Free & Clear Shampoo, 12 oz (Pack of 3)

Product Information

The amount of foam a shampoo produces has no correlation to how good at cleansing it is,” says Anabel Kingsley, trichologist and brand president at Philip Kingsley. While it’s true that the sulphates of today are nowhere near as harsh as their predecessors, they can still strip the hair of its natural oils and cause colour to fade, leaving hair dry, dull and difficult to manage. Those who have dyed their hair or use keratin treatments may, therefore, benefit from using a sulphate-free product, like our Pure Colour Shampoo. However, if sulphates are formulated into products correctly, they are fine for use.” The Good Housekeeping Institute has tested a variety of hair cleansing products including moisturizing, color protecting and volumizing shampoos and conditioners. For moisturizing shampoo and conditioners, 12 shampoo and conditioner sets were evaluated using both laboratory and consumer testing protocols. In the Lab, the products were evaluated for their comb-ability properties in hair’s most vulnerable state — when it's wet — using an Instron instrument to measure how well products lubricate hair when it's wet and prevents future damage. Additionally, these products were blinded and sent to consumers who used the product for three consecutive washes before completing a standardized questionnaire rating ease of use, performance and overall satisfaction on a 5-point scale. There are hundreds of brands out there that contain the ingredient. Everything from Head and Shoulders to generic dollar store dandruff shampoos. And the quality varies wildly. Perhaps more noteworthy, In 2001, it was found that Seborrheic Dermatitis sufferers have an altered skin structure that is improved significantly withzinc pyrithione treatment. [10]

Pierard-Franchimont, C., Goffin, V., Decroix, J., & Piérard, G. E. (2002). A multicenter randomized trial of ketoconazole 2% and zinc pyrithione 1% shampoos in severe dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 15(6), 434-441. Here is why I’m not a fan of the Clear and Free Shampoo: it’s harsh and extremely drying on your hair, requiring the use of a conditioner afterward. It doesn’t lather as much as a regular shampoo, which takes some getting used to, and it doesn’t leave my (long) hair feeling completely clean.Even after applying a generous amount and doubling up on shampooing — the shampoo doesn’t sufficiently deep-clean or dissolve product build-up (from things like hairspray or hair wax). Who Free & Clear hair shampoo may be good forIf you're not totally sure what sulphates are (no judgement here) and whether it makes sense to ditch them, don't worry —we've asked an expert all your burning questions. What are sulphates used for? Roques, C., Brousse, S., & Panizzutti, C. (2006). In vitro antifungal efficacy of ciclopirox olamine alone and associated with zinc pyrithione compared to ketoconazole against Malassezia globosa and Malassezia restricta reference strains. Mycopathologia, 162(6), 395-400. Zinc Pyrithione is an antimicrobial added to shampoos to treat dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis. The molecule is a pyrithione complex of zinc, and so is also commonly (but confusingly) referred to as ‘pyrithione zinc’. Shampoos containing zinc pyrithione can typically be bought without a prescription. While sulphates do have a huge part to play in the formula of a shampoo, they're not always essential.

According to a 2021 Pantene study, more than a third of women in the UK don't wear their natural hair colour, so it's safe to say, we're not all au naturel. A more hardcore cleanse can cause your hair colour to fade at a more rapid rate too, and while there's no shampoo that is 100% guaranteed to keep your shade intact, a sulphate-free option is going to be gentler and less stripping. The active ingredient in Pura's product is the familiar zinc pyrithione. It also includes aloe vera and grapefruit seed extract, which have antifungal and antioxidant properties, and a number of fragrant essential oils. Zoe Irwin, Creative Director at John Freida Salons, explains: 'They're chemicals that are used as cleansing agents. They're essentially the element that creates a lather to remove the oil and dirt.'

Customer reviews

It should also be noted that zinc pyrithione is highly toxic if ingested. Studies in animals have shown that doses of 0.05g/kg were sufficient to cause vomiting, with 2.5g/kg leading to death (although for an average adult, this would equate to ingesting over 7kg of a 2% shampoo). On the risk of toxicity, the 2014 EU safety report concluded: If you have a sensitive scalp in need of effective anti-dandruff help, Free & Clear’s Medicated Anti-Dandruff Shampoo is 100% qualified for your job. Reynertson KA, Garay M, Nebus J, et al. Anti-inflammatory activities of colloidal oatmeal (Avena sativa) contribute to the effectiveness of oats in treatment of itch associated with dry, irritated skin. J Drugs Dermatol. 2015;14(1):43-48. In our Free & Clear Hair Shampoo review, we have found that while the shampoo is indeed fragrance-free (and free of most harmful substances), it lands in the “is just not very good” category. It’s decent, sure, but not great.

We wanted to avoid chemicals that dermatologists considered undesirable and could be irritating or sensitizing to the skin, such as fragrance, masking fragrance, dyes, lanolin, parabens, formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. We wanted to use the highest quality ingredients that would conform to this principle.”To use a dandruff shampoo, or any shampoo for that matter, shampoo, you should always follow the instructions on the label. For some further clarity, Dr. Ben Barankin, told us, “For mild-moderate dandruff, I recommend daily shampooing, and ideally alternating 3 shampoos, each with active anti-dandruff ingredients.”