Side by side
Act+Acre Salicylic Acid Scalp Exfoliator vs KilgourMD The Prevention Scalp Serum
99% function match · 7 of the 7 functions we compared match Formula overlap 14%. Act+Acre Salicylic Acid Scalp Exfoliator and KilgourMD The Prevention Scalp Serum share 3 ingredients among each other's most prominent.
Which of these fits your hair?
We check your pattern, moisture need, scalp, fragrance tolerance, weight sensitivity and more against each formula — and say which one lines up.
Your profile at a glance
- Your answers appear here
- Your answers appear here
- Your answers appear here
- Your answers appear here
When each one is the right call
What each formula is built for, from its own ingredient list.
- Salicylic Acid Scalp Exfoliator — dry, thirsty hair
- The Prevention Scalp Serum — flaking scalps
Side by side
Every trait, aligned
One row per trait, read from each product’s own ingredient list and record. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a “no”.
- Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
- Flaking scalpsthis carries an over-the-counter active
- Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
- Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
- Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
- Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
- Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
- Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
- Non-medicated routinesthis is an over-the-counter drug as well as a cosmetic
More facts about each one
Facts as we recorded them. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a "no".
The bottom line
The bottom line depends on your hair
Which of these two suits you is a question about your hair, not about them. The consultation answers it — and tells you what your routine needs around it.
$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.
The detail behind the table
Where the readings above come from: the ingredient lists themselves, each brand’s claims checked against them, what owners report, and cost per ounce in context.
Shared and distinct ingredients
Shared and distinct ingredients
Computed from the ingredient lists as printed. "Shared" means both lists carry it; where it sits on each label is stated, because position is what tells you how much.
What both formulas carry
Neutral
Neutral
What only one of them carries
Salicylic Acid Scalp Exfoliator
The Prevention Scalp Serum
Full ingredient list — Salicylic Acid Scalp Exfoliator (49)
-
1
Water
- solvent
-
2
Methyl Gluceth-20
- humectant
- emollient
- solvent
-
3
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
- film former
- polymer
-
4
Betaine
- humectant
-
5
Propanediol
- humectant
- solvent
-
6
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
-
7
Glycerin
- humectant
- 8 Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3
-
9
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
- thickener
- polymer
- film former
-
10
Alanine
- amino acid
-
11
Arginine
- amino acid
- humectant
- Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
12
Aspartic Acid
- amino acid
- pH adjuster
-
13
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
- emollient
- sealant
-
14
Butylene Glycol
- humectant
- solvent
-
15
Caprylyl Glycol
- preservative
- humectant
-
16
Carbomer
- thickener
- polymer
- film former
-
17
Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract
- botanical extract
-
18
Cellulose
- thickener
- gum
-
19
Citric Acid
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
- 20 Dextran
-
21
Dipropylene Glycol
- humectant
- solvent
-
22
Ethylhexylglycerin
- preservative
- emollient
-
23
Glycine
- amino acid
-
24
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract
- botanical extract
-
25
Histidine
- amino acid
-
26
Hydrolyzed Corn Protein
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
-
27
Hydroxypropylcellulose
- gum
- thickener
- 28 Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract
-
29
Isoleucine
- amino acid
-
30
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
-
31
Menthol
- fragrance
- active
-
32
Menthyl Lactate
- fragrance
- active
-
33
Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
- 34 Panthenyl Triacetate
-
35
Sodium PCA
- humectant
-
36
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
37
Phenylalanine
- amino acid
-
38
Proline
- amino acid
-
39
Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
-
40
Salicylic Acid
- active
- exfoliant
-
41
Serine
- amino acid
-
42
Sodium Hydroxide
- pH adjuster
-
43
Sodium Lactate
- humectant
- pH adjuster
-
44
Sodium PCA
- humectant
-
45
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
- hard-water chelator
-
46
Threonine
- amino acid
-
47
Tocopherol
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
48
Trifolium Pratense (Clover) Flower Extract
- botanical extract
-
49
Valine
- amino acid
Full ingredient list — The Prevention Scalp Serum (36)
-
1
Water
- solvent
-
2
Propanediol
- humectant
- solvent
-
3
Ascorbic Acid
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
4
Phospholipids
- emollient
- emulsifier
- Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
5
Ascorbyl Palmitate
- antioxidant
-
6
Butylene Glycol
- humectant
- solvent
- 7 Dextran
- 8 Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3
-
9
Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
- botanical extract
-
10
PPG-26-Buteth-26
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
11
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
-
12
Apigenin
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
-
13
Oleanolic Acid
- botanical extract
-
14
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
- vitamin
- protein
-
15
Glycerin
- humectant
- 16 Pisum Sativum Sprout Extract
-
17
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
18
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
-
19
Oryza Sativa Extract
- botanical extract
-
20
Panthenol
- humectant
- conditioning agent
- vitamin
-
21
Ocimum Basilicum Hairy Root Culture Extract
- botanical extract
-
22
Alcohol Denat.
