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K18

Peptide Prep pH Maintenance Shampoo.

K18 Peptide Prep pH Maintenance Shampoo
Haircare

About this product

A clarifying shampoo formulated with activated charcoal, salicylic acid, and K18 peptides to remove product buildup, sebum, and environmental residue while cleansing the scalp and hair.

Full ingredients

Guru Score

84%

Yay

9 experts · Strong agreement
9Gurus
8Yay
0Mixed
1Nay

What they liked

  • Cleanses without leaving hair dry or stripped
  • Adds bounce and shine to hair
  • Safe for color-treated and damaged hair

What they flagged

  • May dry out hair sensitive to sulfates

What the gurus are saying

This shampoo delivers a deep clean without the dryness that typically comes with clarifying formulas, thanks to its K18 peptide blend that strengthens hair even while detoxifying. The activated charcoal and salicylic acid work to remove buildup and gently exfoliate the scalp, making it particularly helpful for those with dandruff or oily scalps, while color-treated and damaged hair remain soft rather than crunchy after use. One reviewer with sensitive hair noted the sodium olefin sulfonate ingredient caused dryness for her, so those prone to dryness may want to patch-test first; most others suggest using it once weekly or every two weeks to prep hair for treatments or maintain volume without over-stripping.
Synthesized from 9 expert reviews · most recent take February 2026

