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Head & Shoulders

Dandruff Shampoo, Aloe Vera for Soothing Scalp Relief

Shampoo

  • Shampoo
  • cream
  • Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size12.5 fl ozmost listed · 2 sizes
Price$31.20seen at one store · 12.5 oz
Price / oz$2.60/ozat 12.5 oz
Where to buy3 stores · 2 sizes

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

Manufacturer page: headandshoulders.com

Personal fit

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Upper-mid price for a shampoo

$2.60/oz at 12.5 oz — more than 70% of the 817 shampoos , which mostly run $0.81–3.01/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Short ingredient listsfifteen ingredients or fewer
Tight budgetsit sits in the lower price tiers

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Sulfate-free routinesit uses a sulfate detergent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

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.

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) Low

Humectants appear, but low enough to be a minor part.

Scalp active None

No over-the-counter scalp active.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

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

Fragrance Prominent

Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — 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. 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
Pyrithione Zinc (1%) — — Neutral
Water solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate sulfate cleanser — Cleanses
Glycol Distearate opacifier Makes the product look creamy Softens
Zinc Carbonate mineral Adds texture or opacity Neutral
Sodium Chloride salt Thickens the formula Stabilizes
Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Cocamidopropyl Betaine amphoteric cleanser — Cleanses
Dimethicone silicone A little smoothing and shine Buildup
Sodium Benzoate preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesContains fragrance. The silicones here need a detergent wash to come off.
Full ingredient list (15)

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 Pyrithione Zinc (1%)
  • 2 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
  • 3 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 removes deposited silicone, wax and styling films in one wash, which is what resets a routine before build-up is visible.

    May suitFine or easily flattened 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 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
  • 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
  • ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically 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 Xylene Sulfonate
  • 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 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.

    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

    A sulfate detergent removes deposited silicone, wax and styling films in one wash, which is what resets a routine before build-up is visible.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

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

    Indian Journal of Dermatology
    • sulfate cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 15 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

What the whole list adds up to

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

Drug facts actives

  • undefined

This product is an over-the-counter drug as well as a cosmetic. It treats a cosmetic scalp condition; it does not diagnose or treat disease.

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-06. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 12.5 oz

Seen at $31.20 1 store · checked Sep 6
Good value under $5 Under $0.39/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 7 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 $5 at this size.

Sizes

10.14 oz
$8.90
$0.88/oz
12.5 ozmost listed
$31.20
$2.60/oz

The 10.14 oz costs the least per ounce — 66% less than the 12.5 oz.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 3 stores

12.5 ozmost listedBest per ounce

10.14 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. 12.5 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 $31.20 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 7 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 $5 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
6 of 10

Both the formula and the price land mid-range: it covers the core of what a shampoo does and costs about what shampoos cost per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • 6 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 70% of the 817 shampoos we’ve priced
  • No hard-water chelator in the formula
  • Reviewers mention 4 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 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, for less

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.

PanteneLowest cost per oz Pro-V Radiant Color Shine Shampoo $0.36/oz $2.24/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
  • Hard water
· Close function
Differs
  • 23.6 oz bottle
Compare
PanteneClose function Pro-V Volume & Body 2in1 Shampoo + Conditioner $0.85/oz $1.75/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
  • Hard water
Differs
  • 12 oz bottle
Compare
PanteneClose function Pro-V Classic Clean Shampoo $0.41/oz $2.19/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
  • Hard water
Differs
  • Amber scent
  • 23.6 oz bottle
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?

Only for a specific need
Best user

People who prefer a short ingredient list, looking for fewer ingredients to react to and a lower-priced option

Biggest tradeoff

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

Best alternative if not

Pantene Pro-V Radiant Color Shine 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, 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.

1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
1
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
CLINICALLY PROVEN: 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.

SOOTHES SCALP: Soothes scalp itch associated with dandruff

No over-the-counter anti-dandruff active appears in the list.

—

Stated by brand

Soothing, not an active treatment.

ALOE VERA: moisturizes and relieves scalp discomfort

Humectants and emollients are present, but lower in the list than the claim implies.

  • Glycol Distearate
  • Dimethicone
  • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Partly supported

Some hydration, at a low level.

PARABEN FREE

No parabens appear in the ingredient list.

—

Supported

Preserved without parabens.

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.

reviewers say it lathers well and leaves a pleasant scent in the shower

general reviewers, some buying for whole households

reviewers say it cleans and conditions hair without leaving it dry or unmanageable

general reviewers

reviewers report it clears up dandruff and flaking with regular use

reviewers with dandruff

several say it's gentle enough to use on kids in the household without irritation

parents buying for family use

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.
  • 3 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-09-06.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 4 of 8 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
  • We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
  • Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
  • Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-09-06.

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