Removes up to 100% scalp residue and buildup
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.
L'Oreal Paris
Elvive Hyaluron + Pure Oil Erasing Scalp Serum
Scalp treatment
- Scalp treatment
- serum
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
Size3.45 fl oz
Price$9–11 Good valuecommonly seen · 3.45 oz
Price / oz$3.19/ozat 3.45 oz
Where to buy3 stores · $6.60–11.39
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
Notes: bright berries, cherry blossom, sandalwood, sweet vanilla.
“Fresh fragrance with notes of cherry blossom, bright berries, sweet vanilla, and sandalwood” (Brand page)
Manufacturer page: lorealparisusa.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 20 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
High
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Little
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate
Not in your profile
Scent
Woody & earthyStrength not recorded
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Show all 20 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
High
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
High
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
18 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Drugstore
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand website · Grocery / mass
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 scalp treatments
$3.19/oz at 3.45 oz, less than 81% of the 280 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.84–19.05/oz.
Great for
Flaking scalpsit has an over-the-counter active
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Tight budgetsit sits in the lower price tiers
Maybe skip if
this product has a scent
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Non-medicated routinesthis is an over-the-counter drug as well as a cosmetic
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.
Slip and detangling
Little
Nothing here is built to reduce combing force.
Oils and butters
None
No oils or butters in the list.
Weight on the hair
Light
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
Water-binding (humectants)
High
Humectants near the top: binding water is one of its main jobs.
Protein
None
No protein or amino acids in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Hard-water defence
Chelators present
Contains chelators, which bind hard-water and pool minerals.
Fragrance
Present
Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterAqua / Water / Eau | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Alcohol Denat. | drying alcohol | Speeds drying but can leave hair feeling dry | Drying |
| Butylene Glycol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid (HEPES)Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
| Propanediol | humectant | Adds a little water-binding | Moisturizes |
| Glycolic Acid | exfoliant | A little exfoliation | pH balancer |
| Sodium Hydroxide | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
| PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil | solubilizer | Helps dissolve the oils | Stabilizes |
| FragranceParfum / Fragrance | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Salicylic Acid | active | A secondary active | Active |
| Limonene | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Coumarin | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or silicones. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Carries an over-the-counter scalp active (salicylic acid).
Full ingredient list (18)
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
· Aqua / Water / Eau
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
Alcohol Denat.
General function
Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on the list.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairEvaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.
May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairPorous hair gives water up easily as it is; a fast-evaporating solvent high on the list accelerates that.
May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hairIt evaporates quickly and takes some water with it. On hair already short of moisture, a formula built on a lot of it can finish drier than it started.
- drying alcohol
- solvent
-
3
Butylene Glycol
General function
A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- humectant
- solvent
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
4
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid (HEPES)
· Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
General function
A buffer that holds a formula at a steady pH. It appears in some scalp serums alongside acids such as salicylic acid.
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.
- pH adjuster
-
5
Propanediol
General function
A corn-derived humectant and solvent, often chosen as a lighter-feeling alternative to propylene glycol.
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 suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- humectant
- solvent
-
6
Glycolic Acid
General function
The smallest fruit acid, used in scalp products to loosen flakes and clear build-up.
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.
PubChemDependsFrizz-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.
- exfoliant
- pH adjuster
-
7
Sodium Hydroxide
General function
A strong base used in trace amounts to raise pH; fully neutralised in the finished product.
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 TrichologyDependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe alkali half of a pH-adjusting pair, used in small amounts to bring a formula up to its target rather than to make it alkaline. Alkaline conditions raise the fibre's surface charge and lift the scales — but the finished pH is not on the label.
- pH adjuster
-
8
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
General function
A castor-oil derivative that dissolves fragrance and oils into water so the product stays clear and does not separate.
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.
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
-
9
Fragrance
· Parfum / 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
-
10
Caprylyl Glycol
General function
A gentle preservative helper that also holds a little moisture.
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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hairHumectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- preservative
- humectant
-
11
Xanthan Gum
General function
A fermented sugar gum that thickens water-based formulas and adds soft, natural hold.
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 holdA polysaccharide film stays softer than a synthetic one as it dries, which is what leaves a curl defined but still able to move.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what helps flyaways lie down.
