Nioxin

Scalp Relief Treatment

Scalp treatment

Scalp treatment
serum
Sulfate-free
Silicone-free
Protein-free
Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed

Size3.38 fl oz

Price$40 Good valueseen at one store · 3.38 oz

Price / oz$11.83/ozat 3.38 oz

Where to buy2 stores · $40.00–40.00

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?

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, 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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$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.

Upper-mid price for a scalp treatment

$11.83/oz at 3.38 oz — more than 60% of the 154 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.25–20.23/oz.

Price and stores

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 carries 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

Whether this much richness is right for you depends on your strand thickness, porosity, and how easily your hair flattens — that is what the consultation works out.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Slip and detangling 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 — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.

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

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

Fragrance Prominent

Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — 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. 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
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)

US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.

1 Water · AQUA/WATER/EAU

General function
The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
2 Niacinamide

General function
Vitamin B3, used in scalp products for conditioning claims.

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

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
3 Glycerin

General function
A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.

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

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
Water 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.

Scientific Reports
- humectant
▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically 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 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
5 Steareth-20

General function
An emulsifier that keeps oils and water blended in a cream.

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.
- 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 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.
- 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 zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChem
- preservative
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 zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChem
- preservative
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 zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines
Some 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 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
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 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
A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.

PubChem
- light ester
- emollient
13 Acetamide MEA

General function
A humectant that also improves slip, used in conditioners and styling creams.

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.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Humectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.

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
- 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 zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair
Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

PubChem
- 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 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.

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
Hydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Aloe 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 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
A dry powder takes up oil and adds friction between strands, which is most of what root lift in fine hair actually is.

PubChem
- 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 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

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 — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 3.38 oz

Seen at $40 1 store · checked Sep 13

Good value under $66 Under $19.58/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 6 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $66 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $81 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 3.38 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores

Nioxin (nioxin.com)
$40.00

3.38 oz · $11.83/oz

Sep 11Lowest per oz
Amazon
$40.00

3.38 oz · $11.83/oz

Sep 13

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 $66 comes from the 6 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $19.58/oz; at 3.38 oz that is $66. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $81 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 3.38 oz.

Formula

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

1 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
Costs more per ounce than 60% of the 154 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 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.

Kristin EssLowest cost per oz Mineral Detox Pre-Shampoo Rinse $2.50/oz $9.33/oz less

Protein-free
Lightweight
Silicone-free

· Close function

Function: Oils and butters
Also: Woody scent
Cruelty-free
Vegan

Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person

Best 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, 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

SENSITIVE, DRY & ITCHY SCALP

No over-the-counter anti-dandruff active appears in the list.

—

Stated by brand

Soothing, not an active treatment.

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.

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 (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 3 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-09-13.
Ingredient references are linked for 8 of 11 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 2026-09-11.