WHEN THIS spring suddenly started feeling like summer, thanks to a mid-April heat wave, I realized that my hair is feeling the weather change. As a person with locs living in New York City, my hair can be very finicky in terms of moisture. When the whipping winter winds begin, my hair becomes brittle and dry, and with the flash changing of the elements recently, my hair simply doesn’t know what to do.
I have tried multiple hot oil treatments, shampoos and various other items over the years and put my hair through many rounds of trial and error, but nothing has seemed to tame my hair or give it the nourishment it needs. This led to a major discovery: To address my hair issues, I needed to care for my scalp. It requires a different set of care and nutrients in order to foster a healthy foundation for the hair to grow from and keep it strong and healthy. That’s exactly what Shea Moisture’s new Scalp Care collection seeks to do.
After trying hair products on the market that address dry scalp and hair strength, I can confidently say that this collection is the best set of hair products I’ve ever tried.
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The Lineup
The collection consists of two distinct sets of products. First, the Anti-Dandruff set uses apple cider vinegar as its main active ingredient. The line encompasses a shampoo, conditioner, leave-in, and a pre-wash. All of the products include Vitamin B3 and Salicylic Acid, which help fight flaking, itching and irritation that dandruff tends to cause. As someone with minor dandruff, I found that this four-step process helped cleanse my hair while leaving behind a pleasant scent.
As for the scalp moisture collection, the lineup consists of a scalp moisture cream, shampoo, conditioner, and pre-wash masque. These options use aloe butter, rosemary extract, and shea butter for a cleansing strengthening formula.
The Test
Upon using the scalp moisture shampoo and conditioner, I noticed that my scalp, felt, for lack of better words, moisturized. I lathered the shampoo between my hands before applying, massaged my scalp, and then rinsed. Next, I applied the conditioner, which helps to boost hydration and retain moisture.
After, I shifted gears to the anti-dandruff products that clarified my tresses. I'm a huge fan of the leave-in, which went on silky and claims to help regulate your scalp's microbiome. My hair felt really clean and like it was to was ready to soak up oils and other hydrating tools. The final result was clean hair that felt nourished.
When using these products, I noticed that the scalp care was easier to lather than the anti-dandruff set, but I didn’t have to apply either more than once. My hair texture is 3C, so my curls tend to be curly yet not as tight or coiled. But my hair has low porosity, so it doesn’t take much to wash my locs in terms of water and products.
Overall, I find that both product lines are effective and live up to their intended purposes.
The Value
Both the collections are priced moderately, with each product coming in at about $13-14. For hair care with quality ingredients, that’s not a bad deal. And as with most hair products, less is more. If you use them sparingly and don’t pile them on, they should last you for at least two to three months of wash days.
The Final Verdict
If you think your hair needs a little reinvigoration or if you need to restructure your hair care routine, the Shea Moisture scalp care moisture line is worth the purchase. And, if you have bouts with dandruff, the anti-dandruff set will help clear it away. Both the anti-dandruff collection and the scalp moisture collection do what they claim to do, and my hair has thanked me by appearing shinier and stronger.
I tested the products for about three weeks, but now they've earned a permanent spot in my hair care routine. If you want to use products from the collections, I would start with the scalp care moisture line first, then follow up with the anti-dandruff options if the scalp care doesn't alleviate your dandruff on it's own. All in all, Shea Moisture knocked it out of the park with this hair care line.
Jacorey Moon is Gear Patrol’s associate style editor, formerly at
PEOPLE and Footwear News. He’s most likely gawking over someone’s outfit on
Instagram or trying to find his way to the nearest record store.
