Product Reviews Rated 4.41 out of 5 stars
300 Reviews
Most Helpful Positive Review great ingredients So, I am a 24 year old male that always thought my hair loss was purely hormonal and there was nothing I could do about it besides try and alter those hormones. This is because I keep my stress low, eat healthy foods, stay active, and use what I THOUGHT to be good haircare.
Then I got deep into a forum and saw posts of people discussing something ELSE besides DHT, calcification or other build up of some sort, that they were trying to treat with diluted magnesium oil. I wish I could find the post.
I have very dry, wavy curly hair and it seemed that neither traditional shampoos (sulfates, silicones) nor the curly-girl approved haircare made any difference, but curly-products at worst would build up and make it a little limp, but the traditional would really make my hair a weird texture and lose its curl while remaining very frizzy. Plus, who KNOWS what's in them.
I did find that on day-2 or 3 no washing my shedding would get really bad. Like, 3-4 hairs every time I run my hand through my head, without fail. I also sweat multiple times a day. I always heard that shampooing was bad for your hair, but what about my scalp? If nasty things (DHT, or not) were building up and causing this shedding, I would need an effective shampoo for my scalp that wouldn't disrupt the acid or moisture barrier.
Upon realizing my curly girl "moisturizing" shampoos all had butter or oil (this can not only make finer hair like mine limp, but keeps moisture from getting in the hair too!) I knew I had to try to switch things up.
So my plan was too use a steroid, prescription, protein, butter/oil-free scalp-clarifying shampoo. I use COSDNA.com for all of my cosmetics as well. I learned what sulfate-derivitives (altered to be less harsh than their detergent cousins) would be safe from them and settled on trying Derma-e Scalp Relief Shampoo. It met all of my criteria.
And boy, was I right.
I was disappointed at first. I did the same thing I usually do cleanse, rinse thoroughly, apply my conditioner, rinse thoroughly, lightly blot with a t-shirt, and use my hair cream through the nearly-sopping-wet hair, adjust the position of the "clumps" and wait for it to dry until it was 80-90% done, then diffuse (sometimes I skip that). Sometimes I'll use an unscented body powder and/or a sea salt spray if it's too limp or greasy. I use a homemade toner on my scalp and face (spraying it on fingertips and massaging it for the scalp). It's just rosewater and witch hazel (any brand, in a dark glass spray bottle, at about a 6:1 ratio).
That night, I was watching tv with my mom and sadly pulling out my hair at the same rate as before. Worse still, my scalp kind of itched MORE. But, my hair did look a little cleaner and the build up was gone, and it was a little less frizzy! So that was good.
I didn't think about it much, until the next week. I started running my hands though my hair again, expecting the sad usual. Nothing. I tried again... nothing. I sorta bug-eyed at my hand, and went to sleep.
The next day, and from then on, I have been losing almost NOTHING. Even in the shower, I only lost two-three hairs. Throughout the day, I probably lose a total of 10-20. But that is nothing compared to the 150+ I was losing before. I did look at the directions and it did say that it's most effective after 7 days, so that made sense to me.
I really still can't believe it. It's been three weeks total and still getting the results.
I am not affiliated and I NEVER leave reviews, but I am putting this out there because, a.) it could help someone that had the same problem as me and b.) with more sales, perhaps the chance of them discontinuing it will lower!
I think my problem was more complex than just DHT. From what I gathered, "it" all ends up on the scalp, and if you take care of that, the damage could be stopped or minimized. I was about to risk it all and start using dht-blocking supps and foods... I'm so glad I tried this first.
I think my hair loss will continue, as the hairs I do lose are in the "MPB" areas, but whatever problems that were caused from my scalp health (diffuse, but HEAVY thinning) have completely stopped and slowed the process down incredibly.
In terms of texture and aesthetics, my hair has never looked so good. It's got bounce and wave, stays frizz-free but still voluminous for a long time. I could go 4-5 days without washing it, but I don't because of my active lifestyle and the fact it's gentle enough to use daily.
I do love the hair cream and the toner I use, but I was using both of these things before the results came. I really think it's the shampoo.
