This K18 Shampoo Eliminated My Dandruff

POV: You’re on a first date with a 10 you met on Hinge and they tell you there’s something caught in your hair. You laugh in a cute, embarrassed way, but inside, you’re panicking. Is it a leaf? Some dirt? A piece of food? No, something much worse. To your horror, they pull a massive white flake from one of your strands. “Oh weird! I wonder what that is,” you say, knowing very well it’s a monstrous clump of dandruff that may have just sabotaged your love life.

I had the misfortune of living through this exact scenario a month ago. Before this year, excessive scalp buildup wasn’t something I struggled with. However, seemingly for no reason, my hair suddenly became a nest of visible dead skin and oil. 

"Dandruff is a milder form of seborrheic dermatitis, and is restricted to the scalp," dermatologist Dr. Iris Rubin previously told InStyle. Fungus called malassezia can form on the scalp for a number of reasons, including infrequent shampooing, stress, and dehydration. As a result, the malassezia will feed on the oil your skin naturally produces, and as a response, your scalp may begin to shed in order to expel the irritant. "The faster the scalp sheds, the worse dandruff becomes," explained dermatologist Dr. Sophia Emmanuel in an earlier interview. 

To remedy the problem, I tried dozens of scalp scrubs, serums, and special shampoos. Against the advice of every hairdresser I’ve ever known, I even started washing my locks every day, but nothing did the trick. However, when K18 Biomimetic Hairscience, an internet-famous brand approved by Hailey Bieber, Rihanna, and Selena Gomez reached out to me about trying its anti-dandruff shampoo, I decided it was worth a shot. 

The K18 Biomimetic Hairscience Peptide Prep Clarifying Detox Shampoo combines activated charcoal and salicylic acid, two ingredients adept in exfoliating and detoxifying the scalp of sebum and excess dead skin. This waxy buildup can contain DHT, a hormone responsible for hair loss. Consequently, in addition to relieving irritation, inflammation, and visible flakiness, the formula can also revitalize hair growth. What’s more, the shampoo includes the brand’s peptide complex, designed to strengthen existing hair by reducing protein loss around the cuticle.

Shop now: $38; sephora.com

After my first few washes, my dandruff seemed to increase significantly. However, upon understanding the mechanisms of exfoliation, I decided to trust the process and continued to use the shampoo four times a week. After the 15-day marker, I combed through my hair and saw very little dandruff. After one month, it had completely vanished. As a bonus, my mane felt so soft and fluffy after every use, and I frequently got compliments on how voluminous it looked. I even started to see new baby hairs growing around my hairline.

Now into my second month, I have switched back to my drugstore shampoo but continue to use my K18 formula once a week for maintenance. My scalp is clear and my hair looks better than ever. Fortunately, this hair transformation has come just in time for date number two, and this time, I’m prepared. 

Shop More InStyle Editor-Approved Beauty: 

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