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Urban Hydration

Jamaican Castor Oil Co-Wash & Conditioner

Co-wash / Low-lather cleanser, lightly conditioning

  • Co-wash
  • Moisture-rich
Size16.9 oz
Price$9.99 Good valueseen at one store · 16.9 oz
Price / oz$0.59/ozat 16.9 oz
Where to buy1 store

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

Listing used for research: heb.com

Personal fit

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Lower cost than most co-washes

$0.59/oz at 16.9 oz, less than 93% of the 98 co-washes , which mostly run $1.02–2.74/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Tight budgetsit sits in the lower price tiers

Maybe skip if

Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you

Whether washing without detergent suits you depends on how oily your scalp gets and how much buildup you get. Your consultation answers that.

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 Some

Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners.

Oils and butters Present, lower down

Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch.

Water-binding (humectants) High

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

Needs detergent to remove Yes

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

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.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterWater (Aqua) solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Glycerin humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Beeswax wax Holds shape and adds weight Buildup
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate light ester Light slip without much weight Softens
Phenoxyethanol preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Essential Oils — — Neutral
DMDM Hydantoin formaldehyde releaser — Stabilizes
Ginger Extract botanical extract A trace plant extract Neutral
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesChelators for hard water.
Full ingredient list (17)

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 Glycerin
    General function

    Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.

    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
  • 3 Beeswax
    General function

    A firm natural wax that grips and holds hair in place. It resists water and can take repeated washing to remove.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

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

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.

    • wax
    • film former
    • sealant
  • 4 C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
    General function

    A dry-feeling ester used for a silky, non-greasy finish - a common silicone substitute.

    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

    A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

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

    Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.

    • light ester
    • emollient
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 5 Phenoxyethanol
    General function

    The most common modern preservative; it keeps the product free of bacteria and mould. It sits well below 1% of 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.

    PubChem
    • preservative
  • 6 Essential Oils
  • 7 DMDM Hydantoin
    General function

    A preservative that works by slowly releasing small amounts of formaldehyde; some brands avoid it for that reason.

    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
    • formaldehyde releaser
    • preservative
  • 8 Ginger Extract
    General function

    An extract of Ginger. 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
  • 9 Persea Gersea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil
  • 10 Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil · Sweet Almond Oil
    General function

    A medium-weight oil used for softness and slip.

    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

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

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

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 11 Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil · Argan Oil
    General function

    Argan oil. A medium-weight oil used for shine and softness on the outside of the strand.

    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

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

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

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 12 Aloe Barbadensis Leafjuice
  • 13 Panthenol · Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5)
    General function

    Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine 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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

    It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

    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.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • conditioning agent
    • vitamin
  • 14 Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
    General function

    A thick, tacky oil used for sealing ends and for slick, held-down styles.

    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

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

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

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 15 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
  • 16 Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 17 Retinyl Palmitate Vitamin A

What the whole list adds up to

  • 4 emollients
  • 3 oils
  • 2 humectants
  • 2 preservatives
  • 2 vitamins
  • 1 solvent
  • 1 wax
  • 1 film former
  • 1 sealant
  • 1 light ester
  • 1 formaldehyde releaser
  • 1 botanical extract
  • 1 conditioning agent
  • 1 hard-water chelator

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-11. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 16.9 oz

Seen at $9.99 1 store · checked Oct 11
Good value under $26 Under $1.52/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 $26 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $32 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store
  • H-E-B
    $9.99
    16.9 oz · $0.59/oz
    Oct 11Lowest per oz

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

How we work this out
  1. 16.9 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. Seen at $9.99 is the price we have observed for the 16.9 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $26 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.52/oz; at 16.9 oz that is $26. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $32 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 16.9 oz.

Formula

Formula score
4 of 10

It costs less per ounce than most co-washes, and the formula leaves out conditioning agents up front, which a co-wash is usually built around.

How the score is counted
  • Costs less per ounce than 93% of the 98 co-washes we’ve priced
  • No conditioning agents up front in the formula
  • No gentle or no detergent either
  • Drugstore tier
  • 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
  • Gentle or no detergentCleans without stripping the conditioning back off.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.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.

Urban HydrationLowest cost per oz Breath of Fresh Hair Kids Co-Wash & Conditioner $0.83/oz $0.24/oz more
  • Fragrance-free
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
· Close function
Function
  • Oils and butters
Compare
WEN by Chaz DeanClose function Pomegranate Cleansing Conditioner $2.00/oz $1.41/oz more
  • Sulfate-free
  • Gentle cleanse
  • Hard water
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Film formers
Also
  • Sweet scent
  • Cruelty-free
  • Salon tier
Compare
WEN by Chaz DeanClose function Fig Cleansing Conditioner $2.00/oz $1.41/oz more
  • Fragrance-free
  • Unscented
  • Sulfate-free
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Hard-water defence
  • Film formers
Also
  • Unscented
  • Cruelty-free
  • Salon tier
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

Built for wavy to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

Hair that craves moisture, looking for moisture that stays in and a hard-water chelator

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone stretching time between washes or very dry or very humid climates

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.

More from Urban Hydration

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.
  • 2 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-10-12.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 3 of 8 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.

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