DS Hair Soft Balancing Shampoo
Why this score
Concern49 / 55
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine: 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 restraint18 / 25
- 3 known irritant or fragrance-allergen ingredients: Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Fragrance, Alcohol Denat..
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 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 →Sodium Cocoyl GlutamateGenerally safe
A mild amino acid-derived surfactant from coconut oil and glutamic acid, similar to its disodium counterpart. Valued in gentle facial and body cleansers for its low irritation potential.
Full ingredient details →Decyl GlucosideGenerally safe
Another sugar-and-fatty-alcohol derived non-ionic surfactant, structurally close to coco-glucoside but made from a shorter (decyl, C10) fatty chain. It is a gentle cleanser generally well tolerated, though a small number of contact-allergy case reports exist, mostly in people with pre-existing skin conditions.
Full ingredient details →Butylene GlycolCommonly feared, low concern
A lightweight humectant and solvent similar in role to propylene glycol, used to carry actives and give lotions a lighter feel. CIR has reviewed it and considers it safe as used in cosmetics.
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 →Coco-GlucosideGenerally safe
A mild non-ionic cleansing agent made from coconut fatty alcohols and plant sugars (glucose). It is widely used in sulfate-free shampoos and gentle cleansers and is one of the least irritating surfactants in common use.
Full ingredient details →Glyceryl OleateGenerally safe
A plant-derived emollient and emulsifier made from glycerin and oleic acid, typically from olives or canola. Softens skin while stabilizing oil-water formulas; well tolerated at typical use 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 →PEG-120 Methyl Glucose DioleateGenerally safe
A gentle, PEG-based emulsifier and solubilizer that blends sugar and fatty acid derivatives for stable formula incorporation. PEG compounds in cosmetics are non-penetrating and rinse cleanly from the skin.
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 →Citric AcidGenerally safe
Used in tiny amounts to set a product to skin-friendly pH. No concern at those levels.
Full ingredient details →GlycerinGenerally safe
A humectant that draws water into the skin. One of the best-studied, best-tolerated ingredients in personal care.
Full ingredient details →Piroctone OlamineGenerally safe
An anti-dandruff and anti-fungal active common in European scalp products, often as the gentler alternative to zinc pyrithione. The EU scientific committee (SCCS) has reviewed it and it is well tolerated at use levels in rinse-off and leave-on scalp products.
Full ingredient details →Coconut AcidGenerally safe
A fatty acid derived from coconut oil, used in surfactants and emulsifiers. Generally safe when properly formulated, though high concentrations may irritate sensitive skin.
Full ingredient details →PhytosphingosineGenerally safe
A plant-derived lipid precursor found naturally in skin that supports barrier function and lipid composition. It is used in skincare formulations to strengthen the stratum corneum and is documented as well tolerated, though rare individual sensitivities may occur.
Full ingredient details →Alcohol Denat.Watch if sensitive
A fast-evaporating solvent used to carry actives and give toners a light, "clean" feel; at the concentrations used in classic astringents it can be genuinely drying or irritating with repeated use, especially on dry or compromised skin, though it is not inherently toxic and is a normal, well-studied cosmetic ingredient.
Full ingredient details →AsiaticosideGenerally safe
A triterpenoid from Centella asiatica associated in published studies with skin resilience and wound-healing support. It is generally well tolerated in cosmetic concentrations.
Full ingredient details →Potassium SorbateGenerally safe
A widely used, gentle preservative also common in food. It is generally well tolerated, though it can occasionally cause mild, transient irritation in people with already-compromised or very reactive skin.
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 DS Hair Soft Balancing 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.