72 HR scalp moisture
Humectants and emollients are present, but lower in the list than the claim implies.
- Glycol Distearate
- Dimethiconol
- Dimethicone
Partly supported
Some hydration, at a low level.
Head & Shoulders · Dry Scalp Care with Almond Oil
Dry Scalp Care with Almond Oil Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning
- Shampoo
- Protein-free
- Lightweight
- Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size12.5 fl oz
Price$3.99 Good valueseen at one store · 12.5 oz
Price / oz$0.32/ozat 12.5 oz
Where to buy2 stores · $3.99–6.99
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
Notes: almond, sweet.
Listing used for research: target.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 6,000+ products in our library, we can match you to the right ones.
- About 20 minutes, and your answers save as you go.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 23 factors we check.
- A personalized routine built around your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
- Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
- Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.
$49 with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates
$99 with 12 months. Pay once; the year renews only if you choose.
Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
All types
Not in your profile
Moisture level
Low
Not in your profile
Cleansing strength
Strong
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Moderate
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Prominent
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
High
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate
Not in your profile
Scent
Sweet & vanillaStrength not recorded
Not in your profile
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Sulfates
Sulfate detergent
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
Present
Not in your profile
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Not heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
pH adjusted
No adjuster listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
20 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Drugstore
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Target · Grocery / mass +1Widely sold
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.
Start your consultation$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.
Your avoid-list
Lower cost than most shampoos
$0.32/oz at 12.5 oz, less than 95% of the 1544 shampoos , which mostly run $0.79–3.04/oz.
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
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Tight budgetsit sits in the lower price tiers
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
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.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Sodium Laureth Sulfate | sulfate cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Sodium Lauryl Sulfate | sulfate cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Cocamidopropyl Betaine | amphoteric cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Sodium Xylenesulfonate | solubilizer | Keeps oils dissolved in water | Stabilizes |
| Zinc Carbonate | mineral | Adds texture or opacity | Neutral |
| Glycol Distearate | opacifier | Makes the product look creamy | Softens |
| Fragrance | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Dimethiconol | silicone | A little smoothing and shine | Buildup |
| Sodium Benzoate | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Dimethicone | silicone | A little smoothing and shine | Buildup |
| Benzyl Alcohol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. The silicones here need a detergent wash to come off.
Full ingredient list (20)
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Indian Journal of DermatologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesA 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 hairFine hair that goes limp under conditioning films usually reads a full detergent wash as volume returning.
May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoarse and high-porosity hair loses water quickly on its own; an efficient detergent removes the surface oils that were slowing that down.
- sulfate cleanser
- cleanser
-
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Indian Journal of DermatologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesA 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 hairFine hair that goes limp under conditioning films usually reads a full detergent wash as volume returning.
May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoarse and high-porosity hair loses water quickly on its own; an efficient detergent removes the surface oils that were slowing that down.
- sulfate cleanser
- cleanser
-
4
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 ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
Indian Journal of DermatologyMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesThe mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairAmong 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.
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
-
5
Sodium Xylenesulfonate
General function
A hydrotrope that keeps a shampoo clear and pourable.
Supporting ingredientPubChemListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- solubilizer
-
6
Zinc Carbonate
General function
A zinc salt that accompanies zinc pyrithione in some anti-dandruff formulas.
Supporting ingredientPubChemListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- mineral
-
7
Glycol Distearate
General function
A wax that gives shampoo its pearly look and a slightly richer feel.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- opacifier
- emollient
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
8
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 zoneIt 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 routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
9
Sodium Chloride
- salt
- thickener
-
10
Dimethiconol
General function
A high-shine silicone often paired with dimethicone for a smoother, glossier finish.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA 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 hairLays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.
- silicone
- emollient
-
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 zoneIt 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 holdGums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairCationic conditioners bind to the negatively charged damaged cuticle, laying it flat and cutting the friction that causes combing breakage.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingA styling polymer dries into a film across the strands, which is what makes a shape hold instead of relax.
- conditioning agent
- polymer
- gum
-
13
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 zoneIt 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 hairA 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 hairLays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.
- silicone
- emollient
- conditioning agent
-
14
TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
General function
A strong detergent used mainly in clarifying and deep-cleansing shampoos.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesCleansing 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 hairEvery 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
- 15 Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide
-
16
Trideceth-10
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
17
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil
General function
A medium-weight oil used for softness and slip.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt 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 hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
-
18
Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
-
19
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- isothiazolinone
- preservative
-
20
Methylisothiazolinone
- isothiazolinone
- preservative
What the whole list adds up to
- 4 cleansers
- 4 emollients
- 4 preservatives
- 2 solvents
- 2 sulfate cleansers
- 2 solubilizers
- 2 silicones
- 2 isothiazolinones
- 1 amphoteric cleanser
- 1 secondary cleanser
- 1 mineral
- 1 opacifier
- 1 fragrance
- 1 declared fragrance
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, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 12.5 oz
Seen at
$3.99
Good value under
$7
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $7 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $7 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores
-
Main Market Online
$3.9912.5 oz · $0.32/ozAug 30Lowest per oz
-
Target
$6.9912.5 oz · $0.56/ozAug 22
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
- 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.
- Seen at $3.99 is the price we have observed for the 12.5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- 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 $0.53/oz; at 12.5 oz that is $7. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $7 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 12.5 oz.
Formula
5
Formula score
5 of 10
The formula covers the core of what a shampoo does, and it costs less per ounce than most shampoos in our library.
How the score is counted
- Costs less per ounce than 95% of the 1544 shampoos we’ve priced
- No humectant in the formula
- 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 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
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 & ShouldersSame function
Dry Scalp Care 2-in-1 Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner with Almond Oil
$0.56/oz $0.24/oz more
- Scalp active
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
Head & ShouldersSame function
Glacier Mint Hair Shampoo
$0.56/oz $0.24/oz more
- Scalp active
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Differs
Head & ShouldersLowest cost per oz
Men's Dandruff Shampoo, Anti-Dandruff Treatment, Refreshing Menthol
$0.44/oz $0.12/oz more
- Scalp active
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Differs
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
Final decision
Should you buy it?
Good for the right personBest user
Flaking scalps, for an over-the-counter scalp active and a protein-free formula
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, sulfate-free routines and fresh keratin treatments, or curly-method routines
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, 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.
2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
1
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
HydraZinc Complex works 10 layers deep to combat dandruff at its source
It carries an over-the-counter anti-dandruff active.
—
Supported
A recognised active does the work.
Paraben-free and aluminum-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 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.
Effective moisture/hydration for dry scalp without a stripped feeling
reviewers with dry scalpSuccessfully reduces flaking for many users
general reviewersPleasant almond scent frequently praised
general reviewersA few users reported increased dandruff or scalp burning
general reviewersResidue/buildup, does not always rinse out fully, leaves hair feeling oily
general reviewersMore 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.
- 4 sources consulted for this product (3 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
- Ingredient references are linked for 6 of 10 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.
