Review: Axe Armor 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner with Active Zinc

Over the years, I've tried and failed to find a cause, like hard water, or the type and amount of product I use. Stylists have suggested clarifying shampoos and weird conditioning regimens. Friends and family have subjected me to hot oil treatments and herbal remedies. I could buy a product like Selsun Blue or Nizoral, but that seems suspiciously like admitting I have a problem. At around $9-$15 a bottle, it's like the shampoo equivalent of an embarrassing groin injury.

When I saw Axe Armor 2-in-1 Anti-Dandruff shampoo at the supermarket, I was skeptical. I'm not really into being heavily fragranced, and a lot of products marketed to men smell a fair bit like losing a fight to a case of Speed Stick. A quick sniff in the store, though, put me at ease. I brought home a bottle and gave it a two week test drive.

Overall, the results are good. Axe Armor gets my hair clean (even in the aforementioned hard water) and leaves it feeling soft. It doesn't smell medicated, or astringent, but more like coconut and musk. In short, it performs its job as a shampoo pretty admirably. But what about the flakes? Minimal. They're not gone, but a vigorous head-rubbing over a dark colored sleeve is less disconcerting than it used to be.

For the price (about $5 for a 12oz. bottle, as well as the dignity that goes with buying something that doesn't scream 'look at my afflicted head!' to the check-out clerk), Axe Armor is a reasonably good value. It leaves me feeling and looking good, helps with the flakiness, and doesn't smell like a bad accident at the perfume counter.

One peculiar feature I noticed was the packaging. Or, rather, the cap. Axe Armor, like the rest of Axe's new shampoo line, comes in a high-tech looking bottle with a flip-open cap. If you're opening a new bottle, or if you have any reason to believe that there may be a high-pressure situation under that cap (say, if you have a habit of vigorously shaking your shampoo), look away before pressing the release button. Your eyes will thank you.

If you're looking for an anti-dandruff shampoo that doesn't go broadcasting itself to everyone in sight, or if you're just looking for a 2-in-1 that leaves your hair feeling fantastic, give Axe Armor a shot. You may be pleasantly surprised.