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.
Head & Shoulders
Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo
Shampoo / Everyday cleanser, balanced
- Shampoo
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Lightweight
- Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size12.5 fl oz
Priceabout $7 Good valuecommonly seen · 12.5 oz
Price / oz$0.56/ozat 12.5 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $6.97–7.00
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Strength: Strong
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
Wavy–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
Low
Not in your profile
Cleansing strength
Moderate
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
ScentedStrong strength
Not in your profile
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Sulfates
None listed
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
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
Adjusted
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
17 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Drugstore
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
TargetOne channel
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
$0.56/oz at 12.5 oz, less than 85% of the 1544 shampoos , which mostly run $0.79–3.04/oz.
Great for
Flaking scalpsit has an over-the-counter active
Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
Maybe skip if
this product has a strong scent
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
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
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
Moderate
An ordinary shampoo lather.
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 |
| Lauramidopropyl Betaine | amphoteric cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate | mild anionic cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate | mild anionic cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Fragrance | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Sodium Chloride | salt | Adjusts the texture | Stabilizes |
| Sodium Citrate | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
| Acrylates Copolymer | film former | A supporting film former | Holds |
| Dimethiconol | silicone | A little smoothing and shine | Buildup |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or 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 (17)
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
Lauramidopropyl Betaine
General function
A gentle secondary cleanser that thickens the formula and improves lather.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairOne of the mildest detergent classes. It is usually there to let a formula lather without a harsher detergent doing the work.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesThe mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
-
3
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
General function
A mild cleanser that gives a creamy lather and leaves hair less stripped than sulfates.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdThe detergent class most curl routines are built around: it lathers and cleanses without stripping the strand back to bare.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairA gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairCleanses with less sebum removal than a sulfate detergent, so hair that is short of moisture keeps more of it through the wash.
- mild anionic cleanser
- cleanser
-
4
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
General function
A gentle cleanser that leaves a soft after-feel; often paired with stronger detergents.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdThe detergent class most curl routines are built around: it lathers and cleanses without stripping the strand back to bare.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairA gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairCleanses with less sebum removal than a sulfate detergent, so hair that is short of moisture keeps more of it through the wash.
- mild anionic cleanser
- cleanser
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
5
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
-
6
Sodium Chloride
General function
Table salt. In shampoo it is used to thicken the liquid, not to treat the hair.
Estimated lower-concentration zonePubChemIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- salt
- thickener
-
7
Sodium Citrate
General function
Used with citric acid to hold the formula at a steady, slightly acidic pH. It also binds a little hard-water mineral.
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 routinesBinds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.
May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairCopper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.
DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairpH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
8
Acrylates Copolymer
General function
A hold polymer that forms a firm, humidity-resistant film. It is the usual source of a hard cast in gels.
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 set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- film former
- polymer
-
9
Polyquaternium-10
General function
A cellulose-based conditioning polymer that leaves a thin, static-reducing film. Very common in shampoos as the ingredient that keeps them from stripping.
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 holdCationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
-
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
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
-
12
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
-
13
Citric Acid
General function
Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.
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.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesHolds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.
May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairWhere a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
14
Sodium Salicylate
- preservative
- exfoliant
-
15
Laureth-23
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
16
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
General function
A rich, solid plant butter used for heavy conditioning on coarse or dry hair. High in the list it makes a product decidedly heavy.
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 hairCoarse, porous hair loses water quickly and can carry the weight; a butter slows that loss more than a thin oil does.
May 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.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA solid fat melts onto the strand at body temperature and stays there, which is the heaviest surface moisture-holding a formula can offer.
- butter
- emollient
- sealant
-
17
Niacinamide
General function
Vitamin B3, used in scalp products for conditioning claims.
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 suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.
- vitamin
- conditioning agent
What the whole list adds up to
- 4 cleansers
- 2 mild anionic cleansers
- 2 pH adjusters
- 2 hard-water chelators
- 2 film formers
- 2 polymers
- 2 emollients
- 2 preservatives
- 1 solvent
- 1 amphoteric cleanser
- 1 secondary cleanser
- 1 fragrance
- 1 declared fragrance
- 1 salt
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
Commonly seen
about $7
Good value under
$8
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $8 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $11 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
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.
- Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 12.5 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
- Good value under $8 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.68/oz; at 12.5 oz that is $8. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $11 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 12.5 oz.
Formula
7
Formula score
7 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 85% of the 1544 shampoos we’ve priced
- No humectant in the formula
- Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs
- Drugstore tier, sold at Target
- 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 & ShouldersLowest cost per oz
Royal Oils Sulfate Free Scalp Care Shampoo
$0.66/oz $0.10/oz more
- Scalp active
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Differs
MielleClose function
Lavender Lychee Scalp Moisturizing Shampoo
$1.21/oz $0.65/oz more
- Scalp active
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Function
- Also
Head & ShouldersClose function
Supreme Nourish & Smooth Dandruff Scalp & Hair Shampoo
$1.69/oz $1.13/oz more
- Scalp active
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Function
- Also
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 who want an over-the-counter scalp active and washing without sulfates
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or soft, over-stretchy hair that needs protein
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
2
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Deeply moisturizes and helps strengthen hair against damage
Humectants and emollients are present, but lower in the list than the claim implies.
- Dimethiconol
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
Partly supported
Some hydration, at a low level.
For curly to coily hair: cleanses and moisturizes
Humectants and emollients are present, but lower in the list than the claim implies.
- Dimethiconol
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
Partly supported
Some hydration, at a low level.
Infused with creamy shea butter
A named-ingredient story. What matters is where those sit in the list — see the ingredients table.
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
- Niacinamide
Stated by brand
Check the position, not the name.
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.
Many reviewers say this shampoo reduced their dandruff and eased itching on the scalp.
Reviewers with dandruff, itchy or dry scalpsMany reviewers describe the scent as pleasant and warm, not medicinal like many other anti-dandruff shampoos.
Reviewers across hair typesMany reviewers say it leaves hair soft and moisturized without stripping, though some found it dry or weighing hair down.
Reviewers with coily, curly or textured hairMany reviewers say it builds a rich lather from a small amount, though a couple needed extra product.
Reviewers across hair typesMore 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.
- 8 sources consulted for this product (3 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
- Ingredient references are linked for 7 of 12 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 2026-10-19.
