Curel Shampoo: Liquid vs Foaming, Ingredients, pH & Dandruff

Curel shampoo is Curél’s medicated shampoo for dry, sensitive scalps, sold in Japan in two types: the liquid Shampoo (キュレル シャンプー, 420 mL pump, 340 mL and 760 mL refills) and the Foaming Shampoo (キュレル 泡シャンプー, 480 mL pump, 380 mL refill). Kao says both wash away sebum and dirt while protecting ceramides, which it calls essential for a healthy scalp, and prevent dandruff and itching with a plant-derived anti-inflammatory active ingredient. Both are weakly acidic, fragrance-free and colourant-free, and Kao says they can be used on babies. A matching Hair Conditioner completes the set.

What you’ll learn in this article:

• What Curel shampoo does, its sizes and its pH
• Its full ingredient list, including whether it is sulfate-free
• The difference between the liquid Shampoo and the Foaming Shampoo
• Curél’s conditioner, scalp lotion and hair treatments
• How to use it, and where to buy Curel shampoo from Japan

Curel Shampoo: Quick Specs

Curel shampoo is a medicated, weakly acidic, fragrance-free shampoo from Kao for dry, sensitive scalps, with dipotassium glycyrrhizate as its active ingredient.

Japanese name	キュレル シャンプー（液体タイプ）
Name on the bottle	Curél Intensive Moisture Care Shampoo
Type	Medicated shampoo (quasi-drug in Japan)
Sizes	420 mL pump, 340 mL refill, 760 mL large refill
Price in Japan	Not listed on Kao’s product pages
Made for	Dry, sensitive scalps prone to dandruff, itching and dryness (Kao)
Active ingredient	Dipotassium glycyrrhizate (plant-derived anti-inflammatory)
Lather	Fine, rich lather that doesn’t tangle hair (Kao)
Scent	Fragrance-free
pH	Weakly acidic (manufacturer label)

From Kao’s official Japanese product pages and the bottle (as of October 2026). Made in Japan; not classed as dangerous goods for air transport.

• Fragrance-free
• Colorant-free
• Paraben-free

What Does Curel Shampoo Do?

Curel shampoo cleans the scalp while protecting ceramides: Kao says it washes away sebum and dirt while protecting ceramide, which it calls an essential ingredient for a healthy scalp. As a quasi-drug, it prevents dandruff and itching with dipotassium glycyrrhizate, a plant-derived anti-inflammatory active ingredient, and the bottle says it prevents scalp trouble such as dandruff, itching and dryness.

Kao describes a fine, rich lather that washes smoothly without tangling hair, and says the shampoo can be used on babies. It is made for people with dry, sensitive skin, the focus of the whole Curél range.

Is Curel Shampoo Acidic or Alkaline?

Curel shampoo is weakly acidic, according to Kao’s label: on the same acidic side of the scale as healthy skin (about pH 4.5 to 6). Kao doesn’t publish the exact pH value. The Foaming Shampoo and Hair Conditioner are also labelled weakly acidic.

Key Ingredients in Curel Shampoo

Curel shampoo’s key ingredients are dipotassium glycyrrhizate (the active ingredient), its cleansing agents, and conditioning polymers.

Curel Shampoo Full Ingredient List

Key ingredient / Worth checking if your skin is sensitive

Ingredient list from Kao’s official Japanese product page (as of October 2026), in Japanese quasi-drug order: the active ingredient first, then the other ingredients. The English names are our translations of Kao’s Japanese labelling names. Kao labels the shampoo fragrance-free.

Curel Shampoo vs Foaming Shampoo

Choose the liquid Shampoo if you like to work up a rich lather yourself, or the Foaming Shampoo if you want ready-made foam from the pump and a formula Kao calls mild cleansing. Both protect ceramides while cleansing, prevent dandruff and itching with the same active ingredient, and are weakly acidic and fragrance-free.

From Kao’s official Japanese product pages and bottles (as of October 2026). Both are quasi-drugs, weakly acidic, fragrance-free and colourant-free, contain sodium laureth sulfate, don’t list parabens, and are not classed as dangerous goods for air transport.

Curel Shampoo and Conditioner, Plus Scalp Care

Curél’s Hair Conditioner (キュレル コンディショナー, 420 mL pump, 340 mL and 760 mL refills) is the shampoo’s partner. Kao says it protects the moisture of the scalp and hair while keeping the burden low, moisturises dry ends so fingers run smoothly through hair, rinses off cleanly so it doesn’t stay on the scalp or hair, and prevents dandruff and itching with the same plant-derived anti-inflammatory. It is a weakly acidic, fragrance-free quasi-drug. A travel-friendly Shampoo & Conditioner mini set is also sold.

