Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo vs Medium Hair Shampoo: which is safer?
Aveeno Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Aveeno
Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleSurfactant irritation (skin/eye contact)
PossibleFragrance allergens
PossibleMicrobial contamination (post-purchase)
Ouai
Medium Hair Shampoo
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleFragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components
PossiblePreservative-related contact dermatitis
Reported1,4-dioxane (contaminant in surfactants)
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Surfactant irritation (skin/eye contact), Fragrance allergens and Microbial contamination (post-purchase) on the Aveeno and not on the Ouai.
- We flag Fragrance allergens and undisclosed fragrance components, Preservative-related contact dermatitis, 1,4-dioxane (contaminant in surfactants) and Eye and mucous membrane irritation from surfactants on the Ouai and not on the Aveeno.
- The Aveeno is aqueous liquid shampoo (typical surfactants, conditioning agents, water) where the Ouai is Aqueous shampoo formulation (surfactants, conditioning agents, water), which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.
Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More shampoo, see the full ranking