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Pacifica

Rosemary Apple Cider Scalp Detox Tonic

Scalp treatment

  • Scalp treatment
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size5 fl oz
Price$9.97 Good valueseen at one store · 5 oz
Price / oz$1.99/ozat 5 oz

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

Scent:

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

Manufacturer page: pacificabeauty.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.
  • A personalized routine built around your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
  • Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
  • Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.

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

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

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Lower cost than most scalp treatments

$1.99/oz at 5 oz, less than 93% of the 280 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.84–19.05/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
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 Little

Nothing here is built to reduce combing force.

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 No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Hard-water defence None

No chelating agent in the list.

Fragrance Present

Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients, plus anything lower down that changes a decision. The chips name what an ingredient does. They are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
Wateraqua (eau) solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Cocamidopropyl Betainecocamidopropylbetaine amphoteric cleanser — Cleanses
Propanediol humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Glycolic Acid exfoliant A little exfoliation pH balancer
Lactic Acid pH adjuster Fine-tunes the pH Moisturizes
Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer emulsifier Stabilises the mix Stabilizes
Panthenol humectant Adds a little water-binding Detangles
Salicylic Acid active A secondary active Active
Fragranceparfum fragrance The scent Fragrance
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil botanical extract A trace plant extract Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance.
Full ingredient list (19)

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 (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 Cocamidopropyl Betaine · cocamidopropylbetaine
    General function

    A mild coconut-derived co-cleanser that boosts foam and softens the effect of stronger detergents. It appears in most shampoos, gentle or not.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

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

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

    DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Among the mildest detergents in use — it is what baby shampoos are built on — but it is almost always the second detergent in a formula. How much a wash strips is still decided by the primary detergent listed above it.

    Indian Journal of Dermatology
    • amphoteric cleanser
    • secondary cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 3 Propanediol
    General function

    A corn-derived humectant and solvent, often chosen as a lighter-feeling alternative to propylene glycol.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

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

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

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

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • solvent
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 4 Glycolic Acid
    General function

    The smallest fruit acid, used in scalp products to loosen flakes and clear build-up.

    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
    • exfoliant
    • pH adjuster
  • 5 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
  • 6 Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer
    General function

    A plant-derived emulsifier used to build light creams and milks.

    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.

    • emulsifier
  • 7 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
  • 8 Salicylic Acid
    General function

    An oil-soluble acid that loosens flakes and clears build-up around the follicle. In dandruff shampoos it appears in the drug facts panel with a stated percentage.

    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.

    PubChem
    • active
    • exfoliant
  • 9 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
  • 10 Algin
    General function

    A seaweed gum used to thicken and stabilise a 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 suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

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

    • gum
    • thickener
  • 11 Fragrance · parfum
    General function

    An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

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

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

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

    • fragrance
    • declared fragrance
  • 12 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 13 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 14 Sodium PCA
    General function

    A moisture-binding ingredient that occurs naturally in hair and skin.

    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
    • humectant
  • 15 menthol crystals USP
  • 16 Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract · rosmarinus ocinalis (rosemary) leaf extract
    • botanical extract
    • antioxidant
  • 17 spirulina maxima powder
  • 18 Apple Cider Vinegar
    General function

    Dilute acetic acid from fermented apples, used to bring a rinse to an acidic pH so the cuticle lies flatter. The effect comes from the acid, not from the apples.

    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.

    • pH adjuster
  • 19 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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 4 humectants
  • 3 exfoliants
  • 3 pH adjusters
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 conditioning agents
  • 2 vitamins
  • 2 fragrances
  • 2 preservatives
  • 2 botanical extracts
  • 1 amphoteric cleanser
  • 1 secondary cleanser
  • 1 cleanser
  • 1 emulsifier
  • 1 active

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-08. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 5 oz

Seen at $9.97 1 store · checked Oct 12
Good value under $25 Under $5.04/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 $25 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $43 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 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. 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 $9.97 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 $25 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $5.04/oz; at 5 oz that is $25. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $43 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 5 oz.

Formula

Formula score
3 of 10

It costs less per ounce than most scalp treatments, and the formula leaves out conditioning agents up front, which a scalp treatment is usually built around.

How the score is counted
  • Costs less per ounce than 93% of the 280 scalp treatments we’ve priced
  • No conditioning agents up front in the formula
  • No oils or butters in the working zone either
  • Reviewers mention 4 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

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.

MizaniLowest cost per oz Scalp Care Soothing Serum $2.83/oz $0.84/oz more
  • Fragrance-free
  • Protein-free
  • Lightweight
· Same function
Differs
  • 4 oz bottle
  • Sold through salons
Compare
NioxinSame function Pro Clinical Night Density Rescue Serum $21.10/oz $19.11/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Lightweight
  • Silicone-free
Differs
  • Prestige tier
  • 2.3 oz bottle
Compare
DavinesSame function ENERGIZING Superactive $19.53/oz $17.54/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Lightweight
  • Silicone-free
Differs
  • Prestige tier
  • 3.4 oz bottle
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find the one that fits your hair, routine and budget

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person
Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein, for a protein-free formula and something that will not weigh hair down

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or very humid climates, 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.

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 find the scent pleasant and light, with the rosemary keeping any vinegar smell faint.

Reviewers across hair types

Several reviewers enjoy the cooling tingle the tonic leaves on their scalp after application.

Reviewers across hair types

Some reviewers say the tonic helped cut back on dandruff and flakes.

Reviewers with dry or flaky scalps

Many reviewers say the tonic leaves the scalp feeling clean and refreshed, especially on wash days.

Reviewers across hair types, often with oily scalps or buildup

Some reviewers found the tonic left hair oily at the roots, while others found it light and easy to rinse.

Reviewers across hair types

More from Pacifica

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.
  • 7 sources consulted for this product (2 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 7 of 11 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 2026-10-12.

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