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Head & Shoulders · Supreme Soothe & Strengthen

Supreme Soothe & Strengthen Shampoo with Argan Oil and Rose Essence

Shampoo / Gentle cleanser, gentle

  • Shampoo
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size11.8 fl oz
Price$9.97seen at one store · 11.8 oz
Price / oz$0.84/ozat 11.8 oz
Where to buy1 store

Scent:

Notes: floral.

Listing used for research: instacart.com

Personal fit

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Priced with its peers

$0.84/oz at 11.8 oz — less than 74% of the 805 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
Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Frequent washerswho want gentler cleansing
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Heavy product buildupthis is not a clarifying wash
A squeaky-clean feelthis deliberately leaves conditioning behind
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 Gentle

Removes light dirt and oil without stripping.

Expected lather Moderate

An ordinary shampoo lather.

Slip and detangling High

Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula.

Water-binding (humectants) None found

No humectants found — nothing here pulls water into the hair.

Scalp active zinc pyrithione, 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
Zinc PyrithionePyrithione Zinc active The over-the-counter active Active
Sodium Citrate pH adjuster Brings the formula to hair-friendly pH pH balancer
Acrylates Copolymer film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Lauramidopropyl Betaine amphoteric cleanser — Cleanses
Polyquaternium-10 conditioning agent Puts conditioning back as it washes Detangles
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate mild anionic cleanser — Cleanses
Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Dimethiconol silicone A little smoothing and shine Buildup
Sodium Benzoate preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Sodium Salicylate preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
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 — needs a detergent wash to remove.
Full ingredient list (16)

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 Zinc Pyrithione · Pyrithione Zinc
    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
  • 3 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.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Binds 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 hair

    Copper 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 hair

    pH 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.

    PubChem
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 4 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.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

    • film former
    • polymer
  • 5 Lauramidopropyl Betaine
    General function

    A gentle secondary cleanser that thickens the formula and improves lather.

    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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    One 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 routines

    The mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.

    PubChem
    • amphoteric cleanser
    • secondary cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 6 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.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    Cationic 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 hair

    A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film 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
  • 7 Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
    General function

    A mild cleanser that gives a creamy lather and leaves hair less stripped than sulfates.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    The 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 hair

    A gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Cleanses 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 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 Lauroyl Sarcosinate
    General function

    A gentle cleanser that leaves a soft after-feel; often paired with stronger detergents.

    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

    The 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 hair

    A gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Cleanses with less sebum removal than a sulfate detergent, so hair that is short of moisture keeps more of it through the wash.

    PubChem
    • mild anionic cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 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 Sodium Chloride
    • salt
    • thickener
  • 12 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 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

    Holds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    The 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 hair

    Where a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 13 Rosa Gallica Flower Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 14 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 15 Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
    General function

    Argan oil. A medium-weight oil used for shine and softness on the outside of the strand.

    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
  • 16 Sodium Salicylate
    • preservative
    • exfoliant

What the whole list adds up to

  • 3 cleansers
  • 2 pH adjusters
  • 2 hard-water chelators
  • 2 film formers
  • 2 polymers
  • 2 mild anionic cleansers
  • 2 emollients
  • 2 preservatives
  • 1 solvent
  • 1 active
  • 1 amphoteric cleanser
  • 1 secondary cleanser
  • 1 conditioning agent
  • 1 fragrance

Drug facts actives

  • zinc pyrithione 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 2026-08-21. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 11.8 oz

Seen at $9.97 1 store · checked Aug 21
Good value under $7 Under $0.61/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 $7 line; products that do this job typically go for about $8 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store

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. 11.8 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. Seen at $9.97 is the price we have observed for the 11.8 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $7 comes from the 7 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.61/oz; at 11.8 oz that is $7. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $8 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 11.8 oz.

Formula

Formula score
7 of 10

Nothing separates this from the middle of the range for shampoos, on formula or on cost per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • Costs less per ounce than 74% of the 805 shampoos we’ve priced
  • No humectant in the formula
  • Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
  • Drugstore tier, sold at Walmart and Brand website
  • 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

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 & ShouldersClosest function Royal Oils Sulfate Free Scalp Care Shampoo $0.66/oz $0.18/oz less
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  • Scalp active
  • Slip and detangling
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  • 12.8 oz bottle
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Head & ShouldersLowest cost per oz Head & Shoulders Sulfate Free Shea Butter Shampoo $0.56/oz $0.28/oz less
  • Scalp active
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
· Related function
Function
  • Scalp active
  • Cleansing strength
  • Slip and detangling
Also
  • 12.5 oz bottle
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MielleClose function Lavender Lychee Scalp Moisturizing Shampoo $1.17/oz $0.33/oz more
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Alcohol-free
Function
  • Scalp active
  • Cleansing strength
  • Slip and detangling
Also
  • Masstige tier
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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?

Good for the right person
Best user

Flaking scalps — for an over-the-counter scalp active and washing without sulfates

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or heavy buildup that needs a clarifying wash

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, 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
Sulfate free formula free from parabens, dyes, and silicones

No sulfate detergents appear in the ingredient list.

—

Supported

Gentler on colour and coils.

Soothes scalp discomfort and strengthens hair at the root

No protein or bond ingredient appears in the list.

  • Polyquaternium-10
Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Advanced technology deeply moisturizes scalp and hair from root to tip

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

  • Dimethiconol
  • Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Partly supported

Some hydration, at a low level.

Infused with rose essence and naturally derived argan oil

A named-ingredient story. What matters is where those sit in the list — see the ingredients table.

  • Rosa Gallica Flower Extract
  • Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
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 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.

A verified buyer reports dry-scalp and dandruff relief after one use without greasy weight.

HappyCamper, Walmart verified buyer; Sep 2023

Verified buyers report reduced flakes and a softer, more manageable feel after several uses.

Mary, Walmart verified buyer; Sep 2024

A verified buyer reports improvement in an itchy dry scalp and pleasant hair feel.

Mack, Walmart verified buyer; Jul 2023

A fine-haired reviewer finds the conditioning effect too silky or greasy; retail availability may be scarce.

Rossana, Walmart verified buyer; Mar 2023

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.
  • 8 sources consulted for this product (5 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 5 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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