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
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
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?
Complete the consultation to see how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 6,000+ products in our library, we can match you to the right ones.
- About 20 minutes, and your answers save as you go.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 21 factors we check.
- A personalized routine built around 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.
$49 with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates
$99 with 12 months. Pay once; the year renews only if you choose.
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, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.
Start your consultation$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.
Your avoid-list
Upper-mid price for a conditioner
$2.33/oz at 6.7 oz, more than 61% of the 1119 conditioners , which mostly run $0.94–3.41/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 has 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’ve only seen it sold in one channel
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, so 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, so 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. The 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 so hair combs 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 that need a detergent wash to remove.
Full ingredient list (34)
In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.
-
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 here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually 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
Vitamin B12
· Cyanocobalamin
- vitamin
-
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
- 4 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, so 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 $6 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, from 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 $0.62/oz; at 6.7 oz that is $4. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $6 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 formula at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among conditioners, with the working systems in place.
How the score is counted
- 7 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 61% of the 1119 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 measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.
Does the same job, for less
Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.
Head & ShouldersSame function
Smooth & Silky Anti-Dandruff Conditioner
$1.72/oz $0.61/oz less
- Scalp active
- Protein-free
- Alcohol-free
- Differs
Head & ShouldersLowest cost per oz
Hydrating Coconut Dandruff Conditioner
$0.55/oz $1.78/oz less
- Scalp active
- Protein-free
- Alcohol-free
- 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 products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find 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, and what the formula shows
Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from 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 at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
More from Nioxin
How this page was made
- Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one 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 general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
- We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
- Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
- 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 v23. Record last updated 2026-09-05.
