Absolute Volume Shampoo

All hair and skin types.

Almost always the first ingredient listed in water-based products.

Oily scalps, heavy product users and people who like a strong cleanse.

May feel too cleansing for some dry, curly, colour-treated or sensitive hair types. This depends on the full formula and your hair needs.

Hair wanting added body, smoothness or temporary strength.

A common protein in repair and volumising formulas.

Most hair types, including those wanting a gentler wash.

Often paired with other surfactants to make a formula feel milder.

Those interested in how a product’s texture and lather are achieved.

It is a simple mineral salt that helps create a familiar shampoo feel and can influence how a cleanser spreads through the hair.

Most hair types, especially dry or dull hair.

A versatile, well-tolerated conditioning ingredient.

Useful for those who prefer haircare products with clear, consistent textures or evenly dispersed fragrance and oils.

It is widely used in shampoos, conditioners and styling products to keep formulations stable and smooth. It also offers mild surfactant properties that support product rinse-off.

Most hair types as part of a moisturising formula.

A widely used humectant and carrier ingredient.

Most hair types wanting smoother, easier-to-manage hair.

Widely used in shampoos and conditioners for slip and softness.

Those in hard-water areas who want shampoos and conditioners to rinse more cleanly.

Chelating agents can support formula consistency and help prevent minerals from depositing on the hair or interfering with product texture. They are widely used in many rinse-off and leave-in formulations.

People who enjoy a scented product.

Fragrance preference is personal. Some people prefer fragrance-free formulas by choice.

All products that need a preservative system.

Often paired with other preservatives for broad protection.

All products that need protecting from spoilage.

A very common, well-studied preservative used at low levels.

Those interested in how product pH affects scalp comfort or hair cuticle behaviour.

It is used in very small amounts to bring a formula to the desired pH range. Once adjusted, it does not act as a strong alkaline agent in the finished product.

A fragrance component that must be listed separately on labels because a minority of people can be sensitive to it. Its presence is normal, required disclosure and is not a quality signal.