Rich fragrant lather provides down to the skin cleansing action
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Mane 'n Tail · Original
Original Formula Shampoo
Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning
- Shampoo
- Silicone-free
- Moisture-rich
- Not vegan · ingredient list
- Cruelty-free · label states
Size12 fl ozmost listed · 2 sizes
Price$1.83 Good valueseen at one store · 12 oz
Price / oz$0.15/ozat 12 oz
Where to buy3 stores · 2 sizes
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Strength: Light
Manufacturer page: manentail.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
All types
Not in your profile
Moisture level
Moderate
Not in your profile
Cleansing strength
Strong
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Little
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Medium
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Prominent
Not in your profile
Protein
Minor
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Scent
ScentedLight strength
Not in your profile
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Sulfates
Sulfate detergent
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 vegan · ingredient listCruelty-free · label states
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not vegan · ingredient list
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
15 ingredientsA short list
Not in your profile
Price tier
Value
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Grocery / massOne channel
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, then reads every factor in this table against it — and tells you where this product fits, or what to use instead.
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Your avoid-list
Lower cost than most shampoos
$0.15/oz at 12 oz — less than 99% of the 805 shampoos , which mostly run $0.81–3.01/oz.
Great for
Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
A wide range of haira middle-of-the-range weight
Maybe skip if
this product carries a light scent
Sulfate-free routinesit uses a sulfate detergent
Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans
Hair that tangles wetnothing here reduces combing force
Hard waterno chelator here to bind the minerals
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
Strong
Removes oil, buildup, and most residue — a reset wash.
Expected lather
High
Thick foam that spreads quickly through the hair.
Slip and detangling
Little
Nothing here is built to reduce combing force.
Water-binding (humectants)
Moderate
Humectants in the working part of the formula.
Scalp active
None
No over-the-counter scalp active.
Hard-water defence
None
No chelating agent in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Protein
Minor
Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient.
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.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterWater/Aqua/Eau | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Sodium Lauryl Sulfate | sulfate cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Cocamidopropyl Betaine | amphoteric cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Cocamide MEA | secondary cleanser | Softens the main detergent | Cleanses |
| Glycol Distearate | opacifier | Makes the product look creamy | Softens |
| Sodium Chloride | salt | Thickens the formula | Stabilizes |
| Propylene Glycol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| FragranceFragrance (Parfum) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Hydrolyzed Collagen | film former | A supporting film former | Protein |
| Benzyl Benzoate | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Hexyl Cinnamal | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo silicones or drying alcohols. Contains fragrance.
Full ingredient list (15)
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
· Water/Aqua/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
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Indian Journal of DermatologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesA sulfate detergent removes deposited silicone, wax and styling films in one wash, which is what resets a routine before build-up is visible.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairFine hair that goes limp under conditioning films usually reads a full detergent wash as volume returning.
May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoarse and high-porosity hair loses water quickly on its own; an efficient detergent removes the surface oils that were slowing that down.
- sulfate cleanser
- cleanser
-
3
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.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Indian Journal of DermatologyMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesThe mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairAmong 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.
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
-
4
Cocamide MEA
General function
A coconut-derived thickener that stabilises foam and gives shampoo its body.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May 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 hairA sugar-derived non-ionic detergent, among the gentlest in use. It cleanses with little foam of its own and little sebum removal.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesGentle cleansing leaves water-insoluble deposits largely in place; they come off with a stronger wash, not this one.
- secondary cleanser
- nonionic cleanser
- thickener
-
5
Glycol Distearate
General function
A wax that gives shampoo its pearly look and a slightly richer feel.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay 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.
- opacifier
- emollient
-
6
Sodium Chloride
General function
Table salt. In shampoo it is used to thicken the liquid, not to treat the hair.
Supporting ingredientPubChemListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- salt
- thickener
-
7
Propylene Glycol
General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.
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 this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
8
Fragrance
· Fragrance (Parfum)
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
-
9
Hydrolyzed Collagen
General function
An animal-derived protein used for body and a smoother surface.
