Nutrafol scalp essence
Nutrafol nutrafol scalp essence lists 26 ingredients on its label, 23 decoded. See what each one does, its irritancy and comedogenic tendency, and its status in national inventories.
Ingredients overview
Label order. Colour is our internal rating: green routine, yellow restricted or worth a look, red prohibited or high-risk, grey not yet decoded.
Ingredients are listed in label order; the order reflects the label only, not exact concentrations.
- Aqua (Water
- Eau)
- Glycerin
- Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
- Propanediol
- Smithsonite Extract
- Hydrolyzed Quinoa
- Bacillus Ferment Filtrate Extract
- Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
- Zingiber Officinale Leaf Cell Extract
- Prunus Persica Gum
- Lactic Acid
- Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
- Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
- Diisopropyl Adipate
- Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
- Triethyl Citrate
- Benzyl Alcohol
- Sodium Benzoate
- Potassium Sorbate
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Parfum
- Citral
- Geraniol
- Limonene
- Linalool
Highlights
Free of parabensFree of siliconesFree of sulfatesFree of mineral oilFree of formaldehyde releasersContains fragranceContains alcoholContains EU-26 allergensContains essential oils
Formulation view Water-based formula using glycerin and propylene glycol for hydration. Includes diverse botanical extracts and a cationic guar conditioner. Preservation relies on sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate. Ideal for lightweight scalp care. Factory note: The wide range of extracts requires strict monitoring of metal-ion interactions and long-term stability.
Key ingredients
- 溶剂
- Aqua (WaterEau)
- DENATURANT
- Glycerin
- CLEANSING
- Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
- SOLVENT
- Propanediol
- ANTIOXIDANT
- Smithsonite Extract
- SKIN CONDITIONING
- Hydrolyzed QuinoaOpuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Other ingredients
Bacillus Ferment Filtrate ExtractZingiber Officinale Leaf Cell ExtractPrunus Persica GumLactic AcidCaprylyl/Capryl GlucosideGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideDiisopropyl AdipateTetrasodium Glutamate DiacetateTriethyl CitrateBenzyl AlcoholSodium BenzoatePotassium SorbateSodium HydroxideParfumCitralGeraniolLimoneneLinalool
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua (Water | 溶剂 | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Eau) | 溶剂,稀释剂 | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glycerin | DENATURANT, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, ORAL CARE, SKIN PROTECTING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide | CLEANSING, SKIN CONDITIONING, SMOOTHING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Propanediol | SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Smithsonite Extract | ANTIOXIDANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · – | Green |
| Hydrolyzed Quinoa | SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Bacillus Ferment Filtrate Extract | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract | SKIN CONDITIONING | — | Green |
| Zingiber Officinale Leaf Cell Extract | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Prunus Persica Gum | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Lactic Acid | BUFFERING, HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside | CLEANSING, FOAMING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · – | Green |
| Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride | ANTISTATIC, FILM FORMING, SKIN CONDITIONING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Diisopropyl Adipate | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, FRAGRANCE, PLASTICISER, SKIN CONDITIONING, SOLVENT | 0 · 3 | Green |
| Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate | CHELATING | 0 · – | Green |
| Triethyl Citrate | FRAGRANCE, PLASTICISER, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING, DEODORANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Benzyl Alcohol | PRESERVATIVE, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING · 限制 III/45 and V/34 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Sodium Benzoate | ANTICORROSIVE, FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/1 | 0 · – | Yellow |
| Potassium Sorbate | FRAGRANCE, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/4 | 0 · – | Yellow |
| Sodium Hydroxide | BUFFERING, DENATURANT · 限制 III/15a | 3 · – | Green |
| Parfum | FRAGRANCE, PERFUMING | 2 · 0 | Yellow |
| Citral | FRAGRANCE, PERFUMING, FLAVOURING · 限制 III/70 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Geraniol | TONIC, PERFUMING · 限制 III/78 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Limonene | DEODORANT, SOLVENT, PERFUMING · 限制 III/88 III/167 III/168 | 1 · – | Yellow |
| Linalool | DEODORANT, PERFUMING · 限制 III/84 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
Ingredients explained
- Aqua (Water
- Primary solvent; requires preservatives at high concentration; adjust viscosity with thickeners
- Eau)
- Pure water, solvent and diluent; drinking water standard, no known allergens or irritation
- Glycerin
- Workhorse humectant at 3–10%; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives
- Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
- Prebiotic for microflora and smoothing; use 0.5-5%, suitable for sensitive skin
- Propanediol
- Polyol solvent at 1–5%; light feel, aids solubilization, propylene glycol alternative
- Smithsonite Extract
- Smithsonite mineral extract as inorganic zinc source for antioxidant and conditioning; use at trace levels, verify heavy-metal compliance.
- Hydrolyzed Quinoa
- Hydrolyzed quinoa for skin conditioning and moisturization; plant-derived small molecules, generally well-tolerated.
- Bacillus Ferment Filtrate Extract
- Not decoded yet
- Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
- Prickly pear extract; traditional humectant/soother; no published irritant/comedogenic data
- Zingiber Officinale Leaf Cell Extract
- Not decoded yet
- Prunus Persica Gum
- Not decoded yet
- Lactic Acid
- AHA pH adjuster at 0.5-5%; exfoliation/humectancy, mild at low conc., irritating at high, avoid conflict with alkaline preservatives.
- Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
- Caprylyl/capryl glucoside, mild sugar surfactant; low irritation, moderate cleansing
- Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
- Cationic guar derivative for antistatic, film-forming, viscosity control; common in hair/skin conditioning
- Diisopropyl Adipate
- Diisopropyl adipate for emollience and plasticizing; lipophilic, potential comedogenic
- Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
- Gluconate diacetate tetrasodium chelator; replaces EDTA, improves stability against metals
- Triethyl Citrate
- Solvent/plasticizer at 1–10%; provides fresh feel, slight citrus scent
- Benzyl Alcohol
- Mild preservative/solvent at 0.5-1.0%; EU allergen (labeling required), irritation risk if concentrated, avoid in infant/highly sensitive skin.
- Sodium Benzoate
- Preservative booster, effective below pH 4.5; combinable with sorbates
- Potassium Sorbate
- Preservative effective below pH 6; combinable with sodium benzoate
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Strong base neutralizer for pH adjustment; handle with extreme care
- Parfum
- Fragrance for scent; may contain allergens, caution for sensitive skin, full labeling required.
- Citral
- Citral; citrus fragrance component, listed EU allergen, high phototoxicity risk, strict concentration limits apply.
- Geraniol
- Geraniol for fragrance; EU 26 allergen, labeling required above 0.001%.
- Limonene
- Natural fragrance solvent, EU allergen; poor photostability
- Linalool
- Natural fragrance component at ≤0.05%; one of EU 26 allergens, caution for sensitive skin
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-17. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
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