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CeraVe

Anti-Dandruff Shampoo with Zinc Pyrithione.

CeraVe Anti-Dandruff Shampoo with Zinc Pyrithione
Haircare

About this product

A hydrating shampoo containing 1% zinc pyrithione designed to control mild dandruff while cleansing the scalp without over-drying hair.

Haircare

The Guru Index verdict

80%

Approved

Approved · 80%
7Reviewers
7Approved
0Mixed
0Skip
#6 in Best Haircare

What the gurus are saying

Gurus are unified in praising this shampoo for effectively controlling mild dandruff without over-drying hair, a rare combination in the category. The hydrating formula with ceramides and niacinamide appeals especially to those with sensitive, eczema-prone, or color-treated hair. Key strength: zinc pyrithione both tackles dandruff-causing yeast and shows promise for hair regrowth when paired with treatments like minoxidil. The fragrance-free, gentle profile sets it apart from older anti-dandruff options like Head and Shoulders.
Synthesized from 7 expert reviews

Key actives & flags

NiacinamideHyaluronic acidSalicylic acid (BHA)CeramidesFragrance-freeAlcohol-free

Full ingredients

Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Chloride, Glycol Distearate, Amodimethicone, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Potato Starch Modified, Cocamide MIPA, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Niacinamide, Trideceth-6, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Polynaphthalenesulfonate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Coco-Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Cetrimonium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Polyquaternium-10, Acrylates Copolymer, Benzoic Acid (F.I.L. V70046481/​1)