May not suitMaximum-hold stylingGum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.
- gum
- thickener
- film former
-
12
Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
-
13
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
General function
A biodegradable hard-water chelator used in place of EDTA.
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.
- hard-water chelator
- 14 Mentha Piperita Oil / Peppermint Oil
-
15
Salicylic Acid
- active
- exfoliant
-
16
Limonene
General function
A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to 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.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
17
Sodium Hyaluronate
General function
A large water-binding molecule that sits on the surface holding moisture.
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 hairHigh-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairBinds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.
- humectant
-
18
Coumarin
General function
A sweet, hay-like fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.
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 not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
What the whole list adds up to
- 4 solvents
- 4 humectants
- 3 pH adjusters
- 3 fragrances
- 2 exfoliants
- 2 preservatives
- 2 named fragrance allergens
- 1 drying alcohol
- 1 solubilizer
- 1 emulsifier
- 1 declared fragrance
- 1 gum
- 1 thickener
- 1 film former
Drug facts actives
- Salicylic Acid
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 2026-09-14. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 3.45 oz
Commonly seen
$9–11
Good value under
$22
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $22 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $39 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
-
Ladymakeup
$6.603.45 oz · $1.91/ozSep 15Lowest per ozSale · was $8.15
-
L'Oréal Paris
$10.993.45 oz · $3.19/ozSep 22
-
Makeup
$11.393.45 oz · $3.30/ozSep 15Sale · was $14.11
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
- 3.45 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 3.45 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 $22 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $6.25/oz; at 3.45 oz that is $22. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $39 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 3.45 oz.
Formula
3
Formula score
3 of 10
Low cost per ounce, with a short formula: there is no conditioning agents up front here, and that is a system most scalp treatments carry.
How the score is counted
- Costs less per ounce than 81% of the 280 scalp treatments we’ve priced
- No conditioning agents up front in the formula
- No oils or butters in the working zone either
- Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs
- Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.3 pts
- Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
- Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
- A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
- A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.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.
JupiterSame function
Daily Hydration Renewing Scalp Moisturizer
$10.71/oz $7.52/oz more
- Fragrance-free
- Unscented
- Protein-free
- Differs
Living ProofSame function
Scalp Care Exfoliator
$12.35/oz $9.16/oz more
- Protein-free
- Lightweight
- Silicone-free
- Differs
DrybarLowest cost per oz
Crown Tonic Pre-Shampoo Scalp-Balancing Cleanser
$6.33/oz $3.14/oz more
- Scalp active
- Protein-free
- Lightweight
- 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, very dry or high-damage hair, or very dry or very humid climates
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
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
1
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Purified scalp sensation lasting up to 72 hours
The detergent system is gentle; it is unlikely to clear heavy build-up on its own.
- Glycolic Acid
- Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
- Salicylic Acid
Potential conflict
Too gentle for real build-up.
6% Exfoliating Complex with salicylic acid
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.
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.
The scent is very frequently called out as a favorite part of the product, independent of whether the reviewer felt it worked.
general reviewersMany reviewers with oily scalps say it reliably cuts down greasiness and buildup, especially when used alongside the matching shampoo and conditioner.
reviewers with oily scalp/rootsSeveral reviewers with sensitive scalps report burning, tingling or itching during or after the 15-minute wait, sometimes to the point of stopping use.
reviewers describing sensitive scalpA few reviewers say repeated use over weeks left hair drier or more prone to flakes than before, especially on already-dry scalps.
reviewers who used it consistently over several weeksA recurring complaint is that reviewers noticed no real difference in oiliness after using it as directed.
general reviewersMore from L'Oreal Paris
- Elvive Collagen Peptide + Lifter Volumizing Conditioner
- Elvive Color Vibrancy Protecting Conditioner
- Elvive Dream Lengths Split End Sealing Detangler Conditioner
- Elvive Glycolic Gloss Shine Boosting Conditioner
- Elvive Hyaluron + Pure 72H Rehydrating Conditioner
- Elvive Hyaluron Plump Hydrating Conditioner
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, 0 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-09-15.
- Ingredient references are linked for 9 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 2026-09-22.
