Head & Shoulders Professional Advanced Itch Care Shampoo Versus Head & Shoulders Cool Menthol Anti Dandruff Shampoo
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Xylenesulfonate
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium C10-15 Pareth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPiroctone Olamine
Preservative
Acrylates Copolymer
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Tetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Xylenesulfonate, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Sodium C10-15 Pareth Sulfate, Sodium Citrate, Piroctone Olamine, Acrylates Copolymer, Cocamide Mea, Citric Acid, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Salicylate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, CI 42090, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Zinc Carbonate
Sodium Xylenesulfonate
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Zinc Pyrithione
Antiseborrhoeic
Parfum
Masking
Menthol
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Carbonate Hydroxide
BufferingMethylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Glycol Distearate, Dimethicone, Zinc Carbonate, Sodium Xylenesulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Zinc Pyrithione, Parfum, Menthol, Sodium Benzoate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, CI 42090, CI 17200
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ci 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
This ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.
SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.
Learn more about Sodium Laureth SulfateWe don't have a description for Sodium Xylenesulfonate yet.
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
