Performance meets purity for zero compromises
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Not Your Mother's · Royal Honey & Kalahari Desert Melon Protect & Nourish
Royal Honey & Kalahari Desert Melon Protect & Nourish Shampoo
Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning
- Shampoo
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Moisture-rich
- Not vegan · ingredient list
Size15.2 fl oz
Price$8.99 Good valueseen at one store · 15.2 oz
Price / oz$0.62/ozat 15.2 oz
Where to buy3 stores · $8.99–9.99
Scent:
Notes: fresh, sweet.
Manufacturer page: notyourmothers.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
All types
Not in your profile
Moisture level
Moderate
Not in your profile
Cleansing strength
Strong
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
Moderate
Not in your profile
Scent
Sweet & vanilla · Fresh & airyStrength not recorded
Not in your profile
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Sulfates
None listed
Not in your profile
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 vegan · ingredient list
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not vegan · ingredient list
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
16 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Drugstore
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand websiteOne channel
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, then reads every factor in this table against it — and tells you where this product fits, or what to use instead.
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Your avoid-list
Lower cost than most shampoos
$0.62/oz at 15.2 oz — less than 83% of the 805 shampoos , which mostly run $0.81–3.01/oz.
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
Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only
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
Removes oil, buildup, and most residue — a reset wash.
Expected lather
Moderate
An ordinary shampoo lather.
Slip and detangling
High
Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula.
Water-binding (humectants)
Moderate
Humectants in the working part of the formula.
Scalp active
None
No over-the-counter scalp active.
Hard-water defence
Chelators present
Chelators are present — they bind hard-water and pool minerals.
Needs detergent to remove
Yes
Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.
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. These 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 |
| Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate | mild anionic cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate | mild anionic cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine | amphoteric cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Cocamide Dipa | secondary cleanser | Softens the main detergent | Cleanses |
| PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate | thickener | Sets the texture | Stabilizes |
| Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey | conditioning agent | Puts conditioning back as it washes | Detangles |
| Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Seed Oil | oil | Coats and softens the strand | Softens |
| Quaternium-80 | silicone | A little smoothing and shine | Buildup |
| 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. Water-insoluble silicones — needs a detergent wash to remove.
Full ingredient list (16)
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
· 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
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
General function
A gentle cleanser that leaves a soft after-feel; often paired with stronger detergents.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdThe detergent class most curl routines are built around: it lathers and cleanses without stripping the strand back to bare.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairA gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairCleanses with less sebum removal than a sulfate detergent, so hair that is short of moisture keeps more of it through the wash.
- mild anionic cleanser
- cleanser
-
3
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
General function
A mild cleanser that gives a creamy lather and leaves hair less stripped than sulfates.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdThe detergent class most curl routines are built around: it lathers and cleanses without stripping the strand back to bare.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairA gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairCleanses with less sebum removal than a sulfate detergent, so hair that is short of moisture keeps more of it through the wash.
- mild anionic cleanser
- cleanser
-
4
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
General function
A mild co-cleanser that keeps foam stable in hard water.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
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 hairOne 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 routinesThe mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
-
5
Cocamide Dipa
General function
A coconut-derived thickener that stabilises foam and adds body to a cleanser.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesA secondary detergent adjusts foam and mildness rather than deciding how much a wash removes; read the primary detergent above it.
- secondary cleanser
- thickener
-
6
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
General function
A sugar-derived thickener used to build body in sulfate-free cleansers.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- thickener
- emulsifier
-
7
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey
General function
Honey given a positive charge so it deposits on hair, combining moisture with slip.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
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.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairThe class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSubstantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
- conditioning agent
- humectant
-
8
Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Seed Oil
General function
A light, quick-absorbing seed oil used where weight is a concern.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May not suitFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
-
9
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
General function
A light, widely used oil that softens without much weight.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairIt works on the surface. In the comparison that established coconut oil's penetration, sunflower oil did not reduce protein loss from washing — its fatty acids are bulkier and less linear. It softens and smooths; it does not reinforce the fibre.
- oil
- emollient
-
10
Polyquaternium-10
General function
A cellulose-based conditioning polymer that leaves a thin, static-reducing film. Very common in shampoos as the ingredient that keeps them from stripping.
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
-
11
Quaternium-80
General function
A conditioning silicone with a positive charge, so it deposits where hair is damaged and stays through rinsing.
Secondary ingredientLower 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 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 hairAmino-functional silicone carries a positive charge, so it binds where the cuticle is worn rather than coating evenly. Damaged areas get most of it.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- silicone
- conditioning agent
- film former
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
12
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
General function
A biodegradable hard-water chelator used in place of EDTA.
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
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
-
14
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
15
Ethylhexylglycerin
General function
A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.
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.
- preservative
- emollient
-
16
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
What the whole list adds up to
- 3 cleansers
- 3 conditioning agents
- 3 emollients
- 2 mild anionic cleansers
- 2 secondary cleansers
- 2 thickeners
- 2 oils
- 2 film formers
- 2 hard-water chelators
- 2 preservatives
- 1 solvent
- 1 amphoteric cleanser
- 1 emulsifier
- 1 humectant
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-22. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 15.2 oz
Seen at
$8.99
Good value under
$11
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $11 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $12 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
-
Hy-Vee
$8.9915.2 oz · $0.59/ozAug 30Lowest per oz
-
Not Your Mother's (brand site)
$9.9915.2 oz · $0.66/ozAug 22
-
Not Your Mother's
$9.9915.2 oz · $0.66/ozAug 30
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
- 15.2 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 $8.99 is the price we have observed for the 15.2 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $11 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.73/oz; at 15.2 oz that is $11. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $12 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 15.2 oz.
Formula
9
Formula score
9 of 10
It carries the working systems a shampoo needs and still sits in the lower part of the price range for shampoos per ounce.
How the score is counted
- Costs less per ounce than 83% of the 805 shampoos we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 7 things a shampoo should do
- Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
- Drugstore tier, sold at Brand website
- 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 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.
Not Your Mother'sLowest cost per oz
Tahitian Gardenia & Mango Butter Curl Definition Shampoo
$0.53/oz $0.09/oz less
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Function
- Also
Herbal EssencesLighter feel
Color + Protect Grapeseed Sulfate Free Shampoo
$0.68/oz $0.06/oz more
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Function
- Also
PanteneClose function
Pro-V Miracles Extreme Damage Shampoo
$0.81/oz $0.19/oz more
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Function
- Also
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
Final decision
Should you buy it?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsBest user
Colour-treated hair — for washing without sulfates and a protein-free formula
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or dry or damaged hair
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.
1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
98% naturally derived ingredients
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.
Locks in moisture while cleansing
Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.
- Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey
- Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Seed Oil
- Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
Supported
Helps hair feel hydrated.
Help protect from future breakage, and deliver an instant shine
No protein or bond ingredient appears in the list.
- Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey
- Polyquaternium-10
- Quaternium-80
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.
Many long-time users say it is highly moisturizing, with some reporting they can skip a separate conditioner on some washes
wavy/straight hair, thick hairRepeated, emphatic requests not to discontinue the product, with several reviewers noting years of continued use
long-term repeat buyersReviewers describe the scent and overall feel as gentle/natural compared to other mass-market shampoos they have tried
generalA complaint about the brand's follow-up review-request emails/notifications, unrelated to product performance
generalSome confusion/frustration over a past name or packaging change that led buyers to think the product had been discontinued
generalMore from Not Your Mother's
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.
- 5 sources consulted for this product (4 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
- Ingredient references are linked for 5 of 13 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 2026-08-25.