Biotin is a common ingredient in hair care products. You can find it mainly in anti-hair loss products and strengthening products, but do you know how this vitamin actually benefits your hair? Let’s take a closer look at biotin to understand its true benefits and answer the question once and for all: do you need a biotin shampoo in your hair care routine?
Biotin for hair: What you need to know
Before diving into the world of biotin shampoos, let’s talk about biotin as an ingredient:
What is biotin?
Biotin (aka vitamin H or B7) is a water-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in our body. Among its many functions, biotin contributes to the production of keratin–which, as you know, is the primary component of your hair.
Biotin appears frequently in hair products, whether they are supplements or topically applied products such as shampoos, conditioners, or hair masks. But what does biotin actually do for your hair?
How biotin benefits the hair
Biotin is often promoted as a key ingredient in products that strengthen the hair, increase hair density, and prevent or combat hair loss.
Scientifically speaking, however, there’s limited evidence regarding the effects of biotin on the hair–specifically when it comes to fighting hair loss. According to a review from 2017, biotin supplementation may be beneficial “in cases of acquired and inherited causes of biotin deficiency as well as pathologies, such as brittle nail syndrome or uncombable hair”. This is promising, of course, but it may not apply to you–after all, biotin deficiency is pretty rare among healthy individuals.
So that’s that on biotin supplements: if you have a biotin deficiency, they may help you promote healthy hair growth. If you don’t, there are other anti hair-loss ingredients that might work better for you.
And what about biotin shampoos, conditioners, or masks? We don’t have scientific consensus on this either. There is some anecdotal evidence that biotin can help promote thicker, shinier hair, but that’s what it is: anecdotal.
So that’s the bad news: a biotin shampoo is not going to help you reverse hair thinning or hair loss. It may help you achieve the look and feel of thicker and denser hair, but we don’t have a lot of scientific evidence to prove this.
The good news is: biotin is rarely alone. If you have hair thinning or hair loss, you can choose a shampoo designed for hair loss and benefit from a full blend of anti-hair loss ingredients–which may, indeed, include biotin! (Just remember that anti-hair loss shampoos must always be used as a complement to actual hair loss treatments.) If you have damaged or breakage-prone hair, you can do the same, and choose a product that suits your concerns. It’s very possible that you will find biotin there!
6 biotin shampoos that are worth a try
Now that you know how biotin can benefit your hair, let’s explore some shampoos that feature this ingredient in their formula:
OGX Thick & Full + Biotin & Collagen Shampoo
The affordable biotin shampoo
OGX Thick & Full + Biotin & Collagen Shampoo
OGX Thick & Full + Biotin & Collagen Shampoo was created especially to give your locks a boost of strength and vitality. Ideal for fine hair with little volume, this shampoo promotes a “thickening” effect in order to give you the appearance of a fuller head of hair.
The formula combines biotin, collagen, and wheat proteins to help support healthy hair growth. Benefits aside, we must also mention the scent of this shampoo: with bergamot, jasmine, and vanilla, this fragrance will turn your shower into an all-out sensory experience!
ISDIN Lambdapil Anti Hair Loss Shampoo
The normalizing and stimulating shampoo
ISDIN Lambdapil Anti Hair Loss Shampoo
Biotin is not an anti-hair loss ingredient per se, but you can find it in many anti-hair loss shampoos, like this ISDIN Lambdapil Anti Hair Loss Shampoo. This is a specialized shampoo that helps reduce hair loss and increase hair density.
The star ingredients are Serenoa repens and Trichogen Active Complex; while the first stimulates the hair follicle, the second helps to reduce hair loss, while normalizing sebum production and improving the overall appearance of the hair.
Sesderma Seskavel Anti-Hair Loss Shampoo Weak Hair
The nanotech biotin shampoo
Sesderma Seskavel Anti-Hair Loss Shampoo Weak Hair
For those with thin and fragile hair, with a tendency to fall out, the Sesderma Seskavel Anti-Hair Loss Shampoo Weak Hair shampoo is ideal. This shampoo’s effectiveness is due to its combination of two technologies.
On the one hand, it uses growth factors to prolong the anagen growth phase (aka the active growth phase of the hair); on the other hand, it uses nanotechnology to deliver the active ingredients deep into the hair follicle. The formula includes artemise extract, Serenoa serrulata, hydrolysed keratin, caffeine, biotin, aminoacids and the aforementioned growth factors.
L’Oréal Professionnel Série Expert Inforcer Shampoo
The strengthening shampoo for damaged hair
L’Oréal Professionnel Série Expert Inforcer Shampoo
If your hair needs strength, consider trying the L’Oréal Professionnel Série Expert Inforcer Shampoo. Part of the Inforcer range, this fortifying shampoo aims to promote stronger, more resilient hair, able to resist breakage as it grows longer and stronger.
With vitamin B6 and biotin, this formula helps promote stronger hair, especially when used continuously and in combination with the conditioner from the same range. The hair is shinier, more manageable, healthier looking and full of vitality–and, needless to say, much stronger and more resistant to breakage.
Redken Extreme Length Shampoo
The secret to long, resistant hair
Redken Extreme Length Shampoo
The Redken Extreme Length range has one purpose and one alone: to help your hair reach its maximum length without stress, without breakage, and most importantly, without split ends. The key ingredient in the Redken Extreme Length Shampoo is precisely biotin. Alongside it is an exclusive Length Care Complex, which helps to strengthen the hair and thus prevent breakage and the appearance of split ends. Ideal for fragile and brittle hair, this shampoo helps reduce breakage by up to 81% when combined with the other products in the range!
And we have another piece of good news: if you have color-treated or even bleached hair, you can use this shampoo with complete confidence. It will help you prevent damage and keep your hair strong and healthy.
ACM Laboratoire Novophane Energizing Shampoo
The vitamin-rich shampoo
ACM Laboratoire Novophane Energizing Shampoo
ACM Laboratoire Novophane Energizing Shampoo is, above all, a complement shampoo for anti-hair loss treatments. What does this mean? It means that, although it is not an anti-hair loss treatment in itself, it can help create the ideal conditions for your hair to grow healthy and strong.
True to that purpose, this shampoo contains 6 vitamins that help stimulate the scalp and fortify the hair. Among them, we find not only biotin, but also vitamins B3 (aka niacinamide), C, and E.
As you can see, there are many different types of biotin-infused shampoos. Each one offers slightly different benefits depending on the hair concerns they address, and the hair care ranges they fit into. As we mentioned early on, biotin is a relatively common ingredient in hair care–so if you want to integrate it into your routine, now you know how to do it.
If your interest in biotin is related to its strengthening benefits, don’t leave just yet! We’ve got a roundup of shampoos and conditioners for damaged hair that might just suit your needs. If you have fragile and brittle hair, you may find the answer you are looking for there!
