Ayurveda-led beauty and wellness brand Nat Habit has launched a new anti-dandruff campaign titled “The End of the Dandruff Trade-Off,” introducing its proprietary FlakeZero™ technology powered by 5% Beracyl™.

With this launch, the brand is challenging the long-standing belief that dandruff can only be “managed” and not fully addressed.

A Large Yet Frustrated Market

As India moves from winter dryness to pre-summer heat and humidity, dandruff cases typically rise. According to the company, dandruff control shampoos account for nearly 18% of India’s haircare market and drive close to 30% of hair-related online searches. Despite this demand, most solutions in the market rely on strong, single-pathway antifungal ingredients that often strip the scalp of natural oils. This can lead to dryness, irritation, and recurring flakes, creating what the brand describes as a cycle of dependency.

Swagatika Das, CEO and Co-founder of Nat Habit, said dandruff in India is often more than just a fungal problem. She explained that issues such as scalp barrier damage, oil imbalance, stress, and microbial activity also play a role. According to her, consumers have been conditioned to “control” flakes rather than solve the root cause.

Introducing FlakeZero™ and 5% Beracyl™

To address these gaps, Nat Habit has introduced FlakeZero™ technology, designed as a multi-pathway solution rather than a single-action treatment. At the center of this innovation is 5% Beracyl™, a naturally derived active ingredient that the company claims can kill dandruff-causing fungi within two minutes of contact, reducing the chances of microbial adaptation.

FlakeZero™ works at three levels:

• Microbial level: Targets Malassezia fungi through multiple pathways to prevent regrowth.

• Sebum level: Regulates excess oil without aggressively stripping the scalp.

• Barrier level: Calms irritation, reduces redness and flaking, and restores scalp health.

The company says the formulation delivers medicinal-grade efficacy without using synthetic antifungals like Ketoconazole or Piroctone Olamine. Gaurav Agarwal, Co-founder of Nat Habit, shared that the R&D team spent two years studying microbial adaptation, sebum dynamics, and scalp barrier disruption before developing this solution. He added that the goal was to create a high-performance formula aligned with the brand’s natural and Ayurveda-rooted philosophy.

A 9-Care Scalp System

The product range, branded under Navdha, is positioned not just as an anti-dandruff shampoo but as a “9-care scalp system.” Along with Beracyl™, it contains Neem to suppress Malassezia, Green Tea to regulate oil production through 5-α reductase inhibition, Bhringraj to support barrier repair, and Lactic Acid for gentle exfoliation while maintaining scalp pH.

The brand claims the system delivers dandruff relief, scalp health improvement, hair strength, shine, growth support, frizz control, and long-term balance.

Multi-Channel Rollout

The campaign will be promoted through founder-led content, influencer partnerships, social media initiatives, retail activations, and quick-commerce integrations. The new range will be available on Nat Habit’s D2C website, select retail stores, and leading online marketplaces such as Amazon, Flipkart, and Nykaa.

With this launch, Nat Habit aims to shift the conversation around dandruff care in India, from temporary control to long-term scalp balance.

-By Shivani Solanki