Anti-hair loss shampoos: what the formulas really say (INCI 2026 comparison)

Anti-hair loss shampoos all promise the same thing, with formulas that are nothing alike. Rather than pitting promises against each other, this comparison focuses on verifiable facts: stated pH, sulfates, silicones, the active ingredient's position in the INCI list, declared allergens, price per liter, and the level of publicly available evidence. An honest starting point: No shampoo alone can treat hair lossbecause it is rinsed in three minutes.

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2. WASH

Tricho-Force pH5 Anti-Hair Loss Shampoo

$23.00 Discover

3. TREAT

Tricho-Boost Anti-Hair Loss Serum

$40.00 Discover

3. TREAT

3-Month Anti-Reactive Hair Loss Supplement

$138.00 $103.00 Discover

Method and list of formulas

The data was collected on September 29, 2026, from the packaging and official product information sheets of each manufacturer. No laboratory analysis was performed for this comparison, and all values ​​are reproducible by the reader. The products are listed alphabetically by brand: this order does not indicate any hierarchy, and this comparison does not designate a winner.

Each line indicates, in order: the stated pH, the presence of sulfates, the presence of silicones, the claimed active ingredients and their position in the list, the declared allergens, the price per liter and the level of publicly available evidence.

• Alpecin Caffeine Shampoo C1 (250 ml) — pH: not disclosed Sulfates: yes, Sodium Laureth Sulfate in 2nd position · Silicones : not listed · Active : caffeine (6th), panthenol, zinc PCA niacinamide, protein hydrolyzed wheat Allergens: limonene, acetate of linalyl · ≈ €28/L (€6,99 for 250 ml) Evidence: data instrumental claimed by the mark on the caffeine complex; exposure time of 2 minutes recommended
• Ducray Anaphase Stimulating Shampoo-Cream (400 ml) — pH: not disclosed Sulfates: yes Sodium Laureth Sulfate in 2nd position · Silicones : not listed · Active : biotin (10th), panthenol Pyridoxine, Ruscus aculeatus, tocopheryl nicotinate — several located after the perfume Allergens: acetate linalyl · price variable depending distributor · Proof clinical study on 42 subjects, 3 months, ratio anagen/telogen and tensile test, supplemented by tests consumers
• Kérastase Genesis Hydra-Fortifying Bath (250 ml) — pH: no press release · Sulfates Yes, Sodium Laureth Sulfate in 2nd position · Silicones : no · Active: ginger root, native cells edelweiss, acid salicylic Allergens: limonene, linalool salicylate benzyl, coumarin, citral, alcohol benzyl, citronellol · ≈ 35 to €45/L depending on format and distributor Proof: -97% of fall due to breakage measured during brushing on the system Complete Bath + Melt + Serum. The specific brand Genesis herself is not a care of hair loss
• Klorane Quinine & Edelweiss (400 ml) — pH: not disclosed Sulfates: no Disodium surfactant laureth Sulfosuccinate Silicones: no Listed · Assets: quinine, edelweiss, caffeine, biotin, niacinamide, panthenol, B6 Allergens: acetate of linalyl · ≈ 25 to €35/L according to distributor · Proof : in vivo study on 31 people, 2 months for everyday use, -60% of hair collected and -57,8% broken hairs brushing
• MakeMyMask Tricho-Force pH5 (200 ml) — pH: 5, as announced Sulfates: no Silicones: no Active ingredient: Capilia Longa™ (extract of Curcuma longa), Lactobacillus ferment, inulin, biotin, panthenol Allergens: to check on the packaging according to the lot · €99,50/L (€19,90 for 200 ml) • Evidence: evaluation in laboratory accredited (2026) of the anti-fall protocol reactionary including this shampoo - measure instrumental at Trichoscan HD 4.0, wash test and test usage on 20 topics, mixed panel normal skin and sensitive, under supervision dermatological. The results relate to the complete protocol, not on the shampoo isolated
• Nioxin Hair Fall Defense Shampoo — pH : not disclosed Sulfates: yes Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in 2nd and 3rd positions Silicones: no Listed · Assets: caffeine (5th), Sandalore™, panthenol, acid salicylic acid Laurique, niacinamide, biotin • Allergens: limonene, oils essentials of mint · ≈ €51/L (€24,29 for 475 ml) highly variable depending distributor · Proof : study on 30 consumers, 12 weeks, 93% of perception of fall reduction. The brand specifies that it is not of a product of regrowth
• Phyto Phytocyane Invigorating Shampoo (250 ml) — pH: no press release · Sulfates Yes, Sodium Laureth Sulfate in 2nd position · Silicones : no · Active: quinine, ginkgo biloba, seeds of grape, panthenol pyridoxine, rosemary, wheat protein hydrolyzed Allergens: citral, limonene · ≈ €46/L (€11,50 for 250 ml) • Evidence: studies on 39 women, 42 and 84 days; results mainly in self-assessment, with an instrumental test in parallel
• René Furterer Triphasic Anti-Hair Loss Longevity Shampoo (200 ml) — pH: no press release · Sulfates No · Silicones: No · Active: iris extract patented, ginseng, Pfaffia paniculata, ATP, panthenol, essential oils orange, lavender and Rosemary · Allergens citral, hexyl cinnamal, linalool pinene, acetate of linalyl, plus the fragrance components oils essentials · price variable depending distributor · Proof : study on 30 people, 3 months, -52% drop announced; the excerpt iris has by elsewhere data ex vivo, distinct results on the final product
• Vichy Dercos Aminexil Energy+ Energizing Shampoo (400 ml) — pH: no press release · Sulfates Yes, Sodium Laureth Sulfate in 2nd position · Silicones : not listed · Active : Aminexil / Diaminopyrimidine Oxide (9ᵉ), niacinamide, panthenol pyridoxine, acid salicylic Allergens: none fragrance allergen listing individually in the INCI published; fragrance present · ≈ 25 at €35/L according to distributor · Proof presented by the brand like complement of treatments without Aminexil rinse Clinical 5, including the efficiency data are distinct

