Selsun Blue Selsun Blue Moisturizing Anti-Dandruff Shampoo — 11 oz container

Selsun Blue

Moisturizing Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning

Shampoo
Silicone-free
Protein-free
Lightweight

Size11 fl oz

Price$23.24seen at one store · 11 oz

Price / oz$2.11/ozat 11 oz

Where to buy2 stores · $7.99–23.24

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.

Listing used for research: target.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types All types Not in your profile

Moisture level None found Not in your profile

Cleansing strength Strong Not in your profile

Slip / detangling Little Not in your profile

Weight on hair Light Not in your profile

Fragrance Prominent Not in your profile

Protein None Not in your profile

Silicone / wax buildup None Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Low Not in your profile

Sulfates Sulfate detergent 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 None Not in your profile

Vegan / cruelty-free Not yet verified 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 None Not in your profile

UV filter None listed Not in your profile

pH adjusted Adjusted Not in your profile

Ingredient list 15 ingredientsA short list Not in your profile

Price tier Value Not in your profile

Where to buy it Grocery / massOne channel Not in your profile

The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.

Start your consultation

$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.

Upper-mid price for a shampoo

$2.11/oz at 11 oz, more than 62% of the 1544 shampoos , which mostly run $0.79–3.04/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Flaking scalpsit has an over-the-counter active

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added

Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash

Fine hairthat flattens under most products

Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Matte, textured stylesabsorbent powders do the mattifying

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent

Sulfate-free routinesit uses a sulfate detergent

Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans

Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list

Hair that tangles wetnothing here makes combing easier

Hard waterno chelator here to bind the minerals

How much cleansing you need depends on how fast your scalp gets oily, how much product you layer and your water. The consultation works that 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

A reset wash that removes oil, buildup, and most residue.

Expected lather High

Thick foam that spreads quickly through the hair.

Slip and detangling Little

Nothing here is built to reduce combing force.

Water-binding (humectants) None found

No humectants, so nothing here pulls water into the hair.

Scalp active selenium sulfide

Carries an over-the-counter scalp active, listed under Drug Facts.

Hard-water defence None

No chelating agent in the list.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Protein None

No protein or amino acids in the list.

Fragrance Prominent

Fragrance is in the first eight ingredients, so it makes up a larger share of the formula.

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.

Ingredient	What it does	Why it matters	Chip
Selenium SulfideSelenium Sulfide (1%)	active	The over-the-counter active	Active
Water	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate	sulfate cleanser	—	Cleanses
Ammonium Laureth Sulfate	sulfate cleanser	—	Cleanses
Cocamidopropyl Betaine	amphoteric cleanser	—	Cleanses
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate	clay	Absorbs oil and adds texture	Stabilizes
Fragrance	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Cocamide DEA	secondary cleanser	Supports the cleansing system	Cleanses

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo silicones or drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. An over-the-counter scalp active is listed (selenium sulfide).

Full ingredient list (15)

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 Selenium Sulfide · Selenium Sulfide (1%)

General function
An over-the-counter anti-dandruff active used for persistent flaking. Its percentage is stated in the drug facts panel.

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

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
3 Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate

General function
A sulfate detergent similar in strength to sodium lauryl sulfate, used for fast, high foam.

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

May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
A sulfate detergent can lift deposited silicone, wax and styling films, which is what resets a routine before build-up is visible.

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
Fine hair that goes limp under conditioning films usually reads a full detergent wash as volume returning.

May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
Coarse and high-porosity hair loses water quickly on its own; an efficient detergent removes the surface oils that were slowing that down.

PubChem
- sulfate cleanser
- cleanser
4 Ammonium Laureth Sulfate

General function
A sulfate detergent that foams quickly and cleans thoroughly.

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

May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
A sulfate detergent can lift deposited silicone, wax and styling films, which is what resets a routine before build-up is visible.

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
Fine hair that goes limp under conditioning films usually reads a full detergent wash as volume returning.