- drying alcohol
- solvent
-
23
Dimethyl Isosorbide
- solvent
-
24
Ethylhexylglycerin
- preservative
- emollient
-
25
Tocopheryl Acetate
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
26
Bisabolol
- conditioning agent
- botanical extract
- 27 Ferulic Acid
-
28
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
- thickener
- polymer
- film former
-
29
Piroctone Olamine
- active
-
30
Sodium Phytate
- hard-water chelator
- 31 Resveratrol
-
32
Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
- botanical extract
-
33
Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment
- botanical extract
-
34
Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment
- botanical extract
-
35
Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment
- botanical extract
-
36
Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment
- botanical extract
Claims check
What each brand says, against what each formula shows
Claims are quoted from each brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when that product’s ingredient list actually speaks to it.
Salicylic Acid Scalp Exfoliator
Exfoliates the scalp to clear loose flakes
Stated by brandSoothing, not an active treatment.Combats excess scalp sebum + oil
Stated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.Alleviates scalp itch + sensitivity
Stated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
The Prevention Scalp Serum
Reduce the appearance of thinning
Stated by brandNot something a label can show.Fuller-looking hair
Stated by brandNot something a label can show.
What owners say
What people report
Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings, and we never balance one product’s themes against another’s by inventing them.
Salicylic Acid Scalp Exfoliator
many reviewers with oily or flaky scalps say weekly use noticeably reduces oil buildup and extends time between washes
reviewers managing oily scalp or dandruff/flakingreviewers describe a strong cooling, tingling sensation from the peppermint/menthol that they find soothing for itch and sensitivity
reviewers with scalp itch or sensitivity, including one undergoing chemotherapyseveral long-time users pair it weekly with the brand's shampoo/conditioner or scalp oil and credit it with reduced shedding and visible new growth
reviewers layering it into a full Act+Acre scalp routinea few reviewers wish the tube were larger for the price given how much is needed to cover a full scalp
reviewers with a lot of hair/thicker densityThe Prevention Scalp Serum
No review themes researched for this product yet.
Price check
Cost per ounce, in context
Cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in. Value labels are computed from that percentile and from how many products that do the same job cost less; they are comparisons, not judgements about a brand.
Salicylic Acid Scalp Exfoliator
Against 161 scalp treatments with a computable unit price.
Computed from cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, and from how many products that do the same job cost less. It is a comparison, not a judgement about the brand.
Compare with something else
Close formulas to each of these, as their own comparison pages.
Salicylic Acid Scalp Exfoliator · The Prevention Scalp Serum · All scalp treatments in the library
How this page was made
- This page is assembled from the same researched records the individual product pages render: identity, each ingredient list as printed, each brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. Nothing on it is written per comparison.
- We do not rank these against each other. Which of them suits you depends on your hair, and that is what the consultation works out.
- The formula similarity percentage is a stored, precomputed number: position-weighted overlap of the two ingredient lists blended with agreement on the attributes we derive. It measures how alike two formulas are, not how well either works.
- The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
- The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
- 7 sources were consulted across the products on this page.
- Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice. We do not sell these products and take no placement fees.
- This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
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