Statement dated 29/09/2026. Formulas and prices subject to change — semi-annual review.

How to read an INCI list

The INCI list is ordered by decreasing concentration, up to 1%. Below this threshold, the order becomes free — and that's where the essential part of reading takes place.

• The first five ingredients often make up 80% or more of the formula
• The perfume (Perfume ou Fragrance) is almost always present in concentrations below 1%: therefore, everything that follows it is present in concentrations below 1%
• An active ingredient listed after the fragrance is present in a symbolic quantity, regardless of its prominence on the bottle.
• An active ingredient's trade name never appears in the INCI list: look for its actual name, such as Diaminopyrimidine Oxide for Aminexil.
• The same brand may market several formulas under a similar name — check the exact reference before comparing

The chart above illustrates this point: on many products, the active ingredient highlighted on the packaging appears in fifth, ninth, or tenth position, sometimes after the fragrance. Our selection of pH5 shampoos follows this logic of transparency.

Why the pH of a shampoo matters

The scalp is skin, whose hydrolipidic film is between 4,5 and 5,5. The further a wash product moves away from this area, the more the fiber swells and the more the cuticle scales lift; on the skin side, an alkaline pH weakens the skin barrier and promotes irritation and flaking.

This is the most crucial parameter for a shampoo, and the survey shows that only one of the nine products compared provides this information. The absence of this information proves nothing about the quality of a formula, but it prevents any verification by the consumer.

Reference: Schmid-Wendtner MH & Korting HC, The pH of the skin surface and its impact on the barrier function*, Skin Pharmacol Physiol, 2006.*

★★★★★ Verified review

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What a shampoo cannot do

Shampoo remains on the scalp for approximately three minutes before being rinsed. This contact time allows for cleansing, but not for delivering an active ingredient to the hair follicle at a useful concentration.

The systematic review by Rosenthal et al., published in 2024 in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy , analyzed 141 studies on the management of androgenetic alopecia. The treatments found to be effective—topical minoxidil, oral finasteride and dutasteride, microneedling, PRP, and low-level lasers—all shared a prolonged contact time or systemic administration. No rinse-off formulations were included.

The survey makes this limit legible. Several brands even indicate it themselves: Kérastase specifies that Genesis is not a hair loss treatment and measures the reduction of breakage when brushing, Nioxin that it is not a regrowth product, Vichy that its shampoo complements leave-in treatments.

One important distinction to keep in mind when reading the last data point on each line: the sample sizes range from 20 to 42 people, and more importantly, the methods differ. A percentage derived from a self-assessment of satisfaction does not measure the same thing as an instrumental measure of density. This is why the type of method is indicated, and not just the number.

What shampoo actually does: it preserves the skin barrier, respects the microbiome balance, avoids adding irritation to a weakened skin, and prepares the skin for the effectiveness of leave-in treatments applied afterward. It creates the conditions; it doesn't replace the treatment. Other misconceptions are detailed on our Myths vs. Realities page.

Regulatory framework: Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, which requires that cosmetic claims be substantiated, truthful and fair, and prohibits any therapeutic claim.

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