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Head & Shoulders

Classic Clean Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning

  • Shampoo
  • Protein-free
  • Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size12.5 fl ozusual store size · 2 sizes
Price$9.69seen at one store · 12.5 oz · from $0.52/oz in the 13.53 oz
Price / oz$0.78/ozat 12.5 oz
Where to buy4 stores · 2 sizes

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

Scent:

Notes: fresh.

Listing used for research: target.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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Lower cost than most shampoos

$0.78/oz at 12.5 oz, less than 76% of the 1544 shampoos , which mostly run $0.79–3.04/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Flaking scalpsit has an over-the-counter active
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
A wide range of haira middle-of-the-range weight
Short ingredient listsfifteen ingredients or fewer

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Sulfate-free routinesit uses a sulfate detergent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Hard waterno chelator here to bind the minerals

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 Strong

A reset wash that removes oil, buildup, and most residue.

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) None found

No humectants, so 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 Yes

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

Protein None

No protein or amino acids in the list.

Fragrance Prominent

Fragrance is in the first eight ingredients, so it makes up a larger share of the formula.

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
Water solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate sulfate cleanser — Cleanses
Sodium Laureth Sulfate sulfate cleanser — Cleanses
Glycol Distearate opacifier Makes the product look creamy Softens
Sodium Chloride salt Thickens the formula Stabilizes
Zinc Carbonate mineral Adds texture or opacity Neutral
Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Cocamidopropyl Betaine amphoteric cleanser — Cleanses
Dimethicone silicone A little smoothing and shine Buildup
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no drying alcohols. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Water-insoluble silicones that need a detergent wash to remove.
Full ingredient list (15)

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
    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 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 ingredient

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

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    A sulfate detergent can lift deposited silicone, wax and styling films, which is what resets a routine before build-up is visible.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Fine hair that goes limp under conditioning films usually reads a full detergent wash as volume returning.

    May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coarse and high-porosity hair loses water quickly on its own; an efficient detergent removes the surface oils that were slowing that down.

    Indian Journal of Dermatology
    • sulfate cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 3 Sodium Laureth Sulfate
    General function

    A strong, high-foaming cleanser and the most common shampoo detergent. It removes oil and product efficiently, which can be more than dry or colour-treated hair wants.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    A sulfate detergent can lift deposited silicone, wax and styling films, which is what resets a routine before build-up is visible.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Fine hair that goes limp under conditioning films usually reads a full detergent wash as volume returning.

    May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coarse and high-porosity hair loses water quickly on its own; an efficient detergent removes the surface oils that were slowing that down.

    Indian Journal of Dermatology
    • sulfate cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 4 Glycol Distearate
    General function

    A wax that gives shampoo its pearly look and a slightly richer feel.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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
    • opacifier
    • emollient
  • 5 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
  • 6 Zinc Carbonate
    General function

    A zinc salt that accompanies zinc pyrithione in some anti-dandruff formulas.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • mineral
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 7 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
  • 8 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.

    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 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
  • 9 Sodium Xylenesulfonate
    • solubilizer
  • 10 Dimethicone
    General function

    The most common conditioning silicone. It coats the strand for shine, slip, and frizz control, and needs a detergent (not just water) to wash out.

    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 surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

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

    Lays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.

    • silicone
    • emollient
    • conditioning agent
  • 11 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 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 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 suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Cationic conditioners bind to the negatively charged damaged cuticle, laying it flat and cutting the friction that causes combing breakage.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A styling polymer dries into a film across the strands, which is what makes a shape hold instead of relax.

    • conditioning agent
    • polymer
    • gum
  • 13 Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide
  • 14 Blue 1
    • colourant
    • direct dye
    • blue dye
  • 15 Red 33
    General function

    A certified colour used to tint the product. It does not colour 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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    A violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.

    • colourant

What the whole list adds up to

  • 3 cleansers
  • 2 sulfate cleansers
  • 2 emollients
  • 2 colourants
  • 1 solvent
  • 1 opacifier
  • 1 salt
  • 1 thickener
  • 1 mineral
  • 1 fragrance
  • 1 declared fragrance
  • 1 amphoteric cleanser
  • 1 secondary cleanser
  • 1 solubilizer

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 2026-08-21. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 12.5 oz

Seen at $9.69 1 store · checked Aug 30
Good value under $5 Under $0.39/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 $5 line; products that do this job typically go for about $6 at this size.

Sizes

12.5 ozusual store size
$9.69
$0.78/oz
13.53 oz
$6.99
$0.52/oz

The 13.53 oz costs 33% less per ounce than the 12.5 oz.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 4 stores

12.5 ozusual store size

  • Target
    $6.99
    12.5 oz · $0.56/oz
    Aug 21Lowest per oz
  • GJ Curbside
    $9.69
    12.5 oz · $0.78/oz
    Aug 30

13.53 ozBest per ounce

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. and 1 listing we don’t count, from grey-market or unverified sellers.

How we work this out
  1. 12.5 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
  2. Seen at $9.69 is the price we have observed for the 12.5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $5 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.39/oz; at 12.5 oz that is $5. 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 $6 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 12.5 oz.

Formula

Formula score
5 of 10

Not the most complete shampoo formula we have read, but it is under most of the range for shampoos per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • 8 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 76% of the 1544 shampoos we’ve priced
  • No humectant in the formula
  • Reviewers mention 2 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.

Head & ShouldersClosest function Classic Clean 2-in-1 Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner $0.56/oz $0.22/oz less
  • Scalp active
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
Function
  • Toning dye
Compare
Head & ShouldersClose function Green Apple Anti-Dandruff Paraben Free 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner $0.56/oz $0.22/oz less
  • Scalp active
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
Function
  • Toning dye
Also
  • Sweet scent, not fresh
Compare
Head & ShouldersLowest cost per oz Men's 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner, Anti-Dandruff Treatment, Full & Thick $0.44/oz $0.34/oz less
  • Scalp active
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
· Close function
Function
  • Toning dye
Also
  • 28.2 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?

Good for the right person
Best user

Flaking scalps, for an over-the-counter scalp active and a protein-free formula

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, sulfate-free routines and fresh keratin treatments, or curly-method routines

Best alternative if not

Head & Shoulders Classic Clean 2-in-1 Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner, 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.

0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Up to 100% dandruff protection

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.

America's #1 dandruff shampoo brand

A sales or award claim. It says nothing about what is in the bottle.

—

Stated by brand

Popularity, not performance.

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.

Reliably controls flakes and keeps the scalp feeling clean

long-term repeat buyers

Fresh scent and good lather are frequently mentioned positives

general users

A minority voice concerns about the sulfate/chemical ingredient profile

ingredient-conscious shoppers

Some find it drying to hair even when it fixes the dandruff

users with longer/dry hair

More from Head & Shoulders

How this page was made

  • Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one product.
  • The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
  • Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
  • The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
  • 5 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 5 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 4 of 8 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 2026-08-25.

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