The slight itchy feeling after showers that goes away after 1-2 minutes hasn't stopped yet, but I suspect it will and it's a small price to pay for the results.
With it being such a minimal formula, I don't think the chance of it messing up your hair routine is high, unless you have a sensitivity to skin-safe essential oils (I believe it uses tea tree, neem, and chamomile among others).
I think it's worth a try for just about anyone. Try it for a few weeks, and be the judge. Take care of your scalp, and see what happens.
Peace and blessings! :)
Most Helpful Critical Review Feels soothing but didn't help my scalp About a year ago I started using Redken after a lifetime of using drug store shampoo (I know, I know… I didn't understand the ingredients). However, I started noticing this random greasy/waxy patch in my hair that I just never seemed to be able to get out. I switched to Ouai for a while, which I enjoy, but the greasiness maintained. I did some research and learned seborrheic dermatitis/Malassezia could be the culprit. I tried hard to find a clean product that had the right ingredients to alleviate my problem. I came across this shampoo, which had a couple of recommended ingredients, and I've always loved Derma E, so I really expected this to do the trick. I've used the shampoo for months now, but my problem has persisted and maybe even been worse. I would leave it on in the shower for a few minutes so it could take effect, but no dice. It does feel really cool on the scalp, but I felt like I needed to use a lot of it because it's hard to get all of my scalp, plus saturate the strands. Though I do go several days without washing my hair, so it's usually fairly oily by the time I do wash it, which makes lathering a bit more difficult. Also will add that as we've progressed to winter, my scalp has been very flaky and this hasn't controlled it.
Anyway, I wanted to like this more than I did and maybe I'll try it again in the future. But out of desperation last night, I caved and bought Head and Shoulders and when I woke up this morning, my hair looked great and my oily patch was practically non-existent. My boyfriend said it looked "shiny in a good way". Maybe I just needed something more stripping, but I figured the ingredients in this would have been enough since they're most commonly used to treat this condition. If you suffer from a more severe case of SD, you might need something else, but if it's mild or you just have some itching, maybe this will be enough. I will say their scalp treatment feels AMAZING and helped me not get oily as fast, so you might try that out if you seek additional relief.
Reviewed by 300 customers Doesn't do anything 2
Kirsten from Denver
My scalp has been extremely dry and itchy this winter, so I bought this to help. Other than providing it a temporary relief of itchiness because of the menthol, The shampoo does absolutely nothing. I've been using it for two weeks, and my scalp is still dry and itchy. I had minimal flakes before using this product, but now the flaking is worse. I wouldn't buy this again.
Smells like motor oil! 3
Loho67 from Midwest
The smell of this product is truly offensive. it smells like I'm washing my hair in motor oil! The conditioner did very very little mask the horrific scent. I ended up using another conditioner on top to cover the stink and to be able to comb through my hair. Absolute waste money. Do not recommend!
The absolute worst shampoo I've ever purchased !! 1
Jeccika from Casa grande, az
I struggle with oily hair but this shampoo stripped my hair of everything!! It lathered up nice and then within seconds my hair was so tangled I couldn't run my fingers through it !! 2 days later and I'm still having the same issue and I haven't even used the shampoo ! My tips are so dry almost like I bleached my hair one to many times. I'm so upset.
This helped so much 5
Em from New York
I don't write reviews but I have to for this. At first I didn't notice a difference. But I then used a ACV scrub and all of my flakes were gone. I used this and the matching conditioner and it kept my flakes away. I have spent months trying to get my flakes to go away and the use of this & the conditioner helped so much
Made it worse 1
Courtney from Florida
I bought this hoping to help with my flaky scalp. It seemed to help some the first time, but now it's like there is more than before.
I would buy again 5
eleanor from Undisclosed
This stuff is pretty good. I prefer a shampoo with more of a fragrance but this one is soothing.