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 Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored
Yay
"Swap two K18 Peptide Prep pH Maintenance Shampoo for $39 which honestly is not bad and in fact this is one of my personal favorite detox shampoos. I use it once a week regularly."
Top Pick: clarifying shampoo
All 6 takes from Dr. Jenny Liu
Budget Haircare That Performs Like Luxury | Dermatologist Dr. Jenny Liu
"Swap two K18 Peptide Prep pH Maintenance Shampoo for $39 which honestly is not bad and in fact this is one of my personal favorite detox shampoos. I use it once a week regularly."
Dermatologist Favorite Haircare Products of 2024 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I really love this shampoo right before I use the K18 Bond repair treatment to really set my hair and scalp up for that. Ingredient wise it's got activated charcoal to absorb the sebum buildup and other residues, metals from the water, etc. that can build up on your hair and scalp, along with salicylic acid that is a great exfoliant, and then the K18 peptide that we know is really the core of K18 products that helps to strengthen hair and reduce the damage that shampooing naturally brings on to your hair and scalp. It's a lovely gentle clarifying shampoo that I highly recommend for anyone that has more dry and damaged hair, color treated hair, chemically processed hair, looking for a clarifying shampoo that will not wreak havoc on hair."
Hair Cycling Routine according to a dermatologist | Dr. Jenny Liu
"One that I really love is K18, they have a detox shampoo. I find that of all the clarifying shampoos I've used, this is the one that feels the best on my hair afterwards. After I rinse it out, often clarifying shampoos because they're so effective at cleansing, it makes my hair feel a little bit dry and crunchy after rinsing it out, but this K18 detox shampoo does not do that. It is very gentle and contains the K18 peptide that is in their bond repair that helps to reinforce hair strength and reduce breakage. But at the same time, I do feel that there's no residue, like my scalp does feel clean, so it's not like it's not effective. It contains activated charcoal along with citric acid as well as the K18 peptide together to really give you an effective cleanse without over stripping your hair. I will often use this shampoo on the days that I plan to use the K18 bond repair treatment because I do find that this shampoo does set my hair up for success with the bond repair product."
Dermatologist's Favorite Sephora Skincare & Haircare Products | Dr. Jenny Liu
"If you're looking for a good clarifying shampoo that gets a job done while minimizing dryness to the hair, you've got to check out K18. Their detox shampoo, I am obsessed with it and I have to say probably is by far to date my favorite clarifying shampoo. This shampoo first of all is safe to use on color treated hair. K18 is a line that really formulates for those that have dry damaged color treated chemically processed hair so you know the formula is going to be gentle on hair but overall it's just lovely at cleansing your scalp and as I'm rinsing off it just magically keeps my hair soft and helps to detangle my hair too, which is not what I typically find with clarifying shampoos in general. Clarifying shampoos are really meant to give your scalp a good cleanse and so in general they tend to be a little bit more aggressive at cleansing and strip away everything including the natural sebum that our scalp makes to protect our scalp and hair, and that's the problem. You kind of have to have this delicate balance with the product but also the frequency of use. For me what I do is I use it once a week and that is what the brand recommends as well. You don't want to be using a clarifying shampoo on a regular basis because that's just too aggressive."
Sephora Spring Savings Event 2024 | Dr. Jenny Liu
"K18 their detox shampoo is a lovely great clarifying shampoo to use once a week especially to prep your hair for the K18 treatment mask if you use that, but it's just really nice at removing all the buildup, the sebum, the debris, whatever products or dry shampoo that you may use on your scalp. But after I rinse it through my hair, my hair actually feels softer and it actually magically detangles my hair, which I feel like I normally don't get that with a clarifying shampoo because if you think about it the idea behind a clarifying shampoo is they tend to have a little bit more aggressive cleansing ingredients to remove everything and so with that they may strip your hair's oil or make your hair more tangled up, but this one I love the way it not only does for my scalp but also how my hair feels afterwards. Ingredient wise it contains activated charcoal that helps to absorb all the sebum, the debris, excessive oil from your scalp. It also contains salicylic acid that is a great chemical exfoliant to kind of gently remove the buildup, and then the K18 peptide that is kind of part of all of their products that really is the core peptide that helps to strengthen the hair at the same time."
Dermatologist updated Haircare routine | Dr. Jenny Liu
"One of my favorite clarifying shampoos that I absolutely love is from K18, their detox shampoo. I absolutely love this shampoo because it's very gentle on all fronts but works really well. Clarifying shampoos usually have stronger detergents to just remove everything, and with that I worry about what it does to my hair, if it makes my hair feel more brittle and dry, but this one does not. At the same time, afterwards my scalp also feels very refreshed. It contains activated charcoal that helps to absorb excessive sebum and remove buildup including heavy metals that may build up in our hair from water. It also contains salicylic acid that helps to remove dead skin buildup and excessive sebum, as well as the K18 peptide that helps to strengthen hair and repair dry and damaged hair. I use this once a week at most. If you use this shampoo and then pair it with your K18 repair treatment, the shampoo actually sets up a good environment and makes a clean canvas so that the K18 repair treatment can better work through your hair as well."
