96% reported less grease/oils after 2 weeks
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.
Moroccanoil
Oily Scalp Treatment
Scalp treatment
- Scalp treatment
- oil
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Moisture-rich
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size1.5 fl oz
Price$40–43commonly seen · 1.5 oz
Price / oz$28.00/ozat 1.5 oz
Where to buy5 stores · $33.60–44.00
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
Reviewers describe it as tea tree.
Manufacturer page: moroccanoil.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
Some
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
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
Moderate
Not in your profile
Scent
Mint & herbalStrength not recorded
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
Present
Not in your profile
Show all 20 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Essential oils
Present
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
25 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Salon
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand website · Salons
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
Same job for less elsewhere
$28.00/oz at 1.5 oz, more than 87% of the 280 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.84–19.05/oz.
Great for
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Maybe skip if
this product has a scent
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
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
Some
Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners.
Oils and butters
Present, high in the list
Oils sit high in the list: a softening, coating formula.
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
Minor
Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Hard-water defence
None
No chelating agent 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterAqua/Water/Eau | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Propanediol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Argan Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters | emollient | Softens and smooths the strand | Softens |
| C12-15 Pareth-12 | emulsifier | Keeps oil and water mixed | Stabilizes |
| Butylene Glycol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Argania Spinosa Kernel OilArgania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil | oil | Coats and softens the strand | Softens |
| Lavandula Hybrida Oil | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Fragrance |
| Zingiber Officinale Root Oil | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Fragrance |
| Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 | vitamin | A trace vitamin addition | Protein |
| Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein | film former | A supporting film former | Protein |
| Linalool | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Fragrance is on the label.
Full ingredient list (25)
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
Propanediol
General function
A corn-derived humectant and solvent, often chosen as a lighter-feeling alternative to propylene glycol.
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
-
3
Argan Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters
- emollient
- emulsifier
- light ester
-
4
C12-15 Pareth-12
- emulsifier
-
5
Butylene Glycol
General function
A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.
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 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
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
· Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil
General function
Argan oil. A medium-weight oil used for shine and softness on the outside of the strand.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats 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 hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May not suitFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
7
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
General function
The essential oil of Lavandula Hybrida. Essential oils are aromatic — they are in the formula for scent, and they are a common source of declared fragrance allergens.
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 routinesEssential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
-
8
Zingiber Officinale Root Oil
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
-
9
Apigenin
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
-
10
Oleanolic Acid
- botanical extract
-
11
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
General function
Biotin bonded to a short peptide, included in thinning-positioned products. Evidence for applied biotin changing hair growth is limited.
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.
PubChemDependsVery dry or highly damaged hairUnhydrolysed protein is too large to enter the strand. It sits on the surface, which is a coating effect rather than internal reinforcement.
- vitamin
- protein
- 12 Sodium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
-
13
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
-
14
PPG-26-Buteth-26
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
15
Propylene Glycol
General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.
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
-
16
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
-
17
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
-
18
Sodium Chloride
- salt
- thickener
-
19
Coconut Acid
- emulsifier
- salt
-
20
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
General function
Wheat protein broken into fragments small enough to cling to the hair. It adds temporary strength and body; too much can feel stiff.
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
-
21
Chlorphenesin
- preservative
-
22
Imidazolidinyl Urea
- formaldehyde releaser
- preservative
-
23
Yellow 5
· CI 19140 (Yellow 5)
General function
A certified colour added to tint the product itself. It does not colour hair.
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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairA violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.
- colourant
- 24 CI 16035 (Red 40)
-
25
Linalool
General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as 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
What the whole list adds up to
- 5 emulsifiers
- 4 solvents
- 4 botanical extracts
- 3 humectants
- 3 fragrances
- 2 emollients
- 2 essential oils
- 2 proteins
- 2 thickeners
- 2 film formers
- 2 solubilizers
- 2 salts
- 2 preservatives
- 1 light ester
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-16. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 1.5 oz
Commonly seen
$40–43
Good value under
$7
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 $11 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it5 listings · 5 stores
-
Nordstrom
$33.601.5 oz · $22.40/ozSep 17Lowest per ozSale · was $42.00
-
Ulta Beauty
$42.001.5 oz · $28.00/ozSep 17
-
Kohl's
$42.001.5 oz · $28.00/ozSep 17
-
Moroccanoil (moroccanoil.com)
$42.001.5 oz · $28.00/ozSep 16
-
Fabio's Hair Studio
$44.001.5 oz · $29.33/ozSep 17
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
- 1.5 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 1.5 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 $7 comes from the 7 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $4.57/oz; at 1.5 oz that is $7. 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 1.5 oz.
Formula
4
Formula score
4 of 10
Sold through salons, and 7 products that do the same job cost less. Part of what you pay for is where it is sold.
How the score is counted
- 7 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 87% of the 280 scalp treatments we’ve priced
- No conditioning agents up front in the formula
- No slip for detangling either
- 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, for less
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.
JupiterClosest function
Restoring Serum
$9.52/oz $18.48/oz less
- Scalp active
- Lightweight
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
AAVRANIClose function
Scalp Rescue Serum
$16.63/oz $11.37/oz less
- Lightweight
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
CeremoniaLowest cost per oz
Papaya Scalp Scrub
$4.13/oz $23.87/oz less
- Vegan & CF
- 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?
Similar results available for lessBest user
Hair that craves moisture who want moisture that stays in and something that will not weigh hair down
Biggest tradeoff
Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or very humid climates, or people shopping on a budget
Best alternative if not
Jupiter Restoring Serum for similar results 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
5
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
94% felt less oily scalp
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.
92% experienced enhanced comfort
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.
90% felt deeply cleansed
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.
88% felt revitalized
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.
Many reviewers with oily scalps say it lets them stretch time between washes from every day to two or three days.
reviewers with oily/greasy scalps who wash frequentlySeveral reviewers describe a tingling or minty sensation on the scalp during and after application, which they read as a sign it is working.
general reviewersReviewers frequently praise the scent as pleasant, sometimes noting it is milder than plain tea tree oil they used previously.
general reviewersA minority of reviewers report little or no noticeable reduction in oil after a full bottle or several weeks of use.
reviewers who did not see the expected resultSome reviewers feel the bottle is small for the price and worry about it not lasting long with regular use, especially on longer hair.
regular users and long-haired reviewersMore from Moroccanoil
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.
- 4 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-09-16.
- Ingredient references are linked for 6 of 11 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 2026-09-17.
