Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

The base most products are built on. It carries the other ingredients and has no safety concern.

A common preservative and fragrance/solvent ingredient found naturally in many essential oils. It is well tolerated by most people at the levels used in cosmetics, but it is one of the 26 EU-designated fragrance allergens and can trigger reactions in people with an existing sensitivity.

A small-dose synthetic antioxidant that prevents oils and fragrance in a formula from oxidizing. Not shown to pose a toxicological risk at the levels used in cosmetics.

Used in tiny amounts to set a product to skin-friendly pH. No concern at those levels.

A coconut-derived fatty acid amide used as a foam booster and thickener in shampoos and washes. It is a recognized, if uncommon, contact sensitizer, and because it belongs to the same ethanolamine family reviewed alongside cocamide DEA, formulators are advised to keep it free of nitrosamine-forming contaminants; well-made products with controlled impurity levels are considered acceptable for rinse-off use.

An undisclosed scent blend that can contain dozens of components. The single most common cause of cosmetic contact allergy, and the blend is not itemized, so you cannot see what is in it.

A wax-like ester of ethylene glycol and stearic acid used purely to thicken shampoo/conditioner and give it a pearly opaque look; it has no cleansing or active role. CIR found it non-sensitizing and non-irritating even at high test concentrations, and decades of manufacturer exposure data show no reported health effects.

A positively charged conditioning polymer used in shampoos and conditioners to reduce frizz and improve manageability. It is well tolerated and has been safely used in cosmetics for decades.

The sodium salt of benzoic acid, used as a preservative in both foods and cosmetics. Decades of safety review support its use at typical cosmetic concentrations, with mild irritation the main reported issue in sensitive skin.

Ordinary salt, used in surfactant-based products like shampoos and body washes to adjust viscosity by interacting with the surfactant micelles. It has no meaningful toxicity concern at cosmetic use levels; the main practical downside is that too much can make a formula feel less mild.

A mild, amino acid-derived surfactant made from coconut oil and sarcosine that gently cleanses without the harshness of sulfate-based cleaners. It is well tolerated across different skin and hair types and commonly found in premium sulfate-free formulations.

A strong alkali used in tiny amounts to adjust the pH of cosmetics to safe, skin-friendly levels. At the pH found in finished products, sodium hydroxide is neutralized and well tolerated.

A common foaming cleanser, milder than SLS. Fine for most people in a rinse-off product.

Tetrasodium EDTA is a chelating agent that binds trace metal ions to keep formulas stable and help preservatives work better. It has circulated online as a supposed "toxic" additive, but decades of safety review support its use at cosmetic concentrations.