Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo vs Free & Clear Hair Shampoo for Sensitive Skin, 12 oz: 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)
Vanicream
Free & Clear Hair Shampoo for Sensitive Skin, 12 oz
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Possible1,4-dioxane (non-ionic surfactant contaminant)
PossibleFormaldehyde releasers (preservative byproduct)
ReportedBacterial or fungal growth in opened container
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 Vanicream.
- We flag 1,4-dioxane (non-ionic surfactant contaminant), Formaldehyde releasers (preservative byproduct) and Bacterial or fungal growth in opened container on the Vanicream and not on the Aveeno.
- The Aveeno is aqueous liquid shampoo (typical surfactants, conditioning agents, water) where the Vanicream is aqueous shampoo base, no reported PFAS-prone additives, 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