Great for scalps 4
Hollywood Glitter from North Idaho
I'm a California girl who moved to North Idaho a few years ago and everything changed. It took a year for my skin to adjust and it's usually good now except for in winter. My scalp gets so dry and flaky with the winter weather I needed something that would help. I tried a couple different products and I found one that was semi-helpful in the store but always seems to be out of stock. So that led me to try Derma E. I bought the scalp relief shampoo and conditioner and absolutely love them. I saw an immediate change my scalp and my hair. I have curly Puerto Rican hair some of which I bleach and use vibrant color on. I find the scalp relief shampoo completely stripped my hair but it's immediately replenished by the conditioner. The only downside I found to this is the actual bottle the shampoo is in. The plastic is hard to squeeze which makes the shampoo hard to get out. I wish the plastic was a little more flexible and less stiff. Despite that I will probably buy this again and continue to use it. It does have a thing with feeling on my scalp which I like I know longer have flakes or dry skin so it's worth the cost.
Feels soothing but didn't help my scalp 3
Devlin from Pennsylvania
About a year ago I started using Redken after a lifetime of using drug store shampoo (I know, I know… I didn't understand the ingredients). However, I started noticing this random greasy/waxy patch in my hair that I just never seemed to be able to get out. I switched to Ouai for a while, which I enjoy, but the greasiness maintained. I did some research and learned seborrheic dermatitis/Malassezia could be the culprit. I tried hard to find a clean product that had the right ingredients to alleviate my problem. I came across this shampoo, which had a couple of recommended ingredients, and I've always loved Derma E, so I really expected this to do the trick. I've used the shampoo for months now, but my problem has persisted and maybe even been worse. I would leave it on in the shower for a few minutes so it could take effect, but no dice. It does feel really cool on the scalp, but I felt like I needed to use a lot of it because it's hard to get all of my scalp, plus saturate the strands. Though I do go several days without washing my hair, so it's usually fairly oily by the time I do wash it, which makes lathering a bit more difficult. Also will add that as we've progressed to winter, my scalp has been very flaky and this hasn't controlled it.
Anyway, I wanted to like this more than I did and maybe I'll try it again in the future. But out of desperation last night, I caved and bought Head and Shoulders and when I woke up this morning, my hair looked great and my oily patch was practically non-existent. My boyfriend said it looked "shiny in a good way". Maybe I just needed something more stripping, but I figured the ingredients in this would have been enough since they're most commonly used to treat this condition. If you suffer from a more severe case of SD, you might need something else, but if it's mild or you just have some itching, maybe this will be enough. I will say their scalp treatment feels AMAZING and helped me not get oily as fast, so you might try that out if you seek additional relief.
What's with the hard plastic bottle? 4
Sharon5678 from Town and Country, MO
The product itself is very good for itchy scalp, but why in the world would you use a hard plastic bottle? I can't squeeze the bottle so I haven't to take off the easy-pour cap and try to get the shampoo to flow out of it. What a hassle. The person who made the decision and ordered these bottles should be fired!! Apparently they didn't use their brain on this one!
Not Color Safe for Vivids 3
Nicole from Saratoga Springs
I bought this since I've been experiencing dandruff and an itchy scalp (postpartum hair changes, fun!). I also have my hair professionally dyed with Vivids in shades of blue. I wash my hair once every 5-6 days to try and maintain the color. This shampoo made my scalp feel better and might have slightly lessened the dandruff, but I would not consider it safe for vivid color hair - I saw so much blue dye while rinsing out the shampoo and I'll definitely have to return to the salon sooner for coloring.
Also for those that say it doesn't foam/lather up - it's true, but you'll find that with most shampoos that don't have sulfates. The sulfates are primarily what make shampoo lather in the first place.
This is your sign, get it! 5
Drea from Washington
I was experiencing severely dry scalp with excessive itchiness and dandruff. I decided to buy the shampoo, conditioner, and treatment oil. This has done me wonders. After the first use, the itchiness was completely gone. I would recommend pairing the shampoo and conditioner since the shampoo does dry out your hair. Best products ever.
The goal is nice but it did not work that great for me 3
Lynn from Louisiana
So the product overall might be good for people with less oily scalps ? I have dandruff but I have an oily scalp and this shampoo makes my hair feel nice at first but my hair gets oily quicker than usual. It makes me shed a lot. do not use if you have a really oily scalp. The lather isn't good and the product is hard to squeeze out of the bottle without taking the lid off.
