What it does
- Adds a conditioning, vitamin-enriched positioning to hair and scalp products.
- A gentle, widely used water-soluble B-vitamin.
- Commonly combined with other hair-care actives.
How it works
Biotin is a B-vitamin essential to the body's metabolism. While dietary biotin deficiency can affect hair and nails, robust evidence that topical biotin meaningfully grows hair is limited; in cosmetics it is best understood as a conditioning, on-trend vitamin rather than a proven topical hair-growth active. It has limited water solubility, so it is used at low levels.
Use level
- Typical use level
- typically low levels (often ~0.1% or less)
Used at low levels, often around 0.1% or less. Position it honestly as a conditioning vitamin; strong topical hair-growth claims are not well supported.
Formulation considerations
- Limited water solubility; use at low levels or pre-solubilise.
- Water-phase addition; broadly compatible.
- Gentle and well tolerated.
What it pairs with & what to avoid
Pairs well with
- Panthenol, amino acids and other hair-care actives
- Caffeine and rosemary (scalp/hair positioning)
Use with care / avoid
- Overstating topical hair-growth benefits (the evidence is limited)
Regulatory status
Biotin is listed in the EU CosIng database and is a well-established cosmetic ingredient.
Common questions
Does topical biotin grow hair?
The evidence that topical biotin meaningfully grows hair is limited; it is best understood as a conditioning vitamin in cosmetics rather than a proven hair-growth active.
What percentage of biotin is used?
Low levels, often around 0.1% or less, partly due to limited solubility.
Is biotin good for hair products?
It is a popular, gentle conditioning vitamin for hair and scalp positioning, best paired with other actives.