The Cooling Conditioner That Cured My Flaky-Scalp Situation

Society deems a lot of superficial traits undesirable, but how many are really all that bad? Deep, chasmic dark circles, unruly unibrows — even B.O. can be endearing in the right context, on the right person. But no matter which way you swing it, a flaky scalp is not cute. It is especially not cute when that flaky scalp is self-inflicted, an itchy scourge brought on by too much dry shampoo and not enough actual shampoo, a badge of dishonor that practically speaks for itself: "Hello, I do not wash my hair enough."

This is far from the first time I've been the direct cause of my own problems. But it is, undoubtedly, the most immediately visible; against the background of my very dark hair, those little dead-skin snowflakes create a perfect contrast. You can't miss them. Approximately 50% of the general adult population worldwide is affected by dandruff (seriously!), so while I am certainly not alone in my plight, I am grossed out by it.

And, more shallow still, I am also grossed out by the idea of adding a bottle of Head & Shoulders to my otherwise well-curated shower lineup: No clunky bottles or anything that even mentions the word "dandruff" need apply. With Briogeo's Scalp Revival Charcoal + Peppermint Oil Cooling Jelly Conditioner, I can have my clear, under-control scalp and my expensive taste, too. I never foresaw a conditioner, of all things, putting my dandruff problems to rest, but sometimes life catches you by surprise.

There's a lot to like about this new formula: The blend of peppermint, tea tree, and spearmint oils soothes itchiness and irritation on contact, while charcoal helps nix "impurities," which I interpret as the layers of dry shampoo built up on my hair follicles. It smells good, it feels amazing, and perhaps most miraculously of all, it doesn't weigh my fine hair down or make it greasy. After just a few uses, my flakes are gone, and because the conditioner is so lightweight, I don't need to wash my hair as often after all, reducing my dry shampoo use to a less problematic level. This cautionary tale has a happy ending.