SOLVENT
Water
- solvent
The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.
- products in our library
- 6157
- of researched products
- 90%
- on the label, in our shampoos
- usually #1
- most common in
- Shampoo
- in water
- Water-soluble
At a glance
Four things worth knowing about how this ingredient behaves on hair.
How much of it is left on hair between washes.
What it takes to get it off the hair again.
How fast it leaves after the product is applied.
What is still on the hair once it has evaporated.
| Property | Level | Out of |
|---|---|---|
| Buildup risk | Low | 1 of 5 |
| Rinse-out behaviour | Rinses clean | 5 of 5 |
| Drying speed | Slow | 1 of 5 |
| Residue | Minimal | 2 of 5 |
What it does for a formula
What Water does
The general function first, then how the role changes by product type where we have researched it.
What everything else is dissolved in before it reaches your hair.
Water alone removes it, so it does not accumulate between washes.
Charge
Charge is not recorded for this ingredient.
Solubility
Rinses out with water alone, so it does not build up on hair between washes.
Where it appears
Where it appears
One row per product category in our library: how many products list it, what share of that category that is, and where it typically sits on the label.
| Product type | How common | Typical position on label ? |
|---|---|---|
Shampoo
1509 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Conditioner
1104 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Leave-in
672 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Mask / treatment
565 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Styler: gel
262 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Scalp treatment
228 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Styler: curl cream
225 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Styler: hairspray
204 products
|
leading · #3 | |
Styler: mousse
200 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Heat protectant
183 products
|
leading · #1 |
16 more product types
| Product type | How common | Typical position on label ? |
|---|---|---|
Styler: paste
168 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Styler: volumizer
140 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Co-wash
95 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Finisher: oil
86 products
|
secondary · #11 | |
Finisher: serum
85 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Styler: texture spray
81 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Styler: smoothing cream
78 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Dry shampoo
76 products
|
secondary · #9 | |
Finisher: shine spray
58 products
|
leading · #3 | |
Styler: edge control
37 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Styler: lotion
35 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Styler: refresh spray
34 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Finisher: anti frizz finish
23 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Finisher: end oil
4 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Lightener
3 products
|
leading · #1 | |
Relaxer
2 products
|
leading · #1 |
| Product type | Products | Share of category | Median position | Earliest position | Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | 1509 | 97% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Conditioner | 1104 | 98% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Leave-in | 672 | 98% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Mask / treatment | 565 | 97% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Styler: gel | 262 | 98% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Scalp treatment | 228 | 78% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Styler: curl cream | 225 | 99% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Styler: hairspray | 204 | 84% | 3 | 1 | leading |
| Styler: mousse | 200 | 99% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Heat protectant | 183 | 89% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Styler: paste | 168 | 85% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Styler: volumizer | 140 | 97% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Co-wash | 95 | 95% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Finisher: oil | 86 | 31% | 11 | 1 | secondary |
| Finisher: serum | 85 | 62% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Styler: texture spray | 81 | 83% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Styler: smoothing cream | 78 | 96% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Dry shampoo | 76 | 58% | 9 | 1 | secondary |
| Finisher: shine spray | 58 | 56% | 3 | 1 | leading |
| Styler: edge control | 37 | 97% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Styler: lotion | 35 | 97% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Styler: refresh spray | 34 | 97% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Finisher: anti frizz finish | 23 | 72% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Finisher: end oil | 4 | 50% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Lightener | 3 | 100% | 1 | 1 | leading |
| Relaxer | 2 | 50% | 1 | 1 | leading |
We have not researched differences by product type yet. The reading below comes from where it sits on the labels in our library.
Position footprint
Every listing in our library, by position on the label.
| Positions | Zone | Listings |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Leading | 5736 |
| 4-8 | Supporting | 163 |
| 9-15 | Secondary | 167 |
| 16-25 | Lower | 74 |
| 26+ | Trace | 17 |
How to read this
US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order.
So position tells you about relative amount only above that line, and we never convert a position into a percentage.
Why it matters to shoppers
What seeing this ingredient tells you, what it does not, and the limits of our own method.
- a light, fast-drying formula
- a rinse-clean feel
- an exact safety score (we do not publish one for any ingredient)
- how a finished product performs, which depends on the whole formula, not one line of it
- the exact percentage in a bottle, because label position never converts into a number
- a primary solvent near the top of the ingredient list in our shampoos
- it was on the printed ingredient list of every product we counted (we read labels, not marketing copy)
- that a product is right or wrong for you
We do not publish safety scores or hazard grades. Where a regulator has published a restriction or a use condition, we state it and cite it; otherwise we describe what the ingredient does and stop.
Commonly paired with
The ingredients that most often appear alongside this one in our library. We leave out the near-universal ones, because they pair with everything and tell you nothing.
- Ethylhexylglycerin · 1878
- Benzyl Alcohol · 1722
- Cetrimonium Chloride · 1480
- Behentrimonium Chloride · 1431
- Tocopherol · 1380
- Caprylyl Glycol · 1371
- Hexyl Cinnamal · 1331
- Sodium Chloride · 1328
- Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride · 1280
- Cetyl Alcohol · 1232
The number beside a name is how many products in our library list both.
These ingredients tend to appear together to soften the strand, carry the formula and let it dry, and improve feel after rinsing.
Found in these products
The most prominent placements first. The badge is the position on that product’s own ingredient list.
