Formula · 4.7

Brand · 6.1

Aravia Professional · salicylic acid + apple cider vinegar · Russia

Aravia Professional shampoo with apple cider vinegar and salicylic acid

Aravia Professional shampoo with apple cider vinegar and salicylic acid
4.7

LabReadAI label score

How the score is calculated
  • Actives and evidence0.8Effect moderately supported
  • Completeness for the purpose0.4For “oily scalp” — 36 %; rice starch; nettle extract; glycolic acid; could be added without conflict: rice starch, nettle extract, glycolic acid; below threshold: salicylic acid (bha); a broad formula across 6 purposes
  • Cleansing base0.7Harsh surfactants: sodium laureth sulfate (SLES); mild surfactants: cocamidopropyl betaine, coco-glucoside, mild surfactants and emulsifiers; irritation potential of the base — 34 % of SLS
  • Tolerance0.2Rinse-off product; debatable groups: isothiazolinone preservatives (MIT/MCI) (skin test positive in 6 of 100 tested), isothiazolinone preservatives (MIT/MCI), fragrance and its allergens (skin test positive in 13 of 100 tested)
  • adults
  • pregnancysalicylates — ask a doctor
  • sensitive skinstart at 0.5 %
  • atopic skinfragrance is a common trigger
  • dry scalpmay dry
Free from:
  • alcohol (alcohol denat) · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “denatured alcohol” group — evaporates fast and degreases; frequent contact can dry the skin — a tolerance question, not a regulatory one; does not clog pores
  • formaldehyde releasers · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “formaldehyde releasers” group — preservatives that slowly release formaldehyde; allowed at low levels but a frequent cause of contact allergy
  • parabens · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “parabens” group — preservatives; methyl- and ethylparaben are recognised as safe at permitted levels, propyl- and butyl- are limited by the EU to 0.14 %; a frequent buyer question rather than proven harm
  • mineral oils and petrolatum · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “petrolatum and mineral oils” group — purified cosmetic-grade petroleum products: form a protective barrier film; safety is established, a preference question; 0–2 of 5 (depends on the raw-material source), cosmetic white oil per DiNardo (2005) is non-comedogenic
  • soap · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “potassium soap (potassium cocoate), plant soap base (sodium palmate, sodium cocoate), tallow soap base (sodium tallowate)” group — liquid soap: fatty acids boiled with alkali. It cleanses well, but its acidity is around 9-10 against 5 for skin, which is why it often leaves tightness. The product is rinsed off, so the question is tolerance.
  • silicones · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “silicones” group — form a smooth film and shine; inert and not absorbed — a preference question, not a safety one
  • gelatin in the coating · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “vegetarian coating” group — a plant-based tablet coating instead of gelatin; it keeps moisture out and makes swallowing easier
  • toning dyes · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “violet toning dyes” group — direct dyes that settle on the hair surface and cancel the yellow cast of blonde; they wash out in 1–3 washes and leave a lilac tint if left too long; HC Blue 2 and Disperse Violet 1 are known contact allergens of hair dyes
  • tar · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “wood (birch) tar” group — a traditional remedy for dandruff and itching with a sharp smell; it reduces flaking, but can irritate a sensitive scalp and dries the hair
What for: An oily scalp needs either absorbents (dry shampoo) or sebum-reducing actives (zinc PCA, salicylic acid) and a cleansing base without heavy films.
When:
  • when washing, rinsed off
  • evening
on skin — in the evening, starting 2–3 times a week; in a shampoo — at every wash, leave for 2–3 minutes
When to expect an effect: pores, blackheads — 4–8 weeks
What is normal: mild dryness and flaking in the first weeks

Ingredients — 13 components · 1 works

What works: 1 of 13 ingredients: salicylic acid. An oily scalp needs either absorbents (dry shampoo) or sebum-reducing actives (zinc PCA, salicylic acid) and a cleansing base without heavy films.

What lowers the score: actives and evidence: effect moderately supported; completeness for the purpose: for “oily scalp” — 36 %; cleansing base: harsh surfactants: sodium laureth sulfate; tolerance: rinse-off product

Questions: sodium laureth sulfate (SLES): sodium laureth sulfate — the main cleansing surfactant; can dry a sensitive scalp — the reason people look for «sulfate-free»; unrestricted in rinse-off products; fragrance and its allergens: fragrance — the fragrance and its aromatic components; the EU requires 26 of them to be listed separately — matters to people allergic to fragrance, does not affect how the product works; isothiazolinone preservatives (MIT/MCI): methylisothiazolinone, methylchloroisothiazolinone

