SENSITIVE, DRY & ITCHY SCALP
No over-the-counter anti-dandruff active appears in the list.
—
Stated by brand
Soothing, not an active treatment.
Nioxin
Pro Clinical Scalp Relief Scalp Soothing Serum
Scalp treatment
- Scalp treatment
- serum
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size3.38 fl oz (100 ml)
Price$40seen at one store · 3.38 oz
Price / oz$11.83/ozat 3.38 oz
Where to buy2 stores · $40.00–40.00
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: nioxin.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 19 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
High
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Some
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Prominent
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Show all 19 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Fast-drying alcohol
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
Heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
High
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
24 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Salon
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand website · Salons +1Widely sold
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 scalp treatment
$11.83/oz at 3.38 oz, more than 59% of the 280 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.84–19.05/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Easy to findsold through several channels
Maybe skip if
this product has a scent
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
What the formula actually does
Read from the label, not the marketing
Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.
Slip and detangling
Some
Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners.
Oils and butters
None
No oils or butters in the list.
Weight on the hair
Light
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
Water-binding (humectants)
High
Humectants near the top: binding water is one of its main jobs.
Protein
None
No protein or amino acids in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Hard-water defence
Chelators present
Contains chelators, which bind hard-water and pool minerals.
Fragrance
Prominent
Fragrance is in the first eight ingredients, so it makes up a larger share of the formula.
from the formula
stated by the brand
reported by reviewers
Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
Ingredients that matter
The ingredients that change a decision
The workhorse ingredients, plus anything lower down that changes a decision. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterAQUA/WATER/EAU | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Niacinamide | vitamin | A marketed vitamin addition | Detangles |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| FragrancePARFUM/FRAGRANCE | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Steareth-20 | emulsifier | Stabilises the mix | Stabilizes |
| PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil | solubilizer | Helps dissolve the oils | Stabilizes |
| Sodium Benzoate | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Phenoxyethanol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Hard-water chelators are present.
Full ingredient list (24)
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
· AQUA/WATER/EAU
General function
The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
Niacinamide
General function
Vitamin B3, used in scalp products for conditioning claims.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.
- vitamin
- conditioning agent
-
3
Glycerin
General function
Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Scientific ReportsMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-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 hairBinds 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 hairWater moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.
- humectant
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
4
Fragrance
· PARFUM/FRAGRANCE
General function
An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
5
Steareth-20
General function
An emulsifier that keeps oils and water blended in a cream.
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.
- emulsifier
-
6
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
General function
A castor-oil derivative that dissolves fragrance and oils into water so the product stays clear and does not separate.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
-
7
Sodium Benzoate
General function
A food-grade preservative that works only in acidic formulas, which is why it usually appears alongside citric acid.
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
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
-
9
Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
-
10
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
General function
A gel-forming thickener that also keeps oils suspended. It contributes a little hold.
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 suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- thickener
- polymer
- film former
-
11
Triethanolamine
General function
A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic polymers so a gel thickens.
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.
PubChemDependsFrizz-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.
- pH adjuster
-
12
Isostearyl Alcohol
General function
A fatty ester. Esters give slip and a smooth after-feel; lighter ones read dry and silky, heavier ones read rich.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
13
Acetamide MEA
General function
A humectant that also improves slip, used in conditioners and styling creams.
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.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairHumectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA 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.
- humectant
- conditioning agent
-
14
PEG-23M
- polymer
- thickener
- binder
-
15
Tetrasodium EDTA
General function
Binds the metal ions in hard water so they cannot dull hair or destabilise the formula.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesBinds 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 hairCopper 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
- 16 BOSWELLIA SERRATA GUM
- 17 PEG-30 DIPOLYHYDROXYSTEARATE
-
18
Trideceth-6
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
19
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
General function
Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little natural hold.
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 suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdGums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairHydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairAloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.
- humectant
- botanical extract
- gum
-
20
Silica
General function
A fine mineral powder that absorbs oil and adds grip. It is what makes texture powders and matte pastes feel dry to the touch.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairA dry powder takes up oil and adds friction between strands, which is most of what root lift in fine hair actually is.
- powder
- thickener
- mineral
-
21
BHT
- antioxidant
-
22
Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
-
23
Sodium Sulfite
- antioxidant
- preservative
-
24
Citric Acid
General function
Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesHolds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.
May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairWhere a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
What the whole list adds up to
- 5 preservatives
- 3 humectants
- 3 emulsifiers
- 3 thickeners
- 2 solvents
- 2 conditioning agents
- 2 solubilizers
- 2 polymers
- 2 pH adjusters
- 2 hard-water chelators
- 2 antioxidants
- 1 vitamin
- 1 fragrance
- 1 declared fragrance
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-11. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 3.38 oz
Seen at
$40
Good value under
$19
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $19 line; products that do this job typically go for about $86 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores
-
Amazon
$40.003.38 oz · $11.83/ozSep 13Lowest per oz
-
Nioxin (nioxin.com)
$40.003.38 oz · $11.83/ozSep 11
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
- 3.38 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 $40 is the price we have observed for the 3.38 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $19 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $5.57/oz; at 3.38 oz that is $19. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $86 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 3.38 oz.
Formula
2
Formula score
2 of 10
Mid-range per ounce for a shorter formula: there is no conditioning agents up front here.
How the score is counted
- 3 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 59% of the 280 scalp treatments we’ve priced
- No conditioning agents up front in the formula
- No oils or butters in the working zone either
- Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.3 pts
- Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
- Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
- A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
- A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.1 pt
- Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt
The formula score 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.
Kristin EssLowest cost per oz
Mineral Detox Pre-Shampoo Rinse
$2.50/oz $9.33/oz less
- Protein-free
- Lightweight
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
BriogeoFragrance-free
Scalp Revival Charcoal + Tea Tree Buildup Detox Spray
$6.50/oz $5.33/oz less
- Fragrance-free
- Protein-free
- Lightweight
- Function
- Also
EquateFragrance-free
Scalp Care Sulfate Free Therapy Hair Serum with Charcoal & Tea Tree
$2.77/oz $9.06/oz less
- Fragrance-free
- Protein-free
- Lightweight
- Function
- Also
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 something that will not weigh hair down
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or very humid climates, or vegan and cruelty-free shopping
Best alternative if not
Kristin Ess Mineral Detox Pre-Shampoo Rinse for similar results 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, 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.
0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
How to read this
We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not 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.
- 6 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 4 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
- Ingredient references are linked for 8 of 11 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 2026-10-03.
