Side by side
Nioxin Age Defense Shampoo vs Nioxin Nioxin Scalp Recovery Purifying Shampoo
67% function match · 7 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 15%. Nioxin Age Defense Shampoo and Nioxin Nioxin Scalp Recovery Purifying Shampoo share 3 ingredients among each other's most prominent.
Which of these fits your hair?
We check your pattern, moisture need, scalp, fragrance tolerance, weight sensitivity and more against each formula — and say which one lines up.
Your profile at a glance
- Your answers appear here
- Your answers appear here
- Your answers appear here
- Your answers appear here
When each one is the right call
What each formula is built for, from its own ingredient list.
- Age Defense Shampoo — colour-treated hair
- Nioxin Scalp Recovery Purifying Shampoo — flaking scalps
Side by side
Every trait, aligned
One row per trait, read from each product’s own ingredient list and record. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a “no”.
Compared at different sizes — 33.81 oz against 8.12 oz. Per-ounce prices favour the larger bottle.
- Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
- Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
- Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
- Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
- Flaking scalpsthis carries an over-the-counter active
- Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
- Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
- Fine hairthat flattens under most products
- Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
- Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans
- Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
- Scents bother youthis product carries a strong scent
- Sulfate-free routinesit uses a sulfate detergent
- Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans
More facts about each one
- sulfate-free
- silicone-free
- protein-free
- curly-method compatible
- silicone-free
- protein-free
Facts as we recorded them. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a "no".
The bottom line
The bottom line depends on your hair
Which of these two suits you is a question about your hair, not about them. The consultation answers it — and tells you what your routine needs around it.
$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.
The detail behind the table
Where the readings above come from: the ingredient lists themselves, each brand’s claims checked against them, what owners report, and cost per ounce in context.
Shared and distinct ingredients
Shared and distinct ingredients
Computed from the ingredient lists as printed. "Shared" means both lists carry it; where it sits on each label is stated, because position is what tells you how much.
What both formulas carry
What only one of them carries
Age Defense Shampoo
Nioxin Scalp Recovery Purifying Shampoo
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Peg-3 Distearate
- Sodium Laureth-8 Sulfate
- Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer
- Magnesium Laureth-8 Sulfate
- Linalool
Full ingredient list — Age Defense Shampoo (22)
-
1
Water
- solvent
-
2
Sodium Cocoyl Methyl Isethionate
- mild anionic cleanser
- cleanser
-
3
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
-
4
Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate
- mild anionic cleanser
- cleanser
-
5
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
- mild anionic cleanser
- cleanser
- Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
6
Fragrance
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
7
Malic Acid
- pH adjuster
- exfoliant
-
8
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
-
9
Sodium Chloride
- salt
- thickener
-
10
Salicylic Acid
- active
- exfoliant
-
11
Sodium Hydroxide
- pH adjuster
-
12
Niacinamide
- vitamin
- conditioning agent
-
13
Oleic Acid
- emollient
- emulsifier
-
14
Sodium Citrate
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
15
Sodium Cocoate
- cleanser
-
16
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
- hard-water chelator
-
17
Caffeine
- active
-
18
Polyquaternium-10
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
-
19
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
-
20
Menthol
- fragrance
- active
-
21
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
- fragrance
- botanical extract
-
22
Citric Acid
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
Full ingredient list — Nioxin Scalp Recovery Purifying Shampoo (52)
-
1
Water
- solvent
-
2
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- sulfate cleanser
- cleanser
-
3
Peg-3 Distearate
- thickener
- emulsifier
-
4
Sodium Laureth-8 Sulfate
- sulfate cleanser
- cleanser
-
5
Sodium Chloride
- salt
- thickener
-
6
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
-
7
Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer
- film former
- polymer
-
8
Magnesium Laureth-8 Sulfate
- sulfate cleanser
- cleanser
- 9 Magnesium Laureth Sulfate
-
10
Sodium Oleth Sulfate
- sulfate cleanser
- emulsifier
- Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
11
Fragrance
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
12
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
-
13
Citric Acid
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
14
DMDM Hydantoin
- formaldehyde releaser
- preservative
-
15
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
- fragrance
- botanical extract
-
16
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
-
17
Magnesium Oleth Sulfate
- sulfate cleanser
- emulsifier
-
18
Sodium Hydroxide
- pH adjuster
-
19
Polyquaternium-10