  • Aqua base: coating, fillers · water — the solvent and base; listed first because there is more of it than anything else; in supplements — part of the capsule shell
  • Sodium Laureth Sulfate questions · the main cleansing surfactant; can dry a sensitive scalp — the reason people look for «sulfate-free»; unrestricted in rinse-off products
  • Apple Cider Vinegar base: coating, fillers · apple cider vinegar acidifies the product and adds shine by closing the cuticle at low pH; it has no separately proven effect on the scalp
  • Cocamidopropyl Betaine base: coating, fillers · a mild amphoteric surfactant: it builds dense foam and softens the harsh sulfates next to it. It occasionally causes contact allergy, and the culprit is a manufacturing impurity rather than the ingredient itself.
  • Coco-Glucoside base: coating, fillers · a sugar surfactant made from coconut oil and glucose: it cleanses gently with modest foam. A common base for baby and sulfate-free shampoos.
  • Sodium Chloride base: coating, fillers · tune the acidity and texture; salt is a common shampoo thickener
  • PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate base: coating, fillers · cleanse and bind water with oils; milder than the sulfate ones
  • Rosmarinus Officinalis Flower Extract base: coating, fillers · reduces body odour
  • PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate base: coating, fillers · coating glazing agent
  • Polyquaternium-10 base: coating, fillers · soften, condition and carry the actives; the backbone of the texture
  • Parfum questions · the fragrance and its aromatic components; the EU requires 26 of them to be listed separately — matters to people allergic to fragrance, does not affect how the product works
  • Salicylic Acid works · the active ingredient — what the product is for; form: salicylic acid
  • Methylisothiazolinone questions · preservatives; banned in EU leave-on products and limited in rinse-off (0.0015%) — a frequent cause of contact allergy
  • Methylchloroisothiazolinone questions · preservatives; banned in EU leave-on products and limited in rinse-off (0.0015%) — a frequent cause of contact allergy

Aravia Professional shampoo with apple cider vinegar and salicylic acid is a product whose active ingredient is salicylic acid (bha). The concentration is not declared and the active sits after the 1 % line — more for the label than for the effect. The effect is moderately supported: 0.5–2 %: dissolves pore plugs and lifts flakes; a conditional recommendation for acne in the AAD 2024 guideline. The formula has 13 ingredients, 1 of which does the work; the rest is the formula base. Worth noting: Sodium Laureth Sulfate (the main cleansing surfactant; can dry a sensitive scalp — the reason people look for «sulfate-free»; unrestricted in rinse-off products); Parfum (the fragrance and its aromatic components; the EU requires 26 of them to be listed separately — matters to people allergic to fragrance, does not affect how the product works); Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone. An oily scalp needs either absorbents (dry shampoo) or sebum-reducing actives (zinc PCA, salicylic acid) and a cleansing base without heavy films. By the list, no alcohol (alcohol denat), formaldehyde releasers, parabens, mineral oils and petrolatum, soap, silicones, gelatin in the coating, toning dyes, tar. Suitable for: adults. pregnancy, sensitive skin, atopic skin, dry scalp — ask a doctor. prone to contact allergy, fragrance allergy — not without a doctor. Use: on skin — in the evening, starting 2–3 times a week; in a shampoo — at every wash, leave for 2–3 minutes. When to expect an effect: pores, blackheads — 4–8 weeks. Label score — 4.7 out of 10 (effect moderately supported; for “oily scalp” — 36 %; rice starch; nettle extract; glycolic acid; could be added without conflict: rice starch, nettle extract, glycolic acid; below threshold: salicylic acid (bha); a broad formula across 6 purposes; harsh surfactants: sodium laureth sulfate (sles); mild surfactants: cocamidopropyl betaine, coco-glucoside, mild surfactants and emulsifiers; irritation potential of the base — 34 % of sls; rinse-off product; debatable groups: isothiazolinone preservatives (mit/mci) (skin test positive in 6 of 100 tested), isothiazolinone preservatives (mit/mci), fragrance and its allergens (skin test positive in 13 of 100 tested)). Per the pack: avoid contact with eyes; rinse thoroughly with water on contact. A restatement of the label, not an assessment.

Who it does not suit

  • prone to contact allergyone of the most frequent cosmetic allergens
  • fragrance allergyrisk of reaction

When to stop: burning, persistent redness — stop

Per the maker's leaflet: Per the pack: avoid contact with eyes; rinse thoroughly with water on contact. A restatement of the label, not an assessment.

Is this product right for your hair?

The score describes the formula, not your hair: a sulfate shampoo suits an oily scalp and fails a dry, sensitive one. Tell us about your hair, scalp and the problem — shedding, dandruff, oiliness, dryness — and we will build a routine and say whether this product suits you.

Hair care matchDecode my tests

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