Nioxin Scalp Recovery Purifying Shampoo — front of package

Nioxin

Scalp Recovery Purifying Shampoo

Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning

Shampoo
Silicone-free
Protein-free
Lightweight
Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed

Size33.81 fl oz

Price$44–63 Good valuecommonly seen · 33.81 oz

Price / oz$1.62/ozat 33.81 oz

Where to buy5 stores · $27.00–64.00

Scent:

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

Strength: Strong

Manufacturer page: nioxin.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types All types Not in your profile

Moisture level Low Not in your profile

Cleansing strength Strong Not in your profile

Slip / detangling Moderate Not in your profile

Weight on hair Light Not in your profile

Fragrance Present Not in your profile

Protein None Not in your profile

Silicone / wax buildup None Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Low Not in your profile

Scent ScentedStrong strength Not in your profile

Show all 23 factors we check

The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.

Sulfates Sulfate detergent Not in your profile

Parabens / preservatives Present Not in your profile

Essential oils Present Not in your profile

Fast-drying alcohol None 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

pH adjusted Adjusted Not in your profile

Ingredient list 52 ingredientsA long list Not in your profile

Price tier Salon Not in your profile

Where to buy it Ulta · Amazon 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.

Upper-mid price for a shampoo

$1.62/oz at 33.81 oz — more than 53% of the 805 shampoos , which mostly run $0.81–3.01/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

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

Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

Maybe skip if

this product carries a strong scent

Sulfate-free routinesit uses a sulfate detergent

Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans

Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list

Hard waterno chelator here to bind the minerals

Non-medicated routinesthis is an over-the-counter drug as well as a cosmetic

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) Low

Humectants appear, but low enough to be a minor part.

Scalp active pyrithione zinc, 1%

Carries an over-the-counter scalp active, listed under Drug Facts.

Hard-water defence None

No chelating agent in the list.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Protein None

No protein or amino acids 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. 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
Water	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Sodium Laureth Sulfate	sulfate cleanser	—	Cleanses
Peg-3 Distearate	thickener	Sets the texture	Stabilizes
Sodium Laureth-8 Sulfate	sulfate cleanser	—	Cleanses
Sodium Chloride	salt	Thickens the formula	Stabilizes
Cocamidopropyl Betaine	amphoteric cleanser	—	Cleanses
Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Holds
Magnesium Laureth-8 Sulfate	sulfate cleanser	—	Cleanses
Fragrance	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil	botanical extract	A trace plant extract	Fragrance
Linalool	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no silicones or drying alcohols. No protein — a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Carries an over-the-counter scalp active (pyrithione zinc 1%).

Full ingredient list (52)

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

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 Peg-3 Distearate

General function
An ethoxylated fatty ester used to thicken a liquid and hold oil and water together. At high ethoxylation it is a thickener more than an emollient.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- thickener
- emulsifier
4 Sodium Laureth-8 Sulfate

General function
A heavily ethoxylated sulfate detergent, milder on the skin than shorter-chain sulfates but still a strong cleanser.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- sulfate cleanser
- cleanser
5 Sodium Chloride

General function
Table salt. In shampoo it is used to thicken the liquid, not to treat the hair.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChem
- salt
- thickener
6 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
7 Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer

General function
A synthetic film-forming polymer. Polymers of this kind dry to a continuous film on the hair, which is how a styling product holds a shape.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- film former
- polymer
8 Magnesium Laureth-8 Sulfate

General function
A magnesium sulfate detergent, chosen as a slightly gentler alternative to the sodium form.

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

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
12 Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
13 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
14 DMDM Hydantoin
- formaldehyde releaser
- preservative
15 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
16 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
17 Magnesium Oleth Sulfate
- sulfate cleanser
- emulsifier
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 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
20 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
21 Benzoic Acid
- preservative
22 Linalool

General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.

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
23 Hexyl Cinnamal

General function
A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

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
24 Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract · Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
25 Sodium Polynaphthalenesulfonate
26 Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
27 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
28 Geraniol

General function
A rose-scented fragrance component, listed on its own 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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
29 Cellulose Gum

General function
A cellulose thickener used for body and slip.