For extra care, Curél in Japan also makes:

• Scalp Moisture Lotion (キュレル 頭皮保湿ローション, 120 mL): a light, non-sticky lotion with a nozzle you touch to the scalp. Kao says its ceramide functioning ingredient and eucalyptus extract moisturise, and that it keeps dandruff and itching down. Kao recommends it after washing, once hair is lightly towel-dried.
• Moisture Hair Pack (キュレル モイスチャーヘアパック, 200 g): a rinse-off treatment for dry hair from root to tip, which Kao says also keeps dandruff and itching down.
• Moisture Hair Cream (キュレル モイスチャーヘアクリーム, 70 g): a leave-in cream made with 100% skincare ingredients that Kao says moisturises hair and protects it from dryer and straightener heat.

How to Use Curel Shampoo

Use Curel shampoo like any shampoo: wet your scalp and hair, wash, and rinse thoroughly. Kao gives these details:

• Shampoo (liquid): take a suitable amount in your hand and lather it well in your palms while adding water. Wash your whole scalp gently with your fingertips in small circles, without using your nails, then rinse thoroughly, taking care around the hairline, behind the ears and the nape. For the pump, hold the cap and turn the nozzle in the direction of the arrow, then pump a few times before first use.
• Foaming Shampoo: wet your scalp and hair well, then work about six pumps of foam through your hair and wash. Adjust the amount for your hair length and volume. Don’t pump it under running water, and don’t shake or tilt the bottle, or it won’t foam.
• Hair Conditioner: after shampooing, smooth a suitable amount over all your hair, then rinse.

Don’t use them if your scalp has cuts, eczema or other problems, and stop and see a dermatologist if you notice irritation. For Curél’s face wash and body care, see our Curel face wash guide and Curel body lotion guide.

Where to Buy Curel Shampoo from Japan

The easiest way to get Curel shampoo from Japan is to order it shipped directly through kachicollect. Buy from the kachicollect catalog with no proxy fees, and if you can’t find it there, search Japanese stores or marketplaces for キュレル シャンプー or キュレル 泡シャンプー and paste the product URL into kachicollect for an instant quote, with no request fee. Duties are shown in your total before you pay, and orders ship worldwide with tracking in about 7 to 14 days.

On marketplaces such as eBay, check whether a listing is the liquid Shampoo or the Foaming Shampoo, and whether it is a pump or a refill.

Proxy services that buy from Japanese stores on your behalf are another option, but the service fee they advertise is only the starting point, and various other charges are added on top by the time you check out.

For every Curél line in one place, from face care to shampoo, see our Curel skincare guide.

Curel Shampoo FAQ

Is Curel shampoo sulfate-free?

No. Both the liquid Shampoo and the Foaming Shampoo contain sodium laureth sulfate, alongside other cleansing agents. Kao calls the Foaming Shampoo a mild cleansing formula.

Does Curel shampoo help with dandruff?

Kao says both Curel shampoos prevent dandruff and itching with dipotassium glycyrrhizate, a plant-derived anti-inflammatory active ingredient. They are medicated quasi-drugs in Japan.

Can babies use Curel shampoo?

Yes. Kao says both the Shampoo and the Foaming Shampoo can be used on babies.

Is Curel shampoo good for an itchy scalp?

Kao makes it for dry, sensitive scalps and says it prevents dandruff and itching with a plant-derived anti-inflammatory active ingredient. If your scalp has cuts, eczema or other problems, don’t use it, and see a dermatologist if irritation appears.

Does Curel shampoo contain alcohol?

The liquid Shampoo lists ethanol. Kao labels the Foaming Shampoo alcohol-free (no ethyl alcohol).

Is Curel shampoo fragrance-free?

Yes, Kao labels both shampoos and the conditioner fragrance-free and colourant-free. The liquid Shampoo’s ingredient list includes orange oil and eucalyptus oil.

Does Curel shampoo contain silicone?

The liquid Shampoo lists PEG/PPG dimethicone, a silicone, and the Hair Conditioner lists dimethicone. The Foaming Shampoo’s ingredient list has no silicone.

Is there a Curel shampoo refill?

Yes. The liquid Shampoo comes in 340 mL and 760 mL refills, the Foaming Shampoo in a 380 mL refill, and the Hair Conditioner in 340 mL and 760 mL refills.

Conclusion: Is Curel Shampoo Worth It?

Curel shampoo suits dry, sensitive scalps prone to dandruff and itching: Kao says it washes away sebum and dirt while protecting ceramides, and prevents dandruff and itching with a plant-derived active ingredient. It is weakly acidic, fragrance-free and, according to Kao, suitable for babies. Choose the liquid Shampoo for a rich lather or the Foaming Shampoo for ready-made foam and a mild cleansing formula, and pair either with the Hair Conditioner.

The simplest way to get it outside Japan is kachicollect: buy from the catalog with no proxy fees, or paste a Japanese store URL for an instant quote. You pay the item price plus shipping, and duties are shown before you pay.