reviews for those who notice more
E45 Dry Scalp Fragrance Free Shampoo — Sensory Review
A legitimate anti-dandruff treatment — with a chemical smell in heat that fragrance-sensitive users will find difficult to ignore.
This is a case report within Investigation No. 1 — Fragrance-Free Shampoos. Findings relate to sensory behaviour: smell, texture, and in-shower experience. Not a clinical assessment.
Fig. II — Exhibit A. 200ml squeeze bottle.
Sensory scorecard
Smell and texture — the findings
This review examines two dimensions: smell and texture & behaviour.
What this means in practice: cold from the bottle the smell is mild — easy to miss without deliberate attention. In hot water something changes. The heat releases a moderate to strong synthetic note — not dramatic, but the kind that colonises the shower and does not leave until the rinse does it. A faint residual was also detectable on hair after drying. The experience is closer to washing near something industrial than to washing in a bathroom.
What this means in practice: the gel is thick and pearlescent — slightly stringy at the nozzle, which could build-up over time. The lather is creamy and dense, which depending on where you land on foam, reads as either reassuring or intrusive. Where this shampoo asks the most of you is the rinse: squeak is pronounced, and the lather left a residue on the hands that needed a second wash to shift. The cap has a satisfying snap but produces a small squeak — I mention this because for some of us that sound has a particular quality.
Case notes
What was found
E45 is a brand that has occupied pharmacy shelves for several decades — quietly useful, clinically positioned, not particularly interested in being stylish. The dry scalp shampoo is consistent with that approach. It exists because of Climbazole, an antifungal active that targets the yeast associated with dandruff. That is the reason for the product, and it is a legitimate one.
The sensory profile was expected to be as clinical and unremarkable as the branding. The smell in hot water was more than that. Cold from the bottle it is only a faint synthetic note — easy to set aside. In the shower, steam brought something out: a plasticky, slightly medicinal character with no particularly pleasant quality. Not loud, but specific, and present throughout the wash without diminishing. For users already managing a shower as a sensory event, an unexpected chemical smell arriving mid-wash is a meaningful additional load — not a minor inconvenience of a different kind.
The hot water test produced a smell in the vicinity of a medical cabinet. Not alarming. Simply present, and declining to leave.
The sulfate-based cleansing system (Sodium Myreth Sulfate) cleans firmly. Glyceryl Oleate and Polyquaternium-10 work to soften the rinse and do provide some mitigation — but squeak was still present post-rinse and lather left residue requiring a second hand wash. Where Climbazole is the specific requirement, the trade-off may be worth making. Where it is not, there is no particular reason to accept it. See the full batch comparison for how E45 ranks against the other seven tested, the squeak-free shampoo guide for options without friction, or the testing methodology for how these assessments are made.
What was tested
The tests
Small 200ml oval bottle — the smallest in the test batch, but well-shaped for one-handed use. The flip cap has a satisfying snap but produces a small squeak on opening and closing — minor, and noted without drama. One-handed operation is comfortable.
Pearlescent white gel, thick and slightly stringy at the nozzle on first press. The string is short and breaks cleanly — not a mess, but present. In the hand the gel is dense and slightly sticky.
A faint plasticky chemical note from the bottle — there, but mild enough that most users might not register it without deliberately looking. The investigation noted it and continued with moderate optimism.
Fixed amount of product added to a jar of warm water, shaken fifteen times, observed for two minutes. Thick, creamy lather with small dense bubbles — more substantial than average. Suds remained active for most of the observation period. Among the higher foam results in the batch.
Product applied to wet hands and worked into a lather. Semi-sticky, dense, and not easy to rinse — a second wash was needed to clear my hands. The chemical note was present and slightly amplified by the warmth of the hands. Lather left a residue that required active rinsing to remove.
1.5x the normal amount was used to achieve coverage — the product does not spread easily on wet hair. The chemical smell was the dominant experience in steam; it opened up noticeably from its cold-bottle baseline and persisted throughout the wash. Rinse was slower than average. A pronounced squeak was present at the end.
After drying: hair felt smooth and clean. A faint residual smell was detectable on the hair — not strong, but present. No scalp irritation or itching at any point, which is a genuine positive for a medicated formula.