Every take, in full

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Approved only Skip only Mixed only Hide sponsored
Approved
"I love CeraVe anti-dandruff shampoo with active ingredients like zinc pyrithione, but it's going to be way more gentle on your hair."
All 5 takes from Dr. Jenny Liu
The Right Way to Wash Your Hair (Most People Get This Wrong) | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I love CeraVe anti-dandruff shampoo with active ingredients like zinc pyrithione, but it's going to be way more gentle on your hair."
Stop believing these hair loss myths! Dermatologist explains | Dr. Jenny Liu
"If you have dandruff, that is another contributor of oxidative stress, so you definitely want to make sure you're using anti-dandruff shampoo. Even if you don't struggle with dandruff, incorporating an anti-dandruff shampoo is the best thing you can do to support a healthy hair environment. Studies have shown that anti-dandruff shampoos alone, whether you have dandruff or not, can support hair regrowth, namely zinc pyrithione and ketoconazole."
Dermatologist Favorite Haircare Products of 2024 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"CeraVe Anti-Dandruff Shampoo is so lovely, so hydrating, makes my hair feel wonderful as well. It's great for those that have mild dandruff. If you have mild dandruff with kind of intermittent itching and flaking here and there, I think this one would be a great one to use. It contains 1% zinc pyrithione along with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide, all wonderful ingredients to support the skin of your scalp. After rinsing it off, it does not cause dryness of your hair. If you have hair thinning and want to use an anti-dandruff shampoo to complement minoxidil, zinc pyrithione has been shown to actually complement minoxidil for supporting hair growth, so this one would be a good one to use a few times a week without drying your hair."
Dermatologist-Approved: The Best Drugstore Haircare You NEED to Try | Dr. Jenny Liu
"Works great at controlling mild dandruff without overdrying your hair. If you have a sensitive scalp, eczema prone scalp, or want a shampoo that can cleanse without stripping your scalp and hair, this is so good. It really helps to cleanse but without making your hair feel dry and your skin also is being hydrated while it's being cleansed. It contains three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide. It's also safe for dry and color-treated hair too."
Dermatologist-Approved: The Best Drugstore Haircare You NEED to Try | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The anti-dandruff shampoo works great at controlling mild dandruff without overdrying your hair. If you have a sensitive scalp, eczema-prone scalp, or want a shampoo that can cleanse without stripping your scalp and hair, this hydrating shampoo is so good. It really helps to cleanse but without making your hair feel dry and your skin is being hydrated while it's being cleansed. It contains three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide, and it's also safe for dry and color-treated hair too."
Approved
"Caravee, in my opinion, they really did a good job. They really brought a full package here with their anti-dandruff line, the zinc pyrithione. If you dose conditioner up by your roots, they recommend coming in with the conditioner that has zinc pyrithione. According to Proctor and Gamble, when you put conditioner up there after you've rinsed the zinc pyrithione shampoo out and let it incubate before rinsing, you end up removing some of that initial zinc pyrithione from the shampoo."
All 6 takes from Dr Dray
Dermatologist Shops Walmart Skincare: What to Buy and Avoid
"Caravee, in my opinion, they really did a good job. They really brought a full package here with their anti-dandruff line, the zinc pyrithione. If you dose conditioner up by your roots, they recommend coming in with the conditioner that has zinc pyrithione. According to Proctor and Gamble, when you put conditioner up there after you've rinsed the zinc pyrithione shampoo out and let it incubate before rinsing, you end up removing some of that initial zinc pyrithione from the shampoo."
Dermatologist Hair Care Empties What I Used Up and Loved (or Didn’t)
"The anti-dandruff stuff with zinc pyrithione is not only good for dandruff because it helps reduce the malassezia yeast on the scalp that is responsible for dandruff, but zinc pyrithione also shows promise for androgenetic alopecia. So it's helpful for supporting scalp needs for healthy hair growth. I finished the shampoo that went with this."
Dermatologist Hair Care Empties What I Used Up and Loved (or Didn’t)
"I have had no problem with either the shampoo or the conditioner. The zinc pyrithione from the shampoo is left behind in the scalp, and the conditioner is there to deposit more behind, which makes sense in the long run."
*NEW* CeraVe Haircare Products Review
"They have an anti-dandruff hydrating shampoo with 1% zinc pyrithione and an anti-dandruff conditioner with 0.5% zinc pyrithione. Using the shampoo and conditioner together resulted in my hair being clean, manageable, bouncy, and shiny. I really saw a visible difference in my hair. The 2-in-1 product worked well for me and I liked how my hair was the following day, but it wasn't quite as impressive as using the shampoo and the conditioner separately. Remember, shampoo is a scalp-directed product, especially when treating dandruff. You want to direct the lather to your scalp, not the ends of your hair. Conditioner is meant for the hair strands to make them more manageable and cut down on tangling. The results with the shampoo and conditioner together were very impressive. Some people with textured hair that is more prone to breakage and fragility may find that using a conditioner close to the scalp is helpful for their hair care needs, and I think this is a perfect pairing for those hair types."
*NEW* CeraVe Haircare Products Review
"The shampoo and the conditioner performs pretty much identically to the zinc pyrithione shampoo and conditioner only without the zinc pyrithione. While it's not an anti-dandruff shampoo, consistent scalp cleansing is a mainstay in reducing flareups and symptoms of dandruff and reducing the burden of malassezia yeast. Ultimately that'll help not just dandruff but may also help you out in terms of controlling other facial eruptions related to malassezia. Consistent shampooing helps control some of those flareups because it helps to cut down on the sebum buildup that fuels that yeast to overgrow and for you to have some immune response against it."
You Asked, A Derm Answered! Skincare Q&A
"Just finished up the CeraVe hydrating shampoo and I'm almost finished with the CeraVe anti-dandruff hydrating conditioner as well."
Approved
"The CeraVe hydrating anti-dandruff shampoo treats dandruff while restoring moisture and supporting the scalp barrier. It's really best for dry, flaky scalp that needs extra hydration. I have oily scalp and kind of fine hair, and I absolutely love this one. It's also friendly to colored hair and it's good for teens and it has zero fragrance whatsoever. The key ingredients here are zinc pyrithione, ceramides, and niacinamide."
All 2 takes from Dr. Aleksandra Brown
Drugstore Haircare That Actually Works According to a Dermatologist
"The CeraVe hydrating anti-dandruff shampoo treats dandruff while restoring moisture and supporting the scalp barrier. It's really best for dry, flaky scalp that needs extra hydration. I have oily scalp and kind of fine hair, and I absolutely love this one. It's also friendly to colored hair and it's good for teens and it has zero fragrance whatsoever. The key ingredients here are zinc pyrithione, ceramides, and niacinamide."
Why Hair Thins After 50: A Dermatologist on Menopause & Aging Hair
"I love this CeraVe anti-dandruff shampoo here. It treats the dandruff while restoring moisture and supporting the scalp barrier. It's best for dry, flaky scalp needing extra hydration. I absolutely love that it has zero fragrance and it's friendly to colored hair as well. The key ingredients are panthenol, zinc, ceramides, and niacinamide."
Approved
"Again, it's fragrance-free. It contains ceramides. Not much else for hair growth, but it's affordable"
Approved
"Caravee has entered the shampoo game and they have made some great products with zinc pyrithione anti-dandruff shampoo or their two-in-one shampoo and conditioner. Great products."
All 3 takes from Dr. Daniel Sugai
Fine Lines, Clogged Pores & Dandruff: What Dermatologists Really Recommend
"Caravee has entered the shampoo game and they have made some great products with zinc pyrithione anti-dandruff shampoo or their two-in-one shampoo and conditioner. Great products."
Dermatologist Reviews: My New Skin & Hair Care Product Picks!
"CeraVe has made a nice anti-dandruff hydrating shampoo. I've been using that every other day alternating with my prescription ketoconazol shampoo for dandruff and it's really nice. I like that it has hyaluronic acid in addition to their ceramides to help hydrate the scalp but also repair the skin barrier, plus adding in niacinamide which is one of my favorite skincare ingredients but so great to put in your hair care products to help with the skin barrier of your scalp and regulate sebum production. I think that sets it apart perhaps from Selsun Blue or Head and Shoulders by having just simple ingredients plus the niacinamide, and of course it has zinc pyrithione to help work on the Malassezia yeast that causes dandruff, scalp itch, and scalp flaking."
Dermatologist Explains: How to Manage an Itchy and Flaky Scalp
"What I like about CeraVe is that it's free of fragrance if you are sensitive to fragrance and also they have their three essential ceramides hyaluronic acid to hydrate the scalp but also niacinamide which is soothing helps repair the skin barrier and also helps regulate sebum production and that's why we like it in our skincare but I love seeing it in our shampoos as well. They both have 1% zinc pyrithione."
Approved
"The zinc pyrithione formula CeraVe Anti-Dandruff Hydrating Shampoo is very affordable and by a very reputable brand. This helps to treat flakes and itching while maintaining your scalp barrier, and it's a great option if you're dealing with dandruff but also noticing that you have dry, irritated, or itchy scalp. It has zinc pyrithione 1% which helps reduce yeast on the scalp. It also has ceramides which help to restore and maintain your skin barrier. It also has hyaluronic acid which helps you hold on to water in the scalp and niacinamide which helps calm inflammation and support your skin barrier function."
Approved
"I'm super excited to know that CeraVe has something that's going to be gentle for the scalp and gentle for the skin and gentle for the hair both regular non-medicated cleansers and dandruff cleansers and dandruff conditioners which is also very unique."
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