Cantu Sulfate Free Cleansing Cream Shampoo 13.5 Fl Oz
Lower concern, typical formula with no known PFAS risk factors, but no disclosure.
This water-based cream shampoo has no waterproofing, grease resistance, or nonstick functions and carries lower PFAS risk than treated textiles or food-contact packaging. The brand makes no PFAS claims or third-party verification.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
Water-based cream shampoo formulation; packaging container
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
You may also be interested in
Top-graded picks in the categories readers replace first, every one scored on the same rubric.
- polypropylene filter housing, carbon/sediment cartridge
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial growth in spent cartridges
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Aquasure
Premier Series 75 GPD Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
- RO membrane, carbon filters, stainless steel housing
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial and microbial growth in housing and filters
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Avocado
Vegan Mattress
- organic cotton, natural latex, coconut coir, recycled steel coils
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Heavy metals
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
What Cantu Sulfate Free Cleansing Cream Fl is made of, ingredients and materials
Cantu Sulfate Free Cleansing Cream Shampoo is a water-based cream formula marketed without sulfates (sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate), which are harsher cleansing agents. The product relies instead on milder surfactants typical of sulfate-free shampoos. No known carcinogenic or endocrine-disrupting ingredients are documented in publicly available ingredient lists. As a rinse-off product with brief scalp contact, systemic absorption risk is low compared to leave-on treatments.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
1,4-Dioxane (secondary contaminant)
Sulfate-free shampoos may use alternative surfactants (e.g., cocamidopropyl betaine) that can be synthesized via processes creating trace 1,4-dioxane. Cantu does not publish non-detect testing for this contaminant. Risk is low in rinse-off products but not independently verified.
Fragrance allergens and undisclosed components
Product lists 'fragrance' as an ingredient without full component disclosure. Fragrance mixes can include undisclosed allergens (e.g., limonene, linalool) that may trigger contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals. No allergy warnings or fragrance ingredient breakdown are publicly available from the brand.
What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
No formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea) are documented in available ingredient lists. Standard preservatives used in this product (e.g.these preservatives (methylchloroisothiazolinone) have no hazard of this kind on record at concentrations used in rinse-off products.
Source, ATSDR ↗Heavy metals
Cantu Cleansing Cream is an opaque cream product; any colorants used are standard cosmetic-grade oxides. No cadmium, lead, or arsenic contamination has been reported in independent testing or regulatory filings for this product line.
Source, FDA ↗Microplastics
This cream shampoo formula does not appear to include plastic microbeads (banned in the United States as of 2015). Polyquaternium conditioning polymers used in shampoos are water-soluble and not classified as microplastics.
Source, EPA ↗How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Cantu (owned by Estee Lauder Companies) does not publish detailed PFAS or heavy-metal testing reports for its personal-care lines. The brand has no major product recalls or regulatory actions on record for this shampoo line. Cantu does not hold third-party certifications (such as EWG verification or Clean Beauty seals) but markets itself as cruelty-free and sulfate-free. Transparency on manufacturing supply-chain testing is minimal compared to premium natural brands.
How it compares in its category
Sulfate-free shampoos are now mainstream; this product sits mid-market in both price and ingredient philosophy. Similar offerings from mainstream brands (Pantene Gold, Creme of Nature, Carol's Daughter) share comparable ingredient profiles and lack of third-party testing disclosure. Versus high-transparency brands (Acure, Burt's Bees), Cantu offers less public safety documentation. Versus drugstore sulfate-free options, Cantu's cream format is marketed for textured/curly hair as a niche advantage rather than a safety differentiator.
If you buy it
Use as directed, wet hair, apply, massage scalp gently, and rinse thoroughly with water. Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to prevent mold or bacterial growth in the cream base. Discontinue if scalp irritation, itching, or flaking develops. Typical shelf life is 12-24 months unopened; opened bottles should be used within 6-12 months. No special handling or heating precautions apply to this rinse-off product.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 72% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Cantu has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More shampoo grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.