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Design Essentials

Scalp Care Vitamin Drops

Scalp treatment

  • Scalp treatment
  • oil
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size4 fl oz
Price$12seen at one store · 4 oz
Price / oz$5.25/ozat 4 oz

Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

“Dermatologist-tested and free of artificial fragrances, dyes, and mineral oil.” (Brand page)

Manufacturer page: designessentials.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Complete the consultation to see how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 6,000+ products in our library, we can match you to the right ones.

  • About 20 minutes, and your answers save as you go.
  • Every product matched against your hair across the 20 factors we check.
  • A personalized routine built around your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
  • Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
  • Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.

$49 with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates

$99 with 12 months. Pay once; the year renews only if you choose.

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Priced with its peers

$5.25/oz at 4 oz, less than 64% of the 280 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.84–19.05/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Short ingredient listsfifteen ingredients or fewer
Tight budgetsit sits in the lower price tiers

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel

Whether this much richness suits you depends on your strand thickness, porosity and how easily your hair goes flat. We work that out in the consultation.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Slip and detangling Little

Nothing here is built to reduce combing force.

Oils and butters Present, high in the list

Oils sit high in the list: a softening, coating formula.

Weight on the hair Rich

Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.

Water-binding (humectants) None found

No humectants, so nothing here pulls water into the hair.

Protein None

No protein or amino acids in the list.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Hard-water defence None

No chelating agent in the list.

Fragrance Present

Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients, plus anything lower down that changes a decision. The chips name what an ingredient does. They are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Cotton Seed OilGossypium Herbaceum (Cotton) Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Adansonia Digitata (Baobab) Seed Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl AcetateDL-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) antioxidant Protects the formula Stabilizes
Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract botanical extract A trace plant extract Neutral
Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf ExtractRosmarinus Ocinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract botanical extract A trace plant extract Stabilizes
Retinyl Palmitate vitamin A trace vitamin addition Stabilizes
Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list.
Full ingredient list (10)

In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.

  • 1 Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
    General function

    A light, widely used oil that softens without much weight.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    May not suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • oil
    • emollient
  • 2 Cotton Seed Oil · Gossypium Herbaceum (Cotton) Oil
    General function

    A vegetable oil pressed from cotton seeds, used as an emollient that softens and conditions hair and scalp in oils and butters.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    • oil
  • 3 Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil
    General function

    A medium-weight oil used for softness and slip.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    May not suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 4 Adansonia Digitata (Baobab) Seed Oil
    General function

    Baobab oil, a medium-weight oil used in textured-hair conditioners.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    May not suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 5 Dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate · DL-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)
    • antioxidant
  • 6 Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract
    General function

    An extract from the root of Daucus Carota. Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    • botanical extract
  • 7 Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract · Rosmarinus Ocinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
    General function

    Rosemary extract, used both as a scent note and as a natural antioxidant in scalp products.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    • botanical extract
    • antioxidant
  • 8 Retinyl Palmitate
    General function

    A vitamin A ester included at low levels for label appeal.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    PubChem
    • vitamin
    • antioxidant
  • 9 Fragrance
    General function

    An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.

    • fragrance
    • declared fragrance
  • 10 Limonenel

What the whole list adds up to

  • 4 oils
  • 3 emollients
  • 3 antioxidants
  • 2 botanical extracts
  • 1 vitamin
  • 1 fragrance
  • 1 declared fragrance

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-08. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 4 oz

Seen at $12 lowest of 2 stores · checked Sep 9
Good value under $11 Under $2.78/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $11 line; products that do this job typically go for about $24 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 3 stores

Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.

How we work this out
  1. 4 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
  2. Seen at $12 is the price we have observed for the 4 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $11 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.78/oz; at 4 oz that is $11. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $24 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 4 oz.

Formula

Formula score
3 of 10

Mid-range per ounce for a shorter formula: there is no conditioning agents up front here.

How the score is counted
  • 4 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 64% of the 280 scalp treatments we’ve priced
  • No conditioning agents up front in the formula
  • No slip for detangling either
  • Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.3 pts
  • Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
  • Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.1 pt
  • Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.

Design EssentialsLowest cost per oz Scalp Care Moisturizing Oil Treatment $2.50/oz $2.75/oz less
  • Fragrance-free
  • Protein-free
  • Rich
· Same function
Differs
  • Sold in drugstores and mass retail
Compare
TGINSame function Jamaican Black Castor Oil Growth Serum $3.14/oz $2.11/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Rich
  • Silicone-free
Differs
  • Masstige tier
Compare
TGINSame function Tea Tree + Olive Oil Detoxifying Hair & Scalp Serum $2.87/oz $2.38/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Rich
  • Silicone-free
Differs
  • Masstige tier
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find the one that fits your hair, routine and budget

Built for curly to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein, for a protein-free formula and a formula with real substance

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or anyone who wants to pick it up locally

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, and what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.

0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Infused with Vitamins A, D3, and E, this innovative formula replenishes vital nutrients.

A named-ingredient story. What matters is where those sit in the list — see the ingredients table.

  • Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
  • Cotton Seed Oil
  • Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil
Stated by brand

Check the position, not the name.

Dermatologist-tested and free of artificial fragrances, dyes, and mineral oil.

A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.

—

Stated by brand

Only the brand’s testing shows this.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

Reviewers

What people report

Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.

Reviewers describe the vitamin drops as a lightweight, non-greasy oil that produces a tingling sensation and relieves an itchy scalp.

Yotpo reviewers on the brand's own site

Several reviewers say regular use leaves their hair feeling more moisturized and their scalp healthier, and some describe switching to it as part of a routine.

Yotpo reviewers on the brand's own site, several describing multi-month use

More from Design Essentials

How this page was made

  • Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one product.
  • 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.
  • Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
  • 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.
  • 7 sources consulted for this product (2 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 4 editorial), last checked 2026-09-09.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 1 of 4 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
  • We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
  • Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
  • Formula readings: derivation v23. Record last updated 2026-09-09.

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