Skip to main content
Acure · Ultra Hydrating

Ultra Hydrating Shampoo

Shampoo / Everyday cleanser, balanced

  • Shampoo
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Vegan · label states
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size8 fl oz
Price$9–11commonly seen · 8 oz
Price / oz$1.32/ozat 8 oz

Manufacturer page: acure.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Complete the consultation to see exactly how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 2,400+ products in our library we can match exactly the right products to you.

  • In 10 minutes we can identify your exact hair condition and traits.
  • Every product matched against your hair across the 22 factors we check.
  • A personalized routine for your daily life — your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
  • Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
  • Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.

$49.00 one-time consultation, no subscription

Add the optional $49/year membership for unlimited adjustments for changes in weather and lifestyle.

Start your consultation

Priced with its peers

$1.32/oz at 8 oz — less than 54% of the 805 shampoos , which mostly run $0.81–3.01/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

no fragrance (parfum) on the label
Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Maybe skip if

Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Hard waterno chelator here to bind the minerals

Whether this much cleansing is right for you depends on how fast your scalp oils, how much product you layer, and your water — that is what the consultation works out.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Cleansing strength Moderate

Removes oil and product; leaves some conditioning behind.

Expected lather Moderate

An ordinary shampoo lather.

Slip and detangling Moderate

Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list.

Water-binding (humectants) High

Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.

Scalp active None

No over-the-counter scalp active.

Hard-water defence None

No chelating agent in the list.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Protein None

No protein or amino acids in the list.

Fragrance None listed

No fragrance is listed.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients plus anything lower down that changes a decision. These chips name what an ingredient does — they are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterWater (Eau) solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate mild anionic cleanser Cleanses
Cocamidopropyl Betaine amphoteric cleanser Cleanses
Glycerin humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice* humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Argania Spinosa Kernel OilArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil* oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Seed Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Rubus Fruticosus (Blackberry) Fruit ExtractRubus Fruticosus (Blackberry) Fruit Extract* botanical extract A plant extract, marketed as much as functional Neutral
Levulinic Acid preservative Keeps the product from spoiling pH balancer
Sodium Levulinate preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
benzaldehyde fragrance The scent Fragrance
Potassium Sorbate preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Recorded as vegan and cruelty-free.
Full ingredient list (28)

US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.

  • 1 Water · Water (Eau)
    General function

    The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    • solvent
  • 2 Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
    General function

    A gentle, dense-lathering cleanser used as the primary detergent in many sulfate-free shampoos.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    The detergent class most curl routines are built around: it lathers and cleanses without stripping the strand back to bare.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    A gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Cleanses with less sebum removal than a sulfate detergent, so hair that is short of moisture keeps more of it through the wash.

    • mild anionic cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 3 Cocamidopropyl Betaine
    General function

    A mild coconut-derived co-cleanser that boosts foam and softens the effect of stronger detergents. It appears in most shampoos, gentle or not.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Mild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    The mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.

    DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Among the mildest detergents in use — it is what baby shampoos are built on — but it is almost always the second detergent in a formula. How much a wash strips is still decided by the primary detergent listed above it.

    Indian Journal of Dermatology
    • amphoteric cleanser
    • secondary cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 4 Glycerin
    General function

    A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    Water moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.

    Scientific Reports
    • humectant
  • 5 Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice · Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*
    General function

    Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little natural hold.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Hydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Aloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.

    • humectant
    • botanical extract
    • gum
  • 6 Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil · Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil*
    General function

    Argan oil. A medium-weight oil used for shine and softness on the outside of the strand.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    May not suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 7 Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Seed Oil
    General function

    The oil pressed from Pumpkin (Cucurbita Pepo). How much weight a plant oil leaves depends on the hair it lands on; coarse hair tends to take more of it than fine hair.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    May not suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 8 Rubus Fruticosus (Blackberry) Fruit Extract · Rubus Fruticosus (Blackberry) Fruit Extract*
    General function

    An extract from the fruit of Blackberry (Rubus Fruticosus). Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    • botanical extract
  • 9 Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract · Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract*
    • botanical extract
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 10 Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract · Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract*
    • botanical extract
    • antioxidant
  • 11 Rosa Canina Fruit Extract · Rosa Canina Fruit Extract*
    • botanical extract
  • 12 Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract · Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract*
    • botanical extract
  • 13 Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract · Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract*
    • botanical extract
  • 14 Punica Granatum Extract · Punica Granatum Extract*
    • botanical extract
  • 15 Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 16 Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Seed Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 17 Levulinic Acid
    General function

    A plant-derived preservative usually paired with sodium levulinate.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

    PubChem
    • preservative
    • pH adjuster
  • 18 Sodium Levulinate
    • preservative
  • 19 Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A conditioning polymer made from guar bean gum. It deposits during rinsing, which is why sulfate shampoos can still leave hair soft.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Cationic conditioners bind to the negatively charged damaged cuticle, laying it flat and cutting the friction that causes combing breakage.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A styling polymer dries into a film across the strands, which is what makes a shape hold instead of relax.

    • conditioning agent
    • polymer
    • gum
  • 20 benzaldehyde
    General function

    An individual aroma chemical. It is part of the product's fragrance; brands that print these are disclosing more of the blend than the rules require.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.

