This $6 Shampoo Is The Cure For Your Lifelong Dandruff Struggle

I've had dandruff my whole life.

Chill out. It's not a disgustingly overwhelming amount, and I swear I SHOWER. But no matter how much I shower or what shampoo I use, I always have a few of those pesky white flakes in my hair. I used to really care about this problem, but eventually -- I want to say somewhere in my teen years -- I sort of just gave up and accepted the fact that I was born with an affliction and couldn't do much about it.

But then I started working at Elite Daily. My desk moved closer to the women's team, and I saw them doing all of this cool beauty sh*t and thought to myself, "If there's a way to come out of my sweaty AF workout smelling like a goddess, there's gotta be a way to get rid of my dandruff." So I went on a mission.

I want to say I tried about 15 different shampoos, most specifically geared toward getting rid of dandruff. This was an extensive project. And I'm not one to give up on anything after the first try, so I gave each of them at least two washes before I made up my mind.

There was one that legitimately smelled like my dining hall at summer camp. Another smelled great, but it completely dried out my hair. And, finally, there was the one that felt like I was just pouring heavy cream on my scalp, but it did make my hair nice and shiny.

Only one shampoo actually managed to get rid of my dandruff completely: Neutrogena T/Gel.

Neutrogena T/Gel Therapeutic Shampoo, $5, Amazon

This $6 drugstore staple was the only one that was able to really do the trick.

Why does it work? Don't worry, I've looked into it. So, first of all, it contains menthol, which cools your scalp and relieves itching. I know what you're thinking: COOL, CANDICE, BUT HOW DOES IT GET RID OF MY DANDRUFF? Once again, I've got you covered! T/Gel also contains coal tar, which has been used for over a century to reduce peeling and excess keratin buildup.

So there you have it. GO BUY T/GEL and save yourself from ever having dandruff.

But before you do, let me give you a few pointers.

First of all, T/Gel smells.

No, really. I'm not just trying to sound cool here. It legitimately smells like horse poop. It smells like you took one of those dumps from the horses in Central Park and decided to turn it into a shampoo.

But I have a solution for you: Use a delicious-smelling shampoo as a "chaser" (I personally love the smell of L'Oreal Advanced Haircare Color Vibrancy Shampoo). You'll still have some slight poop undertones to the scent, but a strong shampoo should mask it almost completely.

L'Oreal Advanced Haircare Color Vibrancy Shampoo, $4, Amazon

Also, it takes a couple of washes to really start working.

The first time I used this shampoo, I was livid. I didn't want to try it again. WHY THE F*CK WOULD I SMEAR THAT ALL OVER MY SCALP ANOTHER TIME? But whether I liked to admit it or not, my hair did feel a little cleaner than usual.

And, as I mentioned to you earlier, I am not one to give up very easily. So I went for a second round, and BOOM. I started really seeing some results. By the third wash, it was almost completely gone.

And your dandruff WILL return the minute you stop using it.

I had used T/Gel three times before I went home to California for a week. While there, I went back to using whatever shampoo my mom had stocked my bathroom with. Literally two washes later, my dandruff was back.

Here's the obvious lesson: Buy T/Gel, and never stop using it.

Neutrogena T/Gel Therapeutic Shampoo, $5, Amazon