Skip to main content

Side by side

Hairstory New Wash Original Fragrance-Free vs Hairstory New Wash Original Purple

85% function match · 10 of the 12 functions we compared match Formula overlap 95%. Hairstory New Wash Original Fragrance-Free and Hairstory New Wash Original Purple 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.

  • New Wash Original Fragrance-Free — fragrance-free
  • New Wash Original Purple — fragrance-free

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
Hairstory New Wash Original Fragrance-Free — 8 oz container Hairstory

New Wash Original Fragrance-Free

  • Co-wash
  • Prestige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Hairstory New Wash Original Purple — brand photograph Hairstory

New Wash Original Purple

  • Co-wash
  • Prestige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$48 8 oz · $6.00/oz
$54 8 oz · $6.75/oz
Value / price positioning
Same job for less elsewhere $$$$$ Prestige tier · costs more than 95% of the 95 co-washes we’ve priced
Priced above most co-washes $$$$$ Prestige tier · costs more than 98% of the 95 co-washes we’ve priced
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily Co-washes, curl creams, and gels are built around wave and curl. Your hair
Wavy–Coily Co-washes, curl creams, and gels are built around wave and curl. 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
None No detergent — the conditioners do the cleaning. Your hair
None No detergent — the conditioners do the cleaning. Your hair
Slip / detangling Same
High Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula. Your hair
High Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula. Your hair
Weight on hair
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Light Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair. Your hair
Fragrance
None listed No fragrance is listed. Your hair
None listed No fragrance is listed. Your hair
Protein Differs
None No protein or amino acids in the list. 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
High Your hair
High Your hair
Oils and butters Same
Present, lower down Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch. Your hair
Present, lower down Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch. Your hair
Formula completeness
out of 10
Complete for its job
out of 10
Complete for its job
Who should choose this
  • Fragrance-freeno fragrance (parfum) on the label — scented
  • Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Frequent washerswho want gentler cleansing
  • Fragrance-freeno fragrance (parfum) on the label — scented
  • Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
  • Frequent washerswho want gentler cleansing
  • Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • A squeaky-clean feelthis deliberately leaves conditioning behind
  • Regular clarifyingthere is no detergent here to clear residue
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • A squeaky-clean feelthis deliberately leaves conditioning behind
  • Regular clarifyingthere is no detergent here to clear residue
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
Co-wash
Co-wash
Line
New Wash
New Wash
Where to buy
Brand website
Brand website
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • fragrance-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • fragrance-free
  • curly-method compatible
Scent
Mint & herbal · Fresh & airy

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

IngredientNew Wash Original Fragrance-FreeNew Wash Original Purple
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Moisturizes
#2Leading
#2Leading
Glycerin
Moisturizes
#3Leading
#3Leading
Cetearyl Alcohol
Softens
#4Supporting
#4Supporting
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Detangles
#5Supporting
#6Supporting
Cetyl Alcohol
Softens
#6Supporting
#5Supporting
Stearyl Alcohol
Softens
#7Supporting
#7Supporting
Gluconolactone
Moisturizes
#8Below the 1% line
#8Below the 1% line
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
Buildup
#11Below the 1% line
#18Below the 1% line
Menthyl Lactate
Fragrance
#15Below the 1% line
#30Below the 1% line
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
Fragrance
#18Below the 1% line
#25Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

New Wash Original Fragrance-Free

Nothing notable here that the others do not also carry.

New Wash Original Purple

Full ingredient list — New Wash Original Fragrance-Free (34)
Full ingredient list — New Wash Original Purple (41)

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.

VerdictsNew Wash Original Fragrance-FreeNew Wash Original Purple
Supported
1
2
Partly supported
0
1
Stated by brand
3
1
Potential conflict
0
0

New Wash Original Fragrance-Free

  • Zero added fragrance for sensitive scalpsSupportedSafer for scent-sensitive scalps.
  • The same balanced cleanse as OriginalStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Replaces shampoo and conditioner to simplify your routineStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • No damaging detergents, just naturally derived ingredientsStated by brandA brand’s own definition.

New Wash Original Purple

  • Neutralizes brassiness and yellowing of lighter tonesStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Doubles the color protection of New Wash Original and New Wash RichSupportedLess fade per wash.
  • Shields hair from UV rays and repeated washingPartly supportedIndirect help, not a filter.
  • Prevents color fade between salon appointmentsSupportedLess fade per wash.

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.

Hairstory New Wash Original Purple draws complaints about dryness and weight.

New Wash Original Fragrance-Free

Reviewers frequently praise it as a gentler, non-irritating alternative to traditional shampoo, especially for sensitive/itchy scalps

multiple reviewers report prior scalp irritation resolved after switching

Fans of fragrance sensitivity specifically call out relief at having an unscented version of New Wash available

customers who previously avoided New Wash Original due to scent

A recurring complaint is that the product does not fully cleanse oily hair/scalp, leaving hair feeling less than fully clean for some users

users describing 2-4 week adjustment trials

Several reviewers note the fragrance-free formula is noticeably thinner/runnier than New Wash Original, though most say it does not affect results

longtime New Wash Original users switching to the fragrance-free version

Some reviewers dispute the "fragrance-free" label itself, noting the ingredient list still contains scented botanicals (peppermint oil, lavender extract, rose water, menthol) even though no literal fragrance/parfum ingredient is listed

fragrance-sensitive customers scrutinizing the ingredient panel

New Wash Original Purple

Convenience of a premixed purple toning wash is valued by customers who previously had to manually mix a separate purple booster into New Wash

existing New Wash customers switching from the separate Purple Color Boost add-in

Effectively neutralizes brassiness and yellow tones on gray, silver, and blonde hair, with several reviewers reporting a longer-lasting, cooler color result between salon visits

reviewers with gray/silver or color-treated hair

Some reviewers with dry or fine hair find the Original-base Purple formula not moisturizing enough and want a Rich-formula purple option, needing extra conditioning on ends

reviewers with dry, fine, or color-treated hair

Reviewers in hard-water areas report hair feeling weighed down, greasy, or coated rather than clean, echoing the same hard-water complaint seen on other New Wash variants

reviewers in hard water regions

Effect is described as subtle by some, working best as an occasional brassiness fix rather than a strong dramatic toner when used every wash

reviewers with gray hair using it routinely

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.

$6.00/oz vs $6.75/oz — within about the same cost per ounce.

$0.37/oz median $2.00/oz $8.63/oz $6.00/oz New Wash Original Fragranc $6.75/oz New Wash Original Purple

Every mark sits on one distribution because these are compared against the same set: 95 co-washes with a computable unit price.

Value readNew Wash Original Fragrance-FreeNew Wash Original Purple
Label
Same job for less elsewhereYou are paying above the range for a formula close to several lower-priced options.
Priced above most co-washesCosts more per ounce than most co-washes; nothing in our library matches it closely for less.

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.

New Wash Original Fragrance-Free · New Wash Original Purple · All co-washes 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.
  • 11 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.

Still unsure? Take your consultation or browse more products.

Your personalized hair plan

Tell us what’s going on with your hair, see what we understand, and get a plan built around it — with the reason behind every recommendation.

Free to start · $49.00 for your consultation and hair profile · No subscription · Nothing you must buy

Start your consultation