Skip to main content

Side by side

Wella Professionals Ultimate Color Sulfate-Free Shampoo vs Wella Professionals Ultimate Smooth Shampoo

87% function match · 11 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 39%. Wella Professionals Ultimate Color Sulfate-Free 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.

  • Ultimate Color Sulfate-Free Shampoo — colour-treated 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 Professionals Ultimate Color Sulfate-Free Shampoo — 8.4 oz container Wella Professionals

Ultimate Color Sulfate-Free Shampoo

  • Shampoo
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-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
$5.24 8.45 oz · $0.62/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
Lower cost than most shampoos $$$$$ Salon tier · costs less than 84% of the 817 shampoos we’ve priced
Upper-mid price for a shampoo $$$$$ 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 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
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 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans
  • Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
  • 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
Line
Ultimate Color
—
Where to buy
Salons
Salons · Manufacturer B2b
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
  • 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

$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

IngredientUltimate Color Sulfate-Free ShampooUltimate Smooth Shampoo
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleanses
#3Leading
#3Leading
Fragrance
Fragrance
#6Below the 1% line
#8Below 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
#22Below the 1% line
#17Below the 1% line
Limonene
Fragrance
#23Below the 1% line
#16Below the 1% line
Sodium Xylenesulfonate
Stabilizes
#39Below the 1% line
#5Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Ultimate Color Sulfate-Free Shampoo

Ultimate Smooth Shampoo

Full ingredient list — Ultimate Color Sulfate-Free Shampoo (39)
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.

VerdictsUltimate Color Sulfate-Free ShampooUltimate Smooth Shampoo
Supported
2
1
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
2
1
Potential conflict
0
0

Ultimate Color Sulfate-Free Shampoo

  • Gentle cleansing to minimize color fade versus non-conditioning alternativesSupportedLess fade per wash.
  • Color vibrancy support for up to 10 weeks with complete regimen useStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Scalp-soothing formula with detoxifying properties targeting metal residueSupportedResets a coated scalp.
  • 73% consumer agreement on improved scalp comfort after first applicationStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.

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 frizz control and how it cleanses. Wella Professionals Ultimate Color Sulfate-Free Shampoo draws complaints about the scent.

Ultimate Color Sulfate-Free Shampoo

Stylists and colorists specifically call it out as effective for extending vibrancy without weighing hair down

stylists / colorists

Reviewers with hard water report reduced frizz and improved manageability

hard water areas

Mild, gentle lather with no residue noted after rinsing

general reviewers

Reviewers report color vibrancy holds well between salon visits, particularly on vivid/fashion tones like copper and red

color-treated hair, home and salon dye

Some reviewers report scent does not linger and noticed no measurable improvement in color-fade duration

general 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.

$0.62/oz vs $2.07/oz — Wella Professionals Ultimate Smooth Shampoo costs about 3.3× more per ounce than Wella Professionals Ultimate Color Sulfate-Free Shampoo.

$0.00/oz median $1.47/oz $17.29/oz $0.62/oz Ultimate Color Sulfate-Fre $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 readUltimate Color Sulfate-Free ShampooUltimate Smooth Shampoo
Label
Lower cost than most shampoosCosts less per ounce than most shampoos we have researched.
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.

Ultimate Color Sulfate-Free Shampoo vs Gentle Brightening ShampoodpHUE · 100% function matchUltimate Smooth Shampoo vs Fall Defense ShampooNioxin · 100% function matchUltimate Color Sulfate-Free Shampoo vs Color Fresh ShampoodpHUE · 100% function matchUltimate Smooth Shampoo vs Oil Control ShampooAmerican Crew · 100% function matchUltimate Color Sulfate-Free Shampoo vs Illuminating Color Care Biotin Sulfate Free ShampooPantene · 100% function matchUltimate Smooth Shampoo vs Boost Pre-Styling ShampooAmerican Crew · 100% function matchUltimate Color Sulfate-Free Shampoo vs Colour Shield Shampoo with Camu-Camu BerriesChristophe Robin · 98% function matchUltimate Smooth Shampoo vs Surf Foam Wash Texturizing ShampooBumble and bumble · 100% function match

Ultimate Color Sulfate-Free 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.
  • 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