18.21 Man Made · Shampoo
Absolute Mahogany Man Made Wash
#1 on the label · $1.67/oz
18.21 Man Made · Shampoo
Anti-Flake Shampoo & Conditioner - Sweet Tobacco
#1 on the label · $2.13/oz
18.21 Man Made · Styler
Grooming Cream - Sweet Tobacco
#1 on the label · $7.06/oz
18.21 Man Made · Styler
Hair Styling Gel - Sweet Tobacco
#1 on the label · $6.47/oz
18.21 Man Made · Styler
Hair Styling Paste- Absolute Mahogany
#1 on the label · $13.00/oz
18.21 Man Made · Shampoo
Noble Oud Man Made Wash
#1 on the label · $1.67/oz
18.21 Man Made · Styler
Sea Salt Spray - Sweet Tobacco
#1 on the label · $7.06/oz
18.21 Man Made · Shampoo
Spiced Vanilla Man Made Wash
#1 on the label · $1.67/oz
18.21 Man Made · Styler
Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade
#1 on the label · $13.00/oz
18.21 Man Made · Styler
Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, No Shine Hair Styling Clay
#1 on the label · $13.00/oz
18.21 Man Made · Styler
Sweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste
#1 on the label · $13.00/oz
4U by Tia · Mask / treatment
Deep Conditioning Repair Mask
#1 on the label · $1.25/oz
Identity
What this entry is, and what our references call it.
No public-domain structure depiction is available for this entry.
Water
- --- balancing moisturizer: aqua (water)
- aqua
- aqua (deionized water)
- aqua (eau)
- aqua (eau/water)
- aqua (oleology program)
- aqua (purified water)
- aqua (purified)
- aqua (water
- aqua (water eau)
- aqua (water, eau)
- aqua (water,eau)
- aqua (water(eau))
- aqua (water)
- aqua (water) (eau)
- aqua (water)/eau
- aqua (water/ eau)
- aqua (water/eau)
- aqua / water
- aqua / water / eau
- aqua /water / eau
- aqua water
- aqua water (water(eau))
- aqua(water(eau))
- aqua(water)
- aqua/ water / eau
- aqua/ water/eau
- aqua/eau
- aqua/eau/water
- aqua/wate/eau
- aqua/water
- aqua/water/ eau
- aqua/water/eau
- aqua/water/eau
- aqua/water/eau (water)
- aqueous (water\aqua\eau) extracts\extraits aqueux:anthemis nobilis (chamomile) flower extract
- aqueous (water\aqua\eau) extracts\extraits aqueux:linum usitatissimum (linseed) seed extract
- aqueous (water\aqua\eau) extracts\extraits aqueux:malva sylvestris (mallow) leaf powder
- de-ionized water
- deionized water
- deionized water (aqua)
- di water (aqua)
- distilled water
- distilled water (aqua)
- distilled water botanically infused with horsetail, rosemary & sage
- eau
- eau/water
- eau/water/aqua
- filtered water
- ingredients/ingrediénts: aqua (water) (eau)
- ngredients/ingrédients: water (eau)
- organic aloe barbadensis leaf juice
- purified water
- purified water (and) salix alba (white willow) bark extract (and) hibiscus sabdariffa (hibiscus) flower extract (and) panax ginseng (ginseng) root extract (and) ilex paraguariensis (yerba mate) leaf extract (and) gluconolactone (and) sodium benzoate
- purified water (aqua, eau)
- purified water (aqua)
- sea water (maris aqua/eau de mer)
- sea water/maris aqua/eau de mer
- step one (protein treatment): water (aqua, eau)
- two-step protein treatment: water (aqua, eau)
- water
- water (agua)
- water (aqua
- water (aqua / eau)
- water (aqua eau)
- water (aqua, eau )
- water (aqua, eau)
- water (aqua,eau)
- water (aqua)
- water (aqua) (eau)
- water (aqua)(eau)
- water (aqua)/eau
- water (aqua/eau)
- water (eau)
- water (eau/aqua)
- water / aqua / eau
- water / eau
- water aqua
- water, aqua
- water, aqua, eau
- water(aqua)
- water(aqua)(eau)
- water(aqua/eau)
- water(eau)
- water/agua/eau
- water/aqua
- water/aqua/eau
- water/eau
- water/eau (aqua)
- water/eau/aqua
- water\aqua\eau
- water\eau
For your hair?
Whether Water matters for your hair depends on your hair.
the 1st most-listed solvent or propellant in our libraryWhat this ingredient does, and where it sits on the labels we have researched.
A verdict on any product that contains it, and never a safety grade.
We do not physically test your hair. Everything above comes from the ingredient lists in our library and from published references. The consultation is what turns it into a plan.
References
Seed entry, sourcing in progress Written from our reference work; primary sourcing is still being attached.
No published source is attached to this entry yet.
How this page was made
- Every number above is counted from the ingredient lists in our own product library: 6157 of 6816 researched products list this ingredient. Nothing on this page is written per ingredient.
- The dots are levels, not scores. Each one comes from what kind of ingredient it is (its chemical class, charge and solubility) or from where it sits on the labels we have.
- US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Position tells you about relative amount only above that line, and we never convert a position into a percentage.
- The prominence bands (leading, supporting, secondary) are the same ones the product pages use to read a single label, applied here to the median position across a category.
- We do not publish safety scores or hazard grades. Where a regulator has published a restriction or a use condition, we state it and cite it; otherwise we describe what the ingredient does and stop.
- Identifiers and references appear only when a published source is attached to this entry. Without one, we leave the row out rather than fill it in.
- This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
- Entry last updated 2026-09-22. Product-page methodology: the product library.
