Alba Botanica Hawaiian Shampoo, So Smooth Gardenia — 12 oz container

Alba Botanica

Hawaiian Shampoo, So Smooth Gardenia

Shampoo / Everyday cleanser, balanced

Shampoo
Sulfate-free
Silicone-free
Moisture-rich
Vegan · label states

Size12 fl oz

Price$12.99seen at one store · 12 oz

Price / oz$1.08/ozat 12 oz

Where to buy2 stores · $11.59–12.99

Scent:

Notes: floral, gardenia.

Strength: Strong

Manufacturer page: albabotanica.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types All types Not in your profile

Moisture level High Not in your profile

Cleansing strength Moderate Not in your profile

Slip / detangling Moderate Not in your profile

Weight on hair Light Not in your profile

Fragrance Present Not in your profile

Protein Minor Not in your profile

Silicone / wax buildup None Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Low Not in your profile

Scent FloralStrong strength Not in your profile

Show all 23 factors we check

The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.

Sulfates None listed Not in your profile

Parabens / preservatives None of these listed Not in your profile

Essential oils None listed Not in your profile

Fast-drying alcohol Moderate Not in your profile

Vegan / cruelty-free Vegan · label states Not in your profile

Animal-derived ingredients Vegan · label states Not in your profile

Heavy humectants Heavy Not in your profile

Hard-water defence High Not in your profile

UV filter None listed Not in your profile

pH adjusted Adjusted Not in your profile

Ingredient list 32 ingredientsA long list Not in your profile

Price tier Drugstore Not in your profile

Where to buy it Amazon · Brand website +1Widely sold Not in your profile

The consultation builds your hair profile, then reads every factor in this table against it — and tells you where this product fits, or what to use instead.

Start your consultation

$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.

Priced with its peers

$1.08/oz at 12 oz — less than 64% of the 805 shampoos , which mostly run $0.81–3.01/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash

Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front

Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones

Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit

Fine hairthat flattens under most products

Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Maybe skip if

this product carries a strong scent

Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol

Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you

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 Chelators present

Chelators are present — they bind hard-water and pool minerals.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Protein Minor

Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient.

Fragrance Present

Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.

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.

Ingredient	What it does	Why it matters	Chip
WaterWater (Aqua)	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine	amphoteric cleanser	—	Cleanses
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate	mild anionic cleanser	—	Cleanses
Glycerin	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate	mild anionic cleanser	—	Cleanses
Sodium Chloride	salt	Thickens the formula	Stabilizes
Coco-Glucoside	nonionic cleanser	—	Cleanses
Glyceryl Oleate	emulsifier	Keeps oil and water mixed	Softens
Chenopodium Quinoa Seed	botanical extract	A trace plant extract	Protein
Alcohol Denat.Alcohol	drying alcohol	A small amount, for fast drying	Drying
Amyl Cinnamal	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Benzyl Salicylate	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or silicones. Fragrance is on the label. Hard-water chelators are present. Contains fast-drying alcohol.

Full ingredient list (32)

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 (Aqua)

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 Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine

General function
A mild co-cleanser that keeps foam stable in hard water.

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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
One of the mildest detergent classes. It is usually there to let a formula lather without a harsher detergent doing the work.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
The mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
3 Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

General function
A mild cleanser that gives a creamy lather and leaves hair less stripped than sulfates.

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
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 Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate

General function
A very mild amino-acid cleanser with a low, creamy foam.

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
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
6 Sodium Chloride

General function
Table salt. In shampoo it is used to thicken the liquid, not to treat the hair.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChem
- salt
- thickener
7 Coco-Glucoside

General function
A sugar-derived, low-foaming cleanser used in gentle and curly-method shampoos.

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

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A sugar-derived non-ionic detergent, among the gentlest in use. It cleanses with little foam of its own and little sebum removal.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
Gentle cleansing leaves water-insoluble deposits largely in place; they come off with a stronger wash, not this one.

PubChem
- nonionic cleanser
- cleanser
8 Glyceryl Oleate

General function
An emulsifier that also softens, often added to make a cleanser feel less stripping.

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

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- emulsifier
- emollient
9 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.

Secondary ingredient
Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

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
10 Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract
- botanical extract
11 Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract
- botanical extract
12 Chenopodium Quinoa Seed

General function
Quinoa seed material, used for its protein content in strengthening-positioned formulas.

