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Fairy Tales

Sun & Swim™ Lifeguard Clarifying Shampoo

Shampoo / Everyday cleanser, balanced

  • Shampoo
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
  • Vegan · label states
  • Cruelty-free · label states
Size12ozusual store size · 3 sizes
Price$8.32seen at one store · 12 oz
Price / oz$0.85/ozat 12 oz
Where to buy4 stores · 2 sizes

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

Scent:

Reviewers describe it as citrus.

“Citrus” (Brand page)

Manufacturer page: fairytaleshaircare.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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Priced with its peers

$0.85/oz at 12 oz, less than 73% of the 1544 shampoos , which mostly run $0.79–3.04/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list

How much cleansing you need depends on how fast your scalp gets oily, how much product you layer and your water. The consultation works that out.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Cleansing strength Moderate

Removes oil and product; leaves some conditioning behind.

Expected lather Moderate

An ordinary shampoo lather.

Slip and detangling Moderate

Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list.

Water-binding (humectants) Moderate

Humectants in the working part of the formula.

Scalp active None

No over-the-counter scalp active.

Hard-water defence Chelators present

Contains chelators, which bind hard-water and pool minerals.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Protein None

No protein or amino acids in the list.

Fragrance Present

Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients, plus anything lower down that changes a decision. The chips name what an ingredient does. They are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterWater/Aqua solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine amphoteric cleanser — Cleanses
Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate cleanser Does the cleaning Cleanses
Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate cleanser Does the cleaning Cleanses
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate mild anionic cleanser — Cleanses
Sodium Chloride salt Thickens the formula Stabilizes
Disodium Cocoamphodipropionate amphoteric cleanser — Cleanses
Panthenol humectant Pulls water into the hair Detangles
Dehydroacetic Acid preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Benzyl Alcohol preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
FragranceNatural & Phthalate-Free Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. Chelators for hard water.
Full ingredient list (23)

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/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 ingredient

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

    • solvent
  • 2 Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
    General function

    A mild co-cleanser that keeps foam stable in hard water.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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

    One 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 routines

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

    • amphoteric cleanser
    • secondary cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 3 Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate
    General function

    A mild cleanser that foams well in hard water, usually paired with disodium 2-sulfolaurate.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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.

    PubChem
    • cleanser
  • 4 Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate
    General function

    A mild cleanser used with sodium methyl 2-sulfolaurate in gentle shampoo systems.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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.

    PubChem
    • cleanser
  • 5 Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
    General function

    A moderate cleanser that foams well without the stripping reputation of sulfates.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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.

    PubChem
    • mild anionic cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 6 Sodium Chloride
    General function

    Table salt. In shampoo it is used to thicken the liquid, not to treat the hair.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • salt
    • thickener
  • 7 Disodium Cocoamphodipropionate
    General function

    A very mild cleanser used in baby and sensitive-scalp shampoos.

    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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    One 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 routines

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

    PubChem
    • amphoteric cleanser
    • secondary cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 8 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.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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
  • 9 Polyquaternium-7 · Polyquaternium 7
    General function

    A conditioning polymer that improves wet combing and adds body. Repeated use can build up on fine hair.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    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
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 10 Sodium Citrate
    General function

    Used with citric acid to hold the formula at a steady, slightly acidic pH. It also binds a little hard-water mineral.

    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.

    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
    • hard-water chelator
  • 11 Cocamidopropylamine Oxide
    General function

    A foam booster and mild cleanser that thickens 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 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

    One 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 routines

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

    • amphoteric cleanser
    • secondary cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 12 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
  • 13 Dehydroacetic Acid
    • preservative
  • 14 Benzyl Alcohol
    • preservative
    • solvent
  • 15 Sodium Gluconate
    General function

    A gentle, biodegradable chelator that binds hard-water minerals in place of EDTA.

