Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo Versus MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo

See how these products line up with your preferences

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo versus MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo .

Published on September 18, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe shampoos. They have a total of 14 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils and silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Try a different comparison

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo

Shampoo American Brand United States

Shampoo Brand

Shampoo

Detergent or soap for cleansing the hair.

Shampoo

Detergent or soap for cleansing the hair.

Price

Shop

Buy Medium Hair Shampoo

Starts at $32.00

Shop

Buy Smoothing Shampoo

Starts at $64.50

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo 40 ingredients

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo 37 ingredients

alcohol-free

silicon-free

fragrance-free

sulfate-free

paraben-free

oil-free

fungal-acne safe

reef-safe

eu-allergen-free

vegan

cruelty-free

alcohol-free

silicon-free

fragrance-free

sulfate-free

paraben-free

oil-free

fungal-acne safe

reef-safe

eu-allergen-free

vegan

cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo 40 ingredients

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo 37 ingredients

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating (2)

Reduces Irritation

Anti-Aging

Scar Healing

Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying (3)

May Worsen Oily Skin

Acne Trigger (2)

Irritating (3)

Rosacea (3)

Eczema (3)

Benefits

Hydrating (2)

Brightening

Concerns

Drying

May Worsen Oily Skin (2)

Acne Trigger (2)

Irritating

Rosacea (2)

Eczema (4)

Join our community

Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.

Join SkinSort

Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo 40 ingredients

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo 37 ingredients

Water • Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate • Cocamidopropyl Betaine • Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate • Cocamide Mipa • Glycol Distearate • Parfum • Amodimethicone • Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride • Glycerin • Citrus Japonica Fruit Extract • Panthenol • Hydrolyzed Keratin • Polyquaternium-7 • Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil • Cocos Nucifera Oil • Peg-150 Distearate • Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate • Cetrimonium Chloride • C11-15 Pareth-7 • Laureth-9 • Trideceth-12 • Cocoglucosides Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride • Acrylates Copolymer • Tocopherol • Peg-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate • Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate • Disodium EDTA • Citric Acid • Sodium Chloride • Sodium Hydroxide • Tetrasodium EDTA • Phenoxyethanol • Sodium Benzoate • Potassium Sorbate • Benzyl Alcohol • Benzyl Salicylate • Limonene • Hexyl Cinnamal • CI 15985

Water • Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate • Cocamidopropyl Betaine • Acrylates Copolymer • Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate • Parfum • Myristyl Lactate • Lactobacillus/Eriodictyon Californicum Ferment Extract • Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate • Glycerin • Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate • Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil • Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil • Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol • Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate • Phospholipids • Amodimethicone • Polyquaternium-7 • C12-14 Sec-Pareth-7 • Peg-120 Methyl Glucose Trioleate • Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate Dimethicone • Propylene Glycol • Caprylyl Glycol • Citric Acid • Dehydroacetic Acid • Tetrasodium EDTA • Glyceryl Stearate • Propanediol • Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine • Sodium Hydroxide • Chlorphenesin • Benzyl Alcohol • Sodium Benzoate • Phenoxyethanol • Potassium Sorbate • Linalool • Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

Loading ingredients...

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Water

What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Community Rating: Loved

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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 1.

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 1.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

What it does: Cleansing

Community Rating: Disliked

Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine. Dimethylaminopropylamine is a diamine, an amine with two amino groups.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.

Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.

While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.

Learn more about Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 3.

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 3.

Parfum

What it does: Masking, Perfuming

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, 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.

In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term '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. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.

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 Parfum

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 7.

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 6.

Amodimethicone

What it does:

Community Rating: Disliked

Amodimethicone is a type of silicone.

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 8.

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 17.

Glycerin

What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent

Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 10.

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 10.

Polyquaternium-7

What it does:

Polyquaternium-7 is a light to clear colored liquid. It is commonly found in haircare products for its film-forming and anti-static properties.

According to a manufacturer, it is a non-paraben and specially developed for negatively charged surfactant systems. This makes it a great hairstyle holder and helps to improve wet hair detangling without adding buildup.

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 14.

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 18.

Acrylates Copolymer

What it does:

Community Rating: Disliked

Acrylates Copolymer is used as a film-forming agent and texture enhancer.

After applied, Acrylates Copolymer forms a thin film cover that helps skin feel more soft. It can help sunscreens become more water-resistant.

It is also used to make a product more thick.

Learn more about Acrylates Copolymer

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 24.

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 4.

Citric Acid

What it does: Buffering, Masking

Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 29.

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 24.

Sodium Hydroxide

What it does: Buffering

Community Rating: Mixed

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 31.

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 30.

Tetrasodium EDTA

What it does:

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Tetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.

Tetrasodium EDTA comes as a white solid and is soluble in water.

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 32.

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 26.

Phenoxyethanol

What it does: Preservative

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 33.

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 34.

Sodium Benzoate

What it does: Masking, Preservative

Community Rating: Disliked

Sodium 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.

Sodium Benzoate 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 Benzoate

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 34.

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 33.

Potassium Sorbate

What it does: Preservative

Community Rating: Disliked

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

Potassium sorbate is potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

Potassium sorbate is often used with stronger preservatives.

Learn more about Potassium Sorbate

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 35.

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 35.

Benzyl Alcohol

What it does: Perfuming, Preservative, Solvent

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.

Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.

Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.

Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.

Other types of astringent alcohols include:

According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.

Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.

Learn more about Benzyl Alcohol

Ouai Medium Hair Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 36.

MoroccanOil Smoothing Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 32.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.