Product comparison

Melaleuca Herbal Shampoo or Pantene: which belongs in your shower?

Melaleuca Herbal Shampoo vs Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal: grapefruit, blueberry and sage extracts and 14 conditioners, compared on price per ounce.

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This page compares Melaleuca Herbal Shampoo with Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal. Pantene costs less per ounce at every size compared. Melaleuca Herbal Shampoo may suit shoppers who want a formula built on grapefruit, blueberry and sage extracts with 14 conditioners, in a 32-ounce family bottle delivered with a monthly order.

How the two shampoos compare

Melaleuca Herbal ShampooPantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal
Sizes8 fl oz; 32 fl oz family size12 fl oz; 2-pack of 23.6 fl oz
Price (smallest size)$12.00 regular / $7.89 member$5.49 at major retail stores
Price per ounce (smallest)$1.50 / 99 cents46 cents
Price per ounce (largest)78 cents / 55 cents34 cents (2-pack)
What the brand highlightsGrapefruit, blueberry and sage extracts; 14 conditionersLabel begins with water, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate; panthenol (pro-vitamin B5)
Scent"Invigorating herbal scent," per MelaleucaFragrance is listed on the label
How you buyOnline from Melaleuca, regular or member priceMajor retail stores; pickup or delivery

Melaleuca prices come from melaleuca.com product pages and Pantene prices from a major retailer's listing. Prices change and vary by store, so check each source for current pricing.

What is in each shampoo?

Melaleuca says its Herbal Shampoo contains "grapefruit, blueberry, and sage extracts and 14 conditioners that add luster and volume to your hair."

Pantene's label starts with "Water, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate." The two sulfates are cleansing agents. The label also lists cocamidopropyl betaine, another cleansing and lathering ingredient, and dimethicone, a silicone that helps hair feel smooth. Fragrance and panthenol, which Pantene calls pro-vitamin B5, are on the label too.

In short, Melaleuca leads with botanical extracts and fourteen conditioners, and Pantene's label leads with two sulfate cleansers plus panthenol and a silicone.

Which costs less per wash?

Pantene costs less per ounce at every size compared.

Melaleuca's smallest bottle holds 8 ounces. The regular price is $12.00, or $1.50 per ounce, and members pay $7.89, or 99 cents per ounce. The 32-ounce family size costs $25.00 at the regular price, or 78 cents per ounce, and members pay $17.49, or 55 cents per ounce.

Pantene's 12-ounce bottle costs $5.49, or 46 cents per ounce. The 2-pack holds two 23.6-ounce bottles, 47.2 ounces in all, for $16.14, or 34 cents per ounce. Pantene's per-ounce price is roughly half the Melaleuca member price for the small bottle and about two-thirds of the member price for the family size.

Shampoo bottles do not state a wash count the way laundry detergent states loads, so the ounce price is the fairest comparison. Melaleuca's family bottle at the member price is its best value.

How can you buy each one?

Melaleuca sells through its own website, at a regular price or a lower preferred member price. A pump for the 32-ounce bottle costs $2 extra. Orders arrive at your door, so there is no store trip.

Pantene is sold at major retail stores, many with pickup or delivery. You can buy one bottle when you need it or stock up with the 2-pack.

Which shampoo fits your household?

Melaleuca Herbal Shampoo may suit a household that wants a formula built on botanical extracts and a long list of conditioners, and that already orders from Melaleuca or plans to. The family bottle is the size to look at: 55 cents per ounce for members, nearly half the per-ounce cost of the small bottle, delivered with the monthly order. The product holds a 4.8-star rating on Melaleuca's own site.

Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal may suit a household that watches the per-ounce price and buys shampoo with the groceries. The 2-pack is the lowest-cost choice at 34 cents per ounce. One major retailer's listing gives it a 4.62-star rating across 1,323 reviews.

Melaleuca's higher per-ounce price comes with a botanical formula and delivery to your door. Pantene costs less and is there on a regular store trip.

Questions people ask before choosing

Which sizes can you buy?

Melaleuca Herbal Shampoo comes in an 8 fl oz bottle and a 32 fl oz family size. A pump for the larger bottle costs $2 extra. Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal comes in a 12 fl oz bottle. Its 2-pack contains two 23.6 fl oz bottles.

Does the member price change which one wins on cost?

No. Even at Melaleuca's member prices, Pantene still costs less per ounce at every size compared. Membership narrows the gap, from about three times the Pantene price down to about two, but it does not close it.

How can I compare per ounce myself at the store?

Divide the shelf price by the number of fluid ounces on the front of the bottle. A $5.49 bottle of 12 ounces works out to 46 cents per ounce. The same math gives a fair number for any bottle, whatever the brand.

If you are weighing Melaleuca against other brands around the house, all the Melaleuca comparisons use the same per-use math for laundry, cleaners and more.

Sources

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