Clarifying conditioner for oily hair & scalp
The detergent system is gentle; it is unlikely to clear heavy build-up on its own.
- Behentrimonium Chloride
- Disodium EDTA
- Citric Acid
Potential conflict
Too gentle for real build-up.
Neutrogena
Healthy Scalp Clarify & Shine Conditioner With Pink Grapefruit
Conditioner / Everyday rinse-out, detangling
- Conditioner
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Moisture-rich
- Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size12 fl oz
Price$13–16commonly seen · 12 oz
Price / oz$1.15/ozat 12 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $12.99–17.99
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
Reviewers describe it as fresh, pink grapefruit.
“It is formulated with a refreshing burst of pink grapefruit.” (Brand page)
Manufacturer page: neutrogena.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 22 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
Moderate
Not in your profile
Oils and butters
None
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
High
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Medium
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
High
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
High
Not in your profile
Scent
Fresh & airyStrength not recorded
Not in your profile
Show all 22 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
Moderate
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Not heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
High
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
pH adjusted
Adjusted
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
17 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Masstige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Grocery / massOne channel
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.
Start your consultation$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.
Your avoid-list
Priced with its peers
$1.15/oz at 12 oz, less than 68% of the 1119 conditioners , which mostly run $0.94–3.41/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
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 has a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel
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
High
Conditioning agents sit high in the list, so this is a detangling formula.
Oils and butters
None
No oils or butters in the list.
Weight on the hair
Medium
Middle of the range: noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.
Water-binding (humectants)
Moderate
Humectants in the working part of the formula.
Protein
None
No protein or amino acids in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
Yes
Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterWater (Aqua) | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions (not a drying alcohol) | Softens |
| Cetyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions (not a drying alcohol) | Softens |
| Behentrimonium Chloride | conditioning agent | Conditions and softens so hair combs through | Detangles |
| Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract | botanical extract | A plant extract, there as much for marketing as for function | Neutral |
| PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Softens |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Dimethicone | silicone | Smooths the cuticle and adds shine | Buildup |
| Isopropyl Alcohol | drying alcohol | A small amount, for fast drying | Drying |
| FragranceFragrance (Parfum) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. The silicones here need a detergent wash to come off.
Full ingredient list (17)
In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.
-
1
Water
· Water (Aqua)
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
Cetearyl Alcohol
General function
A waxy fatty alcohol - nothing like drying alcohol. It gives conditioners their body and leaves a soft, smoothing film on the hair.
Role in this product typeIn conditioner, cetearyl alcohol gives the emulsion its creamy structure and helps it spread evenly through the hair. Its emollient layer adds slip and a smoother feel.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
BASFMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMay suit dry, coarse, or high-porosity hair that benefits from added slip and a more substantial conditioning film.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.
DependsFine or easily flattened hairConsider if hair is fine or easily flattened: a formula built heavily around fatty alcohols can feel richer than a lightweight conditioner.
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
3
Cetyl Alcohol
General function
A fatty alcohol used to thicken creams and add slip. It softens rather than dries.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairThe waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.
DependsFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
4
Behentrimonium Chloride
General function
A positively charged conditioning agent that binds to damaged, negatively charged spots on the hair. It is the main detangling ingredient in most rinse-out conditioners.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
International Journal of Cosmetic ScienceMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairElectrokinetic measurement puts the C22 quat ahead of the C16 ones for deposition: the longer chain adds van der Waals stabilisation on top of the charge binding. That extra deposit is what coarse hair usually needs to comb through.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSubstantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
- conditioning agent
- cleanser
-
5
Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract
General function
Grapefruit extract, used at low levels for scent association.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- botanical extract
-
6
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
General function
A shine-giving emollient used in serums and finishing oils.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
7
Glycerin
General function
Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
Scientific ReportsMay 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 hairWater moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.
- humectant
-
8
Dimethicone
General function
The most common conditioning silicone. It coats the strand for shine, slip, and frizz control, and needs a detergent (not just water) to wash out.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairLays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesDimethicone does not disperse in water. On a routine that skips detergent it stays on the hair and accumulates wash after wash.
- silicone
- emollient
- conditioning agent
-
9
Polyquaternium-47
General function
A styling polymer that adds body and humidity resistance without a hard cast.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdCationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
-
10
Steareth-20
- emulsifier
-
11
Propylene Glycol
General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the 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.
-
12
Disodium EDTA
General function
Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise the formula.
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
-
13
Isopropyl Alcohol
General function
A fast-evaporating alcohol used as a solvent and to speed drying. Well down the list it is a processing aid; near the top it can leave hair feeling dry.
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 hairEvaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.
- drying alcohol
- solvent
-
14
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
-
15
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
-
16
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
-
17
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
What the whole list adds up to
- 4 emollients
- 3 solvents
- 2 fatty alcohols
- 2 thickeners
- 2 conditioning agents
- 2 humectants
- 2 hard-water chelators
- 2 pH adjusters
- 1 cleanser
- 1 botanical extract
- 1 light ester
- 1 silicone
- 1 conditioning agent
- 1 film former
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-11. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 12 oz
Commonly seen
$13–16
Good value under
$6
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $6 line; products that do this job typically go for about $13 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
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.
- Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 12 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 $6 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.51/oz; at 12 oz that is $6. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $13 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 12 oz.
Formula
10
Formula score
10 of 10
The formula carries the systems a conditioner is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for conditioners per ounce.
How the score is counted
- 3 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs less per ounce than 68% of the 1119 conditioners we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 6 things a conditioner should do
- Reviewers mention 3 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, 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.
OGXClosest function
Rosemary Mint Extra Strength Hair Conditioner
$0.60/oz $0.55/oz less
- Protein-free
- Medium weight
- Budget
- Function
- Also
SuaveLowest cost per oz
Ceramide Infusion Age Brilliance Conditioner
$0.18/oz $0.97/oz less
- Protein-free
- Alcohol-free
- Medium weight
- Function
- Also
SuaveClose function
Rose Oil Infusion Volumizing Conditioner
$0.23/oz $0.92/oz less
- Protein-free
- Alcohol-free
- Medium weight
- Function
- Also
See more alternatives in the product library
These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find the one that fits your hair, routine and budget
Final decision
Should you buy it?
Good for the right personBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and real detangling slip
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or high-damage hair
Best alternative if not
OGX Rosemary Mint Extra Strength Hair Conditioner, 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
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
1
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
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.
Users describe softer, shinier hair after conditioning.
Detangling and manageability improve without a heavy feel for several reviewers.
The fragrance is frequently described as enjoyable and fresh.
More from Neutrogena
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.
- 6 sources consulted for this product (2 manufacturer or regulatory, 3 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-09-11.
- Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 13 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 2026-09-11.
