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Nioxin

Fall Defense Shampoo

Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning

  • Shampoo
  • gel
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
  • Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size16 fl ozmost listed · 3 sizes
Price$42–47commonly seen · 16 oz · from $2.16/oz in the 33.8 oz
Price / oz$2.93/ozat 16 oz
Where to buy7 stores · 3 sizes

Scent:

No added fragrance on the label, but it carries scenting botanicals — essential oils smell even when they are not labelled as fragrance.

Manufacturer page: nioxin.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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Upper-mid price for a shampoo

$2.93/oz at 16 oz — more than 74% of the 817 shampoos , which mostly run $0.81–3.01/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

no fragrance (parfum) on the label — scented
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Sulfate-free routinesit uses a sulfate detergent
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here

Whether this much cleansing is right for you depends on how fast your scalp oils, how much product you layer, and your water — that is what the consultation works out.

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.

Cleansing strength Strong

Removes oil, buildup, and most residue — a reset wash.

Expected lather High

Thick foam that spreads quickly through the hair.

Slip and detangling Moderate

Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list.

Water-binding (humectants) Moderate

Humectants in the working part of the formula.

Scalp active None

No over-the-counter scalp active.

Hard-water defence Chelators present

Chelators are present — they bind hard-water and pool minerals.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Protein None

No protein or amino acids in the list.

Fragrance None listed

No fragrance is listed.

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. These 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
WaterAqua (Water) solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Sodium Laureth Sulfate sulfate cleanser — Cleanses
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate sulfate cleanser — Cleanses
Cocamidopropyl Betaine amphoteric cleanser — Cleanses
Caffeine active The over-the-counter active Active
Sandalore fragrance The scent Fragrance
Sodium Benzoate preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Citric Acid pH adjuster Fine-tunes the pH pH balancer
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil fragrance The scent Fragrance
Salicylic Acid active A secondary active Active
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) OilMentha Piperita Oil botanical extract A trace plant extract Fragrance
Limonene fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo silicones or fragrance. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Chelators for hard water. Fast-drying alcohol is in the list.
Full ingredient list (25)

US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.

  • 1 Water · Aqua (Water)
    General function

    The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.

    Leading ingredient

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

    • solvent
  • 2 Sodium Laureth Sulfate
    General function

    A strong, high-foaming cleanser and the most common shampoo detergent. It removes oil and product efficiently, which can be more than dry or colour-treated hair wants.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    A sulfate detergent removes deposited silicone, wax and styling films in one wash, which is what resets a routine before build-up is visible.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Fine hair that goes limp under conditioning films usually reads a full detergent wash as volume returning.

    May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coarse and high-porosity hair loses water quickly on its own; an efficient detergent removes the surface oils that were slowing that down.

    Indian Journal of Dermatology
    • sulfate cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 3 Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
    General function

    A high-foaming, strongly cleansing detergent. It clears build-up thoroughly and is the harsher of the two common sulfates.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    A sulfate detergent removes deposited silicone, wax and styling films in one wash, which is what resets a routine before build-up is visible.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Fine hair that goes limp under conditioning films usually reads a full detergent wash as volume returning.

    May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coarse and high-porosity hair loses water quickly on its own; an efficient detergent removes the surface oils that were slowing that down.

    Indian Journal of Dermatology
    • sulfate cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 4 Cocamidopropyl Betaine
    General function

    A mild coconut-derived co-cleanser that boosts foam and softens the effect of stronger detergents. It appears in most shampoos, gentle or not.

    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

    Mild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    The mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.

    DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Among the mildest detergents in use — it is what baby shampoos are built on — but it is almost always the second detergent in a formula. How much a wash strips is still decided by the primary detergent listed above it.

    Indian Journal of Dermatology
    • amphoteric cleanser
    • secondary cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 5 Caffeine
    General function

    Included in scalp and thickening products for label appeal. Evidence for applied caffeine changing hair growth is limited.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • active
  • ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 6 Sandalore
    General function

    A manufactured fragrance ingredient that adds a warm sandalwood scent to a formula.

    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.

    • fragrance
  • 7 Sodium Benzoate
    General function

    A food-grade preservative that works only in acidic formulas, which is why it usually appears alongside citric acid.

    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
    • preservative
  • 8 Citric Acid
    General function

    Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.

    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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Holds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.

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

    The acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Where a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 9 Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
    General function

    Cornmint oil, used for a cooling sensation and mint scent.

    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
    • botanical extract
  • 10 Panthenol
    General function

    Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.

    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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

    It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

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

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • conditioning agent
    • vitamin
  • 11 Salicylic Acid
    • active
    • exfoliant
  • 12 Lauric Acid
    • emulsifier
  • 13 Niacinamide
    General function

    Vitamin B3, used in scalp products for conditioning claims.

    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 suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    PubChem
    • vitamin
    • conditioning agent
  • 14 Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
    General function

    A readily biodegradable chelator used in place of EDTA to bind hard-water minerals.

    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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

    PubChem
    • hard-water chelator
  • 15 Methylparaben
    • paraben
    • preservative
  • 16 Polyquaternium-10
    General function

    A cellulose-based conditioning polymer that leaves a thin, static-reducing film. Very common in shampoos as the ingredient that keeps them from stripping.

