The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density and Scalp Support — 2 fl oz (60 ml)

Sizes & containers

2 fl oz (60 ml)

1 fl oz (30 ml)Travel size

2 fl oz (60 ml) · $24 at one store · UPC 769915194647

The Ordinary

Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density and Scalp Support

Scalp treatment

Scalp treatment
serum
Sulfate-free
Silicone-free
Vegan · label states
Cruelty-free · label states

Size2 fl oz (60 ml)usual store size · 2 sizes

Price$24 Good valueseen at one store · 2 oz

Price / oz$12.00/ozat 2 oz

Where to buy2 stores · 2 sizes

Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.

Scent:

No added fragrance, no scenting essential oils, and no declared fragrance allergens on the list.

“Formulated without fragrance” (Brand page)

Manufacturer page: theordinary.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 Little Not in your profile

Weight on hair Light Not in your profile

Fragrance None listed Not in your profile

Protein Prominent Not in your profile

Silicone / wax buildup None Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Moderate Not in your profile

Scent Unscented Not in your profile

Parabens / preservatives None of these listed Not in your profile

Show all 20 factors we check

The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.

Essential oils None listed Not in your profile

Fast-drying alcohol None Not in your profile

Vegan / cruelty-free Vegan · label statesCruelty-free · label states Not in your profile

Animal-derived ingredients Vegan · label states 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 36 ingredientsA long list Not in your profile

Price tier Masstige Not in your profile

Where to buy it Brand website · Specialty beauty 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.

Upper-mid price for a scalp treatment

$12.00/oz at 2 oz, more than 59% of the 280 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.84–19.05/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

no fragrance (parfum) on the label

free of strong smells

Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet

Fine hairthat flattens under most products

Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

Maybe skip if

Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein

Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you

If scent matters to younothing is added here

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) High

Humectants near the top: binding water is one of its main jobs.

Protein Prominent

Protein high in the list: a strengthening formula, not a moisture one.

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 None listed

No fragrance is listed.

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)	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Propanediol	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
Butylene Glycol	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
Glycerin	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
Caffeine	active	The over-the-counter active	Active
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1	vitamin	A marketed vitamin addition	Protein
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3	active	The over-the-counter active	Active
Larix Europaea Wood Extract	botanical extract	A plant extract, there as much for marketing as for function	Neutral

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein-forward: a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Chelators for hard water. Recorded as vegan and cruelty-free.

Full ingredient list (36)

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)

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 Propanediol

General function
A corn-derived humectant and solvent, often chosen as a lighter-feeling alternative to propylene glycol.

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

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
3 Butylene Glycol

General function
A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.

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

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
4 Glycerin

General function
Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

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
5 Caffeine

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

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChem
- active
6 Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1

General function
Biotin bonded to a short peptide, included in thinning-positioned products. Evidence for applied biotin changing hair growth is limited.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

May not suitProtein-sensitive hair
A large surface-depositing protein. If protein reliably makes your hair feel rigid, this is the form most likely to do it.

DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair
Unhydrolysed protein is too large to enter the strand. It sits on the surface, which is a coating effect rather than internal reinforcement.

PubChem
- vitamin
- protein
7 Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3

General function
A small synthetic peptide included in scalp serums and scalp treatments marketed for fuller-looking hair, often as part of a branded complex alongside red clover extract. It is a formulated active rather than a cleansing or conditioning agent.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- active
- protein
8 Larix Europaea Wood Extract

General function
An extract from the wood of Larix Europaea. Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- botanical extract
9 Pisum Sativum Extract
- botanical extract
10 Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
- botanical extract
11 Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract
- botanical extract
12 Glycine Soja Germ Extract
13 Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
- botanical extract
▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
14 Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract · Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
15 Apigenin
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
16 Oleanolic Acid
- botanical extract
17 Arginine

General function
An amino acid that holds water and carries a positive charge, so it is drawn to damaged spots 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 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.

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.

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

PubChem
- amino acid
- humectant
18 Glycine

General function
The smallest amino acid in hair protein, added for moisture binding.

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.

