Skip to main content
Aveda

Scalp Solutions Exfoliating Scalp Treatment

Scalp treatment

  • Scalp treatment
  • gel
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
  • Vegan · label states
  • Cruelty-free · label states
Size0.85 fl ozusual store size · 2 sizes
Price$38.42seen at one store · 5 oz
Price / oz$9.14/ozat 5 oz

Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

Manufacturer page: spacenk.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Complete the consultation to see how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 6,000+ products in our library, we can match you to the right ones.

  • About 20 minutes, and your answers save as you go.
  • Every product matched against your hair across the 19 factors we check.
  • A personalized routine built around 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 with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates

$99 with 12 months. Pay once; the year renews only if you choose.

Start your consultation

Upper-mid price for a scalp treatment

$9.14/oz at 5 oz, more than 55% of the 280 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.84–19.05/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Vegan and cruelty-freeour researched record has it as both

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether this much richness suits you depends on your strand thickness, porosity and how easily your hair goes flat. We work that out in the consultation.

Wash day

How it fits into wash day

Read from the product’s own directions on the date shown. A step the label leaves out is shown as not stated, never filled in.

When
Before shampoo: Scalp exfoliation
Start on
wet hair or dry hair
Where
scalp
Label wait
no wait
Then
shampoo it out
Conditioner after
the label recommends conditioning after
How often
1–2× a week
  1. Massage into wet or dry scalp before shampooing.
  2. Follow with Scalp Solutions Balancing Shampoo and replenishing conditioner.
  3. Rinse well.

Scalp products are listed for browsing; we do not yet place them in a personal routine.

Browse technique guides (general advice, not matched to this product’s directions)

Source: retailer page · checked 2026-09-17

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.

Slip and detangling Some

Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Weight on the hair Light

Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.

Water-binding (humectants) Moderate

Humectants in the working part of the formula.

Protein None

No protein or amino acids in the list.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Hard-water defence Chelators present

Contains chelators, which bind hard-water and pool minerals.

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. The 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/Aqua/Eau solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate mild anionic cleanser — Cleanses
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine amphoteric cleanser — Cleanses
Sodium Chloride salt Thickens the formula Stabilizes
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate mild anionic cleanser — Cleanses
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate amphoteric cleanser — Cleanses
Salicylic Acid active The over-the-counter active Active
Glucosamine HCl conditioning agent Reduces combing force Detangles
Zinc PCA humectant Adds a little water-binding Active
Menthol fragrance The scent Fragrance
Menthyl Lactate fragrance The scent Fragrance
FragranceFragrance (Parfum) fragrance The scent Fragrance
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. Contains fragrance. Chelators for hard water.
Full ingredient list (24)

In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.

  • 1 Water · Water/Aqua/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 Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
    General function

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

    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 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
  • 4 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
  • 5 Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
    General function

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

    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.

    • mild anionic cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 6 Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
    General function

    A very mild cleanser that softens the effect of stronger detergents.

    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

    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
  • 7 Salicylic Acid
    General function

    An oil-soluble acid that loosens flakes and clears build-up around the follicle. In dandruff shampoos it appears in the drug facts panel with a stated percentage.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • active
    • exfoliant
  • 8 Glucosamine HCl
    General function

    An amino-sugar derivative used for its hair-conditioning and antistatic properties in scalp serums and treatment masks.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • conditioning agent
  • 9 Andrographis Paniculata Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 10 Centella Asiatica (Hydrocotyl) Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 11 Zinc PCA
    General function

    A zinc salt of a natural moisturising factor, used on the scalp for oil-control and soothing claims.

    Secondary ingredient

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

    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.

    • humectant
    • active
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 12 Menthol
    General function

    Produces the cooling, tingling feeling on the scalp. The sensation is real; it is not evidence that anything else is happening.

    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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • active
  • 13 Menthyl Lactate
    General function

    A gentler cooling agent than menthol, with less scent.

