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Nioxin · System 2

Scalp + Hair Thickening System 2 Conditioner

Conditioner / Everyday rinse-out, detangling

  • Conditioner
  • Sulfate-free
  • Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size33.8 fl ozmost listed · 3 sizes
Price$53seen at one store · 33.8 oz
Price / oz$1.57/ozat 33.8 oz
Where to buy3 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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Priced with its peers

$1.57/oz at 33.8 oz — less than 51% of the 689 conditioners , which mostly run $0.91–3.10/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

no fragrance (parfum) on the label — scented
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
A wide range of haira middle-of-the-range weight
Easy to findsold through several channels

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
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

Whether this much richness is right for you depends on your strand thickness, porosity, and how easily your hair flattens — 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.

Slip and detangling High

Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula.

Oils and butters Present, lower down

Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch.

Weight on the hair Medium

Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.

Water-binding (humectants) Moderate

Humectants in the working part of the formula.

Protein Minor

Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.

Hard-water defence Chelators present

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

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/Eau solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Stearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol Softens
Behentrimonium Chloride conditioning agent Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through Detangles
Cetyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol Softens
Isopropyl Alcohol drying alcohol Speeds drying — and can read dry on the hair Drying
Benzyl Alcohol preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil fragrance The scent Fragrance
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil botanical extract A trace plant extract Fragrance
Quaternium-80 silicone A little smoothing and shine Buildup
Limonene fragrance The scent Fragrance
Hydrolyzed Silk film former A supporting film former Protein
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or fragrance. Water-insoluble silicones — needs a detergent wash to remove. Hard-water chelators are present. Contains fast-drying alcohol.
Full ingredient list (34)

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/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 ingredient

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

    • solvent
  • 2 Stearyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fatty alcohol that thickens conditioners and helps them coat the hair evenly.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    The waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.

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

    Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

    DependsFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.

    PubChem
    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 3 Behentrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A positively charged conditioning agent that binds to damaged, negatively charged spots on the hair. It is the main detangling ingredient in most rinse-out conditioners.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Electrokinetic measurement puts the C22 quat ahead of the C16 ones for deposition: the longer chain adds van der Waals stabilisation on top of the charge binding. That extra deposit is what coarse hair usually needs to comb through.

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

    A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science
    • conditioning agent
    • cleanser
  • 4 Cetyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fatty alcohol used to thicken creams and add slip. It softens rather than dries.

    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

    The waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.

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

    Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

    DependsFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.

    PubChem
    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 5 Isopropyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fast-evaporating alcohol used as a solvent and to speed drying. Well down the list it is a processing aid; near the top it can leave hair feeling dry.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

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

    May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Porous 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 hair

    It 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.

    PubChem
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 6 Benzyl Alcohol
    General function

    A preservative and solvent that also occurs naturally in some essential oils.

    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
    • solvent
  • 7 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
  • 8 Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) 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
  • 9 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 10 Propylene Glycol
    General function

    A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.

    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

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • solvent
  • 11 Quaternium-80
    General function

    A conditioning silicone with a positive charge, so it deposits where hair is damaged and stays through rinsing.

    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 suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

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

    Amino-functional silicone carries a positive charge, so it binds where the cuticle is worn rather than coating evenly. Damaged areas get most of it.

    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.

    • silicone
    • conditioning agent
    • film former
  • 12 Methylparaben
    • paraben
    • preservative
  • 13 Propylparaben
    • paraben
    • preservative
  • 14 EDTA
    General function

    Binds hard-water metals so they cannot dull hair or destabilise the 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.

    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.

    • hard-water chelator
  • 15 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
  • 16 Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract · Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
    • antioxidant
  • 17 Polysorbate 20
    • solubilizer
    • emulsifier
  • 18 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
  • 19 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
  • 20 Biotin
    • vitamin
  • 21 Lecithin
    General function

    A soy- or sunflower-derived lipid that helps conditioning ingredients spread evenly on the strand.

    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

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    PubChem
    • emulsifier
    • emollient
  • 22 Tocopheryl Acetate
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 23 Foeniculum Vulgare (Fennel) Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 24 Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 25 Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 26 Saccharum Officinarum/Sugar Cane Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 27 Vaccinium Myrtillus Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 28 Yeast Extract · Faex Extract/Yeast Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 29 Hydrolyzed Silk
    General function

    A light protein used for slip and shine rather than strength.

    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

    Filling surface gaps evens out the cuticle, which is part of what makes damaged hair comb and reflect light more like undamaged hair.

    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.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Hydrolysed fragments are small enough to sit in the gaps of a worn cuticle for a wash or two, temporarily restoring stiffness and cutting breakage in combing.