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
Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.
- gum
- thickener
30 Yeast Extract
- botanical extract
31 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
32 Tocopheryl Acetate
- antioxidant
- vitamin
33 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
34 Biotin
- vitamin
35 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
36 Ethoxydiglycol

General function
A solvent that helps dissolve ingredients that resist both oil and water, and improves how evenly they deposit.

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.
- solvent
- humectant
37 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
38 Methylparaben
- paraben
- preservative
39 Glucose

General function
A simple sugar used as a light humectant.

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
High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.

PubChem
- humectant
40 Propylparaben
- paraben
- preservative
41 Lactic Acid

General function
An acid used to set pH and, in scalp products, to loosen flakes.

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
High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.

PubChem
- 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

General function
A vitamin B5 salt, related to panthenol and used for moisture 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 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.

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.
- vitamin
- humectant
50 Inositol
51 Tartaric Acid

General function
A fruit acid used to set an acidic pH; at higher levels it also loosens surface build-up.

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
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
- exfoliant
52 Caramel

General function
A colour added to tint the product itself. It does not colour 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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair
A violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.
- colourant

What the whole list adds up to

10 botanical extracts
7 fragrances
7 preservatives
6 humectants
5 sulfate cleansers
5 vitamins
4 solvents
4 cleansers
4 emulsifiers
4 pH adjusters
4 named fragrance allergens
3 thickeners
3 film formers
3 antioxidants

Drug facts actives

pyrithione zinc 1%

This product is an over-the-counter drug as well as a cosmetic. It treats a cosmetic scalp condition; it does not diagnose or treat disease.

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

Price · 33.81 oz

Commonly seen $44–63 Midpoint $54.74 · 4 stores · checked Sep 13

Good value under $68 Under $2.01/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $68 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $100 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 33.81 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it6 listings · 5 stores

33.81 ozmost listedBest per ounce

Loja Glamourosa
$35.79

33.81 oz · $1.06/oz

Aug 30Lowest per ozSale · was $47.71
Care to Beauty
$46.47

33.81 oz · $1.37/oz

Aug 30Sale · was $58.09
Ulta
$63.00

33.8 oz · $1.86/oz

Aug 22
Amazon
$63.00

33.8 oz · $1.86/oz

Sep 13
OneBioShop
$64.00

33.81 oz · $1.89/oz

Aug 30Sale · was $77.00

6.76 oz

Amazon
$27.00

6.76 oz · $3.99/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

33.81 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.
Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 33.81 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.
Good value under $68 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.01/oz; at 33.81 oz that is $68. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $100 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 33.81 oz.

Formula

Formula score

10 of 10

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

How the score is counted

Costs more per ounce than 53% of the 805 shampoos we’ve priced
Covers 7 of the 7 things a shampoo should do
Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs
Reviewers mention 2 recurring complaints

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

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.

RedkenLowest cost per oz Volume Injection Shampoo $2.87/oz $1.25/oz more

Protein-free
Deep clean
Lightweight

· Close function

Function: Scalp active
Water-binding (humectants)
Also: 10.1 oz bottle
Sold in drugstores and mass retail

Compare

KerastaseClose function Kerastase Specifique Bain Divalent Shampoo $3.46/oz $1.84/oz more

Protein-free
Deep clean
Lightweight

Function: Scalp active
Water-binding (humectants)
Also: Prestige tier
16.9 oz bottle

Compare

RedkenClose function Extreme Length Shampoo $3.04/oz $1.42/oz more

Protein-free
Deep clean
Lightweight

Function: Scalp active
Water-binding (humectants)
Film formers
Also: 10.1 oz bottle
Sold through salons

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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 person

Best user

Flaking scalps who want an over-the-counter scalp active and a protein-free formula

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, sulfate-free routines and fresh keratin treatments, or dry or damaged hair

Best alternative if not

Nothing in our library matches it closely 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.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

Combats dandruff from the first use

It carries an over-the-counter anti-dandruff active.

—

Supported

A recognised active does the work.

Gently cleanses your scalp, helps to restore its natural balance and reduces hair fall associated with itching

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

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.

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 amount

Several 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 use

A 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 routine

One 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 use

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 14 of 24 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.

Scalp Recovery Purifying Shampoo

Is this right for you?

Read from the label, not the marketing

The ingredients that change a decision

What the whole list adds up to

Drug facts actives

Should you buy it?

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

What people report

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How this page was made

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