Dandruff Deconstructed is reader-supported. All reviews are independent and any products reviewed are purchased by the site owner. To help fund this model, some of the links on the site are affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase from one of these links, this site will receive some commission. At no cost to you. It helps keeps this place running. Learn more
Review
-
Ingredients
-
Wash
-
Smell
-
Price
Summary
American Poo
User Review
( votes)I bet most men reading this have used an American Crew product or two in their time. They are purported specialists in the men’s grooming business so this anti-dandruff came as a bit of a surprise. 1 – not many people know of it and 2 – is dandruff control a good brand fit with grooming? American Crew seems to think so so I was looking forward to trying this shampoo.
Could they give the industry the much-needed shake-up it needs? They have the clout and the brand…
The shampoo’s active ingredient is Zinc Pyrithione which disappointed me somewhat. Zinc Pyrithione is available ten a penny in many cheap high street shampoos such as Head and Shoulders. Zinc Pyrithione is only really effective for those of us with the mildest forms of seborrheic dermatitis. It’s unlikely to control even the most moderate of outbreaks.
The shampoo looks like a liquid blue toothpaste and even smells like one too. Quite why this is labeled as a men’s shampoo is beyond me. I was really hoping they’d do some innovative work with the scent. That said, the wash was very decent and my hair felt soft afterward so I shouldn’t be too harsh on them.
The ingredients of the shampoo are very disappointing. The shampoo contains SLS, SLES, Parabens and almost half the ingredients are known contact allergens.
With such a mild active ingredient I’m not too sure what they are trying to achieve here, it’s almost like they’ve put minimal effort into formulating this. Which pretty much sums up this entire offering. It looks ok and smells pretty average. The active ingredient is “meh” and it’s formulated with the same humdrum ingredients you’d expect in any low-cost dandruff shampoo. It’s like American Crew have put no effort, no passion and have dipped their smallest of toes into the anti-dandruff shampoo market.
Without magnificent marketing, I don’t think they’ll be in this market long.
American Crew? American Poo.
What anti dandruff-Seborrhea do you recommend, Selsun Blue and Neutrogena T-Gel are in the same class as this American Crew product.
Hi there
Those three shampoos have three different active ingredient so aren’t really in the same class. The most important element of any anti-dandruff shampoo is the element that combats the dandruff, and in most cases that’s the active ingredient. Have a look at our page detailing the various active ingredients as they all do slightly different things. And different active ingredients work on different people. What works for me is Ketokonazole (Nizoral 2% in particular), Selenium Sulfide (Selsun 2.5% in particular), Piroctone Olamine (try Sebamed) or Ciclopirox Olamine (try Oilatum)
I’m assuming it is Seb Derm you suffer from? Have a look here for our favorite Seb Derm shampoos https://www.dandruffdeconstructed.com/seborrheic-dermatitis/