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Side by side

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry Shampoo vs Aussie Ultra Smooth Shampoo

90% function match · 7 of the 9 functions we compared match Formula overlap 0%. Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry Shampoo and Aussie Ultra Smooth Shampoo share no ingredient among each other's most prominent — which does not stop them doing the same job.

Based on your consultation

Which of these fits your hair?

We check your pattern, moisture need, scalp, fragrance tolerance, weight sensitivity and more against each formula — and say which one lines up.

Your profile at a glance

  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here

When each one is the right call

What each formula is built for, from its own ingredient list.

  • Caviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry Shampoo — protein-hungry hair
  • Ultra Smooth Shampoo — colour-treated hair

Side by side

Every trait, aligned

One row per trait, read from each product’s own ingredient list and record. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a “no”.

Trait
Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry Shampoo — 5 oz container Alterna

Caviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry Shampoo

  • Shampoo
  • Salon
Aussie Ultra Smooth Shampoo — brand photograph Aussie

Ultra Smooth Shampoo

  • Shampoo
  • Drugstore
  • Sulfate-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$17–25 5 oz · $3.62/oz
$9.97 10.1 oz · $0.99/oz

Compared at different sizes — 10.1 oz against 5 oz. Per-ounce prices favour the larger bottle.

Value / price positioning
Same job for less elsewhere $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 82% of the 817 shampoos we’ve priced
Priced with its peers $$$$$ Drugstore tier · costs less than 68% of the 817 shampoos we’ve priced
Best for hair types
All types Nothing in the formula or the claims narrows this to one pattern. Your hair
All types Nothing in the formula or the claims narrows this to one pattern. Your hair
Moisture level Differs
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
Slip / detangling Same
Moderate Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list. Your hair
Moderate Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list. Your hair
Fragrance
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Prominent Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula. Your hair
Protein Same
Prominent Protein high in the list — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Your hair
Prominent Protein high in the list — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Your hair
Silicone / wax buildup Same
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate Your hair
Moderate Your hair
Cleansing strength
—
Strong Removes oil, buildup, and most residue — a reset wash. Your hair
Weight on hair
—
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Scalp active Same
None No over-the-counter scalp active. Your hair
None No over-the-counter scalp active. Your hair
Expected lather
—
High Thick foam that spreads quickly through the hair. Your hair
Hard-water defence
—
Chelators present Chelators are present — they bind hard-water and pool minerals. Your hair
Formula completeness
out of 10
A simple formula
out of 10
Covers the core
Who should choose this
  • Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
  • Matte, textured stylesabsorbent powders do the mattifying
  • Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
  • Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
  • Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
  • Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
More facts about each one
Type
Shampooaerosol
Shampoo
Where to buy
Salons · Specialty beauty
Grocery / mass
Free of
—
  • sulfate-free
Cruelty-free
—
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Scent
Scented, not described
Scented, not described
How often
as needed
—

Facts as we recorded them. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a "no".

The bottom line

The bottom line depends on your hair

Which of these two suits you is a question about your hair, not about them. The consultation answers it — and tells you what your routine needs around it.

Take the consultation

$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.

The detail behind the table

Where the readings above come from: the ingredient lists themselves, each brand’s claims checked against them, what owners report, and cost per ounce in context.

Shared and distinct ingredients

Shared and distinct ingredients

Computed from the ingredient lists as printed. "Shared" means both lists carry it; where it sits on each label is stated, because position is what tells you how much.

What both formulas carry

IngredientCaviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry ShampooUltra Smooth Shampoo
Fragrance
Fragrance
#15Below the 1% line
#6Below the 1% line
Water
Neutral
#25Below the 1% line
#1Leading

What only one of them carries

Caviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry Shampoo

Ultra Smooth Shampoo

Full ingredient list — Caviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry Shampoo (30)
Full ingredient list — Ultra Smooth Shampoo (21)

Claims check

What each brand says, against what each formula shows

Claims are quoted from each brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when that product’s ingredient list actually speaks to it.

VerdictsCaviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry ShampooUltra Smooth Shampoo
Supported
0
4
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
5
1
Potential conflict
0
0

Caviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry Shampoo

  • Absorbs oilStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Refreshes hairStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Leaves no white residueStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Extends time between washesStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Formulated without added SLS, SLES, sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfateStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.