    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 suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    Cationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.

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

    A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

    • conditioning agent
    • film former
    • polymer
  • 17 Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil · Mentha Piperita Oil
    General function

    Peppermint essential oil, used for scent and the cooling feeling on the scalp.

    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

    Essential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.

    • botanical extract
    • essential oil
    • fragrance
  • 18 Sodium Hydroxide
    General function

    A strong base used in trace amounts to raise pH; fully neutralised in the finished product.

    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.

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    The alkali half of a pH-adjusting pair, used in small amounts to bring a formula up to its target rather than to make it alkaline. Alkaline conditions raise the fibre's surface charge and lift the scales — but the finished pH is not on the label.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
  • 19 Limonene
    General function

    A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to 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

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 20 Biotin
    • vitamin
  • 21 Alcohol Denat. · Alcohol
    General function

    Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on the list.

    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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Evaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.

    PubChem
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 22 Tocopherol
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 23 Sodium Citrate
    General function

    Used with citric acid to hold the formula at a steady, slightly acidic pH. It also binds a little hard-water mineral.

    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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

    PubChem
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 24 Sodium Chloride
    • salt
    • thickener
  • 25 Sodium Xylenesulfonate
    • solubilizer

What the whole list adds up to

  • 4 fragrances
  • 4 vitamins
  • 3 cleansers
  • 3 pH adjusters
  • 3 hard-water chelators
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 sulfate cleansers
  • 2 actives
  • 2 preservatives
  • 2 botanical extracts
  • 2 conditioning agents
  • 1 amphoteric cleanser
  • 1 secondary cleanser
  • 1 humectant

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

Price · 16 oz

Commonly seen $42–47 Midpoint $47 · 4 stores · checked Sep 13
Good value under $27 Under $1.71/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 $27 line; products that do this job typically go for about $32 at this size.

Sizes

8.12 oz
$29
$3.57/oz
16 ozmost listed
$42–47
$2.93/oz
33.8 oz
$73
$2.16/oz

The 33.8 oz costs 39% less per ounce than the 8.12 oz.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it9 listings · 7 stores

16 ozmost listed

6.7 oz

  • Target
    $62.99
    6.7 oz · $9.40/oz
    Sep 8Lowest per ozSale · was $73.00

8.12 oz

  • Amazon
    $29.00
    8.12 oz · $3.57/oz
    Sep 13Lowest per oz

33.8 oz

  • Amazon
    $73.00
    33.8 oz · $2.16/oz
    Sep 13Lowest per oz

81 ozBest per ounce

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. 16 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. Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 16 oz at recognised stores — the cheapest quarter and the dearest quarter are left out, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
  3. Good value under $27 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.71/oz; at 16 oz that is $27. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
  5. About $32 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 16 oz.

Formula

Formula score
10 of 10

The formula carries the systems a shampoo is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for shampoos per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • 5 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 74% of the 817 shampoos we’ve priced
  • Covers 7 of the 7 things a shampoo should do
  • Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs
  • A working detergent systemWhat actually removes oil and product.3 pts
  • Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A hard-water chelatorBinds the minerals that dull hair in hard water.1 pt
  • A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.1 pt
  • No detergent-dependent filmNothing that needs a clarifying wash to remove.1 pt
  • Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.

Wella ProfessionalsSame function Ultimate Smooth Shampoo $2.07/oz $0.86/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
  • Hard water
Differs
  • Floral scent
  • Salon tier
  • 33.8 oz bottle
Compare
American CrewSame function Oil Control Shampoo $1.75/oz $1.18/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
  • Hard water
Differs
  • Vegan
  • Masstige tier
  • 8.4 oz bottle
Compare
American CrewLowest cost per oz Boost Pre-Styling Shampoo $1.60/oz $1.33/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Deep clean
  • Hard water
· Same function
Differs
  • Vegan
  • Masstige tier
  • 8.4 oz bottle
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person
Best user

People sensitive to fragrance, looking for a formula with no added fragrance and a protein-free formula

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, sulfate-free routines and fresh keratin treatments, or very dry or high-damage hair

Best alternative if not

Wella Professionals Ultimate Smooth Shampoo, for similar results at a lower price

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, against what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.

1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
93% of people have less hair fall

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.

Clinically proven to grow stronger hair from the root

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.

Visibly less hair fall in 12 weeks

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Removes build-up

The detergent system is strong enough to strip build-up.

  • Sodium Laureth Sulfate
  • Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
  • Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Supported

Resets a coated scalp.

How to read this

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

Reviewers

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.

Many reviewers report visibly less hair fall and thicker-feeling, growing hair with continued use, sometimes as a stylist recommending it to clients.

mix of personal users and salon stylists recommending it to clients

Several reviewers are hair stylists who buy it repeatedly for their salon and say clients ask for it by name.

salon professionals restocking for clients

Reviewers describe it cleansing and calming an oily or sensitive scalp without over-drying, though a couple note a strong minty/tingling sensation.

reviewers with oily scalp or scalp sensitivity concerns

More from Nioxin

How this page was made

  • Everything above is generated from our researched product record — identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. No part of this page is written per 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.
  • 6 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 4 editorial), last checked 2026-09-13.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 11 of 14 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
  • We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
  • 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 v22. Record last updated 2026-09-08.

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