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Head & Shoulders

Dry Scalp Care 2-in-1 Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner with Almond Oil

Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning

  • Shampoo
  • Protein-free
  • Lightweight
  • Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size12.5 fl ozmost listed · 2 sizes
Price$6.99seen at one store · 12.5 oz · from $0.44/oz in the 28.2 oz
Price / oz$0.50/ozat 12.5 oz
Where to buy1 store · 2 sizes

Scent:

Notes: sweet.

Listing used for research: target.com

Personal fit

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Lower cost than most shampoos

$0.50/oz at 12.5 oz — less than 90% of the 817 shampoos , which mostly run $0.81–3.01/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Flaking scalpsthis carries 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 carries 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

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 Strong

Removes oil, buildup, and most residue — a reset wash.

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 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 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 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
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
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 — needs a detergent wash to remove.
Full ingredient list (20)

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 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 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
  • 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 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 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 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
  • 5 Sodium Xylenesulfonate
    General function

    A hydrotrope that keeps a shampoo clear and pourable.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • solubilizer
  • 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
  • 7 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
  • ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically 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 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
  • 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 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.

    PubChem
    • silicone
    • emollient
  • 11 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
  • 12 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 13 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
  • 14 TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
    General function

    A strong detergent used mainly in clarifying and deep-cleansing shampoos.

    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

    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
  • 15 Trideceth-10
    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • 16 Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide
  • 17 Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil
    General function

    A medium-weight oil used for softness and slip.

    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

    Coats 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 hair

    A 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 — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 12.5 oz

Seen at $6.99 1 store · checked Aug 22
Good value under $6 Under $0.44/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 $6 line; products that do this job typically go for about $6 at this size.

Sizes

12.5 ozmost listed
$6.99
$0.56/oz
28.2 oz
$12.49
$0.44/oz

The 28.2 oz costs 21% less per ounce than the 12.5 oz.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 1 store

12.5 ozmost listed

  • Target
    $6.99
    12.5 oz · $0.56/oz
    Aug 22Lowest per oz

28.2 ozBest per ounce

  • Target
    $12.49
    28.2 oz · $0.44/oz
    Aug 22Lowest per 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 $6.99 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 $6 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.44/oz; at 12.5 oz that is $6. 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
  • 1 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 90% of the 817 shampoos we’ve priced
  • No humectant in the formula
  • 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 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.

Head & ShouldersLowest cost per oz Dry Scalp Care with Almond Oil Anti-Dandruff Shampoo $0.32/oz $0.18/oz less
  • Scalp active
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
· Same function 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

Flaking scalps who want an over-the-counter scalp active and a protein-free formula

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, sulfate-free routines and fresh keratin treatments, or curly-method routines

Best alternative if not

Consider Head & Shoulders Dry Scalp Care with Almond Oil Anti-Dandruff 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
0
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.

72-hour protection against flakes, itch, oil and dryness

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

—

Supported

A recognised active does the work.

Works 7 surface layers deep

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

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 report the formula is moisturizing/hydrating rather than drying, addressing dry-scalp concerns.

dry-scalp reviewers

Reviewers say dandruff/dry scalp symptoms resolved or improved with regular use.

general users

Scent is called out as unexpectedly pleasant for a medicated shampoo.

general users

Some reviewers report a thick, filmy residue requiring a separate wash-out step.

general users

Effectiveness reported as inconsistent by some (minimized but did not eliminate dandruff), with a subset noting greasiness or odor after use.

general users

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 6 of 10 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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