Love the product, hate the packaging 4
PG from Long Beach, CA
I love Derma E and this shampoo is another great product to add to the list! It really helped my dry scalp, providing relief along with a nice clean feel. The only down side is the packaging. Shampoo is difficult to get out of the opening in the top and you can't squeeze the bottle to help it along, so I have to take the whole top off every time I use. If they fixed the top it would be 5 stars for me!
Fantastic for dermatitis 5
C from NC
Finally found the product that provides relief for chronic itchy scalp
Adore this product 5
Ky from Akron, OH
I used the whole scalp treatment shabang with the shampoo, conditioner, and serum and was obsessed. I have a very itchy scalp and it relieved it for days! (I don't wash my hair daily) I couldn't believe it. I have never found something that works so fast!
Really works, make the purchase 5
Larry from Undisclosed
Use for psoriasis and it works really well within 1-2 uses. For me, much better than tar based out other products...highly recommend for scalp itch and other symptoms.
Hate to love it 5
Cat from NY
I have switched to as healthy/all natural of hair products as I can for over 4 years now. Unfortunately, this also means I can't seem to nail down the perfect shampoo that balances moisture. Dry/itchy/flakey scalp is my BIGGEST issue. This product feels absolutely horrible while IN the shower but my hair is voluminous, soft, clean and ZERO flakes once dried. 2-3 days between washes with no signs of excessive oil build up like most shampoos I've used to tackle this problem. Almost finished the full bottle and I'm about to restock. Wife also likes the results and rotates this in her showers. We live in a cold and dry climate 5-7 months out of the year.
Exactly what i needed 5
Anna from Valparaiso, IN
After two failed perms, my hair was disgustingly dry and damaged, and even before I had scalp build up and flaking but didn't know what hair products to use. After doing a little research I got this shampoo and it's matching conditioner, and to say the least it works WONDERS. My hair was visibly less dry and stringy and felt moisturized and silky smooth after just one wash. I can't wait to use it every time I wash my hair because it hasnt felt this nice in a long time. Definitely recommend!!!
Has helped my seborrheic dermatitis so much 5
Chels1234 from Portland, or
I decided to buy this because my scalp was itching from seborrheic dermatitis and it was getting worse in the winter. I was using a prescription shampoo that just wasn't helping enough. Come to find out my normal shampoo had ingredients that irritate the condition. This shampoo was a game changer! I barely need to use my prescription shampoo now. I will say the smell isn't great and it does leave your hair feeling stripped but the derma e conditioner works great with adding moisture back into your hair and detangling. So I would recommend getting both shampoo and conditioner. The only thing I would change is the smell… I'd rather it be fragrance free than what it is.
Not a total disappointment, but not what I hoped 3
ian from Minnesota
It seemed to help my scalp somewhat, but it strips hair of natural oils and moisture way too easily, like any other shampoo. Another product that reminds me that just because it has mostly botanical ingredients doesn't mean it won't still be harsh
Miracle product!!! 5
Alex from San Antonio texas
I have used so many products and nothing has helped, almost gave up but This product changed my life it helped me so much w my psoriasis I feel good for the very first time in so long I saw results within the first use. I love it!!!
happy with my purchase 5
Majeda from Undisclosed
I actually am happy with this shampoo. it clarifies my scalp and stops the itching. it did not over dry my hair or skin. gave relief to my seborrheic dermatitis scalp.
Love it! 5
LA from New Jersey
I love the tingly menthol feeling that is left to soothe your scalp! Felt very clean.
Best Shampoo Ever 5
Michelle from Undisclosed
This is the best shampoo I've ever used. I'm allergic to most dandruff shampoos, so this was a life saver! And it makes my hair feel and smell so great!
It also really cleanses my scalp. It gives me a deep clean that I always need since my hair is so fine and gets oily so fast
Best product 5
Sara from Chico
I've used countless products to help my scalp psoriasis including medications and topical steroids. This is the only thing that I have seen results with. I saw results within 24 hours and my scalp is almost clear within 48 hours of use. It's a bit drying, but the matching conditioner fixes that 100%. 10/10 would recommend to anyone with dry and flaky scalps!! I also pair it with their scalp oil as well! I'm so happy! Miracle product!