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Nizoral

Pre-Shampoo Scalp Build-Up Remover

Scalp treatment

  • Scalp treatment
  • cream
  • Moisture-rich
Size5 fl oz
Price$11.99 Good valueseen at one store · 5 oz
Price / oz$2.40/ozat 5 oz
Where to buy1 store

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 exactly how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 2,400+ products in our library we can match exactly the right products to you.

  • In 10 minutes we can identify your exact hair condition and traits.
  • Every product matched against your hair across the 16 factors we check.
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  • 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.

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Lower cost than most scalp treatments

$2.40/oz at 5 oz — less than 88% of the 152 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.22–20.64/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Matte, textured stylesabsorbent powders do the mattifying
Tight budgetsit sits in the lower price tiers

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

Whether this much richness is right for you depends on your strand thickness, porosity, and how easily your hair flattens — that is what the consultation works out.

Wash day

How it fits into wash day

Read from the product’s own directions on the date shown. A step the label leaves out is shown as not stated, never filled in.

When
Before shampoo — Scalp exfoliation
Start on
dry hair
Where
scalp
Label wait
not stated on the label
Then
rinse, then shampoo
Conditioner after
not stated on the label
How often
not stated on the label
  1. As a hair exfoliator for scalp, before shampooing, when hair is dry, apply directly to scalp and gently massage.
  2. Allow to sit for a few minutes before rinsing out.
  3. rinsing out
  4. Then shampoo with Nizoral.

Not yet complete on our side: the wait. We list a product here once its label states a before-shampoo use. We only put it into a routine once every step is on record.

Scalp products are listed for browsing; we do not yet place them in a personal routine.

Browse technique guides (general — not matched to this product’s directions)

Source: retailer page · checked 2026-09-17

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 — this is a detangling formula.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Water-binding (humectants) Moderate

Humectants in the working part of the formula.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Hard-water defence Chelators present

Chelators are present — they 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. These 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
Water solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Cetearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol Softens
SilicaHydrated Silica powder Mattifies and absorbs oil Stabilizes
Acrylates Copolymer film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Behentrimonium Chloride conditioning agent Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through Detangles
Ceteareth-20 emulsifier Keeps oil and water mixed Stabilizes
Coconut (Cocos Nucifera) Oil — — Neutral
Lactic Acid pH adjuster Fine-tunes the pH Moisturizes
Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Phenoxyethanol preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Ethylhexylglycerin preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Softens
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesContains fragrance. Chelators for hard water.
Full ingredient list (21)

US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.

  • 1 Water
    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 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.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    The 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 hair

    Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

    DependsFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.

    PubChem
    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 3 Silica · Hydrated Silica
    General function

    A fine mineral powder that absorbs oil and adds grip. It is what makes texture powders and matte pastes feel dry to the touch.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    A dry powder takes up oil and adds friction between strands, which is most of what root lift in fine hair actually is.

    PubChem
    • powder
    • thickener
    • mineral
  • 4 Acrylates Copolymer
    General function

    A hold polymer that forms a firm, humidity-resistant film. It is the usual source of a hard cast in gels.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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.

    • film former
    • polymer
  • 5 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 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

    Electrokinetic 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 hair

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

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science
    • conditioning agent
    • cleanser
  • 6 Ceteareth-20
    General function

    An emulsifier that holds oil and water together in a conditioner or cream.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • emulsifier
  • 7 Coconut (Cocos Nucifera) Oil
  • ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 8 Lactic Acid
    General function

    An acid used to set pH and, in scalp products, to loosen flakes.

    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 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.

    PubChem
    • pH adjuster
    • humectant
    • exfoliant
  • 9 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.

    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 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
  • 10 Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
    General function

    A very mild cleanser common in baby and sensitive-scalp shampoos.

    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 suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

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

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    One of the mildest detergent classes. It is usually there to let a formula lather without a harsher detergent doing the work.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

    • amphoteric cleanser
    • secondary cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 11 Glycerin
    General function

    A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.

    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 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

    Water 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.

    Scientific Reports
    • humectant
  • 12 Panthenol
    General function

    Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.

    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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

    It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

    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

    A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • conditioning agent
    • vitamin
  • 13 Allantoin
    General function

    A soothing ingredient used in scalp formulas.

    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 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.