    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
  • 16 Aloe Barbadensis 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 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
  • 17 Glycerin
    General function

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

    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

    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
  • 18 Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
  • 19 Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 20 Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 21 Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract
  • 22 Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
  • 23 Fragrance · Natural & Phthalate-Free 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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 6 cleansers
  • 3 amphoteric cleansers
  • 3 secondary cleansers
  • 3 humectants
  • 3 hard-water chelators
  • 3 botanical extracts
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 pH adjusters
  • 2 preservatives
  • 1 mild anionic cleanser
  • 1 salt
  • 1 thickener
  • 1 conditioning agent
  • 1 vitamin

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-17. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 12 oz

Seen at $8.32 lowest of 2 stores · checked Oct 17
Good value under $7 Under $0.61/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 $7 line; products that do this job typically go for about $19 at this size.

Sizes

3.3 oz
$3
$0.91/oz
12 ozusual store size
$8.32
$0.85/oz

The sizes cost about the same per ounce.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it5 listings · 4 stores

12 ozusual store sizeBest per ounce

3.3 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
  1. 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.
  2. Seen at $8.32 is the price we have observed for the 12 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $7 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.61/oz; at 12 oz that is $7. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
  5. About $19 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 12 oz.

Formula

Formula score
10 of 10

The formula carries the systems a shampoo is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for shampoos per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • 3 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 73% of the 1544 shampoos we’ve priced
  • Covers 7 of the 7 things a shampoo should do
  • Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
  • A working detergent systemWhat actually removes oil and product.3 pts
  • Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A hard-water chelatorBinds the minerals that dull hair in hard water.1 pt
  • A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.1 pt
  • No detergent-dependent filmNothing that needs a clarifying wash to remove.1 pt
  • Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.

TRESemmeSame function Pro Pure Damage Recovery Shampoo $0.56/oz $0.29/oz less
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
Compare
RuskLowest cost per oz Sensories Smoother Passionflower & Aloe Smoothing Shampoo $0.51/oz $0.34/oz less
  • Sulfate-free
  • Curly method
  • Hard water
· Close function
Function
  • Protein
Also
  • Salon tier
  • 35 oz bottle
Compare
Wella ProfessionalsClose function Ultimate Color Sulfate-Free Shampoo $0.62/oz $0.23/oz less
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
Function
  • Cleansing strength
Also
  • Salon tier
  • 8.4 oz bottle
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

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

Colour-treated hair, looking for washing without sulfates and a protein-free formula

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance or soft, over-stretchy hair that needs protein

Best alternative if not

Consider TRESemme Pro Pure Damage Recovery Shampoo, for similar results 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.

3
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Removes chlorine 'green', sea salts and minerals that can damage and dry out summertime hair

Chelating agents that bind water minerals are present.

  • Sodium Citrate
  • Citric Acid
  • Sodium Gluconate
Supported

Handles mineral-heavy water.

Color-safe formulation

It avoids sulfate detergents, which are the usual cause of fast fade.

  • Polyquaternium-7
Supported

Less fade per wash.

Free from sulfates, parabens, phthalates, gluten, soy, dairy, and nuts

No sulfate detergents appear in the ingredient list.

—

Supported

Gentler on colour and coils.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

Reviewers

What people report

Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.

Reviewers mention a pleasant citrus smell and good lather, and a gray-haired user says it clears product buildup that makes hair yellow.

Families using it for the whole household, one gray-haired adult

Reviewers with swimmers say it removes chlorine and the green tint pool water leaves in light or blonde hair, and leaves it smooth and shiny.

Parents of daily or competitive swimmers with light or blonde hair, plus adult swimmers

Reviewers like that it clarifies without harshness, citing no dryness, no stinging of children's eyes and suitability for sensitive skin and frequent use.

Parents of children with sensitive skin or thin hair, and long-time adult users

More from Fairy Tales

How this page was made

  • Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one product.
  • The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
  • Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
  • The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
  • 6 sources consulted for this product (3 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-10-17.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 14 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
  • We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
  • Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
  • Formula readings: derivation v23. Record last updated 2026-10-17.

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