Free of parabens, sulfates, and colorants
No sulfate detergents appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Gentler on colour and coils.
Nioxin
Hair Fall Defense Serum
Scalp treatment
- Scalp treatment
- serum
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size2.3 fl oz
Price$28.04seen at one store · 2.3 oz
Price / oz$16.97/ozat 2.3 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $28.04–50.00
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: nioxin.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see exactly how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 2,400+ products in our library we can match exactly the right products to you.
- In 10 minutes we can identify your exact hair condition and traits.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 19 factors we check.
- A personalized routine for your daily life — 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.
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
All types
Not in your profile
Moisture level
None found
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Little
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Prominent
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Show all 19 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Fast-drying alcohol
High
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Not heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
16 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Prestige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Salons · Specialty beauty
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, then reads every factor in this table against it — and tells you where this product fits, or what to use instead.
Start your consultation$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.
Your avoid-list
Upper-mid price for a scalp treatment
$16.97/oz at 2.3 oz — more than 71% of the 152 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.22–20.64/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
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
None
No oils or butters in the list.
Weight on the hair
Light
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
Water-binding (humectants)
None found
No humectants found — 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
Prominent
Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula.
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.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol Denat.Alcohol Denat | drying alcohol | Speeds drying — and can read dry on the hair | Drying |
| WaterAqua/Water/Eau | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Niacinamide | vitamin | A marketed vitamin addition | Detangles |
| Caffeine | active | The over-the-counter active | Active |
| Sandalore | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| FragranceParfum/Fragrance | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Lauric Acid | emulsifier | Stabilises the mix | Stabilizes |
| PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil | solubilizer | Helps dissolve the oils | Stabilizes |
| Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Hexyl Cinnamal | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Limonene | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Alcohol Denat.Alcohol | drying alcohol | A small amount, for fast drying | Drying |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or silicones. No protein — a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Contains fast-drying alcohol.
Full ingredient list (16)
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
Alcohol Denat.
· Alcohol Denat
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.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairEvaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.
May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairPorous hair gives water up easily as it is; a fast-evaporating solvent high on the list accelerates that.
May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hairIt evaporates quickly and takes some water with it. On hair already short of moisture, a formula built on a lot of it can finish drier than it started.
- drying alcohol
- solvent
-
2
Water
· Aqua/Water/Eau
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
3
Niacinamide
General function
Vitamin B3, used in scalp products for conditioning claims.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.
- vitamin
- conditioning agent
-
4
Caffeine
General function
Included in scalp and thickening products for label appeal. Evidence for applied caffeine changing hair growth is limited.
Supporting ingredientPubChemListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- active
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
5
Sandalore
General function
A manufactured fragrance ingredient that adds a warm sandalwood scent to a formula.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- fragrance
-
6
Fragrance
· Parfum/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 zoneIt 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 routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
7
Lauric Acid
General function
A coconut-derived fatty acid used to build cleansers and stabilise foam.
Estimated lower-concentration zonePubChemIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- emulsifier
-
8
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
General function
A castor-oil derivative that dissolves fragrance and oils into water so the product stays clear and does not separate.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
- 9 PEG-35 Castor Oil
-
10
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
General function
A violet-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne 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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
11
Hexyl Cinnamal
General function
A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne 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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
12
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 zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne 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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
13
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 zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairEvaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.
- drying alcohol
- solvent
-
14
Linalool
General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne 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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
15
Tocopherol
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
16
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 zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesHolds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe 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 hairWhere a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
What the whole list adds up to
- 6 fragrances
- 4 named fragrance allergens
- 3 solvents
- 2 drying alcohols
- 2 vitamins
- 2 emulsifiers
- 1 conditioning agent
- 1 active
- 1 declared fragrance
- 1 solubilizer
- 1 antioxidant
- 1 pH adjuster
- 1 hard-water chelator
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-11. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 2.3 oz
Seen at
$28.04
Good value under
$6
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $6 line; products that do this job typically go for about $14 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
2.3 ozmost listed
-
Pandora Beauty
$28.042.3 oz · $12.19/ozSep 11Lowest per oz
-
Ulta Beauty
$50.002.3 oz · $21.74/ozSep 11
23 ozBest per ounce
-
BeautyCareChoices
$50.0023 oz · $2.17/ozSep 11Lowest per oz
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. and 1 listing we don’t count — grey-market or unverified sellers.
How we work this out
- 2.3 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.
- Seen at $28.04 is the price we have observed for the 2.3 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $6 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.55/oz; at 2.3 oz that is $6. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $14 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 2.3 oz.
Formula
1
Formula score
1 of 10
Mid-range per ounce for a shorter formula: there is no conditioning agents up front here.
How the score is counted
- 5 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 71% of the 152 scalp treatments we’ve priced
- No conditioning agents up front in the formula
- No oils or butters in the working zone 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 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.
Design EssentialsClosest function
Peppermint & Aloe Soothing Scalp Tonic
$2.50/oz $14.47/oz less
- Budget
- Differs
Taliah WaajidLowest cost per oz
Hair & Scalp Oil With Vitamin E
$1.25/oz $15.72/oz less
- Budget
- Differs
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
Final decision
Should you buy it?
Good for the right personBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein — for a protein-free formula and something that will not weigh hair down
Biggest tradeoff
Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or high-damage hair, or vegan and cruelty-free shopping
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
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
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.
Several users find the serum light and non-greasy, with little residue on the hair.
US exact serum reviews; IDs1145071764 and1145071763; duplicate syndicated copies excluded.A strong cologne-like fragrance is a recurring reason users dislike or discontinue the serum.
US exact-product reviewer accounts; promotional sampling appears in the corpus. Review IDs: 1221842646, 1220405157, 1194007192, 1193887057, 1165028641Some reviewers report no noticeable improvement from the serum.
US exact-product reviewer accounts; promotional sampling appears in the corpus. Review IDs: 1145071947, 1145071837; corroborated by additional exact serum review1145071763.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 (3 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-09-11.
- Ingredient references are linked for 8 of 9 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 2026-09-11.