Barcode 010022800197
AVOIDHead & Shoulders Itchy Scalp Care Shampoo is rated AVOID by BannedPantry: its label lists 2 ingredients that are banned or restricted outside the US — PEG Compounds (1,4-Dioxane risk) (New York, EU (1,4-dioxane trace limit)); Sodium Benzoate (EU, UK). All of them are still legal to sell in the US.
Banned or restricted in: New York, EU (1,4-dioxane trace limit)
PEGs themselves are not banned; the concern is 1,4-dioxane contamination. New York (ECL Art. 35/37) caps 1,4-dioxane at 1 ppm in personal-care products (Dec 31 2023) and 10 ppm in cosmetics (Dec 31 2022). The EU prohibits 1,4-dioxane (1223/2009 Annex II), tolerating only trace levels.
Banned or restricted in: EU, UK
EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 permits sodium benzoate (E211) only in specified food categories at maximum levels and not in foods for infants/young children; benzene can form when benzoates and ascorbic acid co-occur.
Same category, none of the flagged ingredients.
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Water (Aqua), Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Fragrance (Parfum), Menthol, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Dimethiconol, Zinc Pyrithione.
No — every ingredient in Head & Shoulders Itchy Scalp Care Shampoo is currently legal to sell in the US. However, PEG Compounds (1,4-Dioxane risk), Sodium Benzoate are banned or restricted in other regions: PEG Compounds (1,4-Dioxane risk) (New York, EU (1,4-dioxane trace limit)); Sodium Benzoate (EU, UK).
PEG Compounds (1,4-Dioxane risk): PEGs themselves are not banned; the concern is 1,4-dioxane contamination. New York (ECL Art. 35/37) caps 1,4-dioxane at 1 ppm in personal-care products (Dec 31 2023) and 10 ppm in cosmetics (Dec 31 2022). The EU prohibits 1,4-dioxane (1223/2009 Annex II), tolerating only trace levels. Sodium Benzoate: EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 permits sodium benzoate (E211) only in specified food categories at maximum levels and not in foods for infants/young children; benzene can form when benzoates and ascorbic acid co-occur.
BannedPantry checks each labeled ingredient against food and cosmetic safety standards from the EU, UK, Canada, Japan, and California, with a citation for every flag. AVOID means at least one labeled ingredient is banned or restricted by a major overseas regulator, or is high-severity under our methodology. Ratings are never influenced by brands.
Comparable products without the flagged ingredients include Avalon Organics Biotin B-Complex Shampoo (Avalon Organics), Acure Curiously Clarifying Shampoo (Acure), Innersense Hydrating Cream Hairbath (Innersense). You can also scan any product's barcode free at https://bannedpantry.com to check it before you buy.
See exactly which ingredients in Head & Shoulders Itchy Scalp Care Shampoo are banned overseas, with sources.
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