Guava, ginger, carrot, peppermint, and tea tree oils help relieve irritated scalps
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Cantu
Guava & Ginger Scalp Nourishing Treatment Serum
Scalp treatment
- Scalp treatment
- serum
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Vegan · ingredient list
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size4 fl oz
Price$5.78 Good valueseen at one store · 4 oz
Price / oz$1.79/ozat 4 oz
Where to buy3 stores · $5.78–8.54
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: cantubeauty.co.uk
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Curly–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
Moderate
Not in your profile
Water-binding (humectants)
Low
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Some
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Rich
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Prominent
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Show all 20 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Essential oils
Present
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Vegan · ingredient listCruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
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
Ingredient list
25 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Drugstore
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Grocery / mass · Specialty beauty
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.
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Your avoid-list
Lower cost than most scalp treatments
$1.79/oz at 4 oz — less than 93% of the 152 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.22–20.64/oz.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
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
Tight budgetsit sits in the lower price tiers
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
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
Present, high in the list
Oils sit high in the list — a softening, coating formula.
Weight on the hair
Rich
Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.
Water-binding (humectants)
Low
Humectants appear, but low enough to be a minor part.
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
None
No chelating agent in the list.
Fragrance
Prominent
Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil | oil | Coats and softens the strand | Softens |
| Isopropyl Palmitate | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Softens |
| FragranceParfum/Fragrance | fragrance | The scent — a large share of the formula at this position | Fragrance |
| Psidium Guajava (Guava) Leaf Extract | botanical extract | A plant extract, marketed as much as functional | Neutral |
| Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract | botanical extract | A plant extract, marketed as much as functional | Neutral |
| Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil | oil | Coats and softens the strand | Softens |
| Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Stabilizes |
| Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Stabilizes |
| Menthol | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Fragrance |
| Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Fragrance |
| Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. No protein — a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list.
Full ingredient list (25)
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
Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil
General function
A light plant oil used to soften and carry other oil-based ingredients.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May not suitFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
-
2
Isopropyl Palmitate
General function
A light ester that spreads quickly and leaves a smooth, non-greasy feel.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
3
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.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
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
-
4
Psidium Guajava (Guava) Leaf Extract
General function
An extract from the leaf of Guava (Psidium Guajava). Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- botanical extract
-
5
Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract
General function
Ginger extract, a traditional scalp botanical used at low levels.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- botanical extract
-
6
Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil
General function
The oil pressed from Daucus Carota. How much weight a plant oil leaves depends on the hair it lands on; coarse hair tends to take more of it than fine hair.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May not suitFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
7
Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract
General function
A rice bran extract used for antioxidants and label appeal.
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.
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
-
8
Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
General function
Rosemary extract, used both as a scent note and as a natural antioxidant in scalp products.
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.
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
-
9
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract
- botanical extract
-
10
Tocopherol
· Tocopherol (Vitamin E)
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
11
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 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
Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil
General function
A rich oil used in masks and heavier creams for softness on coarse or dry 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 suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
-
13
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
General function
A thick, tacky oil used for sealing ends and for slick, held-down styles.
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 suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
-
14
Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil
General function
A light oil used where softness is wanted without weight.
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 suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
-
15
Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil
General function
Rosemary essential oil, used for scent and its traditional scalp reputation.
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 routinesEssential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
-
16
Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil
General function
Tea tree essential oil, used in scalp products for its sharp scent and traditional clarifying reputation.
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 routinesEssential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
-
17
Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract
- botanical extract
-
18
Equisetum Arvense Extract
· Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Extract
- botanical extract
-
19
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.
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.
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
-
20
Propylene Glycol
General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.
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 hydrates without contributing weight.
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
-
21
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
General function
Peppermint essential oil, used for scent and the cooling feeling on the scalp.
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 routinesEssential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
-
22
Water
· Aqua/Water
- solvent
-
23
Citral
General function
A lemon-scented 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
-
24
Citronellol
General function
A rose-like fragrance component named 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
-
25
Linalool
General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as 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
What the whole list adds up to
- 10 botanical extracts
- 8 fragrances
- 6 emollients
- 5 oils
- 3 antioxidants
- 3 essential oils
- 3 named fragrance allergens
- 2 humectants
- 2 solvents
- 1 light ester
- 1 declared fragrance
- 1 vitamin
- 1 active
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-07. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 4 oz
Seen at
$5.78
Good value under
$11
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $11 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $19 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
-
iHerb
$5.784 oz · $1.45/ozSep 8Lowest per oz
-
Zoe Beauty Supply (zoebeautysupply.com)
$7.994 oz · $2.00/ozSep 7
-
PerfumesClub US
$8.544 oz · $2.13/ozSep 8Sale · was $11.61
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
- 4 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 $5.78 is the price we have observed for the 4 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 $2.68/oz; at 4 oz that is $11. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $19 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 4 oz.
Formula
3
Formula score
3 of 10
Low cost per ounce, with a short formula: there is no conditioning agents up front here, and that is a system most scalp treatments carry.
How the score is counted
- Costs less per ounce than 93% of the 152 scalp treatments we’ve priced
- No conditioning agents up front in the formula
- No slip for detangling either
- Drugstore tier, sold at Grocery / mass and Specialty beauty
- 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 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
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.
Mielle OrganicsSame function
Lavender & Lychee Scalp & Hair Build Up Remover
$3.87/oz $2.08/oz more
- Protein-free
- Rich
- Silicone-free
- Differs
Mielle OrganicsLowest cost per oz
Rosemary Mint Scalp & Edge Cleansing Oil
$2.50/oz $0.71/oz more
- Protein-free
- Rich
- Silicone-free
- Differs
Taliah WaajidClose function
Scalp Care Follicle Therapy Growth Treatment
$8.75/oz $6.96/oz more
- Differs
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 suitsBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and a formula with real substance
Biggest tradeoff
Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance or oily scalps and fine hair
Best alternative if not
Nothing in our library matches it closely 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.
3
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Provides targeted moisture to thinning areas to help promote hair growth
Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.
- Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil
- Isopropyl Palmitate
- Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil
Supported
Helps hair feel hydrated.
Nourishes + Soothes Dry, Itchy Scalp
Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.
- Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil
- Isopropyl Palmitate
- Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil
Supported
Helps hair feel hydrated.
Sulfate Free
No sulfate detergents appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Gentler on colour and coils.
How to read this
We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula — not marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
More from Cantu
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.
- 3 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-09-08.
- Ingredient references are linked for 7 of 16 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 2026-09-08.