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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo versus Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Conditioner .

Published on April 09, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe . They have a total of 9 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for oily skin

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols or parabens

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances, oils and sulfates

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

Shampoo American Brand United States
Conditioner American Brand United States

Shampoo

Detergent or soap for cleansing the hair.

Conditioner

Moisturizing agents for hair.

Price

Shop

Buy Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo

Starts at $18.00
Shop

Buy Tea Tree Special Conditioner

Starts at $16.90

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant 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

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Reduces Irritation

Concerns

Drying (3)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (3)

Notable Ingredients

AHA

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Scar Healing
Brightening

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (3)
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Ingredients Side-by-side

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

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
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

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 1.

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Antioxidant, Perfuming
Community Rating: Mixed

This tea tree oil comes from the leaves of the Tea Tree plant. Tea tree oil has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.

According to the book Journal of Profiles of Drug Substances, tea tree helps in reducing acne-causing bacteria such as Propionibacterium acnes. This is due to the Terpinen components of tea tree oil.

Tea tree may cause sensitivity and irritation for some people. This oil naturally contains fragrance such as linalool and limonene.

However, research shows irritation usually occurs when using pure tea tree oil and not in cosmetic products.

Tea tree oil was found to help relieve the symptoms of psoriasis in one study.

Tea tree oil is toxic when ingested. Another study showed it to caused damage to the nervous system of dogs and cats when applied to their skin or given orally.

Learn more about Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 7.

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 6.

3
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

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 13.

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 14.

4
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

MCI is a preservative and known skin-irritant. It has anti-bacteria anti-fungal properties.

Studies spanning several decades have shown this ingredient to cause skin irritation and allergies.

MCI is commonly combined with methylisothiazolinone (MI). Other names for this mixture include Kathon CG and Euxyl K 100.

The use of this ingredient varies around the world:

Learn more about Methylchloroisothiazolinone

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 14.

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 21.

5
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

MI is a preservative and known skin irritant. In the past, MI was used for its ability to prevent bacteria, yeast, and fungi growth in low doses.

Nowadays, you'll most likely see MI combined with Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI). Trade names for this combination include Kathon CG or Euxyl K 100.

Since then, numerous studies have shown this ingredient to cause contact dermatitis, or skin irritation.

The use of this ingredient varies around the world:

Learn more about Methylisothiazolinone

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 15.

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 20.

6
What it does:
Community Rating: Mixed

We don't have a description for Magnesium Chloride.

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 16.

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 22.

7
What it does:

We don't have a description for Magnesium Nitrate.

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 17.

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 16.

8
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

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 18.

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 24.

9
What it does: Perfuming, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.

It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".

Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.

When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.

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.

Learn more about Limonene

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo contains this as ingredient number 19.

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 25.

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

10% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
55% are disliked or very disliked
25% have no rating yet
7% are loved or liked
22% have mixed ratings
44% are disliked or very disliked
26% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 2 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Conditioner.

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