New Dawn Activated Charcoal Scalp Cleanser
Shampoo / Everyday cleanser, balanced
- Shampoo
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Vegan · brand states
- Cruelty-free · Leaping Bunny-listed
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
No added fragrance, no scenting essential oils, and no declared fragrance allergens on the list.
Manufacturer page: better-notyounger.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 23 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.
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.
Start your consultation$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.
Your avoid-list
Same job for less elsewhere
$4.00/oz at 5 oz, more than 84% of the 1544 shampoos , which mostly run $0.79–3.04/oz.
Great for
Maybe skip if
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.
Removes oil and product; leaves some conditioning behind.
A thin, quick-collapsing lather.
Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list.
Humectants in the working part of the formula.
No over-the-counter scalp active.
No chelating agent in the list.
Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.
No protein or amino acids in the list.
No fragrance is listed.
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.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterAqua (Deionized Water) | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Lauramine Oxide | amphoteric cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Decyl Glucoside | nonionic cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Lauryl Glucoside | nonionic cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Sodium Lauroamphoacetate | amphoteric cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Acrylates CopolymerAcrylates Polymer | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Amodimethicone | silicone | Smooths the cuticle and adds shine | Buildup |
| Trideceth-12 | emulsifier | Keeps oil and water mixed | Stabilizes |
| Menthyl Lactate | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Caffeine | active | A secondary active | Active |
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
· Aqua (Deionized Water)
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
Lauramine Oxide
General function
A foam booster and mild cleanser that also thickens the formula.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
-
3
Decyl Glucoside
General function
A sugar-derived, low-foam cleanser used in gentle and curly-method shampoos.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA 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 routinesGentle cleansing leaves water-insoluble deposits largely in place; they come off with a stronger wash, not this one.
- nonionic cleanser
- cleanser
-
4
Lauryl Glucoside
General function
A mild sugar-derived cleanser with a soft, low lather.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA 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 routinesGentle cleansing leaves water-insoluble deposits largely in place; they come off with a stronger wash, not this one.
- nonionic cleanser
- cleanser
-
5
Sodium Lauroamphoacetate
General function
A very mild cleanser common in baby and sensitive-scalp shampoos.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairOne 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 routinesThe mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
-
6
Acrylates Copolymer
· Acrylates Polymer
General function
A hold polymer that forms a firm, humidity-resistant film. It is the usual source of a hard cast in gels.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- film former
- polymer
-
7
Amodimethicone
General function
A silicone modified to stick where hair is damaged, so it smooths selectively instead of coating everything. It resists rinsing more than plain dimethicone.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairAmino-functional silicone carries a positive charge, so it binds where the cuticle is worn rather than coating evenly. Damaged areas get most of it.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- silicone
- conditioning agent
- film former
-
8
Trideceth-12
General function
An emulsifier that keeps oils and silicones evenly dispersed in a water-based formula.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
9
Cetrimonium Chloride
General function
A quick-acting conditioning agent that reduces static and combing force. It also helps keep the formula stable.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
International Journal of Cosmetic ScienceMay suitFine or easily flattened hairThe C16 quat binds mostly by charge rather than by chain, so it deposits measurably less than the C22 ones. Less deposit is less conditioning and also less weight, which is usually the trade fine hair wants.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSubstantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
- conditioning agent
- cleanser
- 10 Activated Charcoal Powder
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
11
Menthyl Lactate
General function
A gentler cooling agent than menthol, with less scent.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- active
-
12
Propanediol
General function
A corn-derived humectant and solvent, often chosen as a lighter-feeling alternative to propylene glycol.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- humectant
- solvent
-
13
Argania Spinosa (Argan) Oil
- oil
- emollient
-
14
Biotin
- vitamin
-
15
Panthenol
· Dl-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.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairIt hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.
- humectant
- conditioning agent
- vitamin
-
16
Niacinamide
General function
Vitamin B3, used in scalp products for conditioning claims.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.
- vitamin
- conditioning agent
-
17
Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
18
Retinyl Palmitate
· Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A)
- vitamin
- antioxidant
-
19
Lactic Acid
General function
An acid used to set pH and, in scalp products, to loosen flakes.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-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 hairBinds 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 hairA 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.
- pH adjuster
- humectant
- exfoliant
-
20
Betula Alba (Birch) Extract
- botanical extract
-
21
Caffeine
- active
-
22
Sodium Hydroxide
General function
A strong base used in trace amounts to raise pH; fully neutralised in the finished product.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of TrichologyDependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe 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.
- pH adjuster
-
23
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
24
Ethylhexylglycerin
General function
A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- preservative
- emollient
What the whole list adds up to
- 5 cleansers
- 5 vitamins
- 3 conditioning agents
- 3 humectants
- 2 solvents
- 2 amphoteric cleansers
- 2 secondary cleansers
- 2 nonionic cleansers
- 2 film formers
- 2 actives
- 2 emollients
- 2 antioxidants
- 2 pH adjusters
- 2 preservatives
Ingredient list captured 2026-10-07. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 5 oz
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $5 line; products that do this job typically go for about $6 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
-
Better Not Younger (brand site)
$20.005 oz · $4.00/ozOct 7Lowest per oz
-
Better Not Younger
$20.005 oz · $4.00/ozOct 8
-
Beautyfor
$20.005 oz · $4.00/ozOct 8Sale · was $35.00
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
- 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.
- Seen at $20 is the price we have observed for the 5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $5 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.98/oz; at 5 oz that is $5. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $6 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 5 oz.
Formula
The formula carries what a shampoo is built around, and 2 products we score as close matches cost at least a quarter less per ounce. The difference is the label, not the formula.
How the score is counted
- 2 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 84% of the 1544 shampoos we’ve priced
- Covers 5 of the 7 things a shampoo should do
- Reviewers mention 3 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 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.
- Hard water
- Low lather
- Function
- Also
- Hard water
- Low lather
- Function
- Also
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
Final decision
Should you buy it?
Good for the right person, not the lowest costPeople sensitive to fragrance who want a formula with no added fragrance and a product with no scent
Less suited to curly-method routines, anyone who wants a quick, foam-heavy shampoo, or soft, over-stretchy hair that needs protein
LUSETA Macadamia & Argan Oil Shampoo 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.
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 say the cleanser stopped their itchy, dry scalp and eased the flaking.
Reviewers with itchy, dry scalpSome reviewers say their hair looks shinier and healthier and does not feel dried out.
Reviewers across hair typesSeveral reviewers say it removes buildup, residue, and white coating from the scalp.
Reviewers across hair typesMore from Better Not Younger
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.
- 2 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
- Ingredient references are linked for 12 of 13 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 2026-10-08.
