Pureology Pureology Nanoworks Gold Shampoo — 9 oz container

Pureology

Nanoworks Gold Shampoo

Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning

Shampoo
Sulfate-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed

Size9 fl ozmost listed · 2 sizes

Price$50seen at one store · 9 oz · from $4.11/oz in the 33.8 oz

Price / oz$4.84/ozat 9 oz

Where to buy2 stores · 2 sizes

Scent:

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

Listing used for research: ulta.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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 Moderate Not in your profile

Weight on hair Medium Not in your profile

Fragrance Present Not in your profile

Protein Minor Not in your profile

Silicone / wax buildup High Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Moderate Not in your profile

Sulfates None listed Not in your profile

Show all 22 factors we check

The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.

Parabens / preservatives Present Not in your profile

Essential oils None listed Not in your profile

Fast-drying alcohol Moderate Not in your profile

Vegan / cruelty-free Cruelty-free · PETA-listed Not in your profile

Animal-derived ingredients Not yet verified Not in your profile

Heavy humectants Not heavy Not in your profile

Hard-water defence High Not in your profile

UV filter Present Not in your profile

pH adjusted Adjusted Not in your profile

Ingredient list 52 ingredientsA long list Not in your profile

Price tier Prestige Not in your profile

Where to buy it Ulta · Salons 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.

Start your consultation

$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.

Same job for less elsewhere

$4.84/oz at 9 oz — more than 94% of the 805 shampoos , which mostly run $0.81–3.01/oz.

View alternatives

Great for

Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash

Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash

Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit

Sun and colour fadea UV filter is in the list

Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers

A wide range of haira middle-of-the-range weight

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent

Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove

Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol

Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans

Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether this much cleansing is right for you depends on how fast your scalp oils, how much product you layer, and your water — that is what the consultation works out.

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 Moderate

Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list.

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 Minor

Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient.

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
WaterAqua/Water/Eau	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate	mild anionic cleanser	—	Cleanses
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate	mild anionic cleanser	—	Cleanses
Cocamidopropyl Betaine	amphoteric cleanser	—	Cleanses
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate	mild anionic cleanser	—	Cleanses
Glycol Distearate	opacifier	Makes the product look creamy	Softens
Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer	silicone	Smooths the cuticle and adds shine	Buildup
Coco-Glucoside	nonionic cleanser	—	Cleanses
FragranceParfum/Fragrance	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Amodimethicone	silicone	A little smoothing and shine	Buildup
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol	film former	A supporting film former	Protein
Salicylic Acid	active	A secondary active	Active

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates. Fragrance is on the label. Water-insoluble silicones — needs a detergent wash to remove. Hard-water chelators are present.

Full ingredient list (52)

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 · 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 Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate

General function
A mild cleanser used to soften a formula built on stronger detergents.

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

May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
The 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 hair
A gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Cleanses 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 Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate

General function
A gentle, dense-lathering cleanser used as the primary detergent in many sulfate-free shampoos.

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

May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
The 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 hair
A gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Cleanses 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 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.

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
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
5 Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate

General function
A moderate cleanser that foams well without the stripping reputation of sulfates.

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

May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
The 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 hair
A gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Cleanses with less sebum removal than a sulfate detergent, so hair that is short of moisture keeps more of it through the wash.

PubChem
- mild anionic cleanser
- cleanser
6 Glycol Distearate

General function
A wax that gives shampoo its pearly look and a slightly richer feel.

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

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
- opacifier
- emollient
7 Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer

General function
A silicone network that forms a smoothing film with better staying power than plain dimethicone.

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 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 suitMaximum-hold styling
Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- silicone
- film former
8 Coco-Glucoside

General function
A sugar-derived, low-foaming cleanser used in gentle and curly-method shampoos.

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

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A sugar-derived non-ionic detergent, among the gentlest in use. It cleanses with little foam of its own and little sebum removal.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
Gentle cleansing leaves water-insoluble deposits largely in place; they come off with a stronger wash, not this one.

