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Design Essentials

Peppermint & Aloe Soothing Scalp Care Treatment

Scalp treatment

  • Scalp treatment
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size5 fl oz
Price$14seen at one store · 5 oz
Price / oz$2.80/ozat 5 oz

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

Scent:

Notes: peppermint.

“Light peppermint scent” (Brand page)

Manufacturer page: designessentials.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 20 factors we check.
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  • 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.

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Lower cost than most scalp treatments

$2.80/oz at 5 oz, less than 84% of the 280 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.84–19.05/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

no fragrance (parfum) on the label, but still scented
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
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

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel

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.

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) Moderate

Humectants in the working part of the formula.

Protein None

No protein or amino acids in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.

Hard-water defence None

No chelating agent in the list.

Fragrance None listed

No fragrance is listed.

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
PetrolatumWhite Petrolatum sealant Seals moisture in Heavy
Isopropyl Myristate light ester Light slip without much weight Softens
ParaffinParaffin Wax film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Buildup
Paraffinum Liquidum emollient Softens and smooths the strand Heavy
Polyethylene wax Holds shape and adds weight Buildup
Polysorbate 20Polysorbate-20 solubilizer Keeps oils dissolved in water Stabilizes
Menthol fragrance The scent Fragrance
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceAloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Vera humectant Adds a little water-binding Moisturizes
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. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list.
Full ingredient list (10)

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 Petrolatum · White Petrolatum
    General function

    A heavy sealing agent that locks moisture in and takes detergent to remove.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

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

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.

    • sealant
    • emollient
  • 2 Isopropyl Myristate
    General function

    A very light ester that makes products glide and disappear quickly on the hair.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    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.

    PubChem
    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 3 Paraffin · Paraffin Wax
    General function

    A mineral wax used for firm structure and sealing in pomades.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.

    • film former
    • sealant
    • wax
  • 4 Paraffinum Liquidum
    General function

    Mineral oil under its European name. It seals the surface and adds slip, and takes a detergent to remove.

    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

    Coats 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 hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • emollient
    • sealant
    • oil
  • 5 Polyethylene
    General function

    A synthetic wax-like polymer used to thicken water-free formulas and raise the hardness of balms and finishing sticks, adding body and slip.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • wax
    • thickener
  • 6 Polysorbate 20 · Polysorbate-20
    General function

    Keeps fragrance and oils dissolved in a watery formula so it stays clear.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • solubilizer
    • emulsifier
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 7 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
  • 8 Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice · Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Vera
    General function

    Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little natural hold.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Hydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Aloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.

    • humectant
    • botanical extract
    • gum
  • 9 Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
    General function

    Peppermint essential oil, used for scent and the cooling feeling on the scalp.

    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

    Essential 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
  • 10 Tocopheryl Acetate
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin

What the whole list adds up to

  • 3 sealants
  • 3 emollients
  • 2 waxs
  • 2 fragrances
  • 2 botanical extracts
  • 1 light ester
  • 1 film former
  • 1 oil
  • 1 thickener
  • 1 solubilizer
  • 1 emulsifier
  • 1 active
  • 1 humectant
  • 1 gum

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-08. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 5 oz

Seen at $14 1 store · checked Sep 8
Good value under $13 Under $2.58/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $13 line; products that do this job typically go for about $13 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 1 store

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 $14 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 $13 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.58/oz; at 5 oz that is $13. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $13 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 5 oz.

Formula

Formula score
4 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 84% of the 280 scalp treatments we’ve priced
  • No conditioning agents up front in the formula
  • No slip for detangling either
  • Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
  • 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

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.

Design EssentialsLowest cost per oz Scalp Care Anti-Itch & Tension Relief Scalp Butter $2.60/oz $0.20/oz less
  • Fragrance-free
  • Protein-free
  • Rich
· Close function
Function
  • Slip and detangling
Also
  • Fresh scent, not mint
Compare
Design EssentialsClose function Herbal Complex 4 Hair & Scalp Treatment $2.60/oz $0.20/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Rich
  • Silicone-free
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
Also
  • Sold at specialty beauty counters
Compare
Mielle OrganicsClose function Rosemary Mint Light Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil $5.00/oz $2.20/oz more
  • Fragrance-free
  • Protein-free
  • Rich
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
  • Film formers
Also
  • Drugstore tier
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

Built for curly to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

People sensitive to fragrance who want a formula with no added fragrance and a protein-free formula

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or anyone stretching time between washes

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, 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.

2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
This lightweight formula delivers long-lasting hydration while calming dryness and discomfort.

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

  • Petrolatum
  • Isopropyl Myristate
  • Paraffinum Liquidum
Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

Perfect for daily use, it revitalizes the scalp and adds natural shine to curly and coily textures.

The formula carries a recognised shine system — silicone, oil, or light ester.

  • Petrolatum
  • Isopropyl Myristate
  • Paraffin
Supported

Reflects light for visible shine.

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.

Effective for dry scalp discomfort and irritation relief with soothing properties

Customers with sensitive or dry scalps

Excellent for curly and coily hair types providing moisture and shine

Customers with textured hair

Lightweight hydrating formula with cooling peppermint sensation ideal for scalp nourishment

Customers with various hair types seeking scalp hydration

More from Design Essentials

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 (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-09-08.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 3 of 7 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 2026-09-09.

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