Yay
"The K18 Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo really delivers that deep clean without stripping your scalp skin barrier, and it does help prep your hair for treatments, for heat styling or if you're going in for hair dyeing or for curling or things like that. It contains activated charcoal which helps to draw out dirt, oil and impurities. It also has salicylic acid which helps to gently exfoliate your scalp, lift off those dead flakes. Salicylic acid is a great ingredient actually for dandruff. The signature K18 peptide helps to protect and strengthen your hair even while you're doing this detox treatment."
Yay
"I really like it. It really gets down to the scalp and I feel like it fluffs everything up. So if you are someone who uses a lot of product and you tend to get buildup, using a clarifying shampoo occasionally, so good. So good. Or even if you're just someone who has an oily scalp, you know, your hair is fine, you have an oily scalp, using a clarifying shampoo occasionally, it just makes such a difference. You'll notice so much more volume in your hair. And I've really been liking this one. So I already bought another one because I ran out of it."
Yay
"This is one of the best from the drugstore. I really like this shampoo, it does a really good job to cleanse without stripping your hair. Your hair doesn't feel like straw, it's not all matted when you hop out of the shower. It does a really good job and I also find that it gives that nice shine to the hair as well. This is the one that you can use pretty much every single day."
Top Pick: clarifying shampoo
All 4 takes from Sincerely Miss Ash
BEAUTY PRODUCT'S I'VE USED UP || BEAUTY EMPTIES 2024 - SINCERELY MISS ASH
"I have an empty K18 Peptide Prep, this is the pH maintenance shampoo you can use this every hair wash. This one will give your hair a little bit of shine, it never weighs down my hair either and it does give that nice bounce to my hair as well. I really like this one and it never ever disappoints. It doesn't strip my hair of all of its moisture, it keeps the moisture in the hair and your hair still looks and feels incredible. Yes, I did purchase another one."
BEAUTY EMPTIES 2025 || SKINCARE, MAKEUP AND HAIRCARE PRODUCT'S I'VE USED UP - PROJECT PAN
"This is one of the best from the drugstore. I really like this shampoo, it does a really good job to cleanse without stripping your hair. Your hair doesn't feel like straw, it's not all matted when you hop out of the shower. It does a really good job and I also find that it gives that nice shine to the hair as well. This is the one that you can use pretty much every single day."
SEPHORA VIB SALE RECOMMENDATIONS & TOP PICKS | HOLIDAY EVENT 2023 PART:1
"I was never a fan of clarifying shampoos because they always made my hair feel like straw. They always stripped my hair and it just felt naughty and dry and crunchy. This is literally the best that I've ever used. I won't use anything else. This really has made the biggest difference on my hair. I actually look forward to clarifying my hair because it's the one clarifying shampoo that actually keeps my hair feeling like my hair. It doesn't feel dry, it doesn't get all tangly, it's truly amazing. If you're looking for a good detox shampoo, I would say pick this up. I use this pretty much once a month, sometimes twice a month."
SEPHORA VIB SALE RECOMMENDATIONS | SPRING SAVINGS EVENT 2024 - SKINCARE, MAKEUP & HAIRCARE
"This is literally the best clarifying shampoo I have ever used. I have used many different clarifying shampoos in the past and they have all made my hair look and feel like straw and I hate that feeling. I really hate when my hair looks and feels crunchy because the clarifying shampoo just literally stripped all of the goodness out of my hair. And when you have blonde hair or lightened hair your hair can be on the drier side already so some clarifying shampoos can make your hair feel and look worse. This one does not and I'm telling you right now this is incredible. I use this about once or twice a month. You could use it more often than that especially if you're someone that really has that oily scalp or you're using a lot of products and you get that buildup in your hair. You could use it more often than once or twice a month. Of course you may not want to use this every time you wash your hair although you probably could. I don't think it's necessary but this is exceptional to get rid of that buildup and every time I use this I have that bounce to my hair again. My hair has that shine as well and my hair just looks so fresh after I've clarified my hair."
Yay
"Probably the two I use the most in my shower are the one by K18 and the one by Whey, both work really well. A little bit goes a long way, they lather really nicely so it feels good as a cleanser, and I just find that my hair looks great afterward too."
All 2 takes from Dr. Sam Ellis
How To Grow Longer, Healthier Hair Fast | Hair and Scalp Tips | Dr. Sam Ellis
"One of my favorites that I have tried is by K18. I find that their Peptide Prep pH Maintenance Shampoo strikes a really nice balance of making my scalp and hair feel really clean but not dried out. I will often use this K18 clarifying shampoo in conjunction with that buildup detox spray and I do that about once a week where I'm going to do the spray first, let it sit at least 15 minutes, and then go into the shower and use my clarifying shampoo. That combination keeps my scalp feeling good and keeps my dandruff and flaking at bay."
