zinc and is meant to be used on the scalp, the idea being that more of the active ingredient will stay on the skin to works its magic instead of all of it being rinsed away like in a shampoo.
The line also includes a Gentle Hydrating Shampoo and a Gentle Hydrating Conditioner, both of which are $8.97. These are meant to remove buildup and impurities without irritating scalp, with the same three-ceramide blend, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid as the anti-dandruff products. I trust the brand when my sensitive skin has flare ups and irritation, so I knew my scalp would be treated similarly gently.
Shop the new CeraVe haircare collection
CeraVe Hydrating Anti-Dandruff Conditioner
CeraVe Hydrating 2in1 Anti-Dandruff Shampoo + Conditioner
CeraVe Gentle Hydrating Shampoo
CeraVe CeraVe Gentle Hydrating Conditioner
How I used the new CeraVe haircare line
I started by using the Anti-Dandruff Hydrating Shampoo. It lathered easily into a soft, dense foam that made it easy to work into the scalp. I used a scalp brush a couple of times that I tested it, and just used my fingers for other washes, and both worked equally well. I left it on for three to four minutes before washing it off. It rinsed clean without leaving any residue which I appreciated, cause I hate when shampoos leave a film behind. I’m Team Squeaky Clean.
After rinsing away the shampoo, I worked the conditioner into half of my scalp, to try and see if that side would fare better than the one treated by shampoo only. The texture is goopy, as you’d expect from a conditioner, and it wasn’t as easy to work it into the roots, but I did manage to get it in there. Washing it off was another matter. Conditioner likes to hang around, and this one took a lot of effort to get off. I prefer my roots to be squeaky clean and not slick, so in trying to get the slip of the conditioner off half my head, I had to rinse way more than normal. I prefer scalp products to have pointy, targeted nozzles that can deposit product exactly where it’s meant to go, and I think this conditioner would have benefited from that. It’s definitely not a dealbreaker, however.
The Gentle Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner are solid workhorses that I used on the days I didn't suds up with the anti-dandruff products—and I plan on continuing to do so. The 2-in-1 Anti-Dandruff Shampoo & Conditioner was the only product I haven’t tested.
What I liked about the CeraVe haircare line
Overall, I was impressed. I'm definitely going to continue to use these products—these are just a few of the major reasons why:
The shampoos are gentle and color-safe
The shampoo (and, really, all the products in this line) are sulfate- and fragrance-free and safe for color-treated hair. The last attribute is vital because it’s hard to find color-safe anti-dandruff products. In fact, they are notorious for being so damaging to color that an open secret amongst hair colorists is to use a popular drugstore dandruff shampoo any time they need to quickly strip the color off a client’s hair. I’m petrified of that fate, so for a few years I’ve been using a bougie brand that’s 2.5x the price of drugstore variants, but does its job safely. I’m happy to report that I don’t need to do that any more, as this shampoo retained the integrity of my color. It also was incredibly respectful to the delicate balance of oils on my scalp, gracefully doing the dance of cleansing and treating without stripping.
My scalp was left soothed and hydrated
The true test of a dandruff shampoo, for me, is always the day after. Typically, by then my scalp shows the aftermath of the dandruff-fighting ingredients by looking parched and dry. Not with this one: From the first wash with the Anti-Dandruff Hydrating Shampoo, my scalp felt soothed and hydrated, with no rough spots. It’s important to note that it didn’t feel greasy or weighed down, either. It attained a Goldilocks state of optimal existence. The conditioned half of my scalp didn’t feel much different a day after, and I think that’s testament to how hydrating the shampoo is. Somehow it even made my curls pop, which was an unexpected benefit. The Gentle Hydrating Shampoo was also similarly gentle on the scalp, all while doing its job of washing out excess oils and product buildup.
You can't beat the price
Apart from its gentle yet efficient nature, what makes this line so attractive to me is the price and accessibility. One of the parameters I use to judge my beauty editor credentials is if I can recommend a well-priced, easily accessible product that works as well (or better!) than its counterparts in prestige or luxury categories. Nothing gives me more joy than telling someone, "You can get this at Target/CVS/Walmart." Thus far, I have not been successfully able to do that in the dandruff realm, but these products have changed that.
Bottom line: Is the new CeraVe haircare line worth it?
All in all, I think this line personifies what CeraVe does best–solid, dependable basics that will be kind to your skin and do what they promise without any unnecessary bells and whistles. The Anti-Dandruff Hydrating Shampoo, in particular, is what I have been waiting for brands to step up and formulate—and CeraVe have done it well.
It’s already got a place on my permanent bathroom shelf, a high honor.