Secondary ingredient
Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair
Unhydrolysed protein is too large to enter the strand. It sits on the surface, which is a coating effect rather than internal reinforcement.
- botanical extract
- protein
13 Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
- botanical extract
14 Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract
- botanical extract
15 Panthenol

General function
Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.

Secondary ingredient
Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

PubChem
- humectant
- conditioning agent
- vitamin
▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
16 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
17 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
18 Sodium Phytate

General function
A rice-derived chelator that binds hard-water minerals without EDTA.

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
Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair
Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

PubChem
- hard-water chelator
19 Alcohol Denat. · Alcohol

General function
Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on 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 suitFine or easily flattened hair
Evaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.

PubChem
- drying alcohol
- solvent
20 Benzoic Acid
- preservative
21 Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
22 Dehydroacetic Acid
- preservative
23 Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
24 Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
25 Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
26 Amyl Cinnamal

General function
A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

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
One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
27 Benzyl Salicylate

General function
A soft floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.

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
One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
28 Fragrance · Fragrance (Parfum)

General function
An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.

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
- declared fragrance
29 Geraniol

General function
A rose-scented fragrance component, listed on its own because some people react to it.

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
One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
30 Hexyl Cinnamal

General function
A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

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
One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
31 Hydroxycitronellal

General function
A soft floral fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

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
One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
32 Linalool

General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.

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
One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen

What the whole list adds up to

7 fragrances
6 botanical extracts
6 preservatives
6 named fragrance allergens
4 cleansers
3 solvents
3 humectants
2 mild anionic cleansers
2 gums
2 hard-water chelators
1 amphoteric cleanser
1 secondary cleanser
1 salt
1 thickener

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

Price · 12 oz

Seen at $12.99 1 store · checked Aug 29

Good value under $11 Under $0.91/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 $11 line; products that do this job typically go for about $12 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 12 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores

Lunds & Byerlys
$11.59

12 oz · $0.97/oz

Aug 22Lowest per oz
Mothers Market & Kitchen
$12.99

12 oz · $1.08/oz

Aug 29

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

12 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.
Seen at $12.99 is the price we have observed for the 12 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $11 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.91/oz; at 12 oz that is $11. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $12 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 12 oz.

Formula

Formula score

10 of 10

A complete read of the format at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among shampoos, with the working systems present.

How the score is counted

1 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
Costs less per ounce than 64% of the 805 shampoos we’ve priced
Covers 7 of the 7 things a shampoo should do
Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs

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.

Alba BotanicaLowest cost per oz More Moisture Shampoo, Coconut Milk $0.70/oz $0.38/oz less

Sulfate-free
Curly method
Hard water

· Same function

Differs: Coconut scent, not floral
Sold in drugstores and mass retail

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

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits

Best user

Colour-treated hair who want washing without sulfates and moisture that stays in

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or high-damage hair, or very dry or very humid climates

Best alternative if not

Alba Botanica More Moisture Shampoo, Coconut Milk — for similar results at a lower price

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.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

All day frizz control and split ends repair by 66% with a single use

A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.

—

Stated by brand

Only the brand’s testing shows this.

Sleek, smooth style for even the unruliest hair

Oils and polymers can smooth a little; the stronger smoothing agents are not listed.

Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride

Partly supported

Some smoothing, in dry air.

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 with color-treated hair report the shampoo does not strip out hair color while still cleansing well

color-treated-hair reviewers

Reviewers consistently praise the gardenia scent as strong and pleasant, describing hair as smelling great and feeling squeaky-clean after washing

general reviewers commenting on scent

A recurring complaint is thin, watery consistency; some reviewers wish the formula were thicker, feeling it would last longer and perform better per use

reviewers commenting on texture/consistency

Multiple negative experiences relate to shipping/packaging failures (bottles arriving opened or spilled in transit) rather than the product formula itself, and should be weighted separately from formula-quality feedback

reviewers reporting damaged-in-transit deliveries

One reviewer flagged the strong floral fragrance as a potential migraine trigger for sensitive individuals, despite otherwise liking the product

reviewer sensitive to strong scents

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.
5 sources consulted for this product (3 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
Ingredient references are linked for 12 of 20 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.