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Head & Shoulders

Bare Itchy Scalp Relief Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Shampoo / Everyday cleanser, balanced

  • Shampoo
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size13.5 fl oz
Price$10–12 Good valuecommonly seen · 13.5 oz
Price / oz$0.81/ozat 13.5 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $8.97–12.49

Scent:

Reviewers describe it as mint, peppermint.

Strength: Strong

Listing used for research: target.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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Lower cost than most shampoos

$0.81/oz at 13.5 oz — less than 75% of the 805 shampoos , which mostly run $0.81–3.01/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Flaking scalpsthis carries an over-the-counter active
no fragrance (parfum) on the label — scented
Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones

Maybe skip if

this product carries a strong scent
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Hard waterno chelator here to bind the minerals
Non-medicated routinesthis is an over-the-counter drug as well as a cosmetic
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here

Whether this much cleansing is right for you depends on how fast your scalp oils, how much product you layer, and your water — that is what the consultation works 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 High

Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula.

Water-binding (humectants) None found

No humectants found — nothing here pulls water into the hair.

Scalp active pyrithione zinc, 1%

Carries an over-the-counter scalp active, listed under Drug Facts.

Hard-water defence None

No chelating agent in the list.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Protein None

No protein or amino acids 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. These 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
Water solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Lauramidopropyl Betaine amphoteric cleanser — Cleanses
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate mild anionic cleanser — Cleanses
Acrylates Copolymer film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Polyquaternium-10 conditioning agent Puts conditioning back as it washes Detangles
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil botanical extract A trace plant extract Fragrance
Sodium Benzoate preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Citric Acid pH adjuster Fine-tunes the pH pH balancer
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. Carries an over-the-counter scalp active (pyrithione zinc 1%).
Full ingredient list (8)

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
    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 Lauramidopropyl Betaine
    General function

    A gentle secondary cleanser that thickens the formula and improves lather.

    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.

    PubChem
    • amphoteric cleanser
    • secondary cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 3 Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
    General function

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

    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
  • 4 Acrylates Copolymer
    General function

    A hold polymer that forms a firm, humidity-resistant film. It is the usual source of a hard cast in gels.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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.

    • film former
    • polymer
  • 5 Polyquaternium-10
    General function

    A cellulose-based conditioning polymer that leaves a thin, static-reducing film. Very common in shampoos as the ingredient that keeps them from stripping.

    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

    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 this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 6 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
  • 7 Sodium Benzoate
    General function

    A food-grade preservative that works only in acidic formulas, which is why it usually appears alongside citric acid.

    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.

    PubChem
    • preservative
  • 8 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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 2 cleansers
  • 2 film formers
  • 2 polymers
  • 1 solvent
  • 1 amphoteric cleanser
  • 1 secondary cleanser
  • 1 mild anionic cleanser
  • 1 conditioning agent
  • 1 botanical extract
  • 1 essential oil
  • 1 fragrance
  • 1 preservative
  • 1 pH adjuster
  • 1 hard-water chelator

Drug facts actives

  • pyrithione zinc 1%

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 2026-08-22. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 13.5 oz

Commonly seen $10–12 Midpoint $10.99 · 3 stores · checked Aug 29
Good value under $15 Under $1.11/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $15 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $17 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
  • Walmart
    $8.97
    13.5 oz · $0.66/oz
    Aug 29Lowest per ozSale · was $9.97
  • Target
    $10.99
    13.5 oz · $0.81/oz
    Aug 29
  • CVS
    $12.49
    13.5 oz · $0.93/oz
    Aug 29

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. 13.5 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. Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 13.5 oz at recognised stores — the cheapest quarter and the dearest quarter are left out, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
  3. Good value under $15 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.11/oz; at 13.5 oz that is $15. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $17 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 13.5 oz.

Formula

Formula score
9 of 10

It carries the working systems a shampoo needs and still sits in the lower part of the price range for shampoos per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • Costs less per ounce than 75% of the 805 shampoos we’ve priced
  • Covers 6 of the 7 things a shampoo should do
  • Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
  • Reviewers mention 2 recurring complaints
  • 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.

Head & ShouldersSame function Head & Shoulders Bare Sensitive Scalp Care Shampoo $1.47/oz $0.66/oz more
  • Scalp active
  • Fragrance-free
  • Unscented
Differs
  • Unscented
Compare
Head & ShouldersLowest cost per oz Bare Minimal Ingredients Pure Clean 2in1 Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner $0.74/oz $0.07/oz less
  • Scalp active
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
· Same function
Differs
  • Coconut scent, not mint
Compare
Head & ShouldersSame function Head & Shoulders Bare Anti-Dandruff Pure Clean Shampoo, Sulfate Free $1.23/oz $0.42/oz more
  • Scalp active
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
Compare

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

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

Flaking scalps, looking for an over-the-counter scalp active and a formula with no added fragrance

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, soft, over-stretchy hair that needs protein, or hard water without a chelating wash

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
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Fights recurrence of the symptoms of dandruff

It carries an over-the-counter anti-dandruff active.

—

Supported

A recognised active does the work.

Sulfate free, silicone free, and dye free

No sulfate detergents appear in the ingredient list.

—

Supported

Gentler on colour and coils.

Only 9 ingredients

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Dermatologist Verified Safe & Effective

A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.

—

Stated by brand

Only the brand’s testing shows this.

45% less plastic packaging

A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.

—

Stated by brand

Only the brand’s testing shows this.

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.

Reduces flaking and itch for many users, especially in cold/dry weather

reviewers using during winter/dry-air conditions

Peppermint scent perceived as pleasant and cooling on scalp

general reviewers

Eco-friendly, lightweight, less-plastic bottle design well received

general reviewers

Some users report increased hair/scalp dryness after use

general reviewers

Mint scent perceived as too strong by a minority of reviewers

scent-sensitive reviewers

More from Head & Shoulders

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.
  • 4 sources consulted for this product (3 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 2 of 6 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 2026-08-25.

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