    • fragrance
  • 21 Cocoglucosides Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A positively charged conditioning agent. Damaged hair carries a negative charge, so it deposits where the damage is and makes wet hair comb through.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    The class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.

    • conditioning agent
  • 22 Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
    General function

    An amino-acid-derived cleanser, among the mildest in common use, with a low-foam, creamy feel.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    The detergent class most curl routines are built around: it lathers and cleanses without stripping the strand back to bare.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    A gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Cleanses with less sebum removal than a sulfate detergent, so hair that is short of moisture keeps more of it through the wash.

    PubChem
    • mild anionic cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 23 Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
    General function

    A mild cleanser that keeps foaming in hard water and rinses cleanly.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    The detergent class most curl routines are built around: it lathers and cleanses without stripping the strand back to bare.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    A gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Cleanses with less sebum removal than a sulfate detergent, so hair that is short of moisture keeps more of it through the wash.

    • mild anionic cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 24 Betaine
    General function

    A sugar-beet derived humectant that binds water. Despite the name it is not a cleanser like cocamidopropyl betaine.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.

    PubChem
    • humectant
  • 25 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 26 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 27 Citric Acid
    General function

    Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Holds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    The acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Where a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 28 Sodium Hydroxide
    General function

    A strong base used in trace amounts to raise pH; fully neutralised in the finished product.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    The alkali half of a pH-adjusting pair, used in small amounts to bring a formula up to its target rather than to make it alkaline. Alkaline conditions raise the fibre's surface charge and lift the scales — but the finished pH is not on the label.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster

What the whole list adds up to

  • 10 botanical extracts
  • 4 cleansers
  • 4 preservatives
  • 3 mild anionic cleansers
  • 3 humectants
  • 3 pH adjusters
  • 2 gums
  • 2 oils
  • 2 emollients
  • 2 conditioning agents
  • 1 solvent
  • 1 amphoteric cleanser
  • 1 secondary cleanser
  • 1 antioxidant

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-22. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 8 oz

Commonly seen $9–11 Midpoint $10.59 · 3 stores · checked Aug 29
Good value under $3 Under $0.42/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $3 line; products that do this job typically go for about $3 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 4 stores

Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.

How we work this out
  1. 8 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
  2. Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 8 oz at recognised stores — the cheapest quarter and the dearest quarter are left out, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
  3. Good value under $3 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.42/oz; at 8 oz that is $3. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $3 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8 oz.

Formula

Formula score
10 of 10

The formula carries the systems a shampoo is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for shampoos per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • 6 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 54% of the 805 shampoos we’ve priced
  • Covers 7 of the 7 things a shampoo should do
  • Drugstore tier, sold at Target and Brand website
  • A working detergent systemWhat actually removes oil and product.3 pts
  • Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A hard-water chelatorBinds the minerals that dull hair in hard water.1 pt
  • A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.1 pt
  • No detergent-dependent filmNothing that needs a clarifying wash to remove.1 pt
  • Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.

Kirk'sLowest cost per oz Juniper & Lime - 3-in-1 Cleanser $0.42/oz $0.90/oz less
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
· Same function
Differs
  • Masstige tier
  • 32 oz bottle
Compare
Kirk'sSame function Lavender & Vanilla - 3-in-1 Cleanser $0.42/oz $0.90/oz less
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
Differs
  • Masstige tier
  • 32 oz bottle
Compare
Kirk'sSame function Mint & Eucalyptus - 3-in-1 Cleanser $0.42/oz $0.90/oz less
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
Differs
  • Masstige tier
  • 32 oz bottle
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

People sensitive to fragrance who want a formula with no added fragrance and washing without sulfates

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for soft, over-stretchy hair that needs protein, very dry or very humid climates, or hard water without a chelating wash

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.

4
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Moisture-rich shampoo for dry, damaged hair.

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

  • Glycerin
  • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
  • Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

Gently cleanses while replenishing moisture and softness.

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

  • Glycerin
  • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
  • Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

Formulated with argan oil and pumpkin seed oil to nourish strands.

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

  • Glycerin
  • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
  • Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

Vegan, paraben & sulfate-free

No sulfate detergents appear in the ingredient list.

Supported

Gentler on colour and coils.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula — not marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

Reviewers

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.

Reviewers report noticeably softer hair and reduced breakage with regular use, crediting the clean/natural formula

reviewers seeking natural/clean-label haircare

Some reviewers with thick or wavy hair report the shampoo leaves hair feeling dry rather than hydrated, despite the moisture-focused positioning

reviewers with thick/wavy hair texture

The formula has a notably thin/runny consistency, which some reviewers appreciate for easy lathering but others find unusual compared to typical shampoo texture

general reviewer base

Fragrance is polarizing: many reviewers love the scent, but a vocal minority describe it as strong and unpleasant (compared to landfill/musty smells)

general reviewer base, both scent-lovers and scent-haters

More from Acure

How this page was made

  • Everything above is generated from our researched product record — identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. No part of this page is written per product.
  • 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.
  • Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
  • 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.
  • 6 sources consulted for this product (4 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 7 of 15 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
  • We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
  • Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
  • Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-08-25.