Scalp Revitalizing Solution Hair Thickening Shampoo

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 · Water/Eau
  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 ingredient

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

  • solvent
• 2 Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
  General function

  A mild cleanser used to soften a formula built on stronger detergents.

  Leading ingredient

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

  May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

  The 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 hair

  A gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.

  May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Cleanses 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
• 3 Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate
  General function

  A mild cleanser used to soften a formula built on stronger detergents.

  Leading ingredient

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

  PubChem
  • mild anionic cleanser
  • cleanser
• 4 Glycerin
  General function

  Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.

  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

  High-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 hair

  Binds 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 hair

  Water 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.

  Scientific Reports
  • humectant
• 5 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.

  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

  Mild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.

  May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

  The mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.

  DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Among 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.

  Indian Journal of Dermatology
  • amphoteric cleanser
  • secondary cleanser
  • cleanser
• ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
• 6 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 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.

  • fragrance
  • declared fragrance
• 7 Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
  General function

  A gel-forming thickener that also keeps oils suspended. It contributes a little 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 suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

  A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

  May suitMaximum-hold styling

  Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

  DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

  Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

  • thickener
  • polymer
  • film former
• 8 Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
  General function

  A mild cleanser that gives a creamy lather and leaves hair less stripped than sulfates.

  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

  The 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 hair

  A gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.

  May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Cleanses 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
• 9 Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
  • botanical extract
• 10 Yeast Extract/Extrait De Levure
• 11 Beta-Glucan
• 12 Inulin
  General function

  A plant sugar used for light moisture and as a prebiotic scalp claim.

  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 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.

  DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

  A 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
• 13 Maltodextrin
  General function

  A starch fragment that soaks up oil and water, which is what puts it in dry shampoos. It also carries spray-dried plant extracts and leaves a light film.

  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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

  Takes up oil at the root, which is where fine hair goes flat first.

  May suitMaximum-hold styling

  Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

  DependsCurls or waves needing flexible hold

  How rigid the finish is depends on which polymer it is and what the formula pairs with it, not on there being one.

  • absorbent
  • film former
  • binder
• 14 Bifida Ferment Lysate
  • botanical extract
• 15 Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
  • botanical extract
• 16 Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water
• 17 Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract
  • botanical extract
• 18 Biotin
  • vitamin
• 19 Caffeine
  • active
• 20 Melissa Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Water
• 21 Houttuynia Cordata Extract
• 22 Panax Ginseng Root Extract
  • botanical extract
• 23 Paeonia Suffruticosa Branch/Flower/Leaf Extract
• 24 Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
• 25 Artemisia Annua Extract
• 26 Azadirachta Indica Leaf Extract
  • botanical extract
• 27 Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract · Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
  • botanical extract
  • antioxidant
• 28 Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract
  • botanical extract
• 29 Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
  • botanical extract
• 30 Sodium Hyaluronate · Hyaluronic Acid
  General function

  A large water-binding molecule that sits on the surface holding moisture.

  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 suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

  High-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 hair

  Binds 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 hair

  A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.

  • humectant
• 31 Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract
• 32 Panax Ginseng Leaf/Stem Extract
• 33 Arginine
  General function

  An amino acid that holds water and carries a positive charge, so it is drawn to damaged spots on the strand.

  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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

  DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

  A 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.

  DependsProtein-sensitive hair

  The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

  PubChem
  • amino acid
  • humectant
• 34 Benzyl Alcohol
  • preservative
  • solvent
• 35 Aspartic Acid
  General function

  An amino acid used for moisture binding and to help set an acidic pH.

  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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

  DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

  pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

  DependsProtein-sensitive hair

  The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

  • amino acid
  • pH adjuster
• 36 Polylysine
• 37 Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract
  • botanical extract
• 38 Ganoderma Lucidum (Mushroom) Extract
  • botanical extract
• 39 Sodium PCA · Pca
  General function

  A moisture-binding ingredient that occurs naturally in hair and skin.

