Beautifinous.

Let's be honest - no one likes an itchy, flaky scalp. I hate it, I'm sure you hate it, but it can be a pain to fix. This seems to be particularly true if you prefer to avoid certain ingredients in your haircare, such as silicones or SLS. Most mainstream and popular options contain them and for some of us that can cause more bad than it can good. 

I've had the issue of an itchy, flaky scalp over the last year or so, and I've (rather literally) been scratching my head wondering if I'll ever find the perfect solution that works best for me. Today I'm going to be writing about a product that I feel is worth giving a thorough discussion about: the Philip Kingsley Flaky/Itchy Scalp Shampoo. 

Chances are that you have probably heard of Philip Kingsley products already. After all, the company is famous for products such as the Elasticizer, and if you're a beauty box fan then you're likely to have received at least one sample of their products at least once. Therefore, it was a natural option to find myself putting my trust in the hands of the renown haircare company led by the "world's leading expert on hair and scalp care" to try to solve my problem as soon as I discovered that the Flaky/Itchy Scalp Shampoo is free of the majority of ingredients I usually avoid (it is free of SLS and silicones, but does contain fragrance. Full ingredients list further on in the post).

It is a mild formula that promises to clarify and gently cleanse the hair and scalp of flakes and irritation. It is a multi-award winning formula and it doesn't dry out the hair or strip colour. 

It comes packaged in a sleek, fat white bottle with a curved flip cap lid. It comes in a range of sizes which makes it great for travelling, salons or if you just prefer buying a massive bottle of shampoo over smaller ones all of the time. 

The shampoo itself is like a clear gel, no colours added.

Application and Results:

There's no fancy trickery with this shampoo, it's used exactly the same as your regular old shampoo. Apply a squeeze of it to wet hair, massage and rinse. I would recommend focusing some extra time just gently massaging the scalp with it though as it really helps to target the problem area (and it's a lovely treat for yourself, too!).

The smell is really beautiful. It is a fresh apple scent that sounds like it could be childish, but it is like a pretty, grown up apple. 

The main thing I find with this shampoo is that it quickly helps with any itchiness, but then after only a short while the flakiness starts to fade too. However, I did encounter a couple of problems.

Firstly, I find that it doesn't always feel as if it gives your hair a thorough wash. A few times after use I've found that patches of my hair still feel unclean, or go greasy very quickly. At first I thought it was down to not rinsing it thoroughly enough, but even after rinsing for around 3 times longer than I usually would it still happens. To counter this, I've found that even though I don't usually need to do a second wash with other shampoos, two washes with this one prevents any greasiness or unclean feeling after drying.

Secondly, I found that after a few days, the shampoo wasn't as effective with the flakiness anymore. I didn't get any itching still, but there were noticeable flakes. I tried a couple of methods to counter this issue that I've found helpful. By using this shampoo for a couple of days and then using a different shampoo on the third day (specifically one that helps to moisturise dry hair/scalp), or even alternating them each day, it did a better job at keeping flakiness at bay. Another option that I go with sometimes is using a combo of two shampoos. As I stated above, I find that two washes are usually necessary. When combining the shampoos I start with the Philip Kingsley Flaky/Itchy Scalp and then follow it up with a second shampoo. 

I understand straight away that some of you reading this won't exactly be happy by the idea of needing two washes and two shampoos. This shampoo isn't one of the more affordable options in regards to clearing an itchy and flaky scalp, so having to use extra and even needing a separate product doesn't really make you want to jump for your purse. I would say not to rule it out so fast, though.

In the past I've tried lots of different shampoos that are free of harsh chemicals, and over the last year or so I've been using ones more specifically aimed at treating a dry scalp. So far, this is the only one I've had any genuine type of success with. Yes, it's an extra annoyance to do extra washes or add extra products, but the same usually goes with skin issues too. Dry skin, oily skin and acne prone skin (as only three examples of course) all require a combination of good products to fix. It's easier for us to sometimes neglect the skin we don't see (as in this case, the scalp), but sometimes a bit of extra love is needed.

So that's my fight for the cause, and if I waffled a bit (I do have a tendency to do that), the tl;dr version is this: takes longer, costs a little extra, but actually works in the longer-term.

It's a great shampoo, and it's also fab for every day use. If you are at your wits end with a flaky scalp, I do highly recommend giving it a go. Sometimes that little bit of extra work really pays off.

If you're hmming and ahhing after reading this, then Latest in Beauty currently have some 20ml samples available for you to try out before splashing out on a full bottle (and they have other awesome products to try out too, some of them full size! I highly recommend trying the Omorovicza Refining Facial Scrub too if still available at time of you reading this). 

Otherwise, if I managed to convince you to give it a go, you can purchase the Philip Kingsley Flaky/Itchy Scalp Shampoo from Look Fantastic or Feel Unique. 

So what are your thoughts on the Philip Kingsley Flaky/Itchy Shampoo? What is your favourite product to alleviate an itchy, flaky scalp?

Let me know in the comments below!