Pantene Pro-V Classic Clean Shampoo
Why this score
Concern42 / 55
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: watch if sensitive
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine: watch if sensitive
- Cocamide MEA: watch if sensitive
- Fragrance: watch if sensitive
How much genuine, cited concern the ingredients carry, weighted by how much of each is likely present and whether the product stays on or rinses off.
Transparency12 / 20
- Uses an undisclosed "fragrance/parfum" blend, so its scent allergens are hidden.
Whether the full ingredient list, and any fragrance, are actually disclosed.
Formulation restraint13 / 25
- 4 known irritant or fragrance-allergen ingredients: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide MEA, Fragrance.
Needless irritant or allergen load for the product type. A clean, purposeful formula scores well without any "free-from" theater.
Scored by PlainBody Editorial against the PlainScore method · Label checked July 2026
What’s inside
WaterGenerally safe
The base most products are built on. It carries the other ingredients and has no safety concern.
Full ingredient details →Sodium Lauryl SulfateWatch if sensitive
A strong foaming cleanser. It can be drying or irritating for some people, especially in leave-on or high-concentration products. It is not a toxin, and it rinses away.
Full ingredient details →Sodium Laureth SulfateGenerally safe
A common foaming cleanser, milder than SLS. Fine for most people in a rinse-off product.
Full ingredient details →Cocamidopropyl BetaineWatch if sensitive
A coconut-derived amphoteric surfactant used to boost foam and mildness in cleansers and shampoos. CIR has reviewed it as safe as used, but it is one of the more established contact-allergy triggers in personal care, usually traced to manufacturing impurities such as amidoamine and dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA) rather than the betaine itself. People with a history of eyelid or scalp dermatitis are more likely to react.
Full ingredient details →Glycol DistearateCommonly feared, low concern
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.
Full ingredient details →Cocamide MEAWatch if sensitive
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.
Full ingredient details →Sodium ChlorideCommonly feared, low concern
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.
Full ingredient details →FragranceWatch if sensitive
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.
Full ingredient details →Below the 1% line
DimethiconeCommonly feared, low concern
A silicone that gives a smooth, soft feel and helps hold water in the skin. Inert and well studied.
Full ingredient details →Citric AcidGenerally safe
Used in tiny amounts to set a product to skin-friendly pH. No concern at those levels.
Full ingredient details →Sodium BenzoateGenerally safe
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.
Full ingredient details →Disodium EDTACommonly feared, low concern
A chelating agent that binds trace metal ions to keep formulas stable and preservatives working properly. It is not a functional skincare "active" and only a very small amount is used, with minimal skin penetration expected.
Full ingredient details →PanthenolGenerally safe
A soothing humectant that helps skin and hair look conditioned. Very well tolerated.
Full ingredient details →MethylisothiazolinoneRestricted
A preservative that caused a wave of contact allergy in the 2010s. The EU banned it from leave-on products and tightly limits it in rinse-off ones. A genuine concern, not a myth.
Full ingredient details →Note: this product hides its scent as an undisclosed “fragrance/parfum” blend, so its specific allergens are not on the label.
Lower-concern alternatives
Same category, higher PlainScore.
- 100⇄Free & ClearFree & Clear Shampoo
- 100⇄SEENScalp Clarifying Shampoo, Fragrance Free
- 100⇄Pharmaceutical SpecialtiesFree and Clear Shampoo
Compare Pantene Pro-V Classic Clean Shampoo against anything we have scored →
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Cosmetic information for general education, not medical advice. Concern ratings are evidence-graded and cited on each ingredient page. See how we score.