May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
Coarse and high-porosity hair loses water quickly on its own; an efficient detergent removes the surface oils that were slowing that down.

PubChem
- sulfate cleanser
- cleanser
5 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
6 Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

General function
A clay thickener that suspends particles and gives creams their body.

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
Absorbs oil and adds texture, which is what gives fine hair grip at the root instead of slip.

May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
An absorbent solid takes up oil, and hair already short of it has less to give.

PubChem
- clay
- thickener
▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
7 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
8 Cocamide DEA

General function
A coconut-derived thickener and foam stabiliser, largely replaced by MEA and MIPA forms.

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
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.
- secondary cleanser
- nonionic cleanser
- thickener
9 DMDM Hydantoin
- formaldehyde releaser
- preservative
10 Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose

General function
A cellulose thickener used for slip and light hold in gels and creams.

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
A polysaccharide film stays softer than a synthetic one as it dries, which is what leaves a curl defined but still able to move.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
A soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what helps flyaways lie down.

May not suitMaximum-hold styling
Gum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.
- gum
- thickener
- film former
11 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
12 Sodium Citrate

General function
Used with citric acid to hold the formula at a steady, slightly acidic pH. It also binds a little hard-water mineral.

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.

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
- hard-water chelator
13 Sodium Chloride
- salt
- thickener
14 Titanium Dioxide

General function
A white mineral pigment that makes a product opaque or pearly.

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
A violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.
- colourant
- opacifier
- mineral
15 Blue 1
- colourant
- direct dye
- blue dye

What the whole list adds up to

4 thickeners
3 cleansers
2 sulfate cleansers
2 secondary cleansers
2 pH adjusters
2 hard-water chelators
2 colourants
1 active
1 solvent
1 amphoteric cleanser
1 clay
1 fragrance
1 declared fragrance
1 nonionic cleanser

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-24. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 11 oz

Seen at $23.24 1 store · checked Aug 30

Good value under $5 Under $0.49/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 $5 line; products that do this job typically go for about $6 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 11 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores

Target
$7.99

11 oz · $0.73/oz

Aug 21Lowest per oz
Origin Beauty
$23.24

11 oz · $2.11/oz

Aug 30

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

How we work this out

11 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 $23.24 is the price we have observed for the 11 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $5 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.49/oz; at 11 oz that is $5. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $6 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 11 oz.

Formula

Formula score

6 of 10

Both the formula and the price land mid-range: it covers the core of what a shampoo does and costs about what shampoos cost per ounce.

How the score is counted

1 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
Costs more per ounce than 62% of the 1544 shampoos we’ve priced
No slip for detangling in the formula
Reviewers mention 3 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 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.

EquateLowest cost per oz Medicated Dandruff Shampoo with Menthol $0.44/oz $1.67/oz less

Scalp active
Protein-free
Deep clean

· Same function

Differs: Mint scent

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

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits

Best user

Flaking scalps, looking for an over-the-counter scalp active and a protein-free formula

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, sulfate-free routines and fresh keratin treatments, or dry or damaged hair

Best alternative if not

Equate Medicated Dandruff Shampoo with Menthol 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, 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.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

Maximum-strength anti-dandruff shampoo with 1% selenium sulfide

A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.

—

Stated by brand

Only the brand’s testing shows this.

Helps prevent and eliminate itchy scalp and visible flakes

It carries an over-the-counter anti-dandruff active.

Selenium Sulfide

Supported

A recognised active does the work.

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.

Effective at reducing scalp itching and visible flaking

A small amount is sufficient per use; many use it as-needed rather than daily

Aloe content appreciated for a moisturizing feel compared to typical medicated shampoos

reviewers with dry or sensitive scalp

Some report it can strip color from color-treated hair

reviewers with dyed hair

Thorough rinsing is needed or a faint medicated odor can linger

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 (3 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
Ingredient references are linked for 6 of 10 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 2026-10-19.