    • film former
    • protein
    • hydrolysed protein
  • 30 Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 31 Aleurites Moluccanus (Kukui) Seed Oil · Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
    General function

    Kukui nut oil - a light oil used for softness on fine textured hair.

    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 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.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 32 Maltodextrin
    General function

    A starch fragment that soaks up oil and water, which is what puts it in dry shampoos. It also carries spray-dried plant extracts and leaves a light film.

    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

    Takes up oil at the root, which is where fine hair goes flat first.

    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.

    DependsCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    How rigid the finish is depends on which polymer it is and what the formula pairs with it, not on there being one.

    • absorbent
    • film former
    • binder
  • 33 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 34 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative

What the whole list adds up to

  • 10 botanical extracts
  • 6 preservatives
  • 4 solvents
  • 4 emollients
  • 4 vitamins
  • 3 fragrances
  • 3 film formers
  • 2 fatty alcohols
  • 2 thickeners
  • 2 conditioning agents
  • 2 humectants
  • 2 parabens
  • 2 antioxidants
  • 2 emulsifiers

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-22. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 33.8 oz

Seen at $53 1 store · checked Sep 13
Good value under $44 Under $1.30/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 $44 line; products that do this job typically go for about $71 at this size.

Sizes

10.1 oz
$27
$2.67/oz
16.9 oz
$36
$2.13/oz
33.8 ozmost listed
$53
$1.57/oz

The 33.8 oz costs 41% less per ounce than the 10.1 oz.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it5 listings · 3 stores

33.8 ozmost listedBest per ounce

  • Ulta
    $53.00
    33.8 oz · $1.57/oz
    Aug 22Lowest per oz
  • Brand website
    $53.00
    33.8 oz · $1.57/oz
    Aug 22
  • Amazon
    $53.00
    33.8 oz · $1.57/oz
    Sep 13

10.1 oz

  • Amazon
    $27.00
    10.1 oz · $2.67/oz
    Sep 13Lowest per oz

16.9 oz

  • Amazon
    $36.00
    16.9 oz · $2.13/oz
    Sep 13Lowest 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.

How we work this out
  1. 33.8 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 $53 is the price we have observed for the 33.8 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $44 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.30/oz; at 33.8 oz that is $44. 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 $71 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 33.8 oz.

Formula

Formula score
9 of 10

A complete read of the format at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among conditioners, with the working systems present.

How the score is counted
  • 2 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 51% of the 689 conditioners we’ve priced
  • Covers 5 of the 6 things a conditioner should do
  • Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
  • 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.

DoveLowest cost per oz Dove Beauty Volume + Fullness Hair Conditioner Pump with Biotin & Bio-Protein Care $0.32/oz $1.25/oz less
  • Alcohol-free
  • Vegan & CF
  • Medium weight
· Same function
Differs
  • Cruelty-free
  • Vegan
  • Drugstore tier
Compare
DoveSame function Dove Beauty Daily Moisture Conditioner $0.50/oz $1.07/oz less
  • Alcohol-free
  • Medium weight
  • Budget
Differs
  • Cruelty-free
  • Drugstore tier
  • 12 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 who want a formula with no added fragrance and real detangling slip

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or high-damage hair

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.

0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
2
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Designed for natural, untreated hair with progressed thinning

Density and growth are cosmetic claims an ingredient list cannot settle.

  • Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
  • Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
  • Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract
Stated by brand

Not something a label can show.

Lightweight conditioner that helps provide hair resilience

Protein or ceramides are present, but low enough that this reads as support, not treatment.

  • Behentrimonium Chloride
  • Quaternium-80
Partly supported

Supports the surface, not a treatment.

Hydrates scalp and hair from root to tip

Humectants and emollients are present, but lower in the list than the claim implies.

  • Stearyl Alcohol
  • Cetyl Alcohol
  • Propylene Glycol
Partly supported

Some hydration, at a low level.

Clinically and dermatologically tested

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 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.

Reviewers, including salon professionals reordering for clients, describe the conditioner as effectively hydrating and strengthening hair.

salon/professional user

Reviewers report the shampoo+conditioner system noticeably encourages hair growth and improved scalp density with continued use.

some reviews collected as part of a manufacturer promotion

Paired with its matching shampoo, reviewers report relief from dry, itchy scalp/dandruff-like discomfort.

Available review volume for this specific SKU is thin, and a meaningful share of positive reviews were explicitly collected as part of a promotion, which may inflate sentiment.

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 2026-09-13.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 16 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 2026-08-25.