Refreshing shampoo gently refreshes hair
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Suave
Refreshing Shampoo Ocean Breeze
Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning
- Shampoo
- gel
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Lightweight
Size22.5 fl oz
Priceabout $2commonly seen · 22.5 oz
Price / oz$0.09/ozat 22.5 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $1.97–2.49
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
Reviewers describe it as aquatic, fresh cedarwood, watery jasmine.
“Watery jasmine and fresh cedarwood scent.” (Brand page)
Strength: Strong
Listing used for research: target.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 23 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.
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
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
Scent
Fresh & airyStrong strength
Not in your profile
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Sulfates
Sulfate detergent
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
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
High
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
pH adjusted
Adjusted
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
19 ingredientsAbout average
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.
Your avoid-list
Lower cost than most shampoos
$0.09/oz at 22.5 oz, less than 100% of the 1544 shampoos , which mostly run $0.79–3.04/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit
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 strong 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
Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel
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)
Moderate
Humectants in the working part of the formula.
Scalp active
None
No over-the-counter scalp active.
Hard-water defence
Chelators present
Contains chelators, which bind hard-water and pool minerals.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterWater (Aqua) | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Sodium Laureth SulfateSodium C12-13 Pareth Sulfate and/or Sodium Laureth Sulfate | sulfate cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Cocamidopropyl Betaine | amphoteric cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Sodium Chloride | salt | Thickens the formula | Stabilizes |
| Sodium Benzoate | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| FragranceFragrance (Parfum) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Citric Acid | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
| Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose | gum | Adds body and a little hold | Holds |
| Benzyl Salicylate | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Citronellol | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Hexyl Cinnamal | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Limonene | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no silicones or drying alcohols. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Hard-water chelators are present.
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
· 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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
· Sodium C12-13 Pareth Sulfate and/or Sodium Laureth Sulfate
General function
A strong, high-foaming cleanser and the most common shampoo detergent. It removes oil and product efficiently, which can be more than dry or colour-treated hair wants.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Indian Journal of DermatologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesA 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 hairFine hair that goes limp under conditioning films usually reads a full detergent wash as volume returning.
May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoarse and high-porosity hair loses water quickly on its own; an efficient detergent removes the surface oils that were slowing that down.
- sulfate 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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Indian Journal of DermatologyMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesThe mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairAmong 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.
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
-
4
Sodium Chloride
General function
Table salt. In shampoo it is used to thicken the liquid, not to treat the hair.
Supporting ingredientPubChemListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- salt
- thickener
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
5
Sodium Benzoate
General function
A food-grade preservative that works only in acidic formulas, which is why it usually appears alongside citric acid.
Estimated lower-concentration zonePubChemIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- preservative
-
6
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 zoneIt 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 routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
7
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 zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesHolds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe 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 hairWhere a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
8
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
General function
A cellulose thickener used for slip and light hold in gels and creams.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt 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 holdA 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 hairA soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what helps flyaways lie down.
May not suitMaximum-hold stylingGum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.
- gum
- thickener
- film former
-
9
Disodium EDTA
General function
Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise the formula.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesBinds 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 hairCopper 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.
- hard-water chelator
-
10
PPG-9
General function
A light carrier that keeps a formula flexible and helps other ingredients spread.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt 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 hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA 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
-
11
Propylene Glycol
General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA 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
-
12
Tocopheryl Acetate
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
13
Benzyl Salicylate
General function
A soft floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
14
Citronellol
General function
A rose-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
15
Hexyl Cinnamal
General function
A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
16
Limonene
General function
A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to it.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
17
Linalool
General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
18
Blue 1 (CI 42090)
General function
A certified colour used to tint the product itself, not the hair.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt 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 hairA 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
- direct dye
- blue dye
-
19
Yellow 5
· Yellow 5 (CI 19140)
General function
A certified colour added to tint the product itself. It does not colour hair.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt 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 hairA 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
What the whole list adds up to
- 6 fragrances
- 5 named fragrance allergens
- 3 solvents
- 2 cleansers
- 2 thickeners
- 2 hard-water chelators
- 2 humectants
- 2 colourants
- 1 sulfate cleanser
- 1 amphoteric cleanser
- 1 secondary cleanser
- 1 salt
- 1 preservative
- 1 declared fragrance
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-16. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 22.5 oz
Commonly seen
about $2
Good value under
$2
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $2 line; products that do this job typically go for about $6 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 4 stores
-
Target
$1.9922.5 oz · $0.09/ozSep 17Lowest per oz
-
Hy-Vee
$1.9722.5 oz · $0.09/ozSep 17
-
Target (target.com)
$1.9922.5 oz · $0.09/ozSep 16
-
ShopRite
$2.4922.5 oz · $0.11/ozSep 17
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. and 2 listings we don’t count, from grey-market or unverified sellers.
How we work this out
- 22.5 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.
- Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 22.5 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
- Good value under $2 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.10/oz; at 22.5 oz that is $2. 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 22.5 oz.
Formula
7
Formula score
7 of 10
Not the most complete shampoo formula we have read, but it is under most of the range for shampoos per ounce.
How the score is counted
- Costs less per ounce than 100% of the 1544 shampoos we’ve priced
- No slip for detangling in the formula
- Reviewers mention 2 recurring complaints
- Value tier, sold at Grocery / mass
- 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
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.
SuaveLowest cost per oz
Sun Ripened Strawberry Shampoo
$0.09/oz
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Hard water
- Differs
SuaveSame function
Nourishing Shampoo Tropical Coconut
$0.10/oz $0.01/oz more
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Hard water
- Differs
Wella ProfessionalsSame function
Oil Reflections Luminous Reveal Shampoo
$1.54/oz $1.45/oz more
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Hard water
- Differs
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 suitsBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and a proper reset wash
Biggest tradeoff
Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, sulfate-free routines and fresh keratin treatments, or dry or damaged hair
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.
Claims check
What the brand says, and what the formula shows
Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.
0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Infused with Sea Algae Extract and Vitamin E
A named-ingredient story. What matters is where those sit in the list — see the ingredients table.
- Tocopheryl Acetate
Stated by brand
Check the position, not the name.
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.
Reviewers repeatedly single out the ocean/aquatic scent as long-lasting and the product's main selling point at its price.
general reviewersA minority of reviewers say the formula is drying or has a strong alcohol-like smell that is not to their taste.
reviewers sensitive to scent or drying formulasOne reviewer objected to a listed ingredient (benzyl salicylate), citing concerns it is linked to frontal fibrosing alopecia, and criticized reformulations that pushed active botanicals lower on the ingredient list.
an ingredient-conscious reviewerMore from Suave
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.
- 5 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 4 editorial), last checked 2026-09-17.
- Ingredient references are linked for 10 of 15 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 2026-09-17.
