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Side by side

Head & Shoulders Head & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo vs Selsun Blue Medicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo

65% function match · 7 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 0%. Head & Shoulders Head & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo and Selsun Blue Medicated Maximum Strength Dandruff 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.

  • Head & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo — flaking scalps
  • Medicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo — flaking scalps

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
Head & Shoulders Head & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo — 12.5 oz container Head & Shoulders

Head & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo

  • Shampoo
  • Drugstore
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
Selsun Blue Medicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo — 11 oz container Selsun Blue

Medicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo

  • Shampoo
  • Drugstore
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$6.99 12.5 oz · $0.56/oz
$7.99 11 oz · $0.73/oz
Value / price positioning
Lower cost than most shampoos $$$$$ Drugstore tier · costs less than 87% of the 817 shampoos we’ve priced
Lower cost than most shampoos $$$$$ Drugstore tier · costs less than 79% of the 817 shampoos we’ve priced
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily The brand’s own claims name curly or textured hair. Your hair
All types Nothing in the formula or the claims narrows this to one pattern. Your hair
Moisture level Same
Low Humectants appear, but low enough to be a minor part. Your hair
None found No humectants found — nothing here pulls water into the hair. Your hair
Cleansing strength Differs
Moderate Removes oil and product; leaves some conditioning behind. Your hair
Gentle Removes light dirt and oil without stripping. Your hair
Slip / detangling Differs
Moderate Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list. Your hair
Some Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners. Your hair
Weight on hair
Light Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair. Your hair
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Fragrance
Prominent Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula. Your hair
Prominent Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula. Your hair
Protein Same
None No protein or amino acids in the list. Your hair
None No protein or amino acids in the list. 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
High Your hair
Expected lather Same
Moderate An ordinary shampoo lather. Your hair
Moderate An ordinary shampoo lather. Your hair
Scalp active Differs
pyrithione zinc, 1% Carries an over-the-counter scalp active, listed under Drug Facts. Your hair
selenium sulfide, 1% Carries an over-the-counter scalp active, listed under Drug Facts. Your hair
Hard-water defence Same
None No chelating agent in the list. Your hair
None No chelating agent in the list. Your hair
Formula completeness
out of 10
Covers the core
out of 10
Covers the core
Who should choose this
  • Flaking scalpsthis carries an over-the-counter active
  • Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Fine hairthat flattens under most products
  • Flaking scalpsthis carries an over-the-counter active
  • Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Frequent washerswho want gentler cleansing
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a strong scent
  • Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
  • Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
  • Heavy product buildupthis is not a clarifying wash
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
Where to buy
Target
Grocery / mass · Drugstore · Walmart …
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • protein-free
  • sulfate-free
  • protein-free
Cruelty-free
Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
—
Scent
Scented, not described
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

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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

IngredientHead & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter ShampooMedicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#14Below the 1% line
Fragrance
Fragrance
#5Below the 1% line
#5Below the 1% line
Sodium Citrate
pH balancer
#7Below the 1% line
#12Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Head & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo

Medicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo

Full ingredient list — Head & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo (17)
Full ingredient list — Medicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo (14)

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.

VerdictsHead & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter ShampooMedicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo
Supported
0
1
Partly supported
2
0
Stated by brand
2
0
Potential conflict
0
0

Head & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo

  • Clinically proven: Up to 100% dandruff protectionStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • Deeply moisturizes and helps strengthen hair against damagePartly supportedSome hydration, at a low level.
  • For curly to coily hair: cleanses and moisturizesPartly supportedSome hydration, at a low level.
  • Infused with creamy shea butterStated by brandCheck the position, not the name.

Medicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo

  • Fights and helps prevent recurrence of flaking and itching associated with dandruffSupportedA recognised active does the work.

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.

Both praised for moisture, a clean rinse-out, and how it cleanses. Head & Shoulders Head & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo draws complaints about weight and irritation; Selsun Blue Medicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo draws complaints about the scent.

Head & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo

Leaves hair softer and less frizzy without residue buildup

curly and coily hair

Good value for the price relative to results

Reduces dandruff flaking within a few weeks without stripping moisture like older sulfate dandruff shampoos

dandruff-prone scalp

Pleasant, long-lasting shea butter fragrance and creamy lather texture

Small subset reported increased greasiness or scalp sensitivity

fine-density hair reported more often

Medicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo

Leaves hair feeling clean without over-drying or stripping natural oils

general reviewers

Noticeable reduction in flaking and scalp irritation within one to two weeks of regular use

dandruff sufferers, twice-weekly use

Effective for tough, recurring dandruff where milder shampoos failed

reviewers with chronic/severe dandruff

Strong, medicinal scent that lingers after rinsing

general reviewers

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.

$0.56/oz vs $0.73/oz — Selsun Blue Medicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo costs about 1.3× more per ounce than Head & Shoulders Head & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo.

$0.00/oz median $1.47/oz $17.29/oz $0.56/oz Head & Shoulders Sulfate F $0.73/oz Medicated Maximum Strength

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

Value readHead & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter ShampooMedicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo
Label
Lower cost than most shampoosCosts less per ounce than most shampoos we have researched.
Lower cost than most shampoosCosts less per ounce than most shampoos we have researched.

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.

Head & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo vs Supreme Nourish & Smooth Dandruff Scalp & Hair ShampooHead & Shoulders · 96% function matchMedicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo vs Lavender Lychee Scalp Moisturizing ShampooMielle · 69% function matchHead & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo vs Supreme Color Protect Shampoo with Argan Oil and Manuka HoneyHead & Shoulders · 89% function matchMedicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo vs Selsun Blue Moisturizing Anti-Dandruff ShampooSelsun Blue · 65% function matchHead & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo vs Royal Oils Sulfate Free Scalp Care ShampooHead & Shoulders · 86% function matchMedicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo vs Supreme Soothe & Strengthen Shampoo with Argan Oil and Rose EssenceHead & Shoulders · 65% function matchHead & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo vs Lavender Lychee Scalp Moisturizing ShampooMielle · 85% function matchMedicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo vs Clarifying Strength + Rosemary Mint ShampooOGX · 63% function match

Head & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo · Medicated Maximum Strength Dandruff 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.
  • 9 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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