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Oribe

Serene Scalp Soothing Leave-On Treatment

Scalp treatment

  • Scalp treatment
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size1.7 oz
Priceabout $48commonly seen · 1.7 oz
Price / oz$28.24/ozat 1.7 oz

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

Scent:

No added fragrance on the label, but it contains scenting botanicals. Essential oils have a smell even when they are not labelled as fragrance.

Manufacturer page: oribe.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 19 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.

$49 with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates

$99 with 12 months. Pay once; the year renews only if you choose.

Start your consultation

Priced above most scalp treatments

$28.24/oz at 1.7 oz, more than 87% of the 280 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.84–19.05/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

no fragrance (parfum) on the label, but still scented
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Sun and colour fadea UV filter is in the list

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel

Whether this much richness suits you depends on your strand thickness, porosity and how easily your hair goes flat. We work that out in the consultation.

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 Some

Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Weight on the hair Light

Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.

Water-binding (humectants) High

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

Protein None

No protein or amino acids in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.

Hard-water defence Chelators present

Contains chelators, which bind hard-water and pool minerals.

Fragrance None listed

No fragrance is listed.

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
WaterAqua/Water/Eau solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Alcohol Denat.SD Alcohol 40-B (Alcohol Denat.) drying alcohol Speeds drying but can leave hair feeling dry Drying
Carbomer thickener Sets the texture Holds
Propylheptyl Caprylate emollient Softens and smooths the strand Softens
Butylene Glycol humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Aminomethyl Propanol pH adjuster Fine-tunes the pH pH balancer
Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract botanical extract A trace plant extract Neutral
Saccharum Officinarum (Sugarcane) Extract botanical extract A trace plant extract Neutral
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil botanical extract A trace plant extract Fragrance
Menthyl Lactate fragrance The scent Fragrance
Polysilicone-15 silicone A little smoothing and shine Buildup
Salicylic Acid active A secondary active Active
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or fragrance. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. The silicones here need a detergent wash to come off. Chelators for hard water.
Full ingredient list (42)

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 · Aqua/Water/Eau
    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 Alcohol Denat. · SD Alcohol 40-B (Alcohol Denat.)
    General function

    Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on the list.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Evaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.

    May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Porous hair gives water up easily as it is; a fast-evaporating solvent high on the list accelerates that.

    May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    It evaporates quickly and takes some water with it. On hair already short of moisture, a formula built on a lot of it can finish drier than it started.

    PubChem
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 3 Carbomer
    General function

    A thickener that turns a liquid into a clear gel. It also contributes a light hold.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this 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
  • 4 Propylheptyl Caprylate
    • emollient
    • light ester
  • 5 Butylene Glycol
    General function

    A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 6 Aminomethyl Propanol
    General function

    A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic hold polymers so they thicken and set properly.

    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

    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
  • 7 Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
    General function

    An extract from the leaf/stem of Epilobium Angustifolium. Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.

    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.

    • botanical extract
  • 8 Saccharum Officinarum (Sugarcane) Extract
    General function

    An extract of Sugarcane (Saccharum Officinarum). Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.

    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.

    • botanical extract
  • 9 Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
    General function

    Peppermint essential oil, used for scent and the cooling feeling on the scalp.

    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

    Essential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.

    • botanical extract
    • essential oil
    • fragrance
  • 10 Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 11 Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 12 Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
    General function

    Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little 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

    Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Hydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Aloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.

    • humectant
    • botanical extract
    • gum
  • 13 Leontopodium Alpinum Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 14 Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 15 Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 16 Biotin
    • vitamin
  • 17 Niacinamide
    General function

    Vitamin B3, used in scalp products for conditioning 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 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.

    PubChem
    • vitamin
    • conditioning agent
  • 18 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
  • 19 Tocopheryl Acetate
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 20 Menthyl Lactate
    General function

    A gentler cooling agent than menthol, with less scent.

    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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • active
  • 21 Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 22 Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 23 Hydrolyzed Verbascum Thapsus Flower
    • botanical extract
  • 24 Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 25 Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 26 Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 27 Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
    • antioxidant
  • 28 Pisum Sativum (Pea) Sprout Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 29 Polysilicone-15
    General function

    A silicone that also absorbs UV, used in leave-on products to slow colour fade.

    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 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

    Lays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Sunlight oxidises hair pigment, and on gray, silver or lightened hair that shows up as yellowing. A UV filter on the label absorbs some of the light that drives it.

    • silicone
    • UV filter
  • 30 Polysorbate 20
    • solubilizer
    • emulsifier
  • 31 Glycerin
    General function

    Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.

    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
  • 32 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
  • 33 Salicylic Acid
    • active
    • exfoliant
  • 34 Ascorbic Acid
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 35 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
  • 36 Tetrasodium EDTA
    General function

    Binds the metal ions in hard water so they cannot dull 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
  • 37 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
  • 38 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
  • 39 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 40 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 41 Potassium Benzoate
  • 42 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative

What the whole list adds up to

  • 17 botanical extracts
  • 5 vitamins
  • 4 humectants
  • 4 preservatives
  • 3 solvents
  • 3 conditioning agents
  • 3 antioxidants
  • 3 hard-water chelators
  • 2 emollients
  • 2 pH adjusters
  • 2 fragrances
  • 2 actives
  • 1 drying alcohol
  • 1 thickener

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-07. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 1.7 oz

Commonly seen about $48 Midpoint $48 · 4 stores · checked Oct 17
Good value under $13 Under $7.36/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 $13 line; products that do this job typically go for about $20 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it5 listings · 5 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. 1.7 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.
  2. Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 1.7 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 $13 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $7.36/oz; at 1.7 oz that is $13. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $20 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 1.7 oz.

Formula

Formula score
5 of 10

It costs more per ounce than 87% of the 280 scalp treatments we’ve priced. The formula covers the core of the format, and we do not have a close match at a lower price.

How the score is counted
  • 1 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 87% of the 280 scalp treatments we’ve priced
  • No conditioning agents up front in the formula
  • Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
  • Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.3 pts
  • Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
  • Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.1 pt
  • Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.

ORSLowest cost per oz HAIRestore Fertilizing Temple Balm $6.00/oz $22.24/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Lightweight
  • Alcohol-free
· Close function
Function
  • Oils and butters
Also
  • Mint scent
  • Drugstore tier
  • 2 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?

Above-range price, specific fit
Best user

People sensitive to fragrance, for a formula with no added fragrance and a protein-free formula

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or high-damage hair

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

Claims check

What the brand says, and what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.

0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Instant relief. This lightweight and fast-absorbing, leave-on treatment removes loose dandruff flakes while cooling mint and calming chamomile soothe and balance the scalp.

No over-the-counter anti-dandruff active appears in the list.

  • Menthyl Lactate
Stated by brand

Soothing, not an active treatment.

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.

Several reviewers mention a pleasant scent and a refreshing, rejuvenating feel on application.

general users

Reviewers with dry, irritated, flaky or psoriasis-prone scalps say it soothes and hydrates the scalp and brings comfort.

dry, irritated and flaky scalp reviewers

It is described as lightweight and non-greasy, absorbing quickly without weighing hair down or interfering with styling.

general users

More from Oribe

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.
  • 4 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-10-17.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 11 of 16 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 2026-10-17.

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