A 201,007-review shampoo sits next to one with 585 reviews in this comparison. Review count reflects how many people have bought and rated a product. It doesn’t say whether a shampoo suits your scalp or hair type. This comparison looks at five anti-dandruff shampoos, each built around a different active or formulation approach. All five are sold on Nykaa.
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Dandruff is widely linked to an overgrowth of Malassezia, a yeast that lives on the scalp. Anti-dandruff shampoos generally work through antifungal, antimicrobial, or keratolytic mechanisms aimed at this yeast or at scalp flaking. For more on how these actives compare, see Anti-Dandruff Shampoo: Single Active vs Multi-Active, Compared on Reviews.
- Bare Anatomy Anti-Dandruff Shampoo with Salicylic Acid, Piroctone: This shampoo pairs salicylic acid with piroctone olamine. Salicylic acid is a keratolytic that helps loosen flakes from the scalp. Piroctone olamine is an antifungal that works against the Malassezia yeast linked to dandruff. It has 24,852 reviews.
- Be Bodywise 1% Ketoconazole Anti Dandruff Shampoo For Women: This shampoo uses ketoconazole at a stated 1% concentration and is marketed for women. Ketoconazole is an antifungal that disrupts the fungal cell membrane of Malassezia. It has 8,880 reviews.
- Head & Shoulders Silky Black Anti-Dandruff Shampoo: This shampoo comes from a long-established mainstream anti-dandruff brand. Its title doesn’t name a specific active ingredient. It has 7,264 reviews.
- Nykaa Naturals Anti-Dandruff Sulphate-Free Shampoo With Apple: This shampoo is sulphate-free and includes apple in its formula. Sulphate-free formulas swap harsher cleansing agents for milder surfactants, commonly marketed as gentler on hair and scalp. It has 201,007 reviews, the most of any shampoo in this set.
- The Derma Co Triple Actives Anti-Dandruff Shampoo: This shampoo comes from a dermatology-positioned brand. It’s built around three actives the listing calls “triple actives” without naming them individually. It has 585 reviews, the fewest in this set.
If you want a dual-active approach pairing exfoliation with antifungal action, pick Bare Anatomy.
If a stated ketoconazole percentage matters most, pick Be Bodywise.
If you prefer an established mainstream brand, pick Head & Shoulders.
If a sulphate-free formula matters most, pick Nykaa Naturals.
If a dermatology-positioned brand matters most, pick The Derma Co.