In 1949, John Parran Jr, a chemical engineer and bacteriologist from the University of Tennessee, joined Procter & Gamble. His task was simple – free the world from dandruff.
Back then the solutions to remove dandruff, like coal-tar and egg-oil, were unpleasant and even if they worked, they would damage your hair.
Dr Parran wanted to create an effective solution to the problem of dandruff that didn’t harm your hair and was a lot more pleasant to use.
The eureka momentIn 1961, after ten years of clinical trials, Dr Parran and his team of scientists singled out a potent compound that proved successful in removing dandruff.
Their product, codenamed Head & Shoulders, was finally ready to test in the market. It proved so successful that it was launched across America the following year.
When the product came out, it was a cream formula – but we knew we could make it even easier and more pleasant to use. So we went back to the lab and spent years reformulating the product.
By 1975, we had crafted a shampoo clinically-proven to remove dandruff with a pleasant fragrance. In fact, it was so effective and enjoyable to use that it soon became the world’s number one shampoo – and it still is today.
Scientific research has always been a key part of our work to rid the world of dandruff, but new technologies have allowed us to go further than Dr Parran could have imagined.
In 2002, we cracked the genetic code of the dandruff-causing fungus, Malassezia globosa. That meant we could go beyond getting rid of flakes, and treat the root cause of dandruff.
Since then, we’ve expanded our goals. Now, we don’t just fight dandruff – we aim to give everyone a healthy scalp and great-looking hair as well.
Our story doesn’t finish there, though.
Even now, we’re constantly striving to improve our formula because we’re dedicated to making it better and better with every new scientific discovery – something we think Dr Parran and his original team of pioneers would be thoroughly proud of.
We’ve been the expert on dandruff since the 1960s. When we started out, the only dandruff remedies available were a chore to use, smelled terrible and left your hair feeling flat.
That wasn’t good enough for us. We became the first brand to craft a product that was effective at removing dandruff AND tackling its root cause. We also added extra benefits like moisturizers and fresh-smelling fragrances to make it enjoyable to use.
SAFE AND EFFECTIVE FOR EVERYONEHead & Shoulders is all about giving you confidence, and that means much of what we do relies on your confidence in us
We base everything we do on making sure that when you use one of our products, you have a safe and enjoyable experience.
We’re committed to being transparent, and we’re happy to tell you exactly what goes into every bottle. It’s important to know that every formula is created with you in mind. Every single ingredient included in our products has passed our rigorous safety testing, and is included to help you get rid of dandruff while taking care of your hair and scalp.
We also understand that one size does not fit all when it comes to hair and scalp care. This is why we’ve taken our classic anti-dandruff shampoo and created a full range that gives you a variety of products tailored to your hair type and the specific benefits you want from your shampoo.
There’s a Head & Shoulders shampoo for everyone, no matter your age, gender or ethnicity – because dandruff doesn’t discriminate, and neither do we.
Just like you, we start with a heavy dose of skepticism. The number one question we ask ourselves is if this ingredient is safe to use.
Before any ingredients goes into our shampoos and conditioners, we gather all the relevant safety and toxicity information on the ingredient.If we have any doubts about an ingredient's potential to cause you harm then we don't use it.
DO INGREDIENTS DUE DILIGENCE. SET A SAFE RANGE:After we look at the safety data on the ingredient, the next big question we ask is: what is the Safe Range for the ingredient? The Safe Range defines how much of this ingredient is actually safe to use for you throughout your life.
We work to determine a Safe Range for each and every ingredient based on a similar process many regulatory agencies and scientific groups use to ensure safety.
This includes groups like the European Union Commision, the World Health Organization and the Natinal Academy of Sciences.
DETERMINE THE ENTIRE PRODUCT FORMULAWhile an ingredient might be safe by itself, we also evaluate the safety of our products when we have a mixture of ingredients to confirm their use is not going to cause any unexpected skin or eye irritation.
If we can't conclude the product formula is safe, it won't make it to your shower. We will either reformulate or we won't launch the product.
It takes a village to ensure your safety, and that's why we have more than 500 scientists and professionals who go above the beyond to make sure our products meet all safety and regulatory requirements around the world.
TRACK AND MONITOR RELENTLESSLYOnce our new shampoo or conditioner is out in the market (and in your shower!), we continually monitor your comments about our products. You deserve the best - and that means we can never take our eye off of your safety