Head and Shoulders clinical strength
Head and Shoulders head and shoulders clinical strength lists 21 ingredients on its label, 21 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.
- Selenium Sulfide
- Water
- Ammonium Laureth Sulfate
- Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
- Glycol Distearate
- Cocamide MEA
- Ammonium Xylenesulfonate
- Sodium Citrate
- Fragrance
- Dimethicone
- Cetyl Alcohol
- Citric Acid
- Sodium Chloride
- Sodium Benzoate
- Disodium EDTA
- Stearyl Alcohol
- Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
- Honey Extract
- Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- Methylisothiazolinone
- Red 4
Highlights
Free of alcoholFree of parabensFree of mineral oilFree of essential oilsFree of formaldehyde releasersContains sulfatesContains PEGContains EU-26 allergensContains fragranceContains siliconesContains animal-derived
Formulation view Ammonium-based surfactants with selenium sulfide for strong anti-dandruff action. Cocamide MEA and glycol distearate thicken, stearyl alcohol adjusts structure. Honey extract adds moisture, MIT/CMIT preservatives. Suitable for severe dandruff or seborrheic conditions; recommended for intermittent use.
Key ingredients
- ANTI-SEBORRHEIC
- Selenium Sulfide
- ANTIPLAQUE
- Water
- CLEANSING
- Ammonium Laureth SulfateAmmonium Lauryl Sulfate
- SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT
- Glycol Distearate
- SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING
- Cocamide MEA
- SURFACTANT - HYDROTROPE
- Ammonium Xylenesulfonate
- BUFFERING
- Sodium Citrate
Other ingredients
FragranceDimethiconeCetyl AlcoholCitric AcidSodium ChlorideSodium BenzoateDisodium EDTAStearyl AlcoholHydroxypropyl MethylcelluloseHoney ExtractMethylchloroisothiazolinoneMethylisothiazolinoneRed 4
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selenium Sulfide | ANTI-SEBORRHEIC, HAIR CONDITIONING · 限制 III/49 | 2 · – | Green |
| Water | ANTIPLAQUE, SKIN CONDITIONING, SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Ammonium Laureth Sulfate | CLEANSING, FOAMING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate | CLEANSING, FOAMING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 2 · 0 | Yellow |
| Glycol Distearate | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, OPACIFYING, SKIN CONDITIONING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 1 | Green |
| Cocamide MEA | SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · – | Yellow |
| Ammonium Xylenesulfonate | SURFACTANT - HYDROTROPE, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | — | Green |
| Sodium Citrate | BUFFERING, CHELATING, FRAGRANCE | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Fragrance | 矫味剂,增香剂 | — | Yellow |
| Dimethicone | ANTIFOAMING, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SKIN CONDITIONING, SKIN PROTECTING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Cetyl Alcohol | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, FRAGRANCE, OPACIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 1 · 1 | Green |
| Citric Acid | BUFFERING, CHELATING, FRAGRANCE | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Chloride | BULKING, FRAGRANCE, ORAL CARE, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Benzoate | ANTICORROSIVE, FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/1 | 0 · – | Yellow |
| Disodium EDTA | CHELATING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Stearyl Alcohol | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, EMULSION STABILISING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, FRAGRANCE, OPACIFYING, REFATTING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 3 | Green |
| Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose | ANTISTATIC, BINDING, EMULSION STABILISING, FILM FORMING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Honey Extract | HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING, FLAVOURING | 1 · – | Green |
| Methylchloroisothiazolinone | PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/39 | 2 · – | Yellow |
| Methylisothiazolinone | PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/57 V/39 | 5 · 0 | Yellow |
| Red 4 | 着色剂 | 0 · 0 | Green |
Ingredients explained
- Selenium Sulfide
- Selenium Sulfide; anti-seborrheic and antifungal, irritant with regulatory limits
- Water
- Primary solvent and base; requires preservative system to prevent microbial growth
- Ammonium Laureth Sulfate
- Mild anionic surfactant, SLS alternative; high levels may sting, cationics reduce foam
- Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
- Strong anionic surfactant; high foaming and stripping power. Can be irritating to eyes and damaged skin
- Glycol Distearate
- Glycol distearate for thickening and emulsification; non-ionic, improves viscosity
- Cocamide MEA
- Foam booster and thickener for cleansing products; 1-3%, check compatibility with anionic surfactants
- Ammonium Xylenesulfonate
- Gentle anionic surfactant for cleansing and conditioning; may cause stinging.
- Sodium Citrate
- Sodium citrate for buffering and chelating; adjust pH, careful with strong acid reactions.
- 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
- Cetyl Alcohol
- Cetyl alcohol for emulsification/thickening; high concentration >10% may irritate.
- Citric Acid
- Buffer and chelator at 0.1–2%; adjusts pH, may irritate sensitive skin at low pH
- Sodium Chloride
- Salt for gel viscosity control; used as precipitant in soaps
- Sodium Benzoate
- Preservative booster, effective below pH 4.5; combinable with sorbates
- Disodium EDTA
- Chelating agent at 0.05–0.5%; sequesters metal ions for stability, boosts preservative efficacy
- Stearyl Alcohol
- Stearic alcohol; fatty alcohol for emulsion thickening/structure, often blended with soaps, moderate comedogenicity.
- Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
- High polymer for thickening and film formation; water-soluble, used in physical sunscreens or gels, tacky at high levels
- Honey Extract
- Humectant and skin conditioning agent; hygroscopic, sensitive to pH.
- 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
- Red 4
- Synthetic dye for coloration; use within legal limits.
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-17. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
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