Author: Henry

Dandruff is something we’d all like to avoid. But it’s not always so easy. There are many symptoms associated with dandruff: dryness, flaking, itching, redness, oiliness, the list goes on. So if you want to prevent dandruff from becoming a problem, or if you’re struggling to get rid of the stuff, we’ve gathered a list of the best anti-dandruff shampoos and shampoo treatments that’ll help you live your best flake-free life.

But before we get into our best dandruff shampoos for men roundup, let’s first get into the grooming and hair care nitty-gritty about what dandruff is, along with what causes it. We usually recognize dandruff by the dry, white flakes of skin that are littered throughout your hair and on the collar of your shirt or shoulders. These telltale flakes can also appear in your eyebrows, beard, or mustache.

While the dry, white flakes are harmless, that doesn’t mean they’re any less frustrating. Not only can dandruff be embarrassing, but it can leave your scalp feeling dry, itchy, red, and irritated. So why do you get dandruff? Dandruff can have several causes, such as having skin that’s too dry or too oily, or having skin that is irritated and inflamed. But the most common cause is an overgrowth of the yeast-like fungus Malassezia. Which is why a number of the shampoos on our list use antifungal ingredients (pyrithione zinc, selenium sulfate, and tea tree oil, to name a few).

Men’s Journal aims to feature only the best products and services. We update when possible, but deals expire and prices can change. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

Below, you’ll find our list of the hardest-working anti-dandruff shampoos on the market. Consider them saviors worth adding to your flake-fighting regimen.

Best Dandruff Shampoos at a Glance

• Selsun Blue Medicated with Menthol Dandruff Shampoo
• Nizoral Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
• Head & Shoulders Clinical Strength Dandruff Shampoo

Best Anti-Dandruff Shampoos in 2024

1. Selsun Blue Medicated with Menthol Dandruff Shampoo

This medicated yet accessibly over-the-counter anti-dandruff shampoo is among the very best. Selsun Blue treats dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis by utilizing the key ingredient selenium sulfide to blast away redness, itchiness, flaking, and irritation. And because it’s “anti-infective,” it will also slow yeast growth that can add to your dandruff headaches. The cooling, soothing sensation thanks to menthol is pretty sweet, too.

[$8; amazon.com]

2. Blu Atlas Shampoo

If you want to free your scalp of bad dandruff, don’t add toxic agents and chemicals. Blu Atlas’s gentle formula made with 99% naturally-sourced ingredients, including jojoba protein and aloe vera, offer your skin much-needed hydration and relief. Continue using this eco-friendly product even after your dandruff has disappeared; jojoba is also known to treat clogged hair follicles and stimulate hair growth.

[$25; bluatlas.com]

3. Nizoral Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Nizoral is a clinically proven anti-dandruff shampoo that fights awful side effects of dandruff: flaking, scaling, and itchiness. The shampoo employs the active ingredient ketoconazole at a concentration of 1%. This antifungal ingredient, even at a small level, helps target a specific yeast overgrowth on the scalp that can cause dandruff. The formula is powerful yet still safe for gray or color-treated, chemically processed hair. Furthermore, there’s evidence that this stuff even helps prevent hair loss.

[$16; amazon.com]

4. Head & Shoulders Clinical Strength Dandruff Shampoo

Whether you’ve suffered bad dandruff or not, surely you know of Head & Shoulders. The brand achieves mass popularity thanks to its Clinical Strength Dandruff Defense Shampoo. It combines 1% selenium sulfide and 2% ketoconazole to fight flaking and the dandruff-causing yeast Malassezia. It touts having 35% more dandruff-killing power than other shampoos, and users everywhere have kept it in their shower caddy for good reason.

[$8; amazon.com]

5. SACHAJUAN Scalp Shampoo

This is a healthy hair and scalp shampoo that zeroes in on dandruff with ingredients like salicylic acid, piroctone olamine, and climbazole. But the formula also incorporates plant botanicals and extracts like rosemary oil, menthol, and ginger extract to calm the skin. Additional scalp-healing ingredients like lactic acid regulate oil production for an ideal moisture balance. Use this anti-dandruff shampoo just as you’d use any other shampoo—lather softly into wet hair, concentrating on the scalp, and let sit for one to two minutes to get the job done.

