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Sun Bum

Revitalizing Detox Scalp Scrub

Scalp treatment

  • Scalp treatment
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size6 fl oz
Price$16–17 Good valuecommonly seen · 6 oz
Price / oz$2.83/ozat 6 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $15.29–16.99

Scent:

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

Manufacturer page: sunbum.com

Personal fit

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Lower cost than most scalp treatments

$2.83/oz at 6 oz — less than 79% of the 152 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.22–20.64/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Nothing in the formula stands out either way.

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

Whether this much richness is right for you depends on your strand thickness, porosity, and how easily your hair flattens — 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.

Slip and detangling Moderate

Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Water-binding (humectants) High

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

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Fragrance Prominent

Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — 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. 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
Glycerin humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Sucrose humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate mild anionic cleanser — Cleanses
Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Agave Tequilana Leaf Extract botanical extract A trace plant extract Neutral
Apple Cider Vinegarvinegar pH adjuster Fine-tunes the pH pH balancer
musa sapientum flower (banana) extract — — Neutral
musa sapientum fruit (banana) extract — — Neutral
Benzyl Benzoate fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesContains fragrance.
Full ingredient list (18)

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 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.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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
  • 2 Sucrose
    General function

    Table sugar, used as a humectant and, in scrubs, as a physical exfoliant.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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

    A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.

    PubChem
    • humectant
  • 3 Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
    General function

    A mild cleanser that keeps foaming in hard water and rinses cleanly.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    The detergent class most curl routines are built around: it lathers and cleanses without stripping the strand back to bare.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    A gentler detergent leaves more of the surface oil that slows water loss from coarse or porous hair.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

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

    • mild anionic cleanser
    • cleanser
  • ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 4 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
  • 5 Agave Tequilana Leaf Extract
    General function

    An extract from the leaf of Agave Tequilana. Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.

    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.

    • botanical extract
  • 6 Apple Cider Vinegar · vinegar
    General function

    Dilute acetic acid from fermented apples, used to bring a rinse to an acidic pH so the cuticle lies flatter. The effect comes from the acid, not from the apples.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

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

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

    • pH adjuster
  • 7 musa sapientum flower (banana) extract
  • 8 musa sapientum fruit (banana) extract
  • 9 musa sapientum leaf (banana) extract
  • 10 musa sapientum peel (banana) extract
  • 11 Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 12 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
  • 13 Benzyl Benzoate
    General function

    A fragrance component with a faint balsamic scent, named separately on the label because it is 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
  • 14 Aminomethyl Propanol
    General function

    A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic hold polymers so they thicken and set properly.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

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

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

    PubChem
    • pH adjuster
  • 15 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
  • 16 Water
    • solvent
  • 17 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 18 Ethylhexylglycerin
    General function

    A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

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

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

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    PubChem
    • preservative
    • emollient

What the whole list adds up to

  • 2 humectants
  • 2 fragrances
  • 2 botanical extracts
  • 2 pH adjusters
  • 2 polymers
  • 2 preservatives
  • 1 mild anionic cleanser
  • 1 cleanser
  • 1 declared fragrance
  • 1 conditioning agent
  • 1 gum
  • 1 named fragrance allergen
  • 1 thickener
  • 1 film former

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-16. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 6 oz

Commonly seen $16–17 Midpoint $16.99 · 3 stores · checked Sep 17
Good value under $24 Under $4.04/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 $24 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $35 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 4 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. 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.
  2. Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 6 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 $24 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $4.04/oz; at 6 oz that is $24. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $35 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 6 oz.

Formula

Formula score
4 of 10

It costs less per ounce than most scalp treatments, and the formula leaves out conditioning agents up front — which is part of what a scalp treatment is normally built around.

How the score is counted
  • 1 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 79% of the 152 scalp treatments we’ve priced
  • No conditioning agents up front in the formula
  • No oils or butters in the working zone either
  • Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.3 pts
  • Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
  • Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.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.

CantuLowest cost per oz Guava & Ginger Scalp Exfoliating Pre-Poo Treatment $1.40/oz $1.43/oz less
  • Budget
· Close function
Function
  • Film formers
Also
  • Drugstore tier
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?

Only for a specific need
Best user

Nothing in the formula narrows this to one kind of hair.

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or very humid climates, or anyone who wants to pick it up locally

Best alternative if not

Consider Cantu Guava & Ginger Scalp Exfoliating Pre-Poo Treatment, 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.

0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
gently cleanses and exfoliates the scalp

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

helps break down product buildup, dirt and excess oil

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

made with apple cider vinegar, sugar, and blue agave

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 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.

Many reviewers describe the tube's thick, dense texture as very difficult to squeeze out, calling it clay-like or concrete-like and requiring both hands.

Reviewers report their scalp feels noticeably refreshed and clean after use, often pairing it with the brand's hair mask or a regular conditioner afterward.

Several reviewers with long or thick hair report the scrub is hard to work through to reach the full scalp and does not rinse out easily, leaving a residue feel.

Reviewers frequently praise the scent as a strong beachy, sweet or fruity fragrance and often note it as their favorite part of the product.

More from Sun Bum

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 (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-09-17.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 5 of 10 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 2026-09-17.

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