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Nioxin

Pro Clinical System 1 Scalp Care + Hair Thickening Treatment

Scalp treatment

  • Scalp treatment
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Curly-method
  • Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size3.38 fl oz (100 ml)usual store size · 2 sizes
Price$27 Good valueseen at one store · 3.38 oz · from $6.36/oz in the 6.76 oz
Price / oz$10.28/ozat 3.38 oz
Where to buy3 stores · 2 sizes

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.

Start your consultation

Upper-mid price for a scalp treatment

$10.28/oz at 3.38 oz, more than 57% of the 280 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.84–19.05/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

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
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether this much richness suits you depends on your strand thickness, porosity and how easily your hair goes flat. We work that out in the consultation.

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 Little

Nothing here is built to reduce combing force.

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) Moderate

Humectants in the working part of the formula.

Protein Minor

Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient.

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 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.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterAqua/Water/Eau solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Niacinamide vitamin A marketed vitamin addition Detangles
Caffeine active The over-the-counter active Active
Phenoxyethanol preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Sodium Benzoate preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Benzyl Alcohol preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer thickener Adjusts the texture Holds
Polysorbate 80 emulsifier Stabilises the mix Stabilizes
FragranceParfum/Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil fragrance The scent Fragrance
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil botanical extract A trace plant extract Fragrance
Limonene fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Fragrance is on the label. Hard-water chelators are present.
Full ingredient list (43)

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 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 Caffeine
    General function

    Included in scalp and thickening products for label appeal. Evidence for applied caffeine changing hair growth is limited.

    Leading ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • active
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 4 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
  • 5 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
  • 6 Benzyl Alcohol
    General function

    A preservative and solvent that also occurs naturally in some essential oils.

    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
    • solvent
  • 7 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
  • 8 Polysorbate 80
    General function

    A solubiliser that dissolves fragrance and oils into water so the product stays clear.

    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
    • solubilizer
  • 9 Polysorbate 60
    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • 10 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
  • 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 PEG-23M
    • polymer
    • thickener
    • binder
  • 13 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 adds less weight than oils or butters do.

    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
  • 14 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
  • 15 Methyl Nicotinate
  • 16 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
  • 17 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
  • 18 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
  • 19 PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
  • 20 Trideceth-6
    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • 21 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
  • 22 Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract · Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
    • antioxidant
  • 23 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
  • 24 Cystine Bis-PG-Propyl Silanetriol
    General function

    A cystine derivative modified to bind more firmly to the strand, used in strengthening formulas.

    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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

    DependsProtein-sensitive hair

    The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

    • amino acid
    • protein
  • 25 Biotin
    • vitamin
  • 26 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
  • 27 Tocopheryl Acetate
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 28 Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Flower Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 29 Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 30 Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 31 Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 32 Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 33 Saccharum Officinarum/Sugar Cane Extract/Extrait de canne à sucre
  • 34 Vaccinium Myrtillus Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 35 Faex Extract/Yeast Extract/Extrait de levure
  • 36 Propylparaben
    • paraben
    • preservative
  • 37 Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 38 BHT
    • antioxidant
  • 39 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 40 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
  • 41 Methylparaben
    • paraben
    • preservative
  • 42 Ethylparaben
    • paraben
    • preservative
  • 43 Butylparaben
    • paraben
    • preservative

What the whole list adds up to

  • 10 botanical extracts
  • 8 preservatives
  • 4 emulsifiers
  • 4 fragrances
  • 4 parabens
  • 3 solvents
  • 3 vitamins
  • 3 thickeners
  • 3 solubilizers
  • 3 antioxidants
  • 2 conditioning agents
  • 2 polymers
  • 2 film formers
  • 2 humectants

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 $27 lowest of 2 stores · checked Sep 13
Good value under $54 Under $15.84/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 7 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $54 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $61 at this size.

Sizes

3.38 ozusual store size
$27
$10.28/oz
6.76 oz
$43
$6.36/oz

The 6.76 oz costs 38% less per ounce than the 3.38 oz.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 3 stores

3.38 ozusual store size

6.76 ozBest per ounce

  • Amazon
    $43.00
    6.76 oz · $6.36/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
  1. 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.
  2. Seen at $27 is the price we have observed for the 3.38 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $54 comes from the 7 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $15.84/oz; at 3.38 oz that is $54. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
  5. About $61 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
3 of 10

Mid-range per ounce for a shorter formula: there is no conditioning agents up front here.

How the score is counted
  • Costs more per ounce than 57% 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
  • Salon tier, sold at Salons and 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

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.

NioxinLowest cost per oz Pro Clinical System 3 Scalp Care + Hair Thickening Treatment $7.99/oz $2.29/oz less
  • Lightweight
  • Silicone-free
  • Alcohol-free
· Same function
Differs
  • 6.7 oz bottle
Compare
Color WowFragrance-free Youth Juice Collagen Scalp Serum $27.06/oz $16.78/oz more
  • Fragrance-free
  • Unscented
  • Lightweight
· Close function
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
  • Film formers
Also
  • Unscented
  • Vegan
  • Prestige tier
Compare
OribeClose function Serene Scalp Densifying Treatment Spray $18.10/oz $7.82/oz more
  • Lightweight
  • Silicone-free
  • Alcohol-free
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
  • Film formers
Also
  • Cruelty-free
  • Prestige tier
  • 4.2 oz bottle
Compare

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

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person
Best user

Fine or easily-flattened hair who want something that will not weigh hair down and a silicone-free formula

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, vegan and cruelty-free shopping, or people shopping on a budget

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, 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
1
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Thickens the hair

It reads light on the strand, which is what volume claims depend on.

  • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
  • PEG-23M
Supported

Leaves room for lift.

Nourishes the scalp

Humectants and emollients are present, but lower in the list than the claim implies.

  • Acetamide MEA
  • Propylene Glycol
Partly supported

Some hydration, at a low level.

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.

Reviewers

What people report

Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.

Lightweight texture absorbs quickly without residue, but too much spray can make hair look greasy.

Reviewers across hair types

Pump and nozzle make application simple for many, but reaching all of the scalp is hard on longer hair.

Reviewers with longer hair

Several reviewers say their hair looks fuller, though some found thinning spots at the hairline changed little.

Reviewers with thin or thinning hair

Scent divides reviewers: some find the minty menthol too strong and lingering, while others find it fresh and pleasant.

Reviewers across hair types

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.
  • 7 sources consulted for this product (2 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 8 of 14 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.

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