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
-
20
Propylene Glycol
- humectant
- solvent
-
21
Benzoic Acid
- preservative
-
22
Linalool
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
23
Hexyl Cinnamal
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
24
Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
- 25 Sodium Polynaphthalenesulfonate
-
26
Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
-
27
Limonene
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
28
Geraniol
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
29
Cellulose Gum
- gum
- thickener
-
30
Yeast Extract
- botanical extract
-
31
Niacinamide
- vitamin
- conditioning agent
-
32
Tocopheryl Acetate
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
33
Panthenol
- humectant
- conditioning agent
- vitamin
-
34
Biotin
- vitamin
-
35
Lecithin
- emulsifier
- emollient
-
36
Ethoxydiglycol
- solvent
- humectant
-
37
Maltodextrin
- absorbent
- film former
- binder
-
38
Methylparaben
- paraben
- preservative
-
39
Glucose
- humectant
-
40
Propylparaben
- paraben
- preservative
-
41
Lactic Acid
- pH adjuster
- humectant
- exfoliant
-
42
Achillea Millefolium Extract
- botanical extract
-
43
Betula Alba Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
-
44
Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract
- botanical extract
-
45
Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
-
46
Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
-
47
Equisetum Arvense Extract
- botanical extract
-
48
Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
-
49
Calcium Pantothenate
- vitamin
- humectant
- 50 Inositol
-
51
Tartaric Acid
- pH adjuster
- exfoliant
-
52
Caramel
- colourant
Claims check
What each brand says, against what each formula shows
Claims are quoted from each brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when that product’s ingredient list actually speaks to it.
Age Defense Shampoo
Formulated without sulfates and silicones.
SupportedGentler on colour and coils.
Nioxin Scalp Recovery Purifying Shampoo
Combats dandruff from the first use
SupportedA recognised active does the work.Gently cleanses your scalp, helps to restore its natural balance and reduces hair fall associated with itching
Stated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
What owners say
What people report
Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings, and we never balance one product’s themes against another’s by inventing them.
Age Defense Shampoo
No review themes researched for this product yet.
Nioxin Scalp Recovery Purifying Shampoo
The shampoo is described as economical -- reviewers report needing only a small amount per wash, making a bottle last a long time.
general reviewer feedback on value/usage amountSeveral reviewers of the Scalp Recovery line describe reduced hair fall and shedding noticeable within one to two weeks of regular shampoo use.
multiple reviewers, 1-2 weeks of useA recurring complaint across the Scalp Recovery line is a strong, lingering fragrance, which some reviewers find unpleasant even when satisfied with the anti-flake results.
reviewer using the shampoo as part of the routineOne reviewer with a self-reported thyroid condition reported increased scalp dryness and hair breakage on weekly use, a caution against assuming uniform results.
reviewer with a self-reported thyroid condition, weekly usePrice check
Cost per ounce, in context
Cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in. Value labels are computed from that percentile and from how many products that do the same job cost less; they are comparisons, not judgements about a brand.
$1.62/oz vs $3.57/oz — Nioxin Age Defense Shampoo costs about 2.2× more per ounce than Nioxin Nioxin Scalp Recovery Purifying Shampoo.
Every mark sits on one distribution because these are compared against the same set: 817 shampoos with a computable unit price.
Computed from cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, and from how many products that do the same job cost less. It is a comparison, not a judgement about the brand.
Compare with something else
Close formulas to each of these, as their own comparison pages.
Age Defense Shampoo · Nioxin Scalp Recovery Purifying Shampoo · All shampoos in the library
How this page was made
- This page is assembled from the same researched records the individual product pages render: identity, each ingredient list as printed, each brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. Nothing on it is written per comparison.
- We do not rank these against each other. Which of them suits you depends on your hair, and that is what the consultation works out.
- The formula similarity percentage is a stored, precomputed number: position-weighted overlap of the two ingredient lists blended with agreement on the attributes we derive. It measures how alike two formulas are, not how well either works.
- The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
- The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
- 13 sources were consulted across the products on this page.
- Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice. We do not sell these products and take no placement fees.
- This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
Still unsure? Take your consultation or browse more products.
Your personalized hair plan
Tell us what’s going on with your hair, see what we understand, and get a plan built around it — with the reason behind every recommendation.
Free to start · $49.00 for your consultation and hair profile · No subscription · Nothing you must buy
Start your consultation
