Anti-dandruff shampoo labels don’t all name the same thing. Some print a specific active ingredient and explain what it does. Others use a phrase like “Triple Actives” without naming what’s inside. This comparison looks at five anti-dandruff shampoos sold on Nykaa. It focuses on how clearly each one names its active ingredients.
Dandruff is commonly linked to overgrowth of Malassezia yeast on the scalp. That’s why many anti-dandruff actives are antifungal ingredients aimed at controlling it. See our comparison by active ingredient and positioning.
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We don’t show a price here because it wasn’t checked in the last 24 hours — the listing may have changed. Price last checked 2026-09-10.
- Bare Anatomy Anti-Dandruff Shampoo with Salicylic Acid, Piroctone: It names salicylic acid and piroctone olamine as its active ingredients. Salicylic acid is a BHA that helps loosen flakes and scalp buildup. Piroctone olamine is an antifungal. It targets the Malassezia yeast linked to dandruff. It has 24,852 reviews.
- Be Bodywise 1% Ketoconazole Anti Dandruff Shampoo For Women: It builds its formula around ketoconazole at a stated 1% concentration. Ketoconazole works by blocking a step in fungal cell-membrane production. That suppresses growth of Malassezia yeast. It’s marketed specifically for women and has 8,880 reviews.
- Head & Shoulders Silky Black Anti-Dandruff Shampoo: It comes from an established international anti-dandruff brand. This variant is positioned around a hair-silkening benefit rather than a named medicinal active. It has 7,264 reviews.
- Nykaa Naturals Anti-Dandruff Sulphate-Free Shampoo With Apple: It skips sulphate surfactants like SLS and SLES and builds its formula around apple. Sulphate-free formulas are a gentler alternative some shoppers prefer over stronger cleansing surfactants. It has 201,007 reviews, the most of the five here.
- The Derma Co Triple Actives Anti-Dandruff Shampoo: It comes from a dermatology-focused brand. The formula is built around a “Triple Actives” combination without naming the individual ingredients on the title. It has 585 reviews, the fewest of the five here.
If you want two actives named on the label, pick Bare Anatomy. If you want a stated active concentration, pick Be Bodywise. If a hair-finish benefit matters more than a named active, pick Head & Shoulders Silky Black. If you want a sulphate-free formula, pick Nykaa Naturals. If brand positioning matters more than named actives, pick The Derma Co.