instantly adds volume and body to fine hair
We cannot read weight on the strand from what is recorded.
- Tapioca Starch
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Nioxin
Pro Clinical Density Defend Volumizing Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo
- Dry shampoo
- aerosol
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
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
Not enough priced dry shampoos to place it
We have not priced enough dry shampoos to place this one.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Matte, textured stylesabsorbent powders do the mattifying
Short ingredient listsfifteen ingredients or fewer
Easy to findsold through several channels
Maybe skip if
this product has a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Aerosol avoidancethis is a pressurised can
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
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.
Oil-absorbing ingredients
High in the list
Absorbent powders or starches high in the list.
Fast-drying alcohol
High in the list
Fast-drying alcohol in the first three ingredients.
Needs detergent to remove
Yes
Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol Denat.ALCOHOL DENAT | drying alcohol | Speeds drying but can leave hair feeling dry | Drying |
| Butane | propellant | Pushes the product out of the can | Neutral |
| Propane | propellant | Pushes the product out of the can | Neutral |
| Isobutane | propellant | Pushes the product out of the can | Neutral |
| Tapioca Starch | starch | Soaks up oil and adds grip | Neutral |
| Silica | powder | Mattifies and absorbs oil | Stabilizes |
| WaterAQUA/WATER/EAU | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Polymethylsilsesquioxane | silicone | Smooths the cuticle and adds shine | Buildup |
| 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 |
| Benzyl Salicylate | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates. Contains fragrance. The silicones here need a detergent wash to come off. Pressurised aerosol.
Full ingredient list (15)
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
Alcohol Denat.
· ALCOHOL DENAT
General function
Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on the list.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairEvaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.
May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairPorous hair gives water up easily as it is; a fast-evaporating solvent high on the list accelerates that.
May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hairIt evaporates quickly and takes some water with it. On hair already short of moisture, a formula built on a lot of it can finish drier than it started.
- drying alcohol
- solvent
-
2
Butane
General function
A pressurised gas that pushes an aerosol out of the can and evaporates immediately.
Leading ingredientPubChemListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- propellant
-
3
Propane
General function
An aerosol propellant, usually blended with butane to set the spray pressure.
Leading ingredientPubChemListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- propellant
-
4
Isobutane
General function
A pressurised gas that pushes an aerosol out of the can and evaporates on contact.
Supporting ingredientPubChemListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- propellant
-
5
Tapioca Starch
General function
A fine starch that absorbs oil and leaves a dry, grippy feel.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairAdds grip and body with no oil attached, which is what lifts fine hair at the root instead of weighing it down.
DependsMaximum-hold stylingStarch gives texture and grip rather than a set film; firm hold usually needs a polymer alongside it.
- starch
- powder
-
6
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.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
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
-
7
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.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- solvent
-
8
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
General function
A silicone. Silicones coat the strand for slip, shine and frizz control; unless the name carries PEG or PPG, removing one takes a detergent rather than water.
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
- conditioning agent
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
9
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
-
10
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
-
11
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
-
12
Benzyl Salicylate
General function
A soft floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.
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 routinesOne 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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
13
Hexyl Cinnamal
General function
A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.
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 routinesOne 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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
14
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 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 routinesOne 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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
15
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
General function
A violet-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.
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 routinesOne 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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
What the whole list adds up to
- 7 fragrances
- 4 named fragrance allergens
- 3 propellants
- 2 solvents
- 2 powders
- 2 botanical extracts
- 1 drying alcohol
- 1 starch
- 1 thickener
- 1 mineral
- 1 silicone
- 1 conditioning agent
- 1 declared fragrance
- 1 essential oil
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-11. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 4.2 oz
Commonly seen
$18–22
Good value under
$10
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $10 line; products that do this job typically go for about $19 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
-
JCPenney
$13.494.2 oz · $3.21/ozSep 11Lowest per ozSale · was $22.00
-
Ulta Beauty
$22.004.2 oz · $5.24/ozSep 11
-
Amazon
$22.004.2 oz · $5.24/ozSep 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
- 4.2 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.
- Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 4.2 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
- Good value under $10 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.30/oz; at 4.2 oz that is $10. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $19 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 4.2 oz.
Dry shampoo refreshes hair between washes. We describe its ingredient functions without assigning a formula score.
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.
DoveLowest cost per oz
Volume & Fullness Advanced Dry Shampoo
$1.59/oz
- Protein-free
- Budget
- 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?
Depends on your hair: see who it suitsBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein, looking for a protein-free formula and a matte finish
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or high-damage hair
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.
0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
absorbs excess oil and impurities
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
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.
- This library-only category has no formula-completeness score or personal routine recommendation.
- 6 sources consulted for this product (2 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-09-13.
- Ingredient references are linked for 6 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.
