What is ARB™ Shampoo+?Updated 17 hours ago
Quick answer
ARB™ Shampoo+ is Adegen's active-ingredient shampoo, designed to replace your regular shampoo and deliver ARB™ actives directly to the scalp while you cleanse. It's the first step of the Adegen 3-step protocol and is built to pair with the Scalp Exfoliation Brush. It's the only Adegen product available as both a one-time purchase and a subscription.
What It Does
ARB™ Shampoo+ does three things at once:
- Cleanses: Gently lifts oil, sebum, dead skin, and environmental buildup from the scalp
- Delivers ARB™: The proprietary linoleic-oleic fatty-acid complex that blocks DHT at the follicle is built into the formula itself
- Resets the scalp environment: Helps clear dandruff, balance pH, and create the optimal foundation for the rest of the protocol
Why It Works When Most Hair-Loss Shampoos Don't
Most shampoos that claim active ingredients include them at levels too low to do anything. When Adegen lab-tested top-selling hair-loss shampoos (by mass spectrometry, which measures the actual amount of each active), many came back at roughly 0.01–0.1% of the ingredients they were marketing: just enough to make a label claim, not enough to produce results. A shampoo can genuinely help, but only if the actives are at clinical levels.
Caffeine is the standout example. Research suggests as little as 0.2% caffeine can be comparable to 5% minoxidil for supporting the follicle, and ARB™ Shampoo+ contains 2%, among the highest clinical caffeine levels available in a hair shampoo. Combined with the ARB™ complex, the shampoo does the same core job as the topical: blocking DHT at the follicle and supporting healthy blood flow to it while you cleanse.
What's in the formula and why:
- ARB™ proprietary complex (linoleic-oleic organic fatty acid blend): blocks DHT at the follicle
- Caffeine (2%): supports circulation at the follicle at a meaningful clinical level
- Menthol, eucalyptus, tea tree, and peppermint: natural rubefacients (vasodilators) that stimulate blood flow to the scalp and soothe it
- Zinc PCA and niacin: help regulate sebum production and keep follicle openings clear
- Niacinamide and panthenol: scalp balance and moisturizing support
- Hydrolyzed wheat protein: strand-conditioning
Full INCI list is on the product PDP.
How to Use It
- Wet hair and scalp thoroughly
- Massage a generous amount onto the scalp (not just the hair)
- Use with the Scalp Exfoliation Brush for 5–10 minutes: this isn't a fast lather-and-rinse step
- Rinse thoroughly
- Conditioner afterward is fine if you'd like
Frequency: Use it every time you wash your hair. For most people, that's every other day, but daily use is also fine.
Why the Exfoliation Brush Matters
The shampoo carries the actives; the brush lifts dead skin, unclogs follicles, and stimulates circulation while those actives sit on the scalp. The shampoo alone still cleanses, but you'll get less out of it than if you use both together. The Complete Regrowth Kit includes two Exfoliation Brushes free ($36 retail value).
Who It's For
- Everyone on an Adegen protocol: Shampoo+ is part of every routine we recommend
- Anyone who wants the scalp-health benefits without the medication side (it's one of the two products safe during pregnancy)
- People with dandruff, scalp buildup, or oily scalp
It's also one of the only Adegen products that works on its own, which is why it's the foundation of our shampoo-only routine.
Pricing
- One-Time Purchase: $59 per bottle
- Flexible Monthly: $49/mo
- 90-Day Plan (Best Value): $129 every 90 days, $43/mo equivalent, save $18 every 90 days
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