[$41; amazon.com]

6. Jupiter Balancing Shampoo

This medicated anti-dandruff shampoo from Jupiter hits dandruff directly with the active ingredient zinc pyrithione at a concentration of just 1%. The formula destroys flakes, calms the skin, minimizes excess sebum, clears extra buildup, and it moisturizes for an overall healthier dome. In addition to combating dandruff, the shampoo incorporates ingredients like squalane to increase shine and prevent hair breakage, hydrating coconut oil, and sugar kelp extract that boasts anti-aging and antibacterial properties. Mercifully, this doesn’t smell like a medicated hair wash; the pleasing scent has notes of mint, vanilla, sage, and lavender.

[$25; hellojupiter.com]

7. BIOLAGE Scalpsync Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

BIOLAGE Scalpsync Anti-Dandruff Shampoo uses the active ingredient pyrithione zinc to stop the yeast Malassezia in its tracks, and it relieves scalp irritation and those pesky flakes. Use it at least twice a week, softly applying the treatment into wet hair and then rinsing. Go ahead and reapply but this time let the shampoo sit on the scalp for one or two minutes. Thankfully, the tropical coconut scent won’t leave your strands with a gross pharmacy-like smell.

[$42; amazon.com]

8. AROMATICA Tea Tree Purifying Shampoo with Salicylic Acid

This shampoo employs tea tree oil and salicylic acid as anti-dandruff warriors. It’s idea for guys with an itchy, oily scalp, thanks to other ingredients like Perilla fruescens, Arctium lappa, hyssop, chamomile, and fenugreek extract, which tame excess sebum production and nurture the scalp. This anti-dandruff shampoo also boasts being cruelty-free, vegan, eco-friendly, free of silicones and sulfates—oh, and a whisper of peppermint oil that just feels good.

[$25; amazon.com]

9. Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo

Sometimes the best anti-dandruff shampoo is one you’d use daily anyway, maintaining the health of your hair and scalp. Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo is a stone-cold classic in the shampoo pantheon, leveraging tea tree oil to purify your scalp and hair. Because tea tree oil happens to be naturally antibacterial and antifungal, it does double duty by relieving your of annoying dandruff flakes. Further healthy ingredients like white ginger, algae, rosemary, and aloe vera leaf extracts soothe inflammation and irritation, and protect your precious dome. Oh, and it’s for all hair types under the sun.

[$50; amazon.com]

The Best Ingredients for Treating Dandruff

Pyrithione Zinc

Pyrithione zinc (or zinc pyrithione) is a popular anti-dandruff ingredient. It’s naturally antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antifungal, giving it ammunition against the growth of dandruff-causing yeast.

Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid exfoliates dry, dead skin cells, leaving them down the drain and fostering a healthier scalp. As it’s oil-soluble, it can also wipe away sebum and Malassezia buildup to provide you with healthy moisture levels.

Selenium Sulfide

Selenium sulfide is shown to help relieve itching, flaking, redness, and it can rid you of dry skin cells on the scalp.

Ketoconazole

Ketoconazole is an antifungal agent that, importantly, is allowed in over-the-counter medications to slow the growth of dandruff-causing fungi. It will also tame scalp flaking, scaling, and itching.

Piroctone Olamine

Piroctone olamine is a common ingredient that treats dryness, itchiness, and fights the growth of dandruff-causing Malassezia. Bonus: It’s also been to shown to decrease hair loss over time.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is a lovely ingredient you’re likely already familiar with. But what you might not know is that the essential oil is a naturally potent antiseptic (so it kills pain, too), antifungal, and antibiotic that fights the yeasty source of dandruff. Yeast and dandruff aside, it also soothingly treats inflammation, irritation, dryness, giving you a healthier scalp.

Plant Extracts

Plant extracts are powerful healers for an inflamed, irritated scalp or balancing oil production. With the seemingly infinite plants and botanicals out there, look for specifically plant-based ingredients in your anti-dandruff shampoo. Rosemary, green tea, hyssop, and burdock can repair the hair and scalp with essential antioxidants, moisturization, and anti-inflammatory compounds.

The Best Practices for Using an Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Even though an anti-dandruff shampoo is called, well, “shampoo,” in reality it’s a type of scalp treatment or medication combating dandruff and associated causes or symptoms. So you don’t want to use it as you would typically use a shampoo. No quick lathering and rinsing. Think of it like a true hair treatment: focus on getting the shampoo into your scalp and hair roots, then let sit for a few minutes. (Maybe put on a podcast!) You can even apply anti-dandruff shampoos before you jump in the shower. This will give the active ingredients more time to pull off their miraculous tricks.

