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Side by side

Wella ColorMotion+ Shampoo vs Wella Professionals Ultimate Smooth Shampoo

96% function match · 12 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 95%. Wella ColorMotion+ Shampoo and Wella Professionals Ultimate 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.

  • ColorMotion+ Shampoo — protein-sensitive hair
  • Ultimate Smooth Shampoo — protein-sensitive 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
Wella ColorMotion+ Shampoo — container, alternate view Wella

ColorMotion+ Shampoo

  • Shampoo
  • Salon
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
Wella Professionals Ultimate Smooth Shampoo — 33.8 oz container Wella Professionals

Ultimate Smooth Shampoo

  • Shampoo
  • Salon
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$9.90 8.45 oz · $1.17/oz
$70 33.8 oz · $2.07/oz

Compared at different sizes — 33.8 oz against 8.45 oz. Per-ounce prices favour the larger bottle.

Value / price positioning
Priced with its peers $$$$$ Salon tier · costs less than 60% of the 817 shampoos we’ve priced
Upper-mid price for a shampoo $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 63% 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
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. 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 Differs
High Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula. 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
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
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Low Your hair
Low Your hair
Expected lather Same
High Thick foam that spreads quickly through the hair. 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
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
  • Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
  • Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
  • Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit
  • Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Sulfate-free routinesit uses a sulfate detergent
  • Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a strong scent
  • Sulfate-free routinesit uses a sulfate detergent
  • 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
Where to buy
Salons · Brand website
Salons · Manufacturer B2b
Free of
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
Cruelty-free
Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Scent
Scented, not described
FloralStrong

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

IngredientColorMotion+ ShampooUltimate Smooth Shampoo
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleanses
#2Leading
#2Leading
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleanses
#3Leading
#3Leading
Sodium Xylenesulfonate
Stabilizes
#4Supporting
#5Below the 1% line
Fragrance
Fragrance
#5Below the 1% line
#8Below the 1% line
Polyquaternium-10
Detangles
#6Below the 1% line
#9Below the 1% line
Panthenol
Detangles
#7Below the 1% line
#6Below the 1% line
Sodium Benzoate
Stabilizes
#8Below the 1% line
#7Below the 1% line
Linalool
Fragrance
#17Below the 1% line
#17Below the 1% line
Limonene
Fragrance
#18Below the 1% line
#16Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

ColorMotion+ Shampoo

Ultimate Smooth Shampoo

Full ingredient list — ColorMotion+ Shampoo (22)
Full ingredient list — Ultimate Smooth Shampoo (26)

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.

VerdictsColorMotion+ ShampooUltimate Smooth Shampoo
Supported
1
1
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
1
1
Potential conflict
1
0

ColorMotion+ Shampoo

  • Dedicated cleanser for color-treated hair with up to 8 weeks of color protection with Structure+ MaskPotential conflictLikely to pull colour faster.
  • Contains Metal Purifier technology plus antioxidantsSupportedResets a coated scalp.
  • Promotes vibrant shine and stronger hair while maintaining smoothnessStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.

Ultimate Smooth Shampoo

  • Achieve silky smooth hair in no time at all with Ultimate Smooth Shampoo by Wella Professionals.SupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • Up to 85% smoother hair and 96 hours of frizz control when used as part of the Ultimate Smooth regimen.Stated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.

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 the scent and how it cleanses.

ColorMotion+ Shampoo

Multiple reviewers describe good lather and easy rinsing that leaves hair feeling clean and soft

general reviewers

Reviewers frequently mention a pleasant, fresh fragrance that carries through after rinsing

general reviewers

Several reviewers say the shampoo helps their color stay vibrant and shiny for longer between salon visits

color-treated hair customers, reviews mostly in German and Italian

A couple of reviewers with curly or already-dry hair found the shampoo too rich and slightly drying, while others with normal hair found it just right

curly/dry-hair reviewers versus normal-hair reviewers

Ultimate Smooth Shampoo

Several reviewers highlight a pleasant, long-lasting floral scent as a standout feature

general users

Multiple reviewers say it reduces frizz and flyaways without weighing hair down or feeling heavy

frizzy/curly-hair users

Reviewers commonly describe hair feeling noticeably softer and smoother immediately after the first wash

general users, including some with thick or curly hair

Reviewers note it cleanses thoroughly (some say squeaky-clean) while still feeling gentle and non-stripping

general users

A reviewer who normally needs a clarifying shampoo found this moisturizing formula an unexpected fit, suggesting it works better for non-oily/normal scalp types than very oily ones

reviewer with oil-prone scalp/hair history

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.

$1.17/oz vs $2.07/oz — Wella Professionals Ultimate Smooth Shampoo costs about 1.8× more per ounce than Wella ColorMotion+ Shampoo.

$0.00/oz median $1.48/oz $17.29/oz $1.17/oz ColorMotion+ Shampoo $2.07/oz Ultimate Smooth Shampoo

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

Value readColorMotion+ ShampooUltimate Smooth Shampoo
Label
Priced with its peersSits in the middle of the range for shampoos per ounce.
Upper-mid price for a shampooSits 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.

ColorMotion+ Shampoo vs Tea Tree Special ShampooPaul Mitchell · 98% function matchUltimate Smooth Shampoo vs Fall Defense ShampooNioxin · 100% function matchColorMotion+ Shampoo vs Fall Defense ShampooNioxin · 96% function matchUltimate Smooth Shampoo vs Oil Control ShampooAmerican Crew · 100% function matchColorMotion+ Shampoo vs Au Naturale Anti-Shrinkage Beyond Gentle Sulfate-Free WashDark and Lovely · 96% function matchUltimate Smooth Shampoo vs Boost Pre-Styling ShampooAmerican Crew · 100% function matchColorMotion+ Shampoo vs Oil Control ShampooAmerican Crew · 96% function matchUltimate Smooth Shampoo vs Surf Foam Wash Texturizing ShampooBumble and bumble · 100% function match

ColorMotion+ Shampoo · Ultimate 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.
  • 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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