PubChem
- amino acid
19 Calcium Gluconate

General function
A mineral salt used in trace amounts to stabilise 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
- salt
20 Zinc Chloride
- preservative
- salt
21 Lactic Acid

General function
An acid used to set pH and, in scalp products, to loosen flakes.

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 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
A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.

PubChem
- pH adjuster
- humectant
- exfoliant
22 Gluconolactone

General function
A gentle acid that holds water and helps loosen surface build-up. It also binds a little hard-water mineral.

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 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 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
- humectant
- exfoliant
- hard-water chelator
23 Dextran
- polymer
- thickener
- binder
24 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
25 Hydroxyethylcellulose

General function
A cellulose thickener that gives gels and conditioners their body and adds a soft, flexible 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 suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
A 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 hair
A soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what helps flyaways lie down.

May not suitMaximum-hold styling
Gum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.

PubChem
- gum
- thickener
- film former
26 Xanthan Gum

General function
A fermented sugar gum that thickens water-based formulas and adds soft, 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
A 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 hair
A soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what helps flyaways lie down.

May not suitMaximum-hold styling
Gum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.
- gum
- thickener
- film former
27 Pentylene Glycol

General function
A humectant that also helps preserve the formula, often used where a brand wants a short preservative 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 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
- preservative
28 Dimethyl Isosorbide
- solvent
29 Polysorbate 20
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
30 PPG-26-Buteth-26
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
31 PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
32 Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

General function
A readily biodegradable chelator used in place of EDTA to bind hard-water minerals.

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
33 Sodium Metabisulfite
- antioxidant
- preservative
34 Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
35 Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
36 Chlorphenesin
- preservative

What the whole list adds up to

8 botanical extracts
7 humectants
6 preservatives
5 solvents
3 antioxidants
3 hard-water chelators
3 thickeners
3 film formers
3 solubilizers
3 emulsifiers
2 actives
2 proteins
2 amino acids
2 salts

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-04. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 2 oz

Seen at $24 1 store · checked Oct 4

Good value under $35 Under $17.31/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $35 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $53 at this size.

Sizes

1.01 oz

$19

$18.81/oz

2 ozusual store size

$24

$12.00/oz

The 2 oz costs 36% less per ounce than the 1.01 oz.

Show the price ladder

Price for 2 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores

2 ozusual store sizeBest per ounce

Ulta Beauty
$24.00

2 oz · $12.00/oz

Oct 4Lowest per oz

1.01 oz

Beaut Flo
$19.00

1.01 oz · $18.81/oz

Oct 22Lowest 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

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.
Seen at $24 is the price we have observed for the 2 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $35 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $17.31/oz; at 2 oz that is $35. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
About $53 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 2 oz.

Formula

Formula score

3 of 10

It costs about what other scalp treatments cost per ounce, but the formula leaves out conditioning agents up front, which most of the format carries.

How the score is counted

1 products we score as doing 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.

dpHUELowest cost per oz Apple Cider Vinegar Exfoliating Scalp Detox $8.75/oz $3.25/oz less

Fragrance-free
Unscented
Protein

· Close function

Function: Film formers
Also: Salon tier
4 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

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits

Best user

People sensitive to fragrance who want a formula with no added fragrance and a product with no scent

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to hair that stiffens on protein, very dry or very humid climates, or anyone who wants a product to smell of something

Best alternative if not

Consider dpHUE Apple Cider Vinegar Exfoliating Scalp Detox, 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.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

Improves the appearance of hair thickness and fullness

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Lightweight leave-in serum for fuller-looking hair

Light silicones and low wax content help it avoid visible residue.

Water
Propanediol
Butylene Glycol

Supported

Less likely to weigh hair down.

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.

Some reviewers report fuller-looking hair with continued use.

B recent Ulta review plus most-helpful positive; personal observations do not establish regrowth efficacy.

Some reviewers report no visible improvement after consistent use.

Summer949 after3months, Kait after1month and low-rated written corpus.

Some reviewers report scalp sensitivity, dryness or hairline breakouts.

G, Kait exact current Ulta/PowerReviews written rows; self-reported temporal association, not established causation.

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 (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 5 editorial), last checked 2026-10-22.
Ingredient references are linked for 12 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 2026-10-04.