Related: Best Hair Conditioner for Men of 2024: Good Hair Day, Every Day

Things That Make Your Dandruff Worse

Not washing your hair often enough

To get rid of excess oil and dandruff flakes, wash your hair regularly (as in, more regularly than you have been). If dandruff is especially problematic, dermatologists recommend using an anti-dandruff shampoo twice a week, with a gentler shampoo for the other days.

Skipping conditioner

Conditioners are vital in your hair care routine. Even if you have short hair and don’t feel like spending the extra bucks, reality is that these products add moisture, proteins, and vitamins back into both the hair and scalp.

Scratching your scalp

Scratching or scrubbing away the flakes can seem like a sound exfoliating method, but in fact this can make the condition worse. It can lead to inflamed, irritated skin under that hair, and if seriously overdone, lead to infection.

Not washing your hair after a sweaty workout

Frequent gym-goers, take note: You must wash your hair after a sweaty workout. That’s because the dandruff-causing yeast Malassezia looks for a warm, moist environment (like your sweaty scalp).

Letting it go on for too long

Yes, dandruff is a pain, but it’s also harmless, leading some dudes to simply let it go on for too long before treatment. If you’re suffering from constant flakes, itchy skin, or odor, see a dermatologist who can guide you through the appropriate regimen.

Related: These Are the Best Haircuts for Men in 2024

Are Men More Likely to Have Dandruff Than Women?

Actually, yes. Now, anyone can have dandruff (even babies!). But surprising as it may seem, men are more likely to have dandruff than women. We don’t know exactly why, but one reason might be hormones, what with testosterone’s role in oil production. But men are also less likely than women to address the issue with their doctor. So remember: Dandruff happens, but you don’t need to constantly live with it. Find your solution!

Related: Best Beard Trimmer Selects of 2024 to Shape Facial Hair

Men’s Journal aims to feature only the best products and services.  If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

Dick’s Sporting Goods shocked Hoka fans everywhere when it temporarily dropped the price on a handful of the running brand’s uber-popular sneakers, including the Clifton and the Solimar. The Bondi 8 also briefly went on sale in select colors just to shoot back up in price days later. Surprisingly, this fan-favorite sneaker is back on sale at Dick’s, and they’re selling out fast.

The Hoka Bondi 8 Running Shoe is on sale for $132 at Dick’s Sporting Goods right now—a rare 20% off the normal price of $165. These sneakers have maintained a 4.3-star rating after more than 4,400 votes from shoppers who say they’re “amazingly comfortable and look fantastic,” and they’re a top 3 bestselling style at Dick’s along with the Hoka Clifton and Brooks’ Adrenaline. Unlike the last time it went on sale, the Bondi is now available on sale in over 30 colors, and while many sizes from 8 to 14 are still in stock, they’re dwindling by the hour.

Hoka Bondi 8 Running Shoes in Slate, $132 (was $165) at Dick’s Sporting Goods

The Bondi 8 is one of Hoka’s bestselling models—if not the top dog—because it offers a massive stack of cushion that makes people feel like they’re walking on air. Its light and bouncy foam midsole is ideal for pounding neighborhood pavement on short runs, but it’s also great as a walking shoe and a shoe for standing all day. Up top, a breathable mesh upper helps keep feet cool while underneath, strategically placed rubber inlays help fight abrasion, extending the life of the shoe months beyond the average pair. They’re also certified by the American Podiatric Medical Association as a style that promotes good foot health.

Shoppers wear the Bondi everywhere from the track to the coffee shop, but it’s becoming increasingly popular among medical workers who need all-day support. “I am a resident physician and am on my feet for 80 hours a week,” a shopper began. “The Bondi 8 is the most comfortable shoe I’ve ever worn in the hospital…I used to just buy cheap shoes and would wear them until they fell apart, but these shoes are amazing. They have so much more cushion than other shoes that are popular among healthcare workers. My feet aren’t sore at all at the end of my shift.”

Hoka Bondi 8 Running Shoes in Solar Flare, $132 (was $165) at Dick’s Sporting Goods

Hoka running shoes rarely go on sale, which is why it’s shocking to see the Bondi 8 for just $132 at Dick’s. If you’ve been shopping for a new pair and you’re into this neutral tone, grab yourself a pair soon, because when it comes to Hoka sales, sizes don’t hang around for long.