Ultra Smooth Shampoo

  • 9X hydrationStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • 4 days frizz control, even in high humiditySupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • cleanses & smoothsSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • long lasting frizz controlSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • sulfate and paraben free formulaSupportedPreserved without parabens.

What owners say

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings, and we never balance one product’s themes against another’s by inventing them.

Aussie Ultra Smooth Shampoo draws complaints about dryness and the scent.

Caviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry Shampoo

Does not provide strong enough oil control or volume for those with very oily scalps or textured curl patterns requiring heavier hold.

reviewers with extremely oily hair or tight curls report minimal or short-lived results

Leaves no visible white residue or powdery cast, making it ideal for dark hair and achieving an invisible, undetectable finish.

reviewers with dark brown and black hair consistently praise the sheer formula

Has a strong, noticeable floral fragrance that lingers throughout the day, which some reviewers find pleasant and others find overpowering.

mixed reviewer opinions on the scent intensity and profile

Spray nozzle requires firm pressure to dispense and some bottles spray with difficulty, making application awkward or challenging.

multiple reviewers report difficulty pressing the spray button or receiving defective bottles

Effectively absorbs excess oil and adds light volume without leaving hair feeling heavy, stiff, or chalky.

reviewers report oil control and volumizing benefits across multiple hair types

Ultra Smooth Shampoo

Strong, effective lather that cleanses well without feeling stripping, alongside a widely praised scent

reviewers across hair types, several comparing it favorably to salon/high-end brands

Reduces frizz and leaves hair smooth, soft, and hydrated; several reviewers describe it as comparable to pricier salon shampoos

reviewers with thick or curly hair

Rinses cleanly with no residue, and the packaging/bottle design is called out as sleek

repeat buyers

One reviewer reported a drying result ('felt like hay') and a pleasant initial scent that turned into an unpleasant 'cigarette'-like note

a single verified-purchase reviewer (also reported the same pattern on the matching conditioner)

One reviewer found frizz control inconsistent depending on styling method -- helped when hair was worn straight but not when worn curly

a reviewer alternating between straight and curly styling

Price check

Cost per ounce, in context

Cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in. Value labels are computed from that percentile and from how many products that do the same job cost less; they are comparisons, not judgements about a brand.

$0.99/oz vs $3.62/oz — Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry Shampoo costs about 3.7× more per ounce than Aussie Ultra Smooth Shampoo.

$0.00/oz median $1.47/oz $17.29/oz $3.62/oz Caviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dr $0.99/oz Ultra Smooth Shampoo

Every mark sits on one distribution because these are compared against the same set: 817 shampoos with a computable unit price.

Value readCaviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry ShampooUltra Smooth Shampoo
Label
Same job for less elsewhereYou are paying above the range for a formula close to several lower-priced options.
Priced with its peersSits in the middle of the range for shampoos per ounce.

Computed from cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, and from how many products that do the same job cost less. It is a comparison, not a judgement about the brand.

Compare with something else

Close formulas to each of these, as their own comparison pages.

Caviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry Shampoo vs Bond Strength Peptide Complex ShampooDove · 95% function matchUltra Smooth Shampoo vs Anti-Breakage + Keratin Oil ShampooOGX · 94% function matchCaviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry Shampoo vs Anti-Breakage + Keratin Oil ShampooOGX · 95% function matchUltra Smooth Shampoo vs STIMULATE-ME.WASHKevin Murphy · 91% function matchCaviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry Shampoo vs STIMULATE-ME.WASHKevin Murphy · 90% function matchUltra Smooth Shampoo vs Big Volume Weightless Lift ShampooMarc Anthony · 89% function matchCaviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry Shampoo vs Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery ShampooJohn Frieda · 89% function matchUltra Smooth Shampoo vs Forming Pre-Styling ShampooAmerican Crew · 89% function match

Caviar Anti-Aging Sheer Dry Shampoo · Ultra Smooth Shampoo · All shampoos in the library

How this page was made

  • This page is assembled from the same researched records the individual product pages render: identity, each ingredient list as printed, each brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. Nothing on it is written per comparison.
  • We do not rank these against each other. Which of them suits you depends on your hair, and that is what the consultation works out.
  • The formula similarity percentage is a stored, precomputed number: position-weighted overlap of the two ingredient lists blended with agreement on the attributes we derive. It measures how alike two formulas are, not how well either works.
  • The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
  • The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
  • 7 sources were consulted across the products on this page.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice. We do not sell these products and take no placement fees.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.

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