head-shoulders Head & Shoulders Clean & Balanced Shampoo
head-shoulders Head & Shoulders Clean & Balanced Shampoo lists 16 ingredients on its label, 16 decoded. See what each one does, its irritancy and comedogenic tendency, and its status in national inventories.
Ingredients overview
Label order. Colour is our internal rating: green routine, yellow restricted or worth a look, red prohibited or high-risk, grey not yet decoded.
Ingredients are listed in label order; the order reflects the label only, not exact concentrations.
- Water
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Sodium Chloride
- Glycol Distearate
- Zinc Carbonate
- Sodium Xylenesulfonate
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Zinc Pyrithione
- Fragrance
- Dimethicone
- Sodium Benzoate
- Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
- Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide
- Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- Methylisothiazolinone
Highlights
Free of alcoholFree of parabensFree of mineral oilFree of essential oilsFree of formaldehyde releasersContains sulfatesContains PEGContains EU-26 allergensContains fragranceContains silicones
Formulation view Strong cleansing shampoo using SLS/SLES with betaine for lathering, reducing irritation. Active core is zinc pyrithione and zinc carbonate for scalp balance. Dimethicone added for smoothness. Ideal for seborrheic scalp. Formulator note: MIT/CIT preservative system requires allergy vigilance; high stripping power necessitates post-rinse hydration to maintain barrier.
Key ingredients
- ANTIPLAQUE
- Water
- CLEANSING
- Sodium Lauryl SulfateSodium Laureth Sulfate
- BULKING
- Sodium Chloride
- SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT
- Glycol Distearate
- OPACIFYING
- Zinc Carbonate
- SURFACTANT - HYDROTROPE
- Sodium Xylenesulfonate
- ANTISTATIC
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Other ingredients
Zinc PyrithioneFragranceDimethiconeSodium BenzoateGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideMagnesium Carbonate HydroxideMethylchloroisothiazolinoneMethylisothiazolinone
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ANTIPLAQUE, SKIN CONDITIONING, SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Lauryl Sulfate | CLEANSING, DENATURANT, FOAMING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 4 · 0 | Yellow |
| Sodium Laureth Sulfate | CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, FOAMING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 2 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Chloride | BULKING, FRAGRANCE, ORAL CARE, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glycol Distearate | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, OPACIFYING, SKIN CONDITIONING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 1 | Green |
| Zinc Carbonate | OPACIFYING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Xylenesulfonate | SURFACTANT - HYDROTROPE | 2 · 0 | Green |
| Cocamidopropyl Betaine | ANTISTATIC, CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, HAIR CONDITIONING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Zinc Pyrithione | ANTI-SEBORRHEIC, ANTI-SEBUM, HAIR CONDITIONING, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 Annex II/1670 | 0 · 0 | Yellow |
| Fragrance | 矫味剂,增香剂 | — | Yellow |
| Dimethicone | ANTIFOAMING, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SKIN CONDITIONING, SKIN PROTECTING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Benzoate | ANTICORROSIVE, FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/1 | 0 · – | Yellow |
| Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride | ANTISTATIC, FILM FORMING, SKIN CONDITIONING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide | BINDING, BUFFERING, BULKING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Methylchloroisothiazolinone | PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/39 | 2 · – | Yellow |
| Methylisothiazolinone | PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/57 V/39 | 5 · 0 | Yellow |
Ingredients explained
- Water
- Primary solvent and base; requires preservative system to prevent microbial growth
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- Strong anionic surfactant, high foam; high irritation risk, avoid in sensitive formulas.
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Common anionic surfactant, strong foam but drying; check cationic compatibility, high eye irritation
- Sodium Chloride
- Salt for gel viscosity control; used as precipitant in soaps
- Glycol Distearate
- Glycol distearate for thickening and emulsification; non-ionic, improves viscosity
- Zinc Carbonate
- White powder for opacity in powder or SPF formulas.
- Sodium Xylenesulfonate
- Solubilizer and hydrotrope; higher irritation than standard non-ionics; avoid oral contact.
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Cocamidopropyl betaine; zwitterionic co-surfactant reducing irritation and boosting foam, common in mild cleansers.
- Zinc Pyrithione
- Anti-dandruff active for exfoliation, anti-sebum, and hair conditioning. Restricted in EU to 0.2% in cosmetics. Low irritancy.
- Fragrance
- Fragrance; concentration must control allergen risk, label specific components
- Dimethicone
- Silicone occlusive at 1–5%; provides smooth feel, non-penetrating, suitable for sensitive skin
- Sodium Benzoate
- Preservative booster, effective below pH 4.5; combinable with sorbates
- Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
- Cationic guar derivative for antistatic, film-forming, viscosity control; common in hair/skin conditioning
- Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide
- Absorbs oil and buffers pH in dry powders; requires dispersion in aqueous systems
- Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- Preservative (MCI); highly sensitizing, use only in rinse-off, avoid leave-on products.
- Methylisothiazolinone
- Strong preservative; high allergy risk, EU restricted for leave-on products, high formulation risk
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-20. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
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