When you think of Emma Stone, you probably imagine her fiery red hair, her spunky personality, or her many movies like Easy A or La La Land, which have made her a household name. While her appearances in public weren’t exactly few and far between when she was dating Andrew Garfield or Kieran Culkin, since marrying former Saturday Night Live segment director and writer Dave McCary and having her daughter, Stone has pretty much kept her personal life out of the spotlight. 

Among the many celebrity-related things that people are obsessed with, celebrity families are high on the list (ever heard of the Kardashians?), and Emma Stone’s is no different. We’ve already covered everything there is to know about Emma Stone’s husband, Dave McCary, so follow along as we walk through the need-to-knows of Emma Stone’s daughter.

Emma Stone and Dave McCary’s Timeline 

While there’s no exact date we can point to regarding when Stone and McCary met, most sources seem to agree the pair met sometime in 2016 on the set of SNL. From that year to a 2019 post announcing their engagement, little was known about the couple. Also in 2019, the couple made their first public appearance together at the SAG Awards. In 2020, they tied the knot after nearly four years of dating. 

“Emma is close to her family and good friends but not the type to flaunt her personal life,” a source told People in 2021. “Dave respects that about her and is the same way. They have a great life together and support each other.”

Related: George Clooney’s Net Worth: How the A-List Actor Made Half a Billion Dollars

Emma Stone’s Daughter, Louise Jean

While Stone has openly talked about being unsure if she wanted kids, turning 30 really changed her, she said in an Elle interview with pal Jennifer Lawrence. 

“I think it’s been a good time to get a little perspective because things were so heavy work-wise for the past few years. And honestly, so many of my dreams are now personal and less professional,” she said. “It’s less thinking about the next 10 years and what needs to happen and just sort of relaxing into what will be instead of trying to control the outcome.”

Lawrence, who got married to husband Cooke Maroney in 2019, pressed Stone on her future, asking about her plans for marriage and kids. 

“My perspective about kids has changed as I’ve gotten older,” Stone said. “I never babysat or anything. As a teenager, I was like, ‘I’m never getting married, I’m never having kids.’ And then I got older and I was like, ‘I really want to get married, I really want to have kids.”

Related: Meet Zendaya’s Down-to-Earth Parents, Claire Stoermer and Kazembe Ajamu Coleman

A year after Stone and McCary tied the knot, they got pregnant with their first child. The next year, they welcomed their first child, Louise Jean (named after Stone’s grandmother Jean Louise Morgan) on March 13, 2021.

Unlike other celebrities, Stone has seemed to keep her daughter’s identity as private as her and her husband’s relationship, but according to a source, she’s over the moon about being a mom. 

“Emma and Dave have a great marriage and both wanted a child,” a source close to Stone told People. “They are a very grounded and private couple and were ready for a family.”

“Emma has been very excited about the baby,” the insider said of Stone prior to Louise Jean’s birth. “She has been private but said that she was feeling great. She always has a huge smile when she is with Dave.”

Emma Stone Becomes a Working Mom

While many sources close to Stone have said how much she loves being a mom, motherhood hasn’t stopped her from wanting to continue on in her career.

“They love their little family. Louise has brought them so much joy, and they’re growing and learning every day,” a source told Us Weekly. “They’re in this together. Emma still has the Hollywood ambition and drive and determination to do her best work and it keeps her going, and she believes doing what she loves will also make her a better mom.”

While Stone gave birth in 2021, she has kept her vigorous work pace in Hollywood with movies such as Cruella and, more recently, Poor Things, which netted her (another) Oscar. Many parents will tell you, there’s nothing that motivates you quite like becoming a parent, and her go-for-broke Poor Things performance is proof.

While accepting her second Oscar for Best Actress for her role as Bella Baxtor in Poor Things, Stone thanked her family for all of their love and support. 

“I really just want to thank my family. My mom, my brother Spencer, my dad, my husband Dave, I love you so much. And, most importantly, my daughter, who’s gonna be three in three days and has turned our lives technicolor,” she said. “I love you bigger than the whole sky, my girl.”

Related: Everything to Know About Brad Pitt’s Non-Celebrity Girlfriend, Ines de Ramon