Understand what’s inside your hair care
Clear, independent information about the ingredients on hair-care labels, read from the actual labels in our product library. Decide for yourself what belongs in your routine.
2,252ingredients analyzed
6,816products researched
171,139label placements read
Vitamins and actives
Ingredients included for a specific stated effect rather than for texture or stability.
37 published entries, most-listed first. The number beside a name is how many products in our library list it.
- Tocopherol1533
- Tocopheryl Acetate829
- Biotin554
- Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate281
- Salicylic Acid278
- Caffeine187
- Benzophenone-4178
- Ascorbic Acid175
- Glycolic Acid153
- Ethylhexyl Salicylate118
- Tartaric Acid113
- Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)93
- Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane87
- Malic Acid84
- Pyridoxine Hcl84
- Retinyl Palmitate79
- Sodium Salicylate75
- Piroctone Olamine73
- Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol41
- Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate41
- Zinc Pyrithione40
- Acyl Coenzyme A Desaturase23
- Folic Acid22
- Ascorbyl Glucoside21
- Zinc Gluconate19
- Hydrogen Peroxide13
- Papain10
- Vitamin B1210
- Bromelain8
- Mandelic Acid7
- Adenosine5
- Climbazole5
- Ethylhexyl Dimethyl PABA5
- Selenium Sulfide5
- Thiamine (Vitamin B1)5
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)4
- Ketoconazole3
How the library works
- An entry gets a page once it has a written description and appears in at least three researched products. Below that we leave the name as plain text on the product pages rather than publishing a page with nothing on it.
- 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.
- We do not publish safety scores or hazard grades.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.
- Nothing on these pages is paid placement, and we do not sell any of the products they link to.
