Fights against dandruff and Seborrheic Dermatitis
No over-the-counter anti-dandruff active appears in the list.
- Menthol
Stated by brand
Soothing, not an active treatment.
Design Essentials
Peppermint & Aloe Therapeutics Anti-Itch Shampoo
Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning
- Shampoo
- cream
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size12 fl ozmost listed · 2 sizes
Price$14.99 Good valueseen at one store · 12 oz
Price / oz$1.25/ozat 12 oz
Where to buy3 stores · 2 sizes
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: designessentials.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see exactly how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 2,400+ products in our library we can match exactly the right products to you.
- In 10 minutes we can identify your exact hair condition and traits.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 17 factors we check.
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- Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
All types
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Cleansing strength
Strong
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Moderate
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Sulfates
Sulfate detergent
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
Not determined
Not in your profile
Essential oils
Present
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not in your profile
Show all 17 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Heavy
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
pH adjusted
Adjusted
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
17 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Drugstore
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Salons · Grocery / mass
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
Priced with its peers
$1.25/oz at 12 oz — less than 57% of the 805 shampoos , which mostly run $0.81–3.01/oz.
Great for
Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
Tight budgetsit sits in the lower price tiers
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Sulfate-free routinesit uses a sulfate detergent
Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
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
Strong
Removes oil, buildup, and most residue — a reset wash.
Expected lather
High
Thick foam that spreads quickly through the hair.
Slip and detangling
Moderate
Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list.
Water-binding (humectants)
High
Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.
Scalp active
None
No over-the-counter scalp active.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterWater (Aqua) | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Sodium Lauryl Sulfate | sulfate cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Cocamidopropyl Betaine | amphoteric cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Cocamidopropylamine Oxide | amphoteric cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Propylene Glycol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Menthol | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Fragrance |
| Phenoxyethanol (and) DMDM Hydantoin (and) Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate | — | — | Neutral |
| Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Fragrance |
Full ingredient list (17)
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
Water
· Water (Aqua)
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
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
General function
A high-foaming, strongly cleansing detergent. It clears build-up thoroughly and is the harsher of the two common sulfates.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Indian Journal of DermatologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesA sulfate detergent removes deposited silicone, wax and styling films in one wash, which is what resets a routine before build-up is visible.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairFine hair that goes limp under conditioning films usually reads a full detergent wash as volume returning.
May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoarse and high-porosity hair loses water quickly on its own; an efficient detergent removes the surface oils that were slowing that down.
- sulfate cleanser
- cleanser
-
3
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
-
4
Cocamidopropylamine Oxide
General function
A foam booster and mild cleanser that thickens the formula.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May 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
-
5
Propylene Glycol
General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
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
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
6
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
-
7
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
- 8 Phenoxyethanol (and) DMDM Hydantoin (and) Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
-
9
Montmorillonite
General function
A clay used for oil absorption and matte texture.
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 hairAbsorbs oil and adds texture, which is what gives fine hair grip at the root instead of slip.
- clay
- powder
-
10
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
· Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice
General function
Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little natural hold.
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 holdGums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.
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.
- humectant
- botanical extract
- gum
-
11
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
-
12
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
General function
A conditioning polymer made from guar bean gum. It deposits during rinsing, which is why sulfate shampoos can still leave hair soft.
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 holdGums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairCationic conditioners bind to the negatively charged damaged cuticle, laying it flat and cutting the friction that causes combing breakage.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingA styling polymer dries into a film across the strands, which is what makes a shape hold instead of relax.
- conditioning agent
- polymer
- gum
-
13
Sodium Chloride
- salt
- thickener
-
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 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
- 15 FD&C Blue #1
- 16 FD&C Red #33
- 17 FD&C Yellow No. 5
What the whole list adds up to
- 3 cleansers
- 3 fragrances
- 3 botanical extracts
- 2 solvents
- 2 amphoteric cleansers
- 2 secondary cleansers
- 2 humectants
- 2 essential oils
- 2 gums
- 1 sulfate cleanser
- 1 active
- 1 clay
- 1 powder
- 1 conditioning agent
Drug facts actives
- undefined
This product is an over-the-counter drug as well as a cosmetic. It treats a cosmetic scalp condition; it does not diagnose or treat disease.
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-04. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 12 oz
Seen at
$14.99
Good value under
$20
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $20 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $26 at this size.
Sizes
8 oz
$13.99
$1.75/oz
12 ozmost listed
$14.99
$1.25/oz
The 12 oz costs 29% less per ounce than the 8 oz.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
12 ozmost listedBest per ounce
-
Ensley Beauty Supply (ensleybeautysupply.com)
$11.9512 oz · $1.00/ozSep 4Lowest per oz
-
Sally Beauty
$14.9912 oz · $1.25/ozSep 5
8 oz
-
styllistik.com
$13.998 oz · $1.75/ozSep 5Lowest per oz
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
- 12 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 $14.99 is the price we have observed for the 12 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $20 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.69/oz; at 12 oz that is $20. 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 $26 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 12 oz.
Formula
9
Formula score
9 of 10
A complete read of the format at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among shampoos, with the working systems present.
How the score is counted
- Costs less per ounce than 57% of the 805 shampoos we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 7 things a shampoo should do
- Reviewers mention 4 things they like about how it performs
- Drugstore tier, sold at Salons and Grocery / mass
- 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 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.
RedkenClosest function
Acidic Grow Full System Densifying Shampoo
$3.65/oz $2.40/oz more
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Lightweight
- Function
- Also
BiolageClose function
Biolage Full Rescue Shampoo
$1.66/oz $0.41/oz more
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Lightweight
- Function
- Also
BiolageLowest cost per oz
Biolage Volume Boost Shampoo
$1.10/oz $0.15/oz less
- Deep clean
- Lightweight
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
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?
Good for the right personBest user
Scalps that oil up within a day, looking for a proper reset wash and a formula brought to an acidic pH
Biggest tradeoff
Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, sulfate-free routines and fresh keratin treatments, or dry or damaged 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.
2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Restores moisture balance to the scalp and hair
Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.
- Propylene Glycol
- Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Supported
Helps hair feel hydrated.
Nourishes and soothes the scalp
Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.
- Propylene Glycol
- Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Supported
Helps hair feel hydrated.
Immediate relief after first use
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
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.
Reviewers
What people report
Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.
Effectively relieves itchiness, flaking, and dandruff conditions with measurable improvement in scalp comfort and health.
Users with scalp conditions reporting significant relief from itching, flaking and dandruff symptomsProfessional endorsement by salon stylists using the product on diverse clients for over eighteen years confirms consistent efficacy.
Long-term professional users and salon owners recommending to their client basePeppermint tingle sensation provides a pleasant stimulating and cooling effect that reviewers find refreshing and enjoyable.
Users appreciating the sensory experience and stimulating feel of the peppermint formulationConcentrated formula with strong cleansing power that removes buildup and product residue without stripping moisture from hair.
Users noting effective yet gentle cleansing that leaves hair feeling soft and cleanMore from Design Essentials
- Agave & Lavender Moisturizing & Detangling Conditioner
- Almond & Avocado Moisturizing & Detangling Conditioner
- Almond Butter Express Instant Moisturizing Conditioner
- Milk & Honey 6N1 Reconstructive Conditioner
- Peppermint & Aloe Soothing Scalp Care Conditioner
- Rosemary & Mint Stimulating Super Moisturizing Conditioner
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 2026-09-05.
- Ingredient references are linked for 6 of 11 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 2026-09-05.