Suave Silk Protein Infusion Sleek & Smooth Shampoo — 12.6oz

Sizes & containers

12.6oz

28oz

12.6oz · $2.97 at one store · UPC 079400488787

Suave

Silk Protein Infusion Sleek & Smooth Shampoo

Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning

Shampoo
Moisture-rich
Lightweight

Size12.6ozusual store size · 2 sizes

Price$2.97 Good valueseen at one store · 12.6 oz

Price / oz$0.24/ozat 12.6 oz

Where to buy1 store · $2.97–2.97

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

Scent:

Reviewers describe it as fresh.

Manufacturer page: suave.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types All types Not in your profile

Moisture level High Not in your profile

Cleansing strength Strong Not in your profile

Slip / detangling Moderate Not in your profile

Weight on hair Light Not in your profile

Fragrance Prominent 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

Scent Fresh & airyStrength not recorded 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 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 26 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.

Lower cost than most shampoos

$0.24/oz at 12.6 oz, less than 97% of the 1544 shampoos , which mostly run $0.79–3.04/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash

Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front

Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit

Fine hairthat flattens under most products

Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

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

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent

Sulfate-free routinesit uses a sulfate detergent

Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove

Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans

Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you

Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel

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 Moderate

Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list.

Water-binding (humectants) High

Humectants near the top: binding water is one of its main jobs.

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 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 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 ALKETH SULFATE AND/OR SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE	sulfate cleanser	—	Cleanses
Cocamidopropyl Betaine	amphoteric cleanser	—	Cleanses
Glycerin	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
Citric Acid	pH adjuster	Fine-tunes the pH	pH balancer
Dimethiconol	silicone	A little smoothing and shine	Buildup
Sodium Chloride	salt	Adjusts the texture	Stabilizes
FragranceFRAGRANCE (PARFUM)	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Silk Amino Acids	protein	A small amount of protein	Protein
Hydrolyzed Silk	film former	A supporting film former	Protein
Benzyl Salicylate	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Hexyl Cinnamal	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo drying alcohols. Contains fragrance. The silicones here need a detergent wash to come off. Chelators for hard water.

Full ingredient list (26)

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 ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
2 Sodium Laureth Sulfate · SODIUM C12-13 ALKETH 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 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.

Indian Journal of Dermatology
- 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 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
Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.

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
▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
5 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
6 Dimethiconol

General function
A high-shine silicone often paired with dimethicone for a smoother, glossier finish.

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
Lays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.

PubChem
- silicone
- emollient
7 Sodium Chloride

General function
Table salt. In shampoo it is used to thicken the liquid, not to treat the hair.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChem
- salt
- thickener
8 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
9 Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
10 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
11 Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride

General function
A conditioning polymer made from guar bean gum. It deposits during rinsing, which is why sulfate shampoos can still leave hair soft.

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

May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

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
12 TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate

General function
A strong detergent used mainly in clarifying and deep-cleansing shampoos.

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
Cleansing is what lifts deposited films off the strand. How completely depends on which detergent it is and how high on the list it sits.

DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair
Every detergent removes some sebum along with the product it is there to wash out. Which detergent it is matters more than that there is one.

PubChem
- cleanser
13 PPG-9

General function
A light carrier that keeps a formula flexible and helps other 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 adds less weight than oils or butters do.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- humectant
- solvent
14 Disodium EDTA

General function
Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise the formula.

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

May 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
15 PEG-45m
- thickener
16 Tocopheryl Acetate
- antioxidant
- vitamin
17 Silk Amino Acids

General function
Silk protein broken into amino acids, used for slip and shine rather than strength.

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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

DependsProtein-sensitive hair
The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.
- protein
- amino acid
18 Niacinamide

General function
Vitamin B3, used in scalp products for conditioning claims.

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

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

PubChem
- vitamin
- conditioning agent
19 Ascorbic Acid
- antioxidant
- vitamin
20 Hydrolyzed Silk

General function
A light protein used for slip and shine rather than strength.

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
21 Benzyl Salicylate

General function
A soft floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.

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
One 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.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
22 Hexyl Cinnamal

General function
A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

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
One 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.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
23 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 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
One 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.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
24 Linalool

General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.

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
One 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.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
25 Mica (Ci 77019)

General function
A certified colour that tints the product itself. It does not colour hair.

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
26 Titanium Dioxide · TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891)

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

What the whole list adds up to

5 fragrances
4 named fragrance allergens
3 cleansers
3 thickeners
3 vitamins
2 solvents
2 humectants
2 hard-water chelators
2 polymers
2 film formers
2 antioxidants
2 proteins
2 colourants
1 sulfate cleanser

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-12. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 12.6 oz

Seen at $2.97 1 store · checked Oct 10

Good value under $3 Under $0.21/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 $3 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $3 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 12.6 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 1 store

Suave (brand site)
$2.97

12.6 oz · $0.24/oz

Oct 10Lowest per oz
Suave (brand site)
$2.97

12.6 oz · $0.24/oz

Oct 10
Suave (brand site)
$2.97

12.6 oz · $0.24/oz

Oct 7
Suave (brand site)
$2.97

12.6 oz · $0.24/oz

Oct 10

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

12.6 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 $2.97 is the price we have observed for the 12.6 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $3 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.21/oz; at 12.6 oz that is $3. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $3 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 12.6 oz.

Formula

Formula score

8 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 97% of the 1544 shampoos we’ve priced
Covers 5 of the 7 things a shampoo should do
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 Smoothing Keratin Shampoo for Hair Care to Control Frizz $0.11/oz $0.13/oz less

Deep clean
Hard water
Alcohol-free

· Same function

Differs: 25 oz bottle

Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

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

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person

Best user

Scalps that oil up within a day, for a proper reset wash and moisture that stays in

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, sulfate-free routines and fresh keratin treatments, or curly-method routines

Best alternative if not

Equate Smoothing Keratin Shampoo for Hair Care to Control Frizz 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

48 hour frizz control

Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.

Dimethiconol
Carbomer
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride

Supported

Smoother strands, less frizz.

Infused with QuenchLock Technology

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

Glycerin
Dimethiconol
PPG-9

Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

Designed for dry or damaged hair

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

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.

Buyers of the big 28 oz bottle say it lasts a long time and works for the whole household, which they see as good value.

Reviewers of the large size, often family households

A frequent comment is that hair comes out soft, smooth and easy to comb without tangles, for thin fly-away hair and thicker hair alike.

Reviewers with thin and thick hair, including family use

Reviewers like the fresh, pleasant scent and the generous lather, and say it leaves hair feeling clean even after a day at the beach.

General reviewers, several comparing it favourably with other budget shampoos

How this page was made

Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one product.
The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
7 sources consulted for this product (2 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-10-13.
Ingredient references are linked for 12 of 20 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
Formula readings: derivation v23. Record last updated 2026-10-12.