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Neutrogena

Healthy Scalp Hydro Boost With Hyaluronic Acid Shampoo

Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning

  • Shampoo
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Moisture-rich
  • Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size12 fl oz
Priceabout $13commonly seen · 12 oz
Price / oz$1.08/ozat 12 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $12.69–13.79

Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

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.

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Priced with its peers

$1.08/oz at 12 oz, less than 63% of the 1544 shampoos , which mostly run $0.79–3.04/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Hard waterno chelator here to bind the minerals
Silicone-free routinesit does contain silicones, the water-soluble kind

How much cleansing you need depends on how fast your scalp gets oily, how much product you layer and your water. The consultation works that out.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Cleansing strength Strong

A reset wash that removes oil, buildup, and most residue.

Expected lather High

Thick foam that spreads quickly through the hair.

Slip and detangling High

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

Water-binding (humectants) High

Humectants near the top: binding water is one of its main jobs.

Scalp active None

No over-the-counter scalp active.

Hard-water defence None

No chelating agent in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Rinses with water

The silicones here are the water-soluble kind.

Protein None

No protein or amino acids in the list.

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.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterWater (Aqua) solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate olefin sulfonate cleanser — Cleanses
Cocamidopropyl Betaine amphoteric cleanser — Cleanses
Glycol Distearate opacifier Makes the product look creamy Softens
Sodium HyaluronateHyaluronic Acid humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Polyquaternium-22 film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Detangles
Peg-7 Amodimethicone conditioning agent Reduces combing force Shine
Linoleamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate conditioning agent Puts conditioning back as it washes Detangles
FragranceFragrance (Parfum) fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or drying alcohols. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label.
Full ingredient list (21)

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 ingredient

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

    • solvent
  • 2 Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
    General function

    A strong non-sulfate detergent used in "sulfate-free" shampoos. It cleans about as thoroughly as a sulfate despite the label difference.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    A strong detergent with no sulfate on the label. It removes deposited films about as completely as a sulfate does.

    May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Sulfate-free on the label is a naming fact, not a mildness one: this is an efficient detergent, and hair short of moisture can feel it.

    PubChem
    • olefin sulfonate 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 ingredient

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Mild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

    DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Among 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.

    Indian Journal of Dermatology
    • amphoteric cleanser
    • secondary cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 4 Glycol Distearate
    General function

    A wax that gives shampoo its pearly look and a slightly richer feel.

    Supporting ingredient

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

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

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    PubChem
    • opacifier
    • emollient
  • 5 Sodium Hyaluronate · Hyaluronic Acid
    General function

    A large water-binding molecule that sits on the surface holding moisture.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    High-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 hair

    Binds 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 hair

    A 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
  • 6 Polyquaternium-22
    General function

    A conditioning polymer that adds slip and helps hold moisture on the strand.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    Cationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.

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

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

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

    • film former
    • polymer
    • conditioning agent
  • 7 Peg-7 Amodimethicone
    General function

    A silicone made water-soluble by ethoxylation. It smooths and adds slip, and rinses out with water rather than needing a detergent.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    The PEG- and PPG-modified silicones disperse in water, so ordinary washing carries them off instead of leaving a film to accumulate.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

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

    Delivers the slip and surface smoothing of a silicone without needing a detergent wash to remove it afterwards.

    • conditioning agent
    • emulsifier
    • film former
    • silicone
    • water-soluble silicone
  • 8 Linoleamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
    General function

    A conditioning agent that carries fatty acids onto the strand for slip without heaviness.

    Supporting ingredient

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

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

    A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    The class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.

    PubChem
    • conditioning agent
  • 9 Polyquaternium-39
    General function

    A hold-and-condition polymer used in styling products for a soft set.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower 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 hold

    Cationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.

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

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

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

    • conditioning agent
    • film former
    • polymer
  • 10 Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Starch Dodecenylsuccinate
    General function

    A fatty ester. Esters give slip and a smooth after-feel; lighter ones read dry and silky, heavier ones read rich.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

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

    Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.

    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 11 Laureth-4
    • emulsifier
  • 12 PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
    • thickener
    • emulsifier
  • 13 PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide
    General function

    A conditioning agent that improves slip and softness in creams.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

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

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Humectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A 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
    • conditioning agent
  • 14 Propylene Glycol
    General function

    A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A 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.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • solvent
  • 15 Hexylene Glycol
    General function

    A solvent that keeps other ingredients dissolved and helps preservatives work.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A 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.

    PubChem
    • solvent
    • humectant
  • 16 Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
    General function

    A gel-forming thickener that also keeps oils suspended. It contributes a little hold.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

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

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

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

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

    • thickener
    • polymer
    • film former
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 17 Sodium Citrate
    General function

    Used with citric acid to hold the formula at a steady, slightly acidic pH. It also binds a little hard-water mineral.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

    PubChem
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 18 Citric Acid
    General function

    Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

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

    The acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

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

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 19 Sodium Hydroxide
    General function

    A strong base used in trace amounts to raise pH; fully neutralised in the finished product.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    The 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.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
  • 20 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 21 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 zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.

    • fragrance
    • declared fragrance

What the whole list adds up to

  • 4 humectants
  • 4 film formers
  • 3 solvents
  • 3 polymers
  • 3 conditioning agents
  • 3 emulsifiers
  • 3 pH adjusters
  • 2 cleansers
  • 2 emollients
  • 2 conditioning agents
  • 2 thickeners
  • 2 hard-water chelators
  • 1 olefin sulfonate cleanser
  • 1 amphoteric cleanser

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 about $13 Midpoint $12.99 · 3 stores · checked Oct 22
Good value under $9 Under $0.74/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $9 line; products that do this job typically go for about $15 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores

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. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Good value under $9 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.74/oz; at 12 oz that is $9. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $15 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 12 oz.

Formula

Formula score
10 of 10

A complete formula at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among shampoos, with the working systems in place.

How the score is counted
  • 3 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 63% of the 1544 shampoos we’ve priced
  • Covers 7 of the 7 things a shampoo should do
  • Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs
  • 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 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 Quenching+ Coconut Curls Shampoo $0.63/oz $0.45/oz less
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
Function
  • Oils and butters
  • Film formers
Also
  • Citrus scent
  • Drugstore tier
  • 13 oz bottle
Compare
AveenoClose function Apple Cider Vinegar Blend Shampoo $0.77/oz $0.31/oz less
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
Function
  • Cleansing strength
  • Water-binding (humectants)
  • Film formers
Also
  • Fruity scent
  • Drugstore tier
Compare
OGXLowest cost per oz Rosemary Mint Extra Strength Hair Shampoo $0.60/oz $0.48/oz less
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
· Close function
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Water-binding (humectants)
  • Film formers
Also
  • Mint scent
  • Drugstore tier
  • 13 oz bottle
Compare

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

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person
Best user

Colour-treated hair, for washing without sulfates and a protein-free formula

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, dry or damaged hair, or soft, over-stretchy hair that needs protein

Best alternative if not

Consider OGX Quenching+ Coconut Curls Shampoo, 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.

1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Ideal for dry hair and scalp

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

  • Glycol Distearate
  • Sodium Hyaluronate
  • Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Starch Dodecenylsuccinate
Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

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.

Reviewers describe softer, more hydrated hair that is easier to brush.

Several users like the light feel and clean rinsing without greasy or heavy roots.

Some customers still experience scalp dryness or itchiness despite the moisturizing positioning.

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.
  • 8 sources consulted for this product (2 manufacturer or regulatory, 3 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-10-22.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 17 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 2026-10-31.

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