For the longest time, I thought I had the healthiest hair. It’s shiny, soft, and has no split ends in sight—all thanks to hydrating hair masks and hair oiling routines. But at the root of my luscious hair lies an itchy, flaky scalp. It was evident that I had dandruff on my scalp, and as I neglected to solve the problem, it affected my scalp and hair health (clarifying shampoos only made it worse!). I noticed more hair loss than usual, and that’s when I knew my hair care routine needed a refresh. One of my favorite skincare brands, Remedy, by board-certified dermatologist Dr. Muneeb Shah, M.D., came out with a unique dandruff shampoo—and I was hopeful it would be just what I needed for my flaky, itchy scalp. And it turns out, it was. Although there are plenty of dandruff shampoos on the market (prescription and over-the-counter), most of them are drying and have an off-putting medicated scent. They might be effective at treating dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, but it’s not a pleasant hair care experience. Remedy is known for its all-in-one formulations that feature a variety of hero ingredients to solve a skin issue from multiple angles with less products. I’m already a fan of the brand’s dark spot serum, which is a gentle yet effective nightly treatment that’s formulated to replace three different products, including a retinol, chemical exfoliants, and skin brighteners and antioxidants. This dandruff shampoo follows a similar format with multiple active ingredients to tackle flakes and irritation in a comprehensive manner, and Dr. Shah confirmed that “it’s never been done before.” “A lot of people think that dandruff is a hair issue but it really is a scalp health issue,” explains Dr. Shah. “Dandruff (aka seborrheic dermatitis) is one of the most common issues that I see in clinic.” Board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital previously told Prevention, “Dandruff is essentially scalp flaking caused by inflammation. This inflammation is driven by our skin reacting to yeast on the scalp. Yeast lives on everyone’s scalp, but some people react to it, leading to inflammation, itchy scalp, and flaky skin.” It can be confusing to determine if you have dandruff or dry scalp because they both look very similar. But, Heather Woolery-Lloyd, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and Director of the Skin of Color Division at the University of Miami told Prevention that while dry scalp is often a symptom of external factors like harsh cleansers and shampoos or internal factors like eczema, dandruff is different. It is a symptom of seborrheic dermatitis, “an inflammatory skin condition that can cause itching, burning, scaling, and flakes and scales on the scalp,” she explains. Remedy for Dandruff is a unique formula. It contains both salicylic acid and ketoconazole, while most dandruff treatments contain only one. “The scalp microbiome is more complex than a single-ingredient solution,” says Dr. Shah. Instead of telling his patients to switch off between a salicylic acid shampoo and ketoconazole shampoo, he decided to work with the brand’s product development team to a create a formula that had both ingredients. Salicylic acid is a chemical exfoliant traditionally used to help unclog pores, reduce excess oil production, and minimize breakouts. These benefits can also extend to the scalp, and it can even help to dissolve and eliminate flaking, according to Dr. Shah. Ketoconazole, the active ingredient in Nizoral, is an antifungal medication that helps maintain the scalp’s microbiome by eliminating excess fungi and yeast. Stronger doses are often prescribed for more intensive dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis cases. Remedy For Dandruff is also formulated with niacinamide to help regulate oil production and an array of botanicals like thyme extract, turmeric root extract, and maidenhair fern extract to help soothe the scalp from irritation. The formula is also free from fragrance, dyes, irritating surfactants, and preservative allergens. According to the brand, you can directly apply the medicated shampoo onto the scalp using the tip applicator and lather like any other shampoo. Depending on the severity of your dandruff, the brand states that you can use it every day until the dandruff is under control and then weekly for maintenance. “It can be used two to three times a week and be applied to other areas of seborrheic dermatitis like the eye brows, beard, and body,” says Dr. Shah. After using it for about a month, I found that it’s best for me to use the dandruff shampoo once a week and use a gentle, hydrating shampoo on the wash day in between. I like to use the tip applicator on my scalp and part my hair in sections to make it easier to apply the formula evenly throughout. I lather it up with my fingers and let it sit for the recommended five minutes. To make this feel like a luxe experience, get a good scrub in, and kill some time, I use a silicone scalp scrubber for an invigorating scalp massage. This formula is not as excessively drying as other ones I’ve tried. My scalp feels refreshed, light, and clean—but not stripped. The slim tip applicator is a small packaging detail, but it’s a convenient feature that lets me target my scalp without getting it on the rest of my hair, and it prevents me from unnecessarily wasting product by using too much. But, because it contains active ingredients that are inherently drying, I like to use a hydrating hair mask on my mid-lengths and ends to keep the rest of my hair nourished. It also doesn’t have a strong medicated smell; it smells like clean bar soap, which is not off-putting in any way. The best part? Remedy For Dandruff works after just one use. My scalp was flake-free from the moment I blowdried it (middle image) to my day three hair (right image), as shown above. Although it was greasy, which is expected for three days without washing my hair, my scalp did not show any signs of irritation or flakiness. Its effects also last when I switch off and use my hydrating shampoo. Although it works after one use, it’s not a one-and-done cure for dandruff. It helps treat the symptoms and keep the flakiness at bay, but this is something I’ll need to use consistently in my hair care routine—whether as a weekly maintenance treatment or in conjunction with a prescription (note: prescription dandruff treatments are more effective for severe cases). I know if I stop using it, dandruff does come back. I noticed a big difference in my scalp after using Remedy For Dandruff as a weekly dandruff treatment for a month. My scalp produces oil at a more balanced and gradual rate, and there is barely any build-up or flakes. I can stick to a routine wash schedule of twice a week without my scalp feeling irritated. Although I haven’t been able to tell if the dandruff shampoo is affecting my hair growth, I’m starting to notice less hair fall-out, which is a win in my book. Anvita Reddy (she/her) is a Commerce Editor at Hearst Magazines. She contributes commerce content across Hearst’s Lifestyle portfolio, including Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Cosmopolitan, House Beautiful, and more. She has over four years of experience in the commerce space, including writing detailed first-person product reviews, trend and best-of round-ups, deals and sales coverage, and more. Previously, she was an assistant editor for PS Shopping, covering home and kitchen, beauty, fashion, tech, travel, wellness, and lifestyle. In her free time, you can find her catching up on everything from reality TV to reruns of classic sitcoms, testing out viral beauty products, sharpening her cooking skills, working out, or traveling.