Passes all four red flags. 3 ingredients to watch.
Grade
AYour red flags
BConsumer Reports strict
AEvidence only
−7 from evidence
Passes all four red flags. No fragrance, sulfates, silicones or contested preservatives.
Ingredients, in label order
Explain every ingredient
- Pyrithione Zinc 1% (active) — Watch, EU-banned active. The anti-dandruff drug active. Banned in EU cosmetics since 2022 over animal reproductive data. Still allowed by the FDA. Evidence: mixed.
- Water — Neutral. A structural ingredient, such as water, a thickener, a pH adjuster, an oil or a common preservative. No concern at normal levels.
- Lauramidopropyl Betaine — Watch, Betaine surfactant. A common mild surfactant. Allergy cases are usually traced to manufacturing impurities. Evidence: weak.
- Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate — Good, Mild cleanser. A gentle surfactant. Cleans without stripping the scalp.
- Polyquaternium-10 — Watch, Quat conditioner. A conditioning agent that breaks down slowly in water. Consumer Reports' stricter list flags quats. Evidence: weak.
- Acrylates Copolymer — Neutral. A structural ingredient, such as water, a thickener, a pH adjuster, an oil or a common preservative. No concern at normal levels.
- Sodium Benzoate — Neutral. A structural ingredient, such as water, a thickener, a pH adjuster, an oil or a common preservative. No concern at normal levels.
- Citric Acid — Neutral. A structural ingredient, such as water, a thickener, a pH adjuster, an oil or a common preservative. No concern at normal levels.
Watch-outs
- Regulation gapZinc pyrithione has been banned in EU cosmetics since 2022 but is still FDA-approved. Worth using only if you have dandruff.
Score breakdown
| Starting score | 100 |
| Betaine surfactant | −3 |
| Zinc pyrithione (EU-banned) | −4 |
| Score | 93 → A |
|---|
Where to buy
| Store | Size | Price | Per wash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | 13.5 oz | $9.99 | $0.22/wash |
| Drugstores | 13.5 oz | — | — |