Skip to main content
Raw Sugar

The Scalp Restore Shampoo - Jojoba + Aloe

Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning

  • Shampoo
  • gel
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Moisture-rich
  • Vegan · label states
  • Cruelty-free · label states
Size16 fl oz
Priceabout $10 Good valuecommonly seen · 16 oz
Price / oz$0.63/ozat 16 oz
Where to buy5 stores · $9.97–11.99

Scent:

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

“Calming, crisp, invigorating — morning dew on fresh leaves” — Brand page

Manufacturer page: rawsugarliving.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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

  • In 10 minutes we can identify your exact hair condition and traits.
  • Every product matched against your hair across the 22 factors we check.
  • A personalized routine for your daily life — 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.

$49.00 one-time consultation, no subscription

Add the optional $49/year membership for unlimited adjustments for changes in weather and lifestyle.

Start your consultation

Lower cost than most shampoos

$0.63/oz at 16 oz — less than 83% of the 805 shampoos , which mostly run $0.81–3.01/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans
Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Hard waterno chelator here to bind the minerals

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 High

Thick foam that spreads quickly through the hair.

Slip and detangling Moderate

Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list.

Water-binding (humectants) High

Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.

Scalp active None

No over-the-counter scalp active.

Hard-water defence None

No chelating agent in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

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

Protein Prominent

Protein high in the list — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one.

Fragrance Present

Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.

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

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

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

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterWater (Aqua) solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate olefin sulfonate cleanser — Cleanses
Cocamidopropyl Betaine amphoteric cleanser — Cleanses
Glycerin humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Dimethyl Lauramide/Myristamide solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Softens
Hydrolyzed Oats protein Firms up soft, over-stretchy hair Protein
Niacinamide vitamin A marketed vitamin addition Detangles
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil emollient A softening touch, low in the list Buildup
Sodium Benzoate preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Potassium Sorbate preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
FragranceFragrance (Parfum) fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein-forward — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Contains fragrance. Recorded as vegan and cruelty-free.
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 ingredient

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

    • solvent
  • 2 Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
    General function

    A strong non-sulfate detergent used in "sulfate-free" shampoos. It cleans about as thoroughly as a sulfate despite the label difference.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    A strong detergent with no sulfate on the label. It removes deposited films about as completely as a sulfate does.

    May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Sulfate-free on the label is a naming fact, not a mildness one: this is an efficient detergent, and hair short of moisture can feel it.

    PubChem
    • olefin sulfonate cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 3 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.

    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
  • 4 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.

    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

    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
  • 5 Dimethyl Lauramide/Myristamide
    General function

    A plant-derived solvent used to dissolve other ingredients and improve 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.

    • solvent
    • emollient
  • 6 Hydrolyzed Oats
    • protein
    • hydrolysed protein
  • 7 Niacinamide
    General function

    Vitamin B3, used in scalp products for conditioning claims.

    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

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    PubChem
    • vitamin
    • conditioning agent
  • 8 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.

    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

    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
  • 9 Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
    General function

    Not chemically an oil: about 97% of it is liquid wax esters, which is why it resists going rancid and sits close to the scalp's own sebum. It smooths without a heavy finish.

    Secondary ingredient

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

    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.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

    • emollient
    • light ester
    • oil
    • wax
  • 10 Phospholipids
    General function

    Fat-and-water-loving lipids that help conditioning ingredients bind evenly to the strand.

    Secondary ingredient

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

    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.

    • emollient
    • emulsifier
  • 11 Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A guar-bean conditioning polymer that deposits during rinsing. It is why a strong shampoo can still leave hair combable.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower 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 hold

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

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Cationic conditioners bind to the negatively charged damaged cuticle, laying it flat and cutting the friction that causes combing breakage.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A styling polymer dries into a film across the strands, which is what makes a shape hold instead of relax.

    • conditioning agent
    • polymer
    • gum
  • ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 12 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
  • 13 Sodium Chloride
    • salt
    • thickener
  • 14 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 15 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 16 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 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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 3 emollients
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 cleansers
  • 2 humectants
  • 2 gums
  • 2 preservatives
  • 1 olefin sulfonate cleanser
  • 1 amphoteric cleanser
  • 1 secondary cleanser
  • 1 protein
  • 1 hydrolysed protein
  • 1 vitamin
  • 1 conditioning agent
  • 1 botanical extract

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-03. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 16 oz

Commonly seen about $10 Midpoint $10.09 · 4 stores · checked Sep 3
Good value under $18 Under $1.14/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 $18 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $29 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. 16 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 16 oz at recognised stores — the cheapest quarter and the dearest quarter are left out, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
  3. Good value under $18 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.14/oz; at 16 oz that is $18. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $29 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 16 oz.

Formula

Formula score
9 of 10

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

How the score is counted
  • 1 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • 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 5 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.

Garnier FructisLowest cost per oz Garnier Fructis Curl Nourish Sulfate-Free Shampoo $0.30/oz $0.33/oz less
  • Sulfate-free
  • Deep clean
  • Curly method
· Close function
Function
  • Protein
  • Film formers
Also
  • Coconut scent
  • Value tier
  • 12.5 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

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

Colour-treated hair — for washing without sulfates and a proper reset wash

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, hair that stiffens on protein, or dry or damaged hair

Best alternative if not

Garnier Fructis Garnier Fructis Curl Nourish Sulfate-Free Shampoo, for similar results 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.

4
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
4
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Gently Cleanses Scalp Buildup

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

helps clear build-up and keep your scalp balanced

Scalp comfort is not something an ingredient list settles.

  • Glycerin
  • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Stated by brand

Depends on your scalp.

Clean, PETA-Certified Animal Test-Free, Vegan Shampoo

Our researched record has this brand or product as vegan.

—

Supported

Matches our researched record.

Gentle, non-medicated formula

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Designed for all hair types

No formula reads the same on every texture; our fit panel is the better guide.

—

Stated by brand

See the fit panel instead.

Helps remove build-up

The detergent system is strong enough to strip build-up.

  • Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
  • Cocamidopropyl Betaine
  • Citric Acid
Supported

Resets a coated scalp.

Gentle on color-treated hair

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

  • Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Supported

Less fade per wash.

Formulated without SLS/SLES, parabens, phthalates, silicones or synthetic dyes

No silicones appear in the ingredient list.

—

Supported

Nothing that needs a strong 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.

Leaves scalp feeling clean and refreshed without the tight/stripped feeling some clarifying shampoos cause

general reviewers

Helps with an oily/buildup-prone scalp

reviewers who mentioned an oily scalp or scalp buildup concern

Leaves hair feeling moisturized rather than over-dried

general reviewers

Adds fullness/volume without weighing hair down at the ends

general reviewers

Cleans scalp with a light lather without leaving hair fully dried out

general reviewers

More from Raw Sugar

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.
  • 4 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-09-03.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 5 of 11 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
  • We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
  • Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
  • Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-09-03.

Your personalized hair plan

One thoughtful questionnaire, about 30 minutes, and a plan built around your hair — with the reason behind every recommendation.

Free to complete · $49.00 once to unlock your full plan · No subscription · Nothing you must buy

Start your consultation