Claims checker
What the label says — what the test found
| The claim | Finding | Note |
|---|---|---|
| "Fragrance free" | | No added fragrance. However a chemical smell is clearly present, particularly in hot water. Not odourless in any practical sense. |
| "Hypoallergenic" | | A marketing term with no regulated standard behind it. Sodium Myreth Sulfate is present; may irritate compromised scalp barriers with frequent use. |
| "Gentle cleansing" | | Milder than older medicated formulas — but the cleaning action is firm and squeak-producing. Not universally gentle for sensitive users. |
| "Hydrating / moisturising / protects scalp" | | Panthenol and glycerin are present; modest hydration benefits that may not outweigh drying effects of the sulfate base on frequent use. |
| "Contains Pro-Vitamin B5 (Panthenol)" | | Confirmed in ingredient list. Supports moisture retention and surface smoothness. |
| "Soap-free, perfume-free, colourant-free" | | Confirmed — though "perfume-free" should not be read as odourless. |
| "Suitable for dandruff and dry, itchy scalp" | | Climbazole targets dandruff effectively. The sulfate base may contribute to dryness for some users — condition-dependent. |
Ingredient analysis
Key points — what bears on the sensory outcome
- Key points — not a full INCI breakdown. Only what bears on the sensory outcome.
- Sodium Myreth Sulfate: Primary cleanser. Milder than SLS but still a sulfate — capable of stripping oils and irritating sensitive scalp barriers with frequent use.
- Coco-Glucoside: Mild non-ionic secondary surfactant. Softens the cleanse and improves lather behaviour.
- Laureth-6 / Laureth-2: Non-ionic co-surfactants. Further soften the cleansing system.
- Climbazole: Antifungal active. Directly targets the yeast associated with dandruff-related flaking. This is the reason the product exists.
- Glyceryl Oleate: Refatting agent. Reduces friction on rinse — mitigates squeak without fully eliminating it.
- Polyquaternium-10: Conditioning polymer. Improves post-rinse slip and reduces static.
- Glycol Distearate: Pearlising agent. Responsible for the opaque, pearlescent appearance. Aesthetic rather than functional.
- Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5): Humectant. Supports short-term softness and moisture retention.
- Glycerin: Humectant. Aids moisture retention in hair and on scalp.
- Isopropyl Alcohol: Solvent. May contribute to drying, particularly on already reactive scalps with frequent use.
- Citric Acid: pH adjuster. Formula measured at approximately pH 6 — closer to the scalp-friendly range, which is one of this formula's genuine positives.
Verdict
Who this suits — and who it doesn’t
Works well if avoiding- Contains Climbazole — a genuine antifungal active that targets dandruff-related yeast; not just a cosmetic shampoo
- Fragrance- and colourant-free formulation — no added perfume
- Dense, creamy lather that some users find reassuring
- Hair feels clean and smooth immediately after washing
- Good ergonomic bottle — comfortable one-handed hold
Not right if you need- Noticeable chemical smell — faint cold, moderate to strong in hot water and steam
- Lather is slow to rinse and left residue on my hands — I needed a second wash to clear it
- Squeaky-clean finish despite conditioning agents in the formula
- Small cap squeak on opening — minor but it's there
- Not a comfort-first daily shampoo; best used in rotation for treatment rather than everyday washing
E45 has a real answer to dandruff: Climbazole, a genuine antifungal active targeting the yeast responsible for flaking. The formula is simple, the bottle is sensibly designed, and it does what it claims. The investigation has no particular quarrel with any of this.
The smell in hot water is another matter. Cold from the bottle it is only faint — easy enough to set aside. In a hot shower, something changes. A synthetic, medicinal note opens up and declines to leave. For those of us who find unexpected smells intrusive rather than merely unpleasant, a shower is already an event requiring management. An uninvited chemical smell arriving in the middle of it is a specific kind of unwelcome.
It also squeaks, and the lather left residue requiring a second hand wash. If the Climbazole is what you need, these are perhaps acceptable trade-offs. If it is not, there is little reason to accept them. Faith In Nature Fragrance Free is the lowest-smell performer in the batch. Abena clears the smell bar with a sulfate base. All smell ratings are compared on the low-scent hub.