head & shoulders for men
head & shoulders for men lists 24 ingredients on its label, 24 decoded. See what each one does, its irritancy and comedogenic tendency, and its status in national inventories.
Ingredients overview
Label order. Colour is our internal rating: green routine, yellow restricted or worth a look, red prohibited or high-risk, grey not yet decoded.
Ingredients are listed in label order; the order reflects the label only, not exact concentrations.
- Aqua
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Glycol Distearate
- Zinc Carbonate
- Sodium Chloride
- Sodium Xylenesulfonate
- Zinc Pyrithione
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Parfum
- Dimethicone
- Sodium Benzoate
- Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
- Hydrochloric Acid
- Limonene
- Linalool
- Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide
- Magnesium Nitrate
- Sodium Polynaphthalenesulfonate
- Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- Magnesium Chloride
- CI 42090
- Methylisothiazolinone
- Cl 17200
Highlights
Free of alcoholFree of parabensFree of mineral oilFree of formaldehyde releasersContains sulfatesContains PEGContains EU-26 allergensContains fragranceContains siliconesContains essential oils
Key ingredients
- SOLVENT
- Aqua
- CLEANSING
- Sodium Lauryl SulfateSodium Laureth Sulfate
- SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT
- Glycol Distearate
- OPACIFYING
- Zinc Carbonate
- BULKING
- Sodium Chloride
- SURFACTANT - HYDROTROPE
- Sodium Xylenesulfonate
- ANTI-SEBORRHEIC
- Zinc Pyrithione
Other ingredients
Cocamidopropyl BetaineParfumDimethiconeSodium BenzoateGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideHydrochloric AcidLimoneneLinaloolMagnesium Carbonate HydroxideMagnesium NitrateSodium PolynaphthalenesulfonateMethylchloroisothiazolinoneMagnesium ChlorideCI 42090MethylisothiazolinoneCl 17200
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua | SOLVENT | 0 · – | Green |
| Sodium Lauryl Sulfate | CLEANSING, DENATURANT, FOAMING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 4 · – | Yellow |
| Sodium Laureth Sulfate | CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, FOAMING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 2 · – | Green |
| Glycol Distearate | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, OPACIFYING, SKIN CONDITIONING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · – | Green |
| Zinc Carbonate | OPACIFYING | 0 · – | Green |
| Sodium Chloride | BULKING, FRAGRANCE, ORAL CARE, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · – | Green |
| Sodium Xylenesulfonate | SURFACTANT - HYDROTROPE | 2 · – | Green |
| Zinc Pyrithione | ANTI-SEBORRHEIC, ANTI-SEBUM, HAIR CONDITIONING, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 Annex II/1670 | 3 · – | Yellow |
| Cocamidopropyl Betaine | ANTISTATIC, CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - FOAM BOOSTING, HAIR CONDITIONING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS | 0 · – | Green |
| Parfum | FRAGRANCE, PERFUMING | 2 · – | Yellow |
| Dimethicone | ANTIFOAMING, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SKIN CONDITIONING, SKIN PROTECTING | 0 · 1 | Green |
| Sodium Benzoate | ANTICORROSIVE, FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/1 | 0 · – | Yellow |
| Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride | ANTISTATIC, FILM FORMING, SKIN CONDITIONING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · – | Green |
| Hydrochloric Acid | BUFFERING | 5 · – | Green |
| Limonene | DEODORANT, SOLVENT, PERFUMING · 限制 III/88 III/167 III/168 | 3 · – | Yellow |
| Linalool | DEODORANT, PERFUMING · 限制 III/84 | 3 · – | Yellow |
| Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide | BINDING, BUFFERING, BULKING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · – | Green |
| Magnesium Nitrate | HAIR CONDITIONING | 0 · – | Green |
| Sodium Polynaphthalenesulfonate | EMULSION STABILISING, GEL FORMING, SURFACTANT - HYDROTROPE, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · – | Green |
| Methylchloroisothiazolinone | PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/39 | 2 · – | Yellow |
| Magnesium Chloride | VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, FLAVOURING | 0 · – | Green |
| CI 42090 | COLORANT, HAIR DYEING · 限制 IV/63 (CI 42090) III/190 (Acid Blue 9; Acid Blue 9 Ammonium Salt; Acid Blue 9 Aluminum Lake) | 0 · – | Green |
| Methylisothiazolinone | PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/57 V/39 | 5 · – | Yellow |
| Cl 17200 | COLORANT | 1 · – | Yellow |
The comedogenic column only shows scores with a published source. A blank means "no public source", not "non-comedogenic".