Dermatologist's Healthy Haircare Upgrades for 2025 | Dr. Sam Ellis
"Probably the two I use the most in my shower are the one by K18 and the one by Whey, both work really well. A little bit goes a long way, they lather really nicely so it feels good as a cleanser, and I just find that my hair looks great afterward too."
Yay
"This is the K18 Peptide Prep. Now this is not a cheap product, but it's actually one of the few clarifying shampoos they call it a detox shampoo that just kind of gets rid of all that buildup on your scalp and on your hair from all the products that you use throughout the week. Now I use this every other week. It took me forever to get through it. The only complaint I have is it turned into kind of this gel-like stuff toward the end of its use. I didn't use it up quickly, it took me a while to get through this, but the one thing that I loved about it is it clarified my hair and got the gunk out without making my hair feel stripped and dried out. So I am thinking about repurchasing this, but it's a little on the pricey side."
All 3 takes from Beyond50Skin
Come Shop With Me! (Sephora Summer 2024 - With My Mom!)
"The only hair care product that really intrigued me this shop is the K18 biometric the hair signs the hair wash. I've been trying to find this product it's always out of stock at my local Sephora but I saw Abby young do a really quick review on it recently. I didn't realize that it was a liquid product that you have to blow dry so I'm not sure that's something I'm really interested in. I want to use a dry shampoo where it is literally a dry shampoo."
Beauty Favorites & Fails: What Worked & What Didn't for My Sensitive Over 50 Skin!
"This is the K18 Peptide Prep. Now this is not a cheap product, but it's actually one of the few clarifying shampoos they call it a detox shampoo that just kind of gets rid of all that buildup on your scalp and on your hair from all the products that you use throughout the week. Now I use this every other week. It took me forever to get through it. The only complaint I have is it turned into kind of this gel-like stuff toward the end of its use. I didn't use it up quickly, it took me a while to get through this, but the one thing that I loved about it is it clarified my hair and got the gunk out without making my hair feel stripped and dried out. So I am thinking about repurchasing this, but it's a little on the pricey side."
Best Beauty of 2023! Every Category SUBSCRIBERS I HAVE EXCITING NEWS🎉
"I hadn't used a detox shampoo in many years, and I really like the Peptide Prep by K18. I use it once a month, once every other month, just to get rid of all that buildup."
Yay
"I use K18."
Yay
"This is K18 Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo. I love my Head & Shoulders, but this has converted me, I'll be honest. They say that this is a color safe, clarifying shampoo with skincare inspired ingredients, plus micro dosed with the K18 peptide to nourish hair while removing buildup for clean, healthy hair canvas. It has a non-stripping lather which helps to unclog hair follicles while banishing dirt, oils, silicones and things left behind from heavy product buildup. The idea behind this is that there's like a polypeptide chain which you find in the innermost layers of your hair, which are responsible for the strength of your hair and the elasticity. And these shampoos help kind of repair any damage that's caused by external aggressors, heat tools. And I don't know if the science behind this is rooted in anything, but whatever it does, it makes my hair feel so good. I'm not fussed about hair product at all, like I'll use whatever shampoo I'm given, whatever conditioner, usually a Korean one. But there's something about this K18 that's just so good, that makes it feel like I've had a professional treatment. This makes it feel like I've paid good money to have my hair properly washed."
Nay
"I gotta say I did look at the ingredients before I used it and I wasn't thrilled with the ingredients but I liked how my hair came out at first when I first styled it but the way it frizzed up I was like absolutely not. Then I was like well no wonder with these ingredients like this has very high SD alcohol so that is going to dry out my hair and sure enough it did. And this one has the ingredient that I really don't like which is that sodium C1416 olefin sulfonate my hair does not like that that just dries my hair out like crazy."
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What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid dissolves in oil, so it can get into a pore rather than just working on the surface. That is why it has long-standing evidence for blackheads and milder acne.

Source: DermNet

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Peptides

Peptides are short protein fragments meant to signal repair. The evidence for them is thinner than for retinoids or vitamin C, and it varies a lot by the specific peptide, so the category is more promising than proven.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Frequently asked.

What is K18 Peptide Prep pH Maintenance Shampoo?

A clarifying shampoo formulated with activated charcoal, salicylic acid, and K18 peptides to remove product buildup, sebum, and environmental residue while cleansing the scalp and hair.

Is K18 Peptide Prep pH Maintenance Shampoo worth it?

Mostly yes. 8 of the 9 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 84%.

What is K18 Peptide Prep pH Maintenance Shampoo's Guru Score?

K18 Peptide Prep pH Maintenance Shampoo holds a Guru Score of 84%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 9 expert reviewers we have collected. At least one expert has named it a Top Pick in its category.

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