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Side by side

Alterna Haircare Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo vs Virtue Labs Smooth Shampoo

94% function match · 11 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 39%. Alterna Haircare Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo and Virtue Labs Smooth Shampoo share 4 ingredients among each other's most prominent.

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.

  • Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo — colour-treated hair
  • 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 Haircare Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo — container, alternate view Alterna Haircare

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo

  • Shampoo
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Moisture-rich
Virtue Labs Smooth Shampoo — 8 oz container Virtue Labs

Smooth Shampoo

  • Shampoo
  • Prestige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Moisture-rich
Price, size & price per ounce
$27.19 8.5 oz · $3.20/oz
$18 2 oz · $9.00/oz

Compared at different sizes — 8.5 oz against 2 oz. Per-ounce prices favour the larger bottle.

Value / price positioning
Priced above most shampoos $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 77% of the 817 shampoos we’ve priced
Same job for less elsewhere $$$$$ Prestige tier · costs more than 99% 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 Same
High Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here. Your hair
High Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here. Your hair
Cleansing strength Same
Strong Removes oil, buildup, and most residue — a reset wash. Your hair
Strong Removes oil, buildup, and most residue — a reset wash. 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
Weight on hair
Light Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair. Your hair
Light Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair. Your hair
Fragrance
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Protein Same
Minor Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient. Your hair
Minor Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient. 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
Expected lather Same
Moderate An ordinary shampoo lather. Your hair
Moderate An ordinary shampoo lather. Your hair
Scalp active Same
None No over-the-counter scalp active. Your hair
None No over-the-counter scalp active. Your hair
Hard-water defence Same
Chelators present Chelators are present — they bind hard-water and pool minerals. Your hair
Chelators present Chelators are present — they bind hard-water and pool minerals. Your hair
Formula completeness
out of 10
Complete for its job
out of 10
Complete for its job
Who should choose this
  • Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
  • Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
  • Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
  • Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit
  • Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
  • Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
  • Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
  • 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
  • Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
  • Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans
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
Shampoo
Shampoo
Line
Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold
Smooth
Where to buy
Brand website
Brand website
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • sulfate-free
Vegan
—
Not vegan · ingredient list
Scent
Fresh & airy
Scented, not described

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

IngredientAlterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold ShampooSmooth Shampoo
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleanses
#2Leading
#5Supporting
Glycerin
Moisturizes
#4Supporting
#3Leading
Glycol Distearate
Softens
#10Secondary
#8Supporting
Fragrance
Fragrance
#61Below the 1% line
#11Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo

Smooth Shampoo

Full ingredient list — Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo (61)
Full ingredient list — Smooth Shampoo (44)

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.

VerdictsAlterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold ShampooSmooth Shampoo
Supported
2
2
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
0
0
Potential conflict
0
0

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo

  • Prevent hair color fade!SupportedLess fade per wash.
  • Caviar Anti Aging Shampoo for Colored Hair is our moisturizing cleanser that minimizes color fade for lasting color vibrancy.SupportedLess fade per wash.

Smooth Shampoo

  • Tame frizzSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • Nourishing hydration and smoothing power for sleek, manageable hairSupportedHelps hair feel hydrated.

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.

Alterna Haircare Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo draws complaints about the packaging.

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo

Despite being sulfate-free, reviewers describe the lather as satisfying and the wash experience as gentle rather than watery or thin.

general users, some noting sulfate-free formulas as usually low-lather

Reviewers report the shampoo keeps color-treated hair vibrant and slows visible fade over weeks of use, including after highlights and full-color services.

color-treated/highlighted hair

A minor complaint about bottle/cap ergonomics (harder to open with wet hands) appears alongside otherwise strongly positive reviews.

general users

Fragrance is polarizing: most reviewers describe the scent as fresh and clean, but a minority explicitly complain about the smell.

general users

Smooth Shampoo

Described as essential/mandatory for daily manageability by long-term repeat users

multi-year repeat buyers

Reviewers with medium/coarse or naturally frizzy hair report effective frizz control even in humidity

humid-climate and medium/coarse-hair reviewers

Price is called out as high relative to drugstore alternatives but justified by results

Often bought and used together with Full shampoo/conditioner as a combined routine

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.

$3.20/oz vs $9.00/oz — Virtue Labs Smooth Shampoo costs about 2.8× more per ounce than Alterna Haircare Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo.

$0.00/oz median $1.48/oz $17.29/oz $3.20/oz Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging $9.00/oz Smooth Shampoo

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

Value readAlterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold ShampooSmooth Shampoo
Label
Priced above most shampoosCosts more per ounce than most shampoos; nothing in our library matches it closely for less.
Same job for less elsewhereYou are paying above the range for a formula close to several lower-priced options.

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.

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo vs Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture ShampooAlterna Haircare · 96% function matchSmooth Shampoo vs Recovery ShampooVirtue Labs · 100% function matchAlterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo vs Supershine Hydrating ShampooOribe · 96% function matchSmooth Shampoo vs ColorX ShampooRusk · 97% function matchAlterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo vs Gold Lust Repair & Restore ShampooOribe · 96% function matchSmooth Shampoo vs DALLAS Biotin Thickening ShampooR+Co · 94% function matchAlterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo vs Shampoo for Brilliance & ShineOribe · 96% function matchSmooth Shampoo vs Puremix Blooming Sunflower Volumizing ShampooRusk · 94% function match

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Shampoo · 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.
  • 10 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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