    • conditioning agent
  • 14 Arginine
    General function

    An amino acid that holds water and carries a positive charge, so it is drawn to damaged spots on the strand.

    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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

    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.

    DependsProtein-sensitive hair

    The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

    PubChem
    • amino acid
    • humectant
  • 15 Tea (Camellia Sinensis) Leaf Extract
  • 16 Ascorbic Acid · Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 17 Xanthan Gum
    General function

    A fermented sugar gum that thickens water-based formulas and adds soft, natural hold.

    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 suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    A 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 hair

    A soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what keeps flyaways lying down without stiffness.

    May not suitMaximum-hold styling

    Gum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.

    • gum
    • thickener
    • film former
  • 18 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 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
  • 19 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 20 Ethylhexylglycerin
    General function

    A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.

    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 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
    • preservative
    • emollient
  • 21 Disodium EDTA
    General function

    Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise the formula.

    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.

    PubChem
    • hard-water chelator

What the whole list adds up to

  • 4 humectants
  • 3 thickeners
  • 3 cleansers
  • 2 emollients
  • 2 film formers
  • 2 amphoteric cleansers
  • 2 secondary cleansers
  • 2 conditioning agents
  • 2 vitamins
  • 2 preservatives
  • 1 solvent
  • 1 fatty alcohol
  • 1 powder
  • 1 mineral

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-17. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 5 oz

Seen at $11.99 1 store · checked Sep 17
Good value under $14 Under $2.81/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $14 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $30 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store
  • Target
    $11.99
    5 oz · $2.40/oz
    Sep 17Lowest 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
  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.
  2. Seen at $11.99 is the price we have observed for the 5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $14 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.81/oz; at 5 oz that is $14. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $30 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 5 oz.

Formula

Formula score
10 of 10

This formula covers the systems a scalp treatment is built around, and it costs less per ounce than most of the scalp treatments we have researched.

How the score is counted
  • Costs less per ounce than 88% of the 152 scalp treatments we’ve priced
  • Covers 6 of the 6 things a scalp treatment should do
  • Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs
  • Drugstore tier, sold at Grocery / mass
  • 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 is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job

Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.

DavinesClosest function The Purity Circle $5.61/oz $3.21/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Alcohol-free
Function
  • Oils and butters
  • Film formers
Also
  • Cruelty-free
  • Vegan
  • Masstige tier
Wash day
this one is not a before-shampoo product
Compare
DavinesClose function The Wake-Up Circle $7.65/oz $5.25/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Vegan & CF
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
  • Oils and butters
Also
  • Cruelty-free
  • Vegan
  • Masstige tier
Wash day
this one is not a before-shampoo product
Compare
Raw SugarLowest cost per oz The Scalp Restore Hair & Scalp Mask - Charcoal + Mint $1.49/oz $0.91/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Alcohol-free
· Related function
Function
  • Oils and butters
  • Film formers
Also
  • Mint scent
  • Cruelty-free
  • Vegan
Wash day
this one is not a before-shampoo product
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

People who want maximum slip — for real detangling slip and moisture that stays in

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance or anyone who wants to pick it up locally

Best alternative if not

Nothing in our library matches it closely at a lower price.

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.

0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
4
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Exfoliates and renews with micro exfoliating technology

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Removes scalp build up, dead skin cells & residue

The detergent strength of this formula is not recorded.

  • Behentrimonium Chloride
  • Lactic Acid
  • Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Safe to use on all hair types including color-treated, chemically processed and gray hair

The detergent system is not recorded, so fade risk cannot be read.

  • Behentrimonium Chloride
  • Ascorbic Acid
Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

No sulfates, parabens, artificial fragrances or dyes

The detergent system is not recorded for this product.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula — not marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

Reviewers

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.

Reviewers with curly, coily or loc hair report it effectively lifts flakes and leaves the scalp feeling clean.

curly / coily / loc hair

Some reviewers say their hair feels lighter and easier to move or detangle after use.

general reviewers

Reviewers with long hair say the exfoliating grit is hard to rinse out completely and can get stuck in the strands.

long hair

More from Nizoral

How this page was made

  • Everything above is generated from our researched product record — identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. No part of this page is written per product.
  • The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
  • Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
  • The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
  • 2 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-09-17.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 10 of 15 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
  • We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
  • Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
  • Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-09-17.

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