  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 suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

  High-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 hair

  Binds 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 hair

  A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.

  PubChem
  • humectant
• 40 Serine
  General function

  One of the amino acids that make up hair protein, added for water binding.

  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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

  DependsProtein-sensitive hair

  The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

  • amino acid
• 41 Glycine
  General function

  The smallest amino acid in hair protein, added for moisture binding.

  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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

  DependsProtein-sensitive hair

  The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

  PubChem
  • amino acid
• 42 Alanine
  General function

  An amino acid found in hair protein, used in blends for moisture binding.

  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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

  DependsProtein-sensitive hair

  The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

  • amino acid
• 43 Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
  • botanical extract
• 44 Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
  • botanical extract
• 45 Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
• 46 Phellinus Linteus Extract
• 47 Valine
  General function

  An amino acid used in hair conditioning blends.

  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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

  DependsProtein-sensitive hair

  The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

  • amino acid
• 48 Dehydroacetic Acid
  • preservative
• 49 Isoleucine
  General function

  An amino acid used in conditioning blends that mimic hair's own protein.

  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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

  DependsProtein-sensitive hair

  The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

  • amino acid
• 50 Proline
  General function

  An amino acid from hair protein, used in amino-acid conditioning blends.

  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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

  DependsProtein-sensitive hair

  The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

  • amino acid
• 51 Threonine
  General function

  An amino acid used in conditioning blends for moisture binding.

  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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

  DependsProtein-sensitive hair

  The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

  • amino acid
• 52 Histidine
  General function

  One of the amino acids that make up hair protein, added for moisture binding.

  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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

  DependsProtein-sensitive hair

  The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

  PubChem
  • amino acid
• 53 Phenylalanine
  General function

  An amino acid found in hair protein, used in conditioning blends.

  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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

  DependsProtein-sensitive hair

  The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

  • amino acid
• 54 Sodium PCA
  General function

  A moisture-binding ingredient that occurs naturally in hair and skin.

  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 suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

  High-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 hair

  Binds 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 hair

  A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.

  PubChem
  • humectant
• 55 Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract
• 56 Vinegar/Vinaigre
• 57 Zea Mays (Corn) Starch
  General function

  A starch that soaks up oil at the roots and adds texture.

  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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

  Adds grip and body with no oil attached, which is what lifts fine hair at the root instead of weighing it down.

  DependsMaximum-hold styling

  Starch gives texture and grip rather than a set film; firm hold usually needs a polymer alongside it.

  • starch
  • powder
• 58 Dextrin
• 59 Peg-Crosspolymer
• 60 Caprylyl Glycol
  General function

  A gentle preservative helper that also holds a little moisture.

  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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Humectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.

  DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

  A 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.

  PubChem
  • preservative
  • humectant
• 61 Di-C12-13 Alkyl Malate
  • emollient
  • light ester
• 62 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 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

  Cationic 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 hair

  A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

  May suitMaximum-hold styling

  Film 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
• 63 Microcrystalline Cellulose
  General function

  Purified plant fibre used to thicken, stabilise and absorb. It leaves a dry, matte feel at higher levels.

  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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

  Takes up oil at the root, which is where fine hair goes flat first.

  • thickener
  • absorbent
• 64 Cocamide MEA
  General function

  A coconut-derived thickener that stabilises foam and gives shampoo its body.

  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 suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

  Mild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.

  May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  A 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 routines

  Gentle cleansing leaves water-insoluble deposits largely in place; they come off with a stronger wash, not this one.

  • secondary cleanser
  • nonionic cleanser
  • thickener
• 65 Coco-Glucoside
  General function

  A sugar-derived, low-foaming cleanser used in gentle and curly-method shampoos.

  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 suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

  Mild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.

  May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  A 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 routines

  Gentle cleansing leaves water-insoluble deposits largely in place; they come off with a stronger wash, not this one.

