Minimize the appearance of thinning
Density and growth are cosmetic claims an ingredient list cannot settle.
- Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
- Menthol
- Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Stated by brand
Not something a label can show.
Nioxin
Scalp Optimizing Conditioner
Conditioner / Everyday rinse-out, detangling
- Conditioner
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size6.7 fl oz
Price$15.63seen at one store · 6.7 oz
Price / oz$2.33/ozat 6.7 oz
Where to buy2 stores · $15.63–19.55
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: skin-beauty.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
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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
Oils and butters
None
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
High
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Medium
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
High
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
High
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
Present
Not in your profile
Show all 21 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
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
34 ingredientsA long list
Not in your profile
Price tier
Masstige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Specialty beautyOne channel
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.
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Your avoid-list
Upper-mid price for a conditioner
$2.33/oz at 6.7 oz — more than 64% of the 689 conditioners , which mostly run $0.91–3.10/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
A wide range of haira middle-of-the-range weight
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Very dry hairno humectant appears in the list
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only
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
None
No oils or butters in the list.
Weight on the hair
Medium
Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse 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
Yes
Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.
Hard-water defence
None
No chelating agent in the list.
Fragrance
Present
Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.
from the formula
stated by the brand
reported by reviewers
Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
Ingredients that matter
The ingredients that change a decision
The workhorse ingredients plus anything lower down that changes a decision. 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 |
| Stearyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol | Softens |
| Cetyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol | Softens |
| Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine | conditioning agent | Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through | Detangles |
| Dimethicone | silicone | Smooths the cuticle and adds shine | Buildup |
| Glutamic Acid | amino acid | A trace of amino acids | Protein |
| Phenoxyethanol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Benzyl Alcohol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Fragrance | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Fragrance |
| Menthol | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or drying alcohols. No protein — a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Water-insoluble silicones — needs a detergent wash to remove.
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
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
-
2
Stearyl Alcohol
General function
A fatty alcohol that thickens conditioners and helps them coat the hair evenly.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairThe 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 hairDeposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.
DependsFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
3
Cetyl Alcohol
General function
A fatty alcohol used to thicken creams and add slip. It softens rather than dries.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairThe 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 hairDeposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.
DependsFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
4
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
General function
A gentle conditioning agent activated by the acid in the formula. It smooths the cuticle without much build-up.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairThe class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSubstantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
- conditioning agent
-
5
Dimethicone
General function
The most common conditioning silicone. It coats the strand for shine, slip, and frizz control, and needs a detergent (not just water) to wash out.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA 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 hairLays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesDimethicone does not disperse in water. On a routine that skips detergent it stays on the hair and accumulates wash after wash.
- silicone
- emollient
- conditioning agent
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
6
Glutamic Acid
General function
An amino acid used for moisture binding and to bring the formula to an acidic pH.
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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hairAmino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.
DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairpH 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.
DependsProtein-sensitive hairThe lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.
- amino acid
- pH adjuster
-
7
Phenoxyethanol
General function
The most common modern preservative; it keeps the product free of bacteria and mould. It sits well below 1% of the formula.
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.
- preservative
-
8
Benzyl Alcohol
General function
A preservative and solvent that also occurs naturally in some essential oils.
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.
- preservative
- solvent
-
9
Fragrance
General function
An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.
Estimated lower-concentration 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
-
10
Methylparaben
- paraben
- preservative
-
11
Propylparaben
- paraben
- preservative
-
12
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
-
13
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
General function
Peppermint essential oil, used for scent and the cooling feeling on the scalp.
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 routinesEssential 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
-
14
Menthol
General function
Produces the cooling, tingling feeling on the scalp. The sensation is real; it is not evidence that anything else is happening.
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 routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- active
-
15
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
General function
Cornmint oil, used for a cooling sensation and mint scent.
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
- botanical extract
-
16
Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract
· Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
-
17
Yeast Extract
- botanical extract
-
18
Lecithin
General function
A soy- or sunflower-derived lipid that helps conditioning ingredients spread evenly on the strand.
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 suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- emulsifier
- emollient
-
19
Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment
- botanical extract
-
20
Biotin
- vitamin
-
21
Folic Acid
- vitamin
- 22 Cyanocobalamin
-
23
Niacinamide
General function
Vitamin B3, used in scalp products for conditioning claims.
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 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
- 24 Pantothenic Acid
- 25 Pyridoxine
- 26 Riboflavin
- 27 Thiamine
- 28 Yeast Polypeptides
-
29
Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment
- botanical extract
-
30
Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment
- botanical extract
-
31
Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment
- botanical extract
-
32
Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
- botanical extract
-
33
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- isothiazolinone
- preservative
-
34
Methylisothiazolinone
- isothiazolinone
- preservative
What the whole list adds up to
- 9 botanical extracts
- 6 preservatives
- 4 emollients
- 4 fragrances
- 3 vitamins
- 2 solvents
- 2 fatty alcohols
- 2 thickeners
- 2 conditioning agents
- 2 pH adjusters
- 2 parabens
- 2 isothiazolinones
- 1 conditioning agent
- 1 silicone
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-05. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 6.7 oz
Seen at
$15.63
Good value under
$4
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $4 line; products that do this job typically go for about $5 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 2 stores
-
Image Beauty
$15.636.7 oz · $2.33/ozSep 5Lowest per oz
-
Skin & Beauty (skin-beauty.com)
$19.556.7 oz · $2.92/ozSep 5
-
Skin & Beauty (skin-beauty.com)
$19.556.7 oz · $2.92/ozSep 5
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
- 6.7 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 $15.63 is the price we have observed for the 6.7 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $4 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.66/oz; at 6.7 oz that is $4. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $5 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 6.7 oz.
Formula
9
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
- 7 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 64% of the 689 conditioners we’ve priced
- Covers 5 of the 6 things a conditioner should do
- Masstige tier, sold at Specialty beauty
- 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.
Head & ShouldersLowest cost per oz
Head & Shoulders Smooth & Silky Anti-Dandruff Conditioner
$0.82/oz $1.51/oz less
- Scalp active
- Protein-free
- Alcohol-free
- Differs
Head & ShouldersSame function
Head Shoulders Coconut Anti-Dandruff Conditioner
$1.13/oz $1.20/oz less
- Protein-free
- Alcohol-free
- Medium weight
- Differs
MielleSame function
Lavender Lychee Scalp Soothing Conditioner
$1.21/oz $1.12/oz less
- Scalp active
- Protein-free
- Alcohol-free
- 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 real detangling slip
Biggest tradeoff
Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or soft, over-stretchy hair that needs protein
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
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Reduce hair loss due to damage and condition hair to leave it smooth and manageable
Conditioning agents that reduce combing force sit high in the list.
- Stearyl Alcohol
- Cetyl Alcohol
- Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Supported
Easier detangling, less breakage.
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.
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.
- 5 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 3 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-09-05.
- Ingredient references are linked for 8 of 12 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 2026-09-05.