PubChem
- nonionic cleanser
- cleanser
9 Glycereth-26

General function
A glycerin derivative used as a light humectant and carrier.

Secondary ingredient
Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

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.
- humectant
- solvent
10 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.

Secondary ingredient
Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

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
▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
11 Fragrance · Parfum/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
12 Sodium Chloride
- salt
- thickener
13 PPG-5-Ceteth-20
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
14 Methyl Gluceth-20

General function
A sugar-derived humectant that holds water with a lighter, satin feel rather than glycerin's tack. It also helps other ingredients stay dissolved.

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
Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

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.

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.
- humectant
- emollient
- solvent
15 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.

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
Cationic 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 hair
A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
Film 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
16 Amodimethicone

General function
A silicone modified to stick where hair is damaged, so it smooths selectively instead of coating everything. It resists rinsing more than plain dimethicone.

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
Amino-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 styling
Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

International Journal of Trichology
- silicone
- conditioning agent
- film former
17 PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate

General function
An emulsifier that softens a cleanser and helps it rinse without a stripped feel.

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.
- emulsifier
- emollient
18 Propylene Glycol

General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.

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
Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

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
19 Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

General function
A readily biodegradable chelator used in place of EDTA to bind hard-water minerals.

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
20 Carbomer

General function
A thickener that turns a liquid into a clear gel. It also contributes a light 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 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
21 C11-15 Pareth-7
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
22 Benzoic Acid
- preservative
23 Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
24 Sclerocarya Birrea (Marula) Seed Oil · Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil

General function
Marula oil - light, stable, used for shine and softness.

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
Coats 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 hair
A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
25 Tocopherol
- antioxidant
- vitamin
26 Butyrospermum Parkii Butter/Shea Butter

General function
The solid fat from Butyrospermum Parkii. Plant butters seal the surface and soften coarse or dry hair; high on a list they make a product decidedly rich.

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
Coarse, porous hair loses water quickly and can carry the weight; a butter slows that loss more than a thin oil does.

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.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A solid fat melts onto the strand at body temperature and stays there, which is the heaviest surface moisture-holding a formula can offer.
- butter
- emollient
- sealant
27 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

General function
A UV filter added to protect the product's colour and, in leave-ins, 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 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.

PubChem
- UV filter
28 Butylene Glycol

General function
A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.

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
Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

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
29 Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol

General function
A plant protein modified to bind more firmly to hair than a plain hydrolysed protein. Used for strength and body 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
Filling surface gaps evens out the cuticle, which is part of what makes damaged hair comb and reflect light more like undamaged hair.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Hydrolysed fragments are small enough to sit in the gaps of a worn cuticle for a wash or two, temporarily restoring stiffness and cutting breakage in combing.
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
30 Laureth-9
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
31 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
32 C12-13 Pareth-23
- emulsifier
33 Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
34 C12-13 Pareth-3
- emulsifier
35 Trideceth-12
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
36 Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract/Sunflower Seed Extract
- botanical extract
37 Magnesium Nitrate
- salt
38 Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
39 Sodium Acetate

General function
A buffering salt used to hold the formula at a steady pH.

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.
- salt
- pH adjuster
40 Salicylic Acid
- active
- exfoliant
41 Isopropyl Alcohol

General function
A fast-evaporating alcohol used as a solvent and to speed drying. Well down the list it is a processing aid; near the top it can leave hair feeling dry.

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

PubChem
- drying alcohol
- solvent
42 Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- isothiazolinone
- preservative
43 Melanin
44 Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
45 Sorbic Acid
- preservative
46 Magnesium Chloride
- salt
47 Methylisothiazolinone
- isothiazolinone
- preservative
48 Pentylene Glycol

General function
A humectant that also helps preserve the formula, often used where a brand wants a short preservative 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 suitFine or easily flattened hair
Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

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
- preservative
49 BHT
- antioxidant
50 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
51 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
52 Sodium Hydroxide

General function
A strong base used in trace amounts to raise pH; fully neutralised in the finished product.

