First off, we need to state we are not a drug manufacturer and cannot make claims to cure or treat anything according to FDA regulations. Now we have that out of the way, let’s get into the question.
Serborrheic Dermatitis (SD)
TONIK does moisturize the scalp, which will help. It also has a blend of 32 organic antioxidant botanicals. But the powerhouse ingredients for targeting SD is salicylic acid and essential oils. While there aren’t many clinical studies using salicylic acid alone for seborrheic dermatitis (which is caused by Malassezia overgrowth), most research combines it with a fungicide, lot’s of studies like this: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11705510. It makes sense why salicylic acid helps relieve symptoms. It's an oil-soluble acid, and Malassezia, the thing responsible for SD, thrives on oil. These microbes feed on the sebum in our skin and produce oleic acid as a byproduct. Gross as it sounds, that oleic acid is what irritates the skin. The irritation pushes the skin into overdrive, speeding up cell turnover and leading to buildup or flaking. Salicylic acid helps in a few ways, it acts as a keratolytic exfoliant, softening and loosening flakes for easy removal. It reduces sebum the food for Malassezia. It supports the scalp with a more acidic pH environment, Malassezia doesn’t like an acidic pH.
On top of that, TONIK contains essential oils with proven antifungal properties. Clove oil is a real standout, but we also use thyme, lavender, and tea tree oil. All of these have been shown to help inhibit fungal growth. Here's one of many studies demonstrating this effect: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7922942.
We believe it’s the combination of antifungal essential oils, skin-soothing hydration, and salicylic acid that makes TONIK so effective for SD symptoms. Of course, TONIK is not a drug and has not been evaluated by the FDA so we are not making any claims that it treats or cures Seborrheic dermatitis.
TONIK and SUPERWATER
Do other products do the same thing? That depends on what’s in the other products. If they contain a lot of oils and fatty acids (Serums, Leave in Conditioners, Creams), those ingredients act as occlusives. Occlusives are meant to sit on top of the hair and seal it, but they don’t penetrate the hair shaft as well which limits their ability to affect internal pH.
On the other hand, if the product is free of heavy occlusives and has a pH below 5, it should work well for lowering hair pH. That’s one reason TONIK and SUPERWATER are effective, they are designed to deliver hydration and pH balance without coating the hair in film-forming oils. Use those after to seal everything in.
Surprisingly, many professional products don’t actually have a low pH. Being the nerd I am, I tested several big-name styling products pH. Many of them landed between pH 6 and 7, not all, but enough to be like what the hell? It makes me wonder whether they’re even formulating with pH in mind. Some synthetic ingredients require a higher pH to function properly, so maybe that’s why. Who knows?