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Side by side

Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo vs Moroccanoil Scalp Balancing Shampoo

56% function match · 6 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 3%. Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo and Moroccanoil Scalp Balancing Shampoo share 3 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.

  • Moisture Repair Shampoo — colour-treated hair
  • Scalp Balancing 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
Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo — container, alternate view Moroccanoil

Moisture Repair Shampoo

  • Shampoo
  • Prestige
  • Sulfate-free
Moroccanoil Scalp Balancing Shampoo — 8.5 oz container Moroccanoil

Scalp Balancing Shampoo

  • Shampoo
  • Prestige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$23.99 8.5 oz · $2.82/oz
$14 2.4 oz · $5.87/oz

Compared at different sizes — 8.5 oz against 2.4 oz. Per-ounce prices favour the larger bottle.

Value / price positioning
Upper-mid price for a shampoo $$$$$ Prestige tier · costs more than 71% of the 835 shampoos we’ve priced
Same job for less elsewhere $$$$$ Prestige tier · costs more than 98% of the 835 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
Low Humectants appear, but low enough to be a minor part. 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
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
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 Differs
Minor Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient. Your hair
None No protein or amino acids in the list. Your hair
Silicone / wax buildup Differs
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate Your hair
Low Your hair
Expected lather Differs
Moderate An ordinary shampoo lather. Your hair
High Thick foam that spreads quickly through the hair. 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
  • Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit
  • Sun and colour fadea UV filter is in the list
  • Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
  • Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
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
  • Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
  • 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
Moisture Repair
Scalp Balancing
Where to buy
Salons · Ulta · Amazon
Brand website
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
Vegan
Not vegan · ingredient list
—
Cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
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

$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

IngredientMoisture Repair ShampooScalp Balancing Shampoo
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Fragrance
Fragrance
#16Below the 1% line
#26Below the 1% line
Isopropyl Alcohol
Drying
#40Below the 1% line
#25Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Moisture Repair Shampoo

Scalp Balancing Shampoo

Full ingredient list — Moisture Repair Shampoo (51)
Full ingredient list — Scalp Balancing Shampoo (34)

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.

VerdictsMoisture Repair ShampooScalp Balancing Shampoo
Supported
0
0
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
1
3
Potential conflict
0
0

Moisture Repair Shampoo

  • Improves manageability by 82%Stated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.

Scalp Balancing Shampoo

  • Gently yet effectively cleanses the scalp and hair without stripping natural oilsStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Helping to reduce visible flaking and buildup while easing discomfortStated by brandSoothing, not an active treatment.
  • Suitable for oily and dry scalpsStated by brandSee the fit panel instead.

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. Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo draws complaints about tangling and weight.

Moisture Repair Shampoo

Strong lather and noticeable softness/manageability improvement on damaged or dry hair

general users with dry/damaged hair

Difficulty detangling wet hair without heavy conditioner follow-up

users with fine or oily hair

Product buildup reported with regular long-term use

users after ~2 months of use

Silicone/fragrance load cited by a minority as cause of irritation or worsened damage

small subset of reviewers

Scalp Balancing Shampoo

Reviewers with dry, itchy, or flaking scalps report noticeable reduction in flaking and improved comfort with regular use

reviewers with dry/flaky scalp concerns

Several reviewers describe a cooling, refreshing sensation on the scalp during use, attributed to the menthol content

general reviewers

Some reviewers note the scent is subtler/milder than other Moroccanoil products and wish it were more availabile in larger sizes

general reviewers

Reviewers with oily/greasy scalps report the shampoo helps manage oil, though a few wish it cleansed more thoroughly (more clarifying)

reviewers with oily scalp concerns

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.

$2.82/oz vs $5.87/oz — Moroccanoil Scalp Balancing Shampoo costs about 2.1× more per ounce than Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo.

$0.00/oz median $1.51/oz $17.29/oz $2.82/oz Moisture Repair Shampoo $5.87/oz Scalp Balancing Shampoo

Every mark sits on one distribution because these are compared against the same set: 835 shampoos with a computable unit price.

Value readMoisture Repair ShampooScalp Balancing Shampoo
Label
Upper-mid price for a shampooSits in the middle of the range for shampoos per ounce.
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.

Moisture Repair Shampoo vs GEMSTONE Color ShampooR+Co · 99% function matchScalp Balancing Shampoo vs Cantu Avocado Hydrating Sulfate Free ShampooCantu · 98% function matchMoisture Repair Shampoo vs SUPER GARDEN ShampooR+Co · 99% function matchScalp Balancing Shampoo vs ESSENTIAL SHAMPOOR+Co · 98% function matchMoisture Repair Shampoo vs INGENIOUS THICKENING SHAMPOOR+Co · 99% function matchScalp Balancing Shampoo vs Double Duty Detangle & Slip Flaxseed ShampooCreme of Nature · 96% function matchMoisture Repair Shampoo vs Shampoo for Magnificent VolumeOribe · 97% function matchScalp Balancing Shampoo vs Heads Up Moisturizing & Softening ShampooAunt Jackie's · 96% function match

Moisture Repair Shampoo · Scalp Balancing 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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