  PubChem
  • nonionic cleanser
  • cleanser
• 66 Glyceryl Oleate
  General function

  An emulsifier that also softens, often added to make a cleanser feel less stripping.

  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 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.

  • emulsifier
  • emollient
• 67 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
• 68 Panthenol
  General function

  Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.

  Estimated lower-concentration 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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

  It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

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

  Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

  May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

  PubChem
  • humectant
  • conditioning agent
  • vitamin
• 69 Salicylic Acid
  • active
  • exfoliant
• 70 Coconut Acid
  • emulsifier
  • salt
• 71 Niacinamide
  General function

  Vitamin B3, used in scalp products for conditioning claims.

  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 suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

  Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

  PubChem
  • vitamin
  • conditioning agent
• 72 Ppg-3 Caprylyl Ether
  • emulsifier
• 73 Mannitol
  • binder
  • humectant
• 74 Chromium Hydroxide Green(Ci 77289)
• 75 Sodium Isethionate
  General function

  A mild cleanser that comes along with sodium cocoyl isethionate and helps it dissolve.

  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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

  Cleansing is what lifts deposited films off the strand. How completely depends on which detergent it is and how high on the list it sits.

  DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Every detergent removes some sebum along with the product it is there to wash out. Which detergent it is matters more than that there is one.

  • cleanser
• 76 Tetrasodium EDTA
  General function

  Binds the metal ions in hard water so they cannot dull hair or destabilise the formula.

  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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

  Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

  May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

  Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

  PubChem
  • hard-water chelator
• 77 Methylpropanediol
  • humectant
• 78 Ethylhexylglycerin
  General function

  A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.

  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 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.

  PubChem
  • preservative
  • emollient
• 79 Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex
  • antioxidant
  • colourant
• 80 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 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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

  Holds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.

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

  The 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 hair

  Where a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.

  International Journal of Trichology
  • pH adjuster
  • hard-water chelator
• 81 Potassium Hydroxide
  General function

  A strong base used in trace amounts to set pH; it is fully neutralised in the finished product.

  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.

  DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

  pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

  PubChem
  • pH adjuster
• 82 Pentylene Glycol
  General function

  A humectant that also helps preserve the formula, often used where a brand wants a short preservative list.

  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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

  Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.

  May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

  DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

  A 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.

  PubChem
  • humectant
  • solvent
  • preservative
• 83 Alcohol Denat. · Alcohol
  General function

  Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on the list.

  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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

  Evaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.

  PubChem
  • drying alcohol
  • solvent
• 84 Butylene Glycol
  General function

  A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.

  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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

  Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.

  May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

  DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

  A 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.

  PubChem
  • humectant
  • solvent
• 85 1,2-Hexanediol
  General function

  A preservative booster that also holds a little moisture and helps other ingredients dissolve.

  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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

  Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.

  May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

  DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

  A 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.

  PubChem
  • preservative
  • humectant
  • solvent
• 86 Sodium Lactate
  General function

  A salt of lactic acid used to hold moisture and steady the pH.

  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 suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

  High-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 hair

  Binds 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 hair

  A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.

  • humectant
  • pH adjuster
• 87 Potassium Sorbate
  • preservative
• 88 Hexylene Glycol
  General function

  A solvent that keeps other ingredients dissolved and helps preservatives work.

  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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

  Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.

  May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

  DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

  A 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.

  PubChem
  • solvent
  • humectant
• 89 Sodium Chloride
  • salt
  • thickener
• 90 Sodium Benzoate
  • preservative

What the whole list adds up to

• 15 humectants
• 14 botanical extracts
• 11 amino acids
• 8 preservatives
• 7 solvents
• 6 cleansers
• 4 thickeners
• 4 pH adjusters
• 3 mild anionic cleansers
• 3 film formers
• 3 vitamins
• 3 actives
• 3 emollients
• 3 emulsifiers

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-04. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.