Clinically proven to control flaking, scaling and itching from dandruff
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.
Nizoral
A-D Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Shampoo / Gentle cleanser, gentle
- Shampoo
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Lightweight
Size7 fl oz
Price$22.50seen at one store · 7 oz
Price / oz$3.21/ozat 7 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $16.89–147.34
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.
Listing used for research: target.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
None found
Not in your profile
Cleansing strength
Gentle
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Moderate
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Prominent
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate
Not in your profile
Sulfates
Sulfate detergent
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
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
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 / mass · Target
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 above most shampoos
$3.21/oz at 7 oz, more than 77% of the 1544 shampoos , which mostly run $0.79–3.04/oz.
Great for
Flaking scalpsit has an over-the-counter active
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Frequent washerswho want gentler cleansing
Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Maybe skip if
this product has a scent
Sulfate-free routinesit uses a sulfate detergent
Heavy product buildupthis is not a clarifying wash
A squeaky-clean feelthis deliberately leaves conditioning behind
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Non-medicated routinesthis is an over-the-counter drug as well as a cosmetic
What the formula actually does
Read from the label, not the marketing
Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.
Cleansing strength
Gentle
Removes light dirt and oil without stripping.
Expected lather
High
Thick foam that spreads quickly through the hair.
Slip and detangling
Moderate
Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list.
Water-binding (humectants)
None found
No humectants, so nothing here pulls water into the hair.
Scalp active
ketoconazole, 1%
Carries an over-the-counter scalp active, listed under Drug Facts.
Hard-water defence
Chelators present
Contains chelators, which bind hard-water and pool minerals.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Protein
None
No protein or amino acids 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benzyl Alcohol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| BHT | antioxidant | Protects the oils from going off | Stabilizes |
| Blue 1 | colourant | Colours the product, not the hair | Neutral |
| Citric Acid | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
| Cocamide MEA | secondary cleanser | Supports the cleansing system | Cleanses |
| Fragrance | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Glycol Distearate | opacifier | Adjusts appearance | Softens |
| Hydrochloric Acid | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo silicones or drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. An over-the-counter scalp active is listed (ketoconazole 1%).
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
Benzyl Alcohol
General function
A preservative and solvent that also occurs naturally in some essential oils.
Leading ingredientPubChemListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- preservative
- solvent
-
2
BHT
General function
A synthetic antioxidant that protects fragrance and oils from oxidising.
Leading ingredientPubChemListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- antioxidant
-
3
Blue 1
General function
A certified colour that tints the product itself. It does not colour hair.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- colourant
- direct dye
- blue dye
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
4
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
-
5
Cocamide MEA
General function
A coconut-derived thickener that stabilises foam and gives shampoo its body.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity 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
-
6
Fragrance
General function
An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
7
Glycol Distearate
General function
A wax that gives shampoo its pearly look and a slightly richer feel.
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.
- opacifier
- emollient
-
8
Hydrochloric Acid
General function
A strong acid used in trace amounts to bring the formula to its target pH. It is 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.
DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairpH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.
- pH adjuster
-
9
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
General function
A cellulose thickener used for slip and light hold in gels and creams.
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
-
10
Polyquaternium-7
General function
A conditioning polymer that improves wet combing and adds body. Repeated use can build up on fine 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 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
-
11
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
-
12
Sodium Chloride
- salt
- thickener
-
13
Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate
- mild anionic cleanser
- cleanser
-
14
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
-
15
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
General function
A strong, high-foaming cleanser and the most common shampoo detergent. It removes oil and product efficiently, which can be more than dry or colour-treated hair wants.
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.
Indian Journal of DermatologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesA sulfate detergent can lift deposited silicone, wax and styling films, 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.
- sulfate cleanser
- cleanser
-
16
Tetrasodium EDTA
General function
Binds the metal ions in hard water so they cannot dull 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
-
17
Water
- solvent
What the whole list adds up to
- 3 pH adjusters
- 3 thickeners
- 2 preservatives
- 2 solvents
- 2 hard-water chelators
- 2 film formers
- 2 cleansers
- 1 antioxidant
- 1 colourant
- 1 direct dye
- 1 blue dye
- 1 secondary cleanser
- 1 nonionic cleanser
- 1 fragrance
Drug facts actives
- ketoconazole 1%
This product is an over-the-counter drug as well as a cosmetic. It treats a cosmetic scalp condition; it does not diagnose or treat disease.
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-21. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 7 oz
Seen at
$22.50
Good value under
$4
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $4 line; products that do this job typically go for about $6 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 4 stores
7 ozusual store sizeBest per ounce
1.69 oz
-
Nizoralshop
$23.901.69 oz · $14.14/ozAug 30Lowest per oz
4 oz
-
Caring Medicals
$147.344 oz · $36.84/ozAug 30Lowest 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.
How we work this out
- 7 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 $22.50 is the price we have observed for the 7 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $4 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.50/oz; at 7 oz that is $4. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $6 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 7 oz.
Formula
8
Formula score
8 of 10
It costs more per ounce than 77% of the 1544 shampoos we’ve priced, and the formula carries the systems the format is built around. Nothing in our library comes close enough on formula to be a cheaper substitute.
How the score is counted
- Nothing in our library does the same job at a lower price
- Costs more per ounce than 77% of the 1544 shampoos we’ve priced
- Covers 5 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
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.
DoveClosest function
Men Care Cooling Relief Cleansing Shampoo With Menthol
$1.78/oz $1.43/oz less
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Hard water
- Function
- Also
KloraneClose function
Shampoo with Quinine and B Vitamins
$1.44/oz $1.77/oz less
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Hard water
- Function
- Also
SuaveLowest cost per oz
Hydrating 3-in-1 Hair + Body + Face Wash
$0.16/oz $3.05/oz less
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Hard water
- 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?
An above-range pick for the hair it suitsBest user
Flaking scalps, looking for an over-the-counter scalp active and a protein-free formula
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, sulfate-free routines and fresh keratin treatments, or heavy buildup that needs a clarifying wash
Best alternative if not
Nothing in our library matches it closely at a lower price.
We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.
Claims check
What the brand says, and what the formula shows
Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.
1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Controls fungus that can cause dandruff
It carries an over-the-counter anti-dandruff active.
—
Supported
A recognised active does the work.
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.
Some reviewers say it effectively clears buildup and keeps dandruff in check.
Reviewers across hair typesSeveral reviewers find the clean scent pleasant, calling it nice or good rather than harsh.
Reviewers across hair typesSome reviewers saw dulled, stripped hair after use, while others noticed no visible change to their hair's feel.
Reviewers across hair typesMore from Nizoral
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 (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 6 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
- Ingredient references are linked for 5 of 10 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 2026-08-25.