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
The alkali half of a pH-adjusting pair, used in small amounts to bring a formula up to its target rather than to make it alkaline. Alkaline conditions raise the fibre's surface charge and lift the scales — but the finished pH is not on the label.

International Journal of Trichology
- pH adjuster

What the whole list adds up to

10 preservatives
8 solvents
7 humectants
7 emulsifiers
6 emollients
5 cleansers
5 film formers
4 salts
4 solubilizers
3 mild anionic cleansers
3 pH adjusters
2 silicones
2 conditioning agents
2 vitamins

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-22. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 9 oz

Seen at $50 1 store · checked Aug 30

Good value under $24 Under $2.70/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 $24 line; products that do this job typically go for about $35 at this size.

Sizes

9 ozmost listed

$50

$5.56/oz

33.8 oz

$138.99

$4.11/oz

The 33.8 oz costs 26% less per ounce than the 9 oz.

Show the price ladder

Price for 9 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores

9 ozmost listed

Ulta
$50.00

9 oz · $5.56/oz

Aug 22Lowest per oz

33.8 ozBest per ounce

Target
$138.99

33.8 oz · $4.11/oz

Aug 30Lowest per oz

Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.

How we work this out

9 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 $50 is the price we have observed for the 9 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $24 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.70/oz; at 9 oz that is $24. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
About $35 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 9 oz.

Formula

Formula score

9 of 10

Sold through salons at a price 3 products that do the same job undercut — the distribution is part of what you are paying for.

How the score is counted

3 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
Costs more per ounce than 94% of the 805 shampoos we’ve priced
Covers 6 of the 7 things a shampoo should do
Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs

A working detergent systemWhat actually removes oil and product.3 pts
Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
A hard-water chelatorBinds the minerals that dull hair in hard water.1 pt
A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.1 pt
No detergent-dependent filmNothing that needs a clarifying wash to remove.1 pt
Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score 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, for less

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.

OribeLowest cost per oz Shampoo for Brilliance & Shine $1.45/oz $3.39/oz less

Sulfate-free
Deep clean
Hard water

· Same function

Differs: 33.8 oz bottle
Sold in drugstores and mass retail

Compare

OribeSame function Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo $2.71/oz $2.13/oz less

Sulfate-free
Deep clean
Hard water

Differs: Sweet scent
8.5 oz bottle
Sold at specialty beauty counters

Compare

OuidadClose function Advanced Climate Control Defrizzing Shampoo $2.68/oz $2.16/oz less

Sulfate-free
Deep clean
Hard water

Function: Film formers
Also: Masstige tier
8.5 oz bottle

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

Final decision

Should you buy it?

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.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

Renews softness, manageability, and shine to dull, coarse, brittle, or very dry color-treated hair

It avoids sulfate detergents, which are the usual cause of fast fade.

Polyquaternium-10

Supported

Less fade per wash.

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.

Long-time repeat buyers describe it as a reliable go-to for maintaining color vibrancy through daily wear and heat styling.

long-term colored/highlighted hair

Reviewers with fine, over-processed, or frequently bleached hair report noticeably softer and more manageable results after switching to this line.

fine/straight hair, frequent bleach/color service

A minority of reviewers reported concerns about the L'Oreal-owned brand's reformulation affecting how well it preserves color, though this feedback is more specific to the paired conditioner than the shampoo itself.

long-time users comparing to prior formulations

Price is repeatedly cited as steep even by satisfied users, framed as worth it for the results but a barrier for repeat purchase.

general color-treated hair users

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 (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 5 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
Ingredient references are linked for 16 of 29 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.

Nanoworks Gold Shampoo

Is this right for you?

Read from the label, not the marketing

The ingredients that change a decision

What the whole list adds up to

Should you buy it?

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

What people report

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How this page was made

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