Flaky Scalp Mask
Scalp treatment
- Scalp treatment
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Manufacturer page: philipkingsley.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 6,000+ products in our library, we can match you to the right ones.
- About 20 minutes, and your answers save as you go.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 19 factors we check.
- A personalized routine built around your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
- Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
- Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.
$49 with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates
$99 with 12 months. Pay once; the year renews only if you choose.
Show all 19 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.
Start your consultation$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.
Your avoid-list
Same job for less elsewhere
$50.00/oz at 0.68 oz, more than 96% of the 280 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.84–19.05/oz.
Great for
Maybe skip if
What the formula actually does
Read from the label, not the marketing
Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.
Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners.
No oils or butters in the list.
Middle of the range: noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.
Humectants near the top: binding water is one of its main jobs.
No protein or amino acids in the list.
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Contains chelators, which bind hard-water and pool minerals.
No fragrance is listed.
Ingredients that matter
The ingredients that change a decision
The workhorse ingredients, plus anything lower down that changes a decision. The chips name what an ingredient does. They are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterAqua/Water/Eau | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Coco-Caprylate/CaprateCoco-Caprylate | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Softens |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Shea Butter Ethyl Esters | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Softens |
| Sodium Hydroxide | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
| Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer | film former | A supporting film former | Holds |
| Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride | light ester | A light, silky feel | Softens |
| Squalene | emollient | A softening touch, low in the list | Softens |
| Salicylic Acid | active | A secondary active | Active |
| Piroctone Olamine | active | A secondary active | Active |
Full ingredient list (29)
In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.
-
1
Water
· Aqua/Water/Eau
General function
The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
· Coco-Caprylate
General function
A plant-derived light ester used where a silicone-free but silky feel is wanted.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
3
Glycerin
General function
Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Scientific ReportsMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairBinds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairWater moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.
- humectant
-
4
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
General function
The liquid ester fraction of shea butter. It carries shea's softening effect with much less weight than the butter.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
5
Sodium Hydroxide
General function
A strong base used in trace amounts to raise pH; fully neutralised in the finished product.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of TrichologyDependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe alkali half of a pH-adjusting pair, used in small amounts to bring a formula up to its target rather than to make it alkaline. Alkaline conditions raise the fibre's surface charge and lift the scales — but the finished pH is not on the label.
- pH adjuster
-
6
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
General function
A synthetic film-forming polymer. Polymers of this kind dry to a continuous film on the hair, which is how a styling product holds a shape.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- film former
- polymer
-
7
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
General function
A light, refined coconut-derived oil that spreads easily and does not go rancid. It gives slip without a heavy feel.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
8
Squalene
General function
The unsaturated parent of squalane and a natural component of scalp sebum. It is less stable than squalane and oxidises faster.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- emollient
-
9
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
General function
A gel-forming thickener that also keeps oils suspended. It contributes a little hold.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- thickener
- polymer
- film former
-
10
Salicylic Acid
- active
- exfoliant
-
11
Lactic Acid
General function
An acid used to set pH and, in scalp products, to loosen flakes.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairBinds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.
- pH adjuster
- humectant
- exfoliant
-
12
Polysorbate 60
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
13
Disodium EDTA
General function
Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise the formula.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesBinds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.
May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairCopper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.
- hard-water chelator
-
14
Sorbitan Isostearate
General function
A fatty ester. Esters give slip and a smooth after-feel; lighter ones read dry and silky, heavier ones read rich.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
15
Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
- botanical extract
-
16
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
General function
A smaller form of hyaluronic acid, used for water binding closer to the strand.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairBinds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.
- humectant
-
17
Camellia Sinensis (Tea) Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
-
18
Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract
- botanical extract
-
19
Sodium Metabisulfite
- antioxidant
- preservative
-
20
Apium Graveolens (Celery) Seed Extract
- botanical extract
-
21
Tocopherol
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
22
Citric Acid
General function
Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesHolds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.
May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairWhere a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
23
Benzoic Acid
- preservative
-
24
Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
-
25
Piroctone Olamine
- active
-
26
Dehydroacetic Acid
- preservative
-
27
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
28
Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
-
29
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
What the whole list adds up to
- 7 preservatives
- 5 emollients
- 4 light esters
- 4 botanical extracts
- 3 humectants
- 3 pH adjusters
- 2 solvents
- 2 film formers
- 2 polymers
- 2 actives
- 2 exfoliants
- 2 hard-water chelators
- 2 antioxidants
- 1 thickener
Ingredient list captured 2026-10-07. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 0.68 oz
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $6 line; products that do this job typically go for about $13 at this size.
Sizes
The sizes cost about the same per ounce.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it6 listings · 6 stores
0.68 ozusual store sizeBest per ounce
-
Harrods
$28.000.68 oz · $41.18/ozOct 8Lowest per oz
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Philip Kingsley (brand site)
$34.000.68 oz · $50.00/ozOct 7
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Philip Kingsley US
$34.000.68 oz · $50.00/ozOct 8
-
Nordstrom
$34.000.68 oz · $50.00/ozOct 8
0.07 oz
-
GNMart
$60.750.07 oz · $867.86/ozOct 8Lowest per oz
1.35 oz
-
British Essentials
$78.491.35 oz · $58.14/ozOct 8Lowest per oz
Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.
How we work this out
- 0.68 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
- Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 0.68 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
- Good value under $6 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $9.50/oz; at 0.68 oz that is $6. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
- About $13 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 0.68 oz.
Formula
Above the range for scalp treatments per ounce for a formula that 6 lower-priced products come close to on ingredients and attributes.
How the score is counted
- 6 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 96% of the 280 scalp treatments we’ve priced
- No conditioning agents up front in the formula
- Salon tier, sold at Brand website
- Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.3 pts
- Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
- Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
- A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
- A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.1 pt
- Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt
The formula score measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.
Does the same job, for less
Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.
- Fragrance-free
- Unscented
- Protein-free
- Differs
- Protein-free
- Lightweight
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
- Scalp active
- Fragrance-free
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
See more alternatives in the product library
These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find the one that fits your hair, routine and budget
Final decision
Should you buy it?
Good for the right person, not the lowest costFlaking scalps, for an over-the-counter scalp active and a formula with no added fragrance
Not ideal for very dry or very humid climates, anyone who does not want a medicated product, or people shopping on a budget
Consider SEEN Restore Scalp Serum, Fragrance Free, for similar results at a lower price
We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.
More from Philip Kingsley
How this page was made
- Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one product.
- 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.
- Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
- 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.
- 1 source consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-10-07.
- Ingredient references are linked for 5 of 12 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
- We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
- Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
- Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
- This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
- Formula readings: derivation v23. Record last updated 2026-10-08.