    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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • active
  • 14 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
  • 15 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
  • 16 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
  • 17 Benzyl Alcohol
    • preservative
    • solvent
  • 18 Limonene
    General function

    A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately 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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 19 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
  • 20 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
  • 21 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
  • 22 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
  • 23 Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate
    General function

    A fatty ester. Esters give slip and a smooth after-feel; lighter ones read dry and silky, heavier ones read rich.

    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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

    A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

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

    Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.

    • hard-water chelator
    • emollient
    • light ester
  • 24 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative

What the whole list adds up to

  • 8 fragrances
  • 5 named fragrance allergens
  • 4 cleansers
  • 4 actives
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 mild anionic cleansers
  • 2 amphoteric cleansers
  • 2 secondary cleansers
  • 2 botanical extracts
  • 2 pH adjusters
  • 2 hard-water chelators
  • 2 preservatives
  • 1 salt
  • 1 thickener

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-17. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 5 oz

Seen at $38.42 lowest of 2 stores · checked Sep 17
Good value under $46 Under $9.15/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 7 products we score as doing the same job

Good value on sale. Some stores sell it under the $46 line; products that do this job typically go for about $78 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
  • FragranceNet.com
    $38.42
    5 oz · $7.68/oz
    Sep 17Lowest per ozSale · was $60.99
  • Nordstrom
    $53.00
    5 oz · $10.60/oz
    Sep 17
  • Aveda
    $53.00
    5 oz · $10.60/oz
    Sep 17

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. 5 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. Seen at $38.42 is the price we have observed for the 5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $46 comes from the 7 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $9.15/oz; at 5 oz that is $46. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $78 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 5 oz.

Formula

Formula score
3 of 10

It costs about what other scalp treatments cost per ounce, but the formula leaves out conditioning agents up front, which most of the format carries.

How the score is counted
  • 2 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 55% of the 280 scalp treatments we’ve priced
  • No conditioning agents up front in the formula
  • No oils or butters in the working zone either
  • Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.3 pts
  • Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
  • Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.1 pt
  • Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.

BiolageLowest cost per oz Scalp Sync Purifying & Exfoliating Concentrate $4.13/oz $5.01/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Lightweight
  • Silicone-free
· Close function
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Water-binding (humectants)
Also
  • Salon tier
  • 6.8 oz bottle
Wash day
this one is not a before-shampoo product
Compare
Bread Beauty SupplyClose function Scalp-Serum: Cooling Greens Exfoliating Scalp Treatment $4.38/oz $4.76/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Lightweight
  • Silicone-free
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Water-binding (humectants)
Also
  • Mint scent
  • Salon tier
  • 1.7 oz bottle
Wash day
this one is not a before-shampoo product
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find 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

Hair that stiffens on protein, looking for a protein-free formula and something that will not weigh hair down

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance or people shopping on a budget

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, and what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.

1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
1
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
A skincare-inspired liquid gel exfoliant that instantly removes sebum, product build-up and surface pollution

The detergent system is strong enough to strip build-up.

  • Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
  • Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
  • Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Supported

Resets a coated scalp.

Instantly reduces sebum

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Instantly removes surface pollution and product build-up without disrupting the moisture barrier

Humectants and emollients are present, but lower in the list than the claim implies.

  • Zinc PCA
Partly supported

Some hydration, at a low level.

Instantly creating a sensorial, cooling sensation

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

96% naturally derived ingredients

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.

How to read this

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

Reviewers

What people report

Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.

Several reviewers with dandruff or flaking say regular weekly use noticeably reduced flaking and scalp itchiness.

dandruff-prone / itchy scalp

Reviewers describe a cooling, tingling sensation on application that they enjoy.

general reviewers

Some reviewers expected a lightweight serum texture and were surprised that the product foams and lathers like a shampoo.

general reviewers

More from Aveda

How this page was made

  • Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one 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 (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-09-17.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 8 of 16 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
  • We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
  • 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 v23. Record last updated 2026-09-17.

Hair Care Consultation

A care plan made for your hair and goals, then follow-up questions and plan updates.

  • Answers to your hair concerns
  • Formula-based product picks
  • Routines for your lifestyle and preferences
  • Updates for weather, needs and goals

$49with 60 days of follow-ups

Start my consultation