Our final ‘goodie’ in the formula is known as glycyrrhetinic acid – an extract taken from licorice that is powerfully soothing to the skin. Lactamide MEA gets bonus points for being derived from lactic acid – a component of what’s called your skin’s natural moisturizing factors. Not only can it gently help slough away old, dead, flaky skin cells, it also helps hydrate skin. It’s winning in this formula. But what about deeper routed dandruff symptoms? Ones caused by the change in your skin’s microbiome balance – specifically the overgrowth of Malassezia yeasts associated with dandruff. Can Kelual DS treatment shampoo confront and balance these? Let’s take a look. In this strange smelling formula there are a duo of active ingredients to balance your skin;

Fragrance – you don’t need it, it’s a nice to have and it can cause upset to allergy-prone skin types. The saving grace here is that it doesn’t contain known allergens. If you’re sensitive to fragrance however Kelual DS treatment shampoo is not for you. IN THE WORDS OF A DERMATOLOGIST About severe dandruff conditions and scalps prone to seborrheic dermatitis These treatments can sometimes have a drying effect, called the "straw effect". If this happens, you will need to change your treatment shampoo or use it less frequently and replace it with a mild shampoo. Kelual DS treatment shampoo is hitting it out of the park right now. However, are there ingredients to be cautious about too?So yes, there are active ingredients here that can help confront the microbiome upset your skin is currently suffering from. Heal this and dandruff symptoms will subside long term. Whereas shampoo for dry dandruff will help fight dandruff while providing the hydration needed for a dry and irritated scalp.

First up know this. Ducray performed their own clinical trial on the Kelual DS treatment shampoo. It’s a fair sample size of 62 participants – not large but still significant and industry standard. Results where; Different anti-dandruff shampoos have different actions (to fight oily or dry dandruff) and different ingredients (zinc pyrithione, piroctone olamine, selenium sulfide or salicylic acid). What turns up at your door is a moderately sized blue and white box with a 100ml bottle inside. If English is your first and only language then thank goodness you’re here reading this review because the Kelual DS box is in French and German – we’ve got the usage instructions coming up for you soon. Ciclopirox Olamine – an anti-fungal active having a low MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) against yeasts and bacteria involved in many types of skin upset. A 2002 study published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment pitched ciclopirox (at 1.5%) against a highly effective anti-dandruff active known as ketoconazole (at 2%). Ciclopirox proved just as effective. Piroctone Olamine – forming a patent-pending blend with ciclopirox olamine – no doubt the blend of these two anti-fungal actives boosts benefits for the amount of each used having a likely synergistic effect. Alone piroctone olamine also has proven anti-dandruff benefits.What we’re really interested in here is does it work. Does Kelual DS treatment shampoo successfully treat dandruff? To answer we must start at the beginning. Who makes Kelual DS treatment shampoo and can we trust them? Here are the in-use instructions; To use apply to wet hair then massage and wash out as you would with a standard shampoo. You will want to use 3 times per week for 2 weeks if treating flaring dandruff. Then you move to maintenance treatment of once per week. It looks great. It performs well in washing. Now what about the active ingredients? Are they science validated? Can they calm, hydrate and repair your dandruff-prone scalp? Many shampoos are available without a prescription, so ask your pharmacist for advice and to help you find the right one for you. Note – we also tested Kelual DS on arm skin which is where we so noticeably saw this marked hydrating effect. For simple to moderate dandruff conditions, i.e. mild desquamation with a little inflammation, treatment consists of using a suitable anti-dandruff shampoo, which must above all be used according to the instructions, i.e. applied correctly and regularly, and left on for the right amount of time.