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Head & Shoulders

Scalp Restore Shampoo

Shampoo / Everyday cleanser, balanced

  • Shampoo
  • cream
  • Protein-free
  • Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size38.8 fl oz
Price$16–17 Good valuecommonly seen · 38.8 oz
Price / oz$0.42/ozat 38.8 oz

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

Scent:

Notes: eucalyptus, tea tree.

“Tea Tree and Eucalyptus” (Brand page)

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.

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  • 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

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Lower cost than most shampoos

$0.42/oz at 38.8 oz, less than 91% of the 1544 shampoos , which mostly run $0.79–3.04/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Flaking scalpsit has an over-the-counter active
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
A wide range of haira middle-of-the-range weight
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
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

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 Moderate

Removes oil and product; leaves some conditioning behind.

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
Zinc PyrithionePyrithione Zinc (1%) active The over-the-counter active Active
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
Menthol fragrance The scent Fragrance
Methylchloroisothiazolinone isothiazolinone — Stabilizes
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 (21)

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 Zinc Pyrithione · Pyrithione Zinc (1%)
    General function

    An over-the-counter anti-dandruff active that reduces the yeast associated with flaking. Its percentage is stated in the drug facts panel.

    Leading ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • active
  • 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 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 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 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 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 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.

    Indian Journal of Dermatology
    • sulfate cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 15 Menthol
    General function

    Produces the cooling, tingling feeling on the scalp. The sensation is real; it is not evidence that anything else is happening.

    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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • active
  • 16 Peppermint Flower/Leaf/Stem Oil
  • 17 Mentha Arvensis Leaf/Stem Oil
    General function

    The oil pressed from Mentha Arvensis's leaf/stem. How much weight a plant oil leaves depends on the hair it lands on; coarse hair tends to take more of it than fine 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 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 Tea Tree Leaf Oil
  • 19 Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 20 Methylchloroisothiazolinone
    • isothiazolinone
    • preservative
  • 21 Methylisothiazolinone
    • isothiazolinone
    • preservative

What the whole list adds up to

  • 3 cleansers
  • 3 emollients
  • 3 preservatives
  • 2 actives
  • 2 sulfate cleansers
  • 2 fragrances
  • 2 isothiazolinones
  • 1 solvent
  • 1 opacifier
  • 1 mineral
  • 1 salt
  • 1 thickener
  • 1 declared fragrance
  • 1 amphoteric cleanser

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 2026-09-06. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 38.8 oz

Commonly seen $16–17 Midpoint $16.09 · 3 stores · checked Oct 31
Good value under $21 Under $0.53/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 $21 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $22 at this size.

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

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 2 listings we don’t count, from grey-market or unverified sellers.

How we work this out
  1. 38.8 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 38.8 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
  3. Good value under $21 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 38.8 oz that is $21. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $22 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 38.8 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
  • Costs less per ounce than 91% of the 1544 shampoos we’ve priced
  • No humectant in the formula
  • Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
  • Drugstore tier, sold at Grocery / mass and Specialty beauty
  • 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 & ShouldersClosest function 2-in-1 Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner with Tea Tree Oil for Dry Scalp $0.56/oz $0.14/oz more
  • Scalp active
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
Function
  • Cleansing strength
Also
  • Fresh scent, not mint
  • 12.5 oz bottle
  • Sold in drugstores and mass retail
Compare
Head & ShouldersLowest cost per oz Men's Dandruff Shampoo, Anti-Dandruff Treatment, Refreshing Menthol $0.44/oz $0.02/oz more
  • Scalp active
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
· Close function
Function
  • Cleansing strength
Also
  • Fresh scent, not mint
  • 28.2 oz bottle
  • Sold in drugstores and mass retail
Compare
Head & ShouldersClose function Glacier Mint Hair Shampoo $0.56/oz $0.14/oz more
  • Scalp active
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
Function
  • Cleansing strength
Also
  • Fresh scent, not mint
  • 12.5 oz bottle
  • Sold in drugstores and mass retail
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?

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

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.

0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
1
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Effectively removes buildup and repairs hair damage for a healthy scalp

A moderate detergent system: enough for light residue, not a monthly reset.

  • Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
  • Cocamidopropyl Betaine
  • Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Partly supported

Light residue, not heavy build-up.

Clinically proven to provide 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.

Free of: Parabens, Phthalates, Phosphates, and Dyes

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Works 7 surface layers deep in your scalp

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 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.

a few reviewers say it helps with hair loss or thinning concerns even though they don't have dandruff, and describe fuller-feeling hair after use

reviewers without dandruff who tried it for hair loss

some say hair feels noticeably clean and lightweight afterward

general reviewers

reviewers with oily or troubled scalps say it cleans thoroughly and relieves itchiness reliably, including some who use it alongside a separate deep-cleaning shampoo

reviewers with oily, dandruff-prone scalps, some mentioning seborrheic dermatitis or psoriasis

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 (2 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-09-06.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 5 of 9 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 2026-09-06.

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