Gently cleanses coils & curls
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Cantu · Cantu Care for Kids
Care for Kids Tear-Free Nourishing Shampoo
Shampoo / Everyday cleanser, balanced
- Shampoo
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Not vegan · ingredient list
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size8 fl ozusual store size · 2 sizes
Price$8.20seen at one store · 8.01 oz · from $0.44/oz in the 16 oz
Price / oz$1.02/ozat 8.01 oz
Where to buy5 stores · 2 sizes
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
Notes: coconut, honey, sweet.
Manufacturer page: cantubeauty.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.
Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Curly–Coily
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
Rich
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Scent
Sweet & vanilla · Coconut & tropicalStrength not recorded
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
Present
Not in your profile
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Not vegan · ingredient listCruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not vegan · ingredient list
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Not heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
pH adjusted
Adjusted
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
22 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Drugstore
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Grocery / mass · Target +1Widely sold
Not in your profile
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
Priced with its peers
$1.02/oz at 8.01 oz, less than 65% of the 1544 shampoos , which mostly run $0.79–3.04/oz. The cost less.
Great for
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
Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Maybe skip if
this product has a scent
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Hard waterno chelator here to bind the minerals
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
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)
Moderate
Humectants in the working part of the formula.
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
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.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterAqua (water) | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Cocamidopropyl Betaine | amphoteric cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate | mild anionic cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate | mild anionic cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter | butter | The heavy softener that makes it rich | Heavy |
| Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil | oil | Coats and softens the strand | Softens |
| HoneyMel (Honey) Extract | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Sodium Chloride | salt | Thickens the formula | Stabilizes |
| FragranceParfum (Fragrance) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Sodium Benzoate | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Methylchloroisothiazolinone | isothiazolinone | — | Stabilizes |
| Methylisothiazolinone | isothiazolinone | — | 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. Contains fragrance. Contains heavier butters.
Full ingredient list (22)
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 (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
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Indian Journal of DermatologyMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesThe mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairAmong 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.
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
-
3
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
General function
A gentle, dense-lathering cleanser used as the primary detergent in many sulfate-free shampoos.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdThe 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 hairA gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairCleanses 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
Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate
General function
A mild cleanser that keeps foaming in hard water.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdThe 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 hairA gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairCleanses 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
-
5
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
General function
A rich, solid plant butter used for heavy conditioning on coarse or dry hair. High in the list it makes a product decidedly heavy.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoarse, porous hair loses water quickly and can carry the weight; a butter slows that loss more than a thin oil does.
May 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.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA solid fat melts onto the strand at body temperature and stays there, which is the heaviest surface moisture-holding a formula can offer.
- butter
- emollient
- sealant
-
6
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
General function
One of the few oils small enough to move into the strand, which is why it is used for pre-wash treatments. It can feel heavy or stiff on protein-sensitive hair.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairBecause it penetrates rather than sits on top, it works on hair that loses water through a worn cuticle instead of only slowing evaporation from the surface the way a non-penetrating oil does.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairThe exception to the class read: lauric acid is small and linear enough to enter the shaft rather than only coat it, and in comparison testing coconut oil was the one that reduced protein loss from washing on both undamaged and damaged hair.
- oil
- emollient
-
7
Honey
· Mel (Honey) Extract
General function
A natural sugar-based humectant that holds water against the strand.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairHydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairAloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.
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
- botanical extract
-
8
Sodium Chloride
General function
Table salt. In shampoo it is used to thicken the liquid, not to treat the hair.
Supporting ingredientPubChemListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- salt
- thickener
-
9
Lauryl Glucoside
General function
A mild sugar-derived cleanser with a soft, low lather.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the 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
-
10
Coco-Glucoside
General function
A sugar-derived, low-foaming cleanser used in gentle and curly-method shampoos.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the 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
-
11
Glycerin
General function
Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
Scientific ReportsMay 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 hairWater 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.
- humectant
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
12
Fragrance
· Parfum (Fragrance)
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 zoneIt 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 routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
13
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
-
14
Polyquaternium-7
General function
A conditioning polymer that improves wet combing and adds body. Repeated use can build up on fine hair.
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.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdCationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
-
15
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 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 TrichologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesHolds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe 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 hairWhere a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
16
Magnesium Nitrate
- salt
-
17
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- isothiazolinone
- preservative
-
18
Methylisothiazolinone
- isothiazolinone
- preservative
-
19
Magnesium Chloride
- salt
-
20
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
21
Benzyl Benzoate
General function
A fragrance component with a faint balsamic scent, named separately on the label because it is a recognised contact allergen.
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 routinesOne 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
-
22
Benzyl Salicylate
General function
A soft floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.
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 routinesOne 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
What the whole list adds up to
- 5 cleansers
- 4 preservatives
- 3 salts
- 3 fragrances
- 2 mild anionic cleansers
- 2 emollients
- 2 humectants
- 2 nonionic cleansers
- 2 isothiazolinones
- 2 named fragrance allergens
- 1 solvent
- 1 amphoteric cleanser
- 1 secondary cleanser
- 1 butter
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-22. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 8.01 oz
Seen at
$8.20
Good value under
$5
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 $11 at this size.
Sizes
8.01 ozusual store size
$8.20
$1.02/oz
16 oz
$7
$0.44/oz
The 16 oz costs 57% less per ounce than the 8.01 oz.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 4 stores
8.01 ozusual store size
-
LookFantastic
$8.208.01 oz · $1.02/ozOct 31Lowest per oz
16 ozBest per ounce
-
Target
$6.9916 oz · $0.44/ozAug 29Lowest per oz
-
Magic Hairz
$6.9916 oz · $0.44/ozAug 29
-
Walmart
$7.9516 oz · $0.50/ozAug 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. and 1 listing we don’t count, from grey-market or unverified sellers.
How we work this out
- 8.01 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 $8.20 is the price we have observed for the 8.01 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 $0.63/oz; at 8.01 oz that is $5. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
- About $11 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8.01 oz.
Formula
10
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
- 4 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs less per ounce than 65% of the 1544 shampoos we’ve priced
- Covers 7 of the 7 things a shampoo should do
- Reviewers mention 4 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.
SheaMoistureClosest function
100% Virgin Coconut Oil Baby Wash & Shampoo
$0.64/oz $0.38/oz less
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Function
- Also
SheaMoistureLowest cost per oz
Men Moisturizing Shampoo - Raw Shea Butter & Mafura Oil
$0.53/oz $0.49/oz less
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Function
- Also
DoveLighter feel
Men Care Thick Full 2 In 1 Shampoo
$0.61/oz $0.41/oz less
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- 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?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsBest user
Colour-treated hair who want washing without sulfates and a protein-free formula
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or soft, over-stretchy hair that needs protein
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
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Tear-Free formula
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Infused with shea butter, coconut oil & honey
A named-ingredient story. What matters is where those sit in the list — see the ingredients table.
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
- Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
- Honey
Stated by brand
Check the position, not the name.
Free from mineral oil, sulfates, parabens, silicones
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 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.
Reviewers report it works well on curly and textured children's hair without stripping it
parents of curly/textured-hair kids16oz value size is seen as economical relative to price
general reviewersShea butter, coconut oil, and honey scent/ingredients are frequently called out positively
general reviewersParents value the tear-free formula for making bath time easier with kids
parents of young childrenMore from Cantu
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.
- 6 sources consulted for this product (4 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-09-17.
- Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 14 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 2026-10-19.
