promotes hair growth
Density and growth are cosmetic claims an ingredient list cannot settle.
- Niacinamide
- Piroctone Olamine
- Panthenol
Stated by brand
Not something a label can show.
Pantene
Abundant & Strong Daily Scalp & Root Serum
Finisher / Serum, lightweight
- Finisher
- serum
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size2.03 fl oz
Price$21.76seen at one store · 2.03 oz
Price / oz$10.72/ozat 2.03 oz
Where to buy3 stores · $19.99–21.76
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: pantene.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see exactly how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 2,400+ products in our library we can match exactly the right products to you.
- In 10 minutes we can identify your exact hair condition and traits.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 22 factors we check.
- A personalized routine for your daily life — 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.
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
All types
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Oils and butters
None
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Little
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
Low
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Show all 22 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
High
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
Aerosol can
Pump or tube
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Not determined
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
Ingredient list
12 ingredientsA short list
Not in your profile
Price tier
Masstige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Target · Walmart +2Widely 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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Your avoid-list
Upper-mid price for a serum
$10.72/oz at 2.03 oz — more than 57% of the 77 serums , which mostly run $3.25–14.50/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
Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove
Aerosol avoidancea pump or tube, not a pressurised can
Short ingredient listsfifteen ingredients or fewer
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
Hair that reads dullno recognised shine system in the list
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.
Weight on the hair
Light
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
Oils and butters
None
No oils or butters in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Fast-drying alcohol
High in the list
Fast-drying alcohol in the first three ingredients.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol Denat.Alcohol Denat | drying alcohol | Speeds drying — and can read dry on the hair | Drying |
| Water | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Niacinamide | vitamin | A marketed vitamin addition | Detangles |
| Piroctone Olamine | active | The over-the-counter active | Active |
| Panthenol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Detangles |
| Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose | gum | Natural hold and clump definition | Holds |
| PVP | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Fragrance | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Menthol | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or silicones. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. Fast-drying alcohol is in the list.
Full ingredient list (12)
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
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
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
-
3
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
-
4
Piroctone Olamine
General function
An anti-flaking agent common outside the United States, used at cosmetic levels here.
Supporting ingredientPubChemListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- active
-
5
Panthenol
General function
Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairIt hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.
May 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 hairA humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.
- humectant
- conditioning agent
- vitamin
-
6
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
General function
A cellulose thickener used for slip and light hold in gels and creams.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdA polysaccharide film stays softer than a synthetic one as it dries, which is what leaves a curl defined but still able to move.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what keeps flyaways lying down without stiffness.
May not suitMaximum-hold stylingGum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.
- gum
- thickener
- film former
-
7
PVP
General function
A classic hairspray polymer. It gives firm hold but attracts moisture, so humidity can soften the set.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay 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.
May not suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairThe film takes up water from the air. The patent work that produced the VP/VA copolymers describes a PVP film turning sticky after time in a humid atmosphere, and being dependable only where humidity is low — so hold and feel both move with the weather.
- film former
- polymer
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
8
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
-
9
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
-
10
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
-
11
Yellow 5
General function
A certified colour added to tint the product itself. It does not colour hair.
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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairA violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.
- colourant
-
12
Red 33
General function
A certified colour used to tint the product. It does not colour hair.
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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairA violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.
- colourant
What the whole list adds up to
- 2 solvents
- 2 vitamins
- 2 conditioning agents
- 2 actives
- 2 film formers
- 2 fragrances
- 2 colourants
- 1 drying alcohol
- 1 humectant
- 1 gum
- 1 thickener
- 1 polymer
- 1 declared fragrance
- 1 pH adjuster
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-15. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 2.03 oz
Seen at
$21.76
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 $12 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
-
Target
$19.992 oz · $9.99/ozSep 15Lowest per oz
-
Beauty Care Bag
$21.762.03 oz · $10.72/ozSep 16
-
The Spa of Charleston
$21.762.03 oz · $10.72/ozSep 16
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
- 2.03 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 $21.76 is the price we have observed for the 2.03 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- 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 $5.12/oz; at 2.03 oz that is $10. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $12 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 2.03 oz.
Formula
3
Formula score
3 of 10
It costs about what other serums cost per ounce, but the formula leaves out shine system, which most of the format carries.
How the score is counted
- Costs more per ounce than 57% of the 77 serums we’ve priced
- No shine system in the formula
- No oils or butters in the working zone either
- Masstige tier, sold at Target and Walmart
- A shine systemThe silicone, oil, or ester that produces gloss.3 pts
- A weightless carrierDelivers the shine without leaving grease.2 pts
- Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
- An antioxidantKeeps the oils in the bottle from going off.1 pt
- No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.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
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.
VerbClosest function
Density Peptide Hair Serum
$22.00/oz $11.28/oz more
- Lightweight
- Silicone-free
- Rinses clean
- Function
- Also
BiolageClose function
Scalp Sync Oil Balancing Serum
$17.15/oz $6.43/oz more
- Protein-free
- Lightweight
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
DavinesLowest cost per oz
HEART OF GLASS Instant Bonding Glow
$5.33/oz $5.39/oz less
- Silicone-free
- Rinses clean
- Shine
- Function
- Also
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?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and something that will not weigh hair down
Biggest tradeoff
Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or high-damage hair, or anyone who will not scrunch out a cast
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, 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.
0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
hair fall reduction
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 marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
Reviewers
What people report
Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.
Multiple reviewers report less hair fallout and shedding after regular use, often describing it as part of a 3-step routine used together with the Abundant & Strong shampoo and conditioner, making it hard for some to credit the serum alone.
The dropper applicator and sectioning method are called out as easy to use and precise for reaching the scalp/root line, and several reviewers like the compact, 'cute' packaging.
A minority of reviewers say they saw no visible difference in hair or scalp condition after use, with one calling it 'would not buy again' despite liking the scent.
Reviewers repeatedly praise the lightweight, non-greasy, non-oily feel on the scalp and hair, noting it absorbs without leaving residue even on curly or fine hair.
Several reviewers describe a noticeable tingling or cooling sensation on the scalp when the serum is applied, which they attribute to the niacinamide/menthol and generally read as a pleasant, refreshing sign rather than irritation.
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- Gold Series Moisture Boost Conditioner
- Hair Volume Multiplier Conditioner with Bamboo
- Hydrating Glow Baobab + Hyaluronic Sulfate Free Conditioner
- Illuminating Color Care Biotin Sulfate Free Conditioner
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.
- 6 sources consulted for this product (2 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 4 editorial), last checked 2026-09-16.
- Ingredient references are linked for 6 of 10 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 2026-09-16.