Fails on sulfate, fragrance, silicone, formaldehyde releaser, mi / mci preservative. 9 more ingredients to watch.
Grade
FYour red flags
FConsumer Reports strict
DEvidence only
−51 from evidence · −56 from preference
Capped at 0 (raw −7)
5 red flags found. Sulfate: Sodium Laureth Sulfate · Essential oil: Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil · Essential oil: Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil · Silicone: Dimethiconol · Fragrance: Fragrance (Parfum) · Formaldehyde releaser: DMDM Hydantoin · MI / MCI preservative: Methylchloroisothiazolinone · MI / MCI preservative: Methylisothiazolinone
Ingredients, in label order
Explain every ingredient
- Water (Aqua) — Neutral. A structural ingredient, such as water, a thickener, a pH adjuster, an oil or a common preservative. No concern at normal levels.
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate — Red flag, Sulfate. A strong detergent that strips oils and can irritate sensitive scalps. Your red flag.
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine — Watch, Betaine surfactant. A common mild surfactant. Allergy cases are usually traced to manufacturing impurities. Evidence: weak.
- Sodium Chloride — Neutral. A structural ingredient, such as water, a thickener, a pH adjuster, an oil or a common preservative. No concern at normal levels.
- Glycerin — Good, Moisturizer / soother. Hydrates or calms the scalp.
- Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil — Neutral. A structural ingredient, such as water, a thickener, a pH adjuster, an oil or a common preservative. No concern at normal levels.
- Prunus Amygdalus Amara (Bitter Almond) Kernel Oil — Neutral. A structural ingredient, such as water, a thickener, a pH adjuster, an oil or a common preservative. No concern at normal levels.
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter — Neutral. A structural ingredient, such as water, a thickener, a pH adjuster, an oil or a common preservative. No concern at normal levels.
- Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract — Good, Moisturizer / soother. Hydrates or calms the scalp.
- Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil — Red flag, Essential oil. Added for scent. Essential oils carry the same allergens as fragrance, such as limonene and linalool. Evidence: mixed.
- Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil — Red flag, Essential oil. Added for scent. Essential oils carry the same allergens as fragrance, such as limonene and linalool. Evidence: mixed.
- Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract — Watch, Plant extract. A botanical extract. Some, such as lavender, chamomile, calendula and holy basil, are aromatic or known allergens even in 'unscented' products. Evidence: weak.
- Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract — Watch, Plant extract. A botanical extract. Some are aromatic or known allergens. Evidence: weak.
- Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil — Neutral. A structural ingredient, such as water, a thickener, a pH adjuster, an oil or a common preservative. No concern at normal levels.
- Dimethiconol — Red flag, Silicone. Coats the hair shaft and can build up. Dimethicone and cyclic silicones break down slowly in the environment. Your red flag.
- Fragrance (Parfum) — Red flag, Fragrance. An undisclosed blend of scent chemicals. The most common cause of allergy to cosmetics. Evidence: strong.
- Carbomer — Neutral. A structural ingredient, such as water, a thickener, a pH adjuster, an oil or a common preservative. No concern at normal levels.
- Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride — Watch, Quat conditioner. A conditioning agent that breaks down slowly in water. Consumer Reports' stricter list flags quats. Evidence: weak.
- TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate — Watch, Harsh detergent. A strong synthetic detergent also used in household cleaners. Evidence: weak.
- 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.
- PPG-9 — Watch, Ethoxylated (PEG). Made with ethylene oxide, so it can carry traces of 1,4-dioxane. Consumer Reports' stricter list flags these. Evidence: mixed.
- Tetrasodium EDTA — Neutral. A structural ingredient, such as water, a thickener, a pH adjuster, an oil or a common preservative. No concern at normal levels.
- DMDM Hydantoin — Red flag, Formaldehyde releaser. Slowly releases formaldehyde, a known skin allergen. DMDM hydantoin was the subject of a 2021 class action over scalp irritation. Evidence: strong.
- PEG-45M — Watch, Ethoxylated (PEG). Made with ethylene oxide, so it can carry traces of 1,4-dioxane. Consumer Reports' stricter list flags these. Evidence: mixed.
- Methylchloroisothiazolinone — Red flag, MI / MCI preservative. A leading cause of preservative contact allergy. The EU restricts it in rinse-off products. Evidence: strong.
- Methylisothiazolinone — Red flag, MI / MCI preservative. A leading cause of preservative contact allergy. The EU restricts it in rinse-off products. Evidence: strong.
- Mica (CI 77019) — Watch, Colorant. Added only for looks. Low concern in rinse-off use. Evidence: weak.
- Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891) — Watch, Colorant. Added only for looks. Low concern in rinse-off use. Evidence: weak.
Watch-outs
- Private equityUnilever sold Suave North America to Yellow Wood Partners in 2023.
- LawsuitA 2021 class action alleged that DMDM hydantoin in Suave Professionals caused scalp irritation and hair loss.
Score breakdown
| Starting score | 100 |
| Fragrance + Essential oils | −26 |
| Sulfate (SLES) | −15 |
| Harsh detergent | −6 |
| Silicone (dimethiconol) | −15 |
| Formaldehyde releaser (DMDM) | −20 |
| MI/MCI preservative | −15 |
| Betaine surfactant | −3 |
| PEG | −3 |
| Colorants | −4 |
| Score | 0 → F |
|---|
Capped at 0 (raw −7)
Where to buy
| Store | Size | Price | Per wash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everywhere | — | — | — |
Shopper notes
- Brand history: some Suave aerosol dry shampoos were in Unilever's 2022 benzene recall. This liquid shampoo was not affected.