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 suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairFilling surface gaps evens out the cuticle, which is part of what makes damaged hair comb and reflect light more like undamaged hair.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairHydrolysed fragments are small enough to sit in the gaps of a worn cuticle for a wash or two, temporarily restoring stiffness and cutting breakage in combing.
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
-
10
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
-
11
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
12
Ethylhexylglycerin
General function
A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.
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 hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- preservative
- emollient
-
13
Benzyl Benzoate
General function
A fragrance component with a faint balsamic scent, named separately on the label because it is a recognised contact 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
-
14
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
General function
A violet-like fragrance component named 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
-
15
Hexyl Cinnamal
General function
A jasmine-like fragrance component named 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 fragrances
- 3 named fragrance allergens
- 2 solvents
- 2 cleansers
- 2 secondary cleansers
- 2 thickeners
- 2 emollients
- 2 preservatives
- 1 sulfate cleanser
- 1 amphoteric cleanser
- 1 nonionic cleanser
- 1 opacifier
- 1 salt
- 1 humectant
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-21. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 12 oz
Seen at
$1.83
Good value under
$11
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $11 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $18 at this size.
Sizes
12 ozmost listed
$1.83
$0.15/oz
32 oz
$10.39
$0.33/oz
The 12 oz costs the least per ounce — 55% less than the 32 oz.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
12 ozmost listedBest per ounce
-
novaluxebeautysupply.com
$1.8312 oz · $0.15/ozAug 30Lowest per oz
-
Mane 'n Tail (manufacturer)
$6.9912 oz · $0.58/ozAug 21
32 oz
-
Target
$10.3932 oz · $0.33/ozAug 21Lowest per oz
Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product. and 2 listings we don’t count — grey-market or unverified sellers.
How we work this out
- 12 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.
- Seen at $1.83 is the price we have observed for the 12 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $11 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.90/oz; at 12 oz that is $11. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
- About $18 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 12 oz.
Formula
7
Formula score
7 of 10
The formula covers the core of what a shampoo does, and it costs less per ounce than most shampoos in our library.
How the score is counted
- Costs less per ounce than 99% of the 805 shampoos we’ve priced
- No slip for detangling in the formula
- Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
- Reviewers mention 2 recurring complaints
- 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.
NioxinFragrance-free
Nioxin Scalp + Hair Thickening System 1 Shampoo
$2.33/oz $2.18/oz more
- Fragrance-free
- Deep clean
- Hard water
- Function
- Also
NioxinFragrance-free
Nioxin Scalp + Hair Thickening System 2 Shampoo
$2.94/oz $2.79/oz more
- Fragrance-free
- Deep clean
- Hard water
- Function
- Also
NexxusLowest cost per oz
HydraLight Hydrating Shampoo for Oily Hair (Hydra-Light Weightless Moisture Shampoo)
$0.91/oz $0.76/oz more
- Deep clean
- Hard water
- Function
- Also
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
Final decision
Should you buy it?
Good for the right personBest user
Scalps that oil up within a day who want a proper reset wash and moisture that stays in
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, sulfate-free routines and fresh keratin treatments, or dry or damaged hair
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
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Micro-enriched protein formula fortified with moisturizers and emollients
Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.
- Glycol Distearate
- Propylene Glycol
- Ethylhexylglycerin
Supported
Helps hair feel hydrated.
Gentle pH-balanced formula provides optimum body, shine, and manageability
A mid-weight formula: it will not flatten fine hair, but lift is not its main job.
- Hydrolyzed Collagen
Partly supported
Neutral on lift.
How to read this
We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula — not marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
Reviewers
What people report
Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.
Reviewers report noticeably thicker, fuller-looking hair and perceived faster growth with regular use
multiple long-term usersLarge 32oz bottle seen as strong value for the price
Cleanses effectively with a light, pleasant scent, leaving hair soft and shiny
A subset of users report hair thinning, breakage, or scalp dryness/itching with continued use
sensitive scalp or fine/fragile hair usersSome report hair feeling stringy or coated rather than clean
More from Mane 'n Tail
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.
- 6 sources consulted for this product (5 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
- Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 12 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.