Harklinikken is a hair care brand founded in Denmark. The brand describes their hair products as “high-quality, non-toxic and efficacious” and they sell everything from hair growth serums to shampoo.
But do Harklinikken products actually contain research-backed ingredients for improving hair quality and supporting hair growth or are they a waste of money? Does the brand use any questionable additive ingredients? Where’s the cheapest place to buy their products? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Harklinikken?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in two of the brand’s most popular products based on clinical studies to give our take on whether or not they’re worth the money. We’ll review Harklinikken Balancing Shampoo and Hair Gain Extract.
We’ll also provide a cost breakdown showing what retailer has these products for the best price and share real, unsponsored Harklinikken customer reviews.
Balancing Shampoo Review
Harklinikken’s Balancing Shampoo is quite expensive, costing $54 for the largest size. For this price, we would expect a premium formulation. The ingredients are shown above.
Lauric acid is the only ingredient in this formulation we can find research backing for in regard to hair quality. It’s derived from coconut oil and may be able to protect hair proteins from damage according to a medical review published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science.
Potassium sorbate is a preservative shown to be toxic to human cells in a 2010 clinical trial. This was an in vitro (test tube) study, so it doesn’t necessarily mean the same results apply when used on hair, but worth noting in our opinion.
Overall we’re quite underwhelmed with this formulation. Most shampoo products we review on Illuminate Health like Better Not Younger contain many effective botanical ingredients even if we don’t end up recommending the product.
But is the hair growth product better-formulated? We’ll analyze in the next section.
Hair Gain Extract Review
Harklinikken’s Hair Gain Extract is even more expensive than their shampoo, costing $88 per bottle. It’s custom-formulated but no ingredient list is shown even after completing the questionnaire (we completed it with sample responses).
We strongly urge consumers to avoid cosmetic products without an ingredient label, as it’s a safety issue. Without knowing exactly what ingredients are in the product, there’s no way to assure its safety or efficacy.
There were also some strangely personal health questions in the Hair Gain Extract questionnaire, including whether or not you are pregnant or have given birth in the past 6 months. We have no idea how or why that would impact a hair growth formulation, nor does Harklinikken share any clinical research suggesting their custom formulations are effective.
As shown above, the brand also asks how often users work out. Again, how does this affect ingredients in a hair growth product?
We recommend that consumers be wary of giving sensitive health information to cosmetics brands for no clear benefit. As we discussed in our review of another health brand that collects user data called Reverse Health, your health data is at risk of being hacked when it’s stored with a company.
We have not come across any convincing medical evidence that “personalized” hair care products are more effective than standard hair care products. We consider this more of a marketing strategy than a strategy founded on good science.
Real, Unsponsored Harklinikken User Reviews
Harklinikken is sold on Amazon which is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand’s website in our opinion.
The brand’s most-reviewed product on Amazon is their Daily Conditioner which has been reviewed over 90 times with an average review rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars.
The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “Taryn” who claims the product helped with hair thinning:
“I have been using Harklinikken products for about a year and a half. I am 26 years old and had suffered severe hair thinning for years prior to finding these products. The results have been incredible and I continue to see results. The texture of my hair has changed completely from using the conditioner and shampoo.”
The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “ELC” who gives the product a 3-star rating and claims it didn’t impart the aesthetic benefits they were seeking:
“I really wanted to like this conditioner, but it may not be the best for my hair type. I’ve been using a little over a week. It does leave my hair soft. But my hair “looks” dry and dull, as though I need a finishing cream applied. I may see if there’s a different conditioner from this line that would be best for me.”
The brand has few complaints on their Better Business Bureau (BBB) page, and they respond and try to resolve each complaint which is the sign of a high-quality brand.
Does Harklinikken Cause Side Effects?
Harklniikken does not appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, so it’s impossible to say for certain whether or not the brand’s products are likely to cause side effects. However, we can make an educated guess based on the ingredients used.
We do not consider Harklinikken likely to cause side effects in the average consumer. Most of the ingredients used by the brand are safe, well-studied and non-toxic.
There are a few potential irritants worth noting.
The preservative potassium sorbate that we highlighted in the ingredient analysis section was described as a potential irritant which is “underestimated” according to a medical review published in the Contact Dermatitis journal.
Cocamidopropyl betaine is a synthetic detergent that won “Allergen of the Year” due to its clinically proven allergenic effects, as we referenced in our review of another cosmetic product containing this ingredient called Native Body Wash.
Harklinikken products may cause allergic reactions in individuals with sensitive skin.
Where to Buy Harklinikken for the Best Price
Harklinikken is sold primarily on the brand’s website and on Amazon. Here’s the price breakdown for two of their most popular products:
Balancing Shampoo
Brand website: $54 (plus shipping)
Amazon: $54 (free shipping depending on plan – link to official Amazon listing)
Daily Conditioner
Brand website: $49 (plus shipping)
Amazon: $49 (free shipping depending on plan – link to official Amazon listing)
For those who have Amazon Prime, purchasing Harklinikken products from Amazon can save 5-10% per order due to free shipping.
How to Apply Harklinikken Hair Loss Treatment
Harklinikken has a YouTube video that’s only two minutes long showing how to properly apply their hair loss treatment:
Our Non-Toxic Hair Picks
Hair loss can be caused by a number of factors, from hormones to stress to vitamin deficiencies and more. Without determining the cause, it’s impossible to effectively treat.
We recommend Sesame’s Video Hair Loss Consult because it’s a convenient way for patients to have a call with a credentialed medical expert like a doctor or dermatologist to determine the cause of the hair loss and prescribe treatment, from the comfort of their home.
Sesame is a leading online health platform that allows patients to order lab tests, connect with medical experts of nearly any specialty, and be prescribed medication.
Interested consumers can check out Sesame’s Video Hair Loss Consult service at this link.
The shampoo we recommend is Acure Vivacious Volume Shampoo.
This shampoo is formulated with effective and non-toxic plant-based compounds like aloe vera juice and argan oil. It also contains rosemary leaf oil which was shown in a clinical trial published in the Phytotherapy Research journal to promote hair growth. It's entirely free of questionable additives.
Interested consumers can check out Acure Vivacious Volume Shampoo at this Amazon link.