Ingredients explained
Each note carries its evidence level: C comes from official inventories (NMPA names, CosIng functions, annex restrictions); E is AI inference nobody has checked yet — treat it as a candidate. How we grade evidence →
- Aqua
- Solvent, main base; microbial control is criticalE · AI inference · to be verified
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- Strong anionic surfactant, high foam; high irritation risk, avoid in sensitive formulas.B · Third-party verified
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Common anionic surfactant, strong foam but drying; check cationic compatibility, high eye irritationB · Third-party verified
- Glycol Distearate
- Glycol distearate for thickening and emulsification; non-ionic, improves viscosityB · Third-party verified
- Zinc Carbonate
- White powder for opacity in powder or SPF formulas.B · Third-party verified
- Sodium Chloride
- Salt for gel viscosity control; used as precipitant in soapsE · AI inference · to be verified
- Sodium Xylenesulfonate
- Solubilizer and hydrotrope; higher irritation than standard non-ionics; avoid oral contact.B · Third-party verified
- Zinc Pyrithione
- Anti-dandruff active for exfoliation, anti-sebum, and hair conditioning. Restricted in EU to 0.2% in cosmetics. Low irritancy.C · Official source
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Cocamidopropyl betaine; zwitterionic co-surfactant reducing irritation and boosting foam, common in mild cleansers.B · Third-party verified
- Parfum
- Fragrance for scent; may contain allergens, caution for sensitive skin, full labeling required.E · AI inference · to be verified
- Dimethicone
- Silicone occlusive at 1–5%; provides smooth feel, non-penetrating, suitable for sensitive skinB · Third-party verified
- Sodium Benzoate
- Preservative booster, effective below pH 4.5; combinable with sorbatesC · Official source
- Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
- Cationic guar derivative for antistatic, film-forming, viscosity control; common in hair/skin conditioningB · Third-party verified
- Hydrochloric Acid
- Strong acid for trace pH buffering; use diluted solutions carefully to avoid pH spikes and corrosion.C · Official source
- Limonene
- Natural fragrance solvent, EU allergen; poor photostabilityC · Official source
- Linalool
- Natural fragrance component at ≤0.05%; one of EU 26 allergens, caution for sensitive skinC · Official source
- Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide
- Absorbs oil and buffers pH in dry powders; requires dispersion in aqueous systemsE · AI inference · to be verified
- Magnesium Nitrate
- Inorganic salt for hair conditioning; improves smoothness and shine, high concentrations may stiffen hair, balance cationics.E · AI inference · to be verified
- Sodium Polynaphthalenesulfonate
- Sodium polynaphthalenesulfonate; hydrope for dyes and emulsion stabilizer; high levels affect foam.B · Third-party verified
- Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- Preservative (MCI); highly sensitizing, use only in rinse-off, avoid leave-on products.B · Third-party verified
- Magnesium Chloride
- Inorganic salt for thickening and pH adjustment; 0.1-1%, avoid calcium ionsE · AI inference · to be verified
- CI 42090
- Acid Blue 9 lake; for coloring and brow tints. Non-permanent hair dye, watch for lake precipitation and batch shade variance.E · AI inference · to be verified
- Methylisothiazolinone
- Strong preservative; high allergy risk, EU restricted for leave-on products, high formulation riskB · Third-party verified
- Cl 17200
- Synthetic red colorant for cosmetics at 0.1–1%; may cause sensitization in some individualsE · AI inference · to be verified
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-22. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
Analyze this product · redesign · create my project → Make a product in this category →