Thinning hair can be devastating to anyone’s self-esteem—but especially for women. Biotech hair care company Virtue Labs has two regimens that combat female hair loss. The  formulations have proven performance as well as good aesthetics that make treating the condition feel less medicinal. 

Powered by keratin proteins and born from regenerative medicine, Virtue says Flourish products cleanse, purify and enrich the scalp, creating fertile ground for hair to grow. As each new hair emerges, it’s nourished and strengthened so it can survive and thrive, according to the company, which burst onto the hair care scene in 2017. Since then, Virtue Labs earned accolades from major beauty and women’s media outlets like Allure and Cosmopolitan as well as Popular Science (its ColorKick earned a Best of What's New Award from the magazine in 2019).

In 2020, Combe increased its stake in the Raleigh, NC-based hair care company.

Virtue Labs offers two Flourish regimens. Both three-step programs begin with a shampoo and conditioner. The Hair Growth regimen’s third step is Virtue’s Nightly Intensive Hair Growth Treatment, which contains a Minoxidil Topical Aerosol, 5% treatment. The Hair Rejuvenation regimen features the company’s new Density Booster as the third component.

The booster contains alpha and gamma keratins; biomimetic signal peptides that nourish and calm the scalp to help create a healthy environment for hair growth; saccharomyces lysate, a probiotic yeast extract known to increase oxygenation and help reduce irritation in the scalp; and larch wood extract, which encourages the initiation of the anagen growth phase. In a double-blind clinical trial it was shown to be more effective than Minoxidil, according to the company.

Virtue Labs tested the Density Booster alongside Virtue Flourish Shampoo and Conditioner through an independent lab “on real women under real conditions,” according to Virtue Founder and CEO Melisse Shaban. In that study, 91% said they saw less hair shedding/fall-out; 94% said they had more volume; 94% said their hair felt healthier; 97% said their scalp felt healthier; and 97% said they saw new growth (perception results after six months of Virtue Flourish Regimen use).

Happi caught up with CEO Melisse Shaban to find out more about the Flourish regimens.

Happi: Not many consumers associate hair thinning with dermatology—but it really is a logical space when you consider the scalp is skin. Is this why Virtue sees this professional space as a great venue for the line?

Shaban: One thing our research revealed was that women aren’t sure about where to turn for advice for their thinning hair. It tends to be a combination of their dermatologist, their hairdresser, their friends and family, and even their OBGYN. There can also be some shame surrounding the issue, with some women embarrassed to even discuss it.  Virtue Flourish is available online, at retail, in hair salons and increasingly in doctors’ offices.  And we’re on a mission to shatter the stigma and lift the taboo with truly efficacious products and education tools and resources.  We created a special website – virtueflourish.com – to share some of these resources.

Happi: Are dermatologists seeing an uptick in female hair loss based on any current issue, like covid? What are other causes of thinning in women that can be addressed by topicals?

Shaban: Well, of course I’m not a dermatologist.  But I’m hearing from dermatologists, from hairstylists and from friends that female hair loss is becoming more pervasive.  It’s almost like an epidemic.  And there are multiple causes.  When we think of men’s hair loss, we’re primarily talking about male pattern baldness, which is largely driven by genetics.  With women, there are a lot of possible factors including hormonal changes, nutritional deficiencies, environmental causes like chemical buildup from products, dyes or salon treatments, and even stress.  Virtue Flourish addresses these issues by focusing on scalp fertility, and importantly, on hair fiber survival – strengthening those fragile strands to help them survive and thrive.

Happi: How can a line like Flourish help women suffering from hair loss?

Shaban: Our scalp is the starting point for every hair we grow, so we start there too.  Virtue Flourish products cleanse, purify and enrich the scalp, creating fertile ground for hair to grow.  Our exclusive Alpha Keratin 60ku Clinical protein complex supports hair growth by nourishing the microbiome, clearing the follicles and strengthening the moisture barrier.  It nourishes new fragile hair as it emerges, increasing the strength and thickness of new fibers.  Our formulas are designed to repair and rejuvenate existing hair so it looks amazing while you’re growing more.  We really do feel that this is the first real breakthrough in women’s hair loss in a generation.

Happi: Can you share more about the ingredients in the new Density Booster?

Shaban: Virtue Flourish Density Booster is a drug-free, botanical based, phyto-nutrient infusion for the scalp, specially formulated to promote scalp health and fiber survival – two critical elements that have been long overlooked in the pursuit of thicker, fuller hair.  With biomimetic peptides, microalgae and our patented Alpha Keratin 60ku Clinical protein complex, it works overnight while you sleep to target follicles and protect fine, fragile hair so it thickens and thrives. When used in combination with Flourish Shampoo and Conditioner as part of a regimen, 94% of women said they had more volume, and 97% said they saw new growth after six months of use.

Our Flourish Density Booster is the perfect choice for anyone looking for a potent, botanical-based solution for their mild to moderate hair thinning, and those who are seeking a more natural, drug-free approach. 
             
HAPPI: Is Flourish a line that one needs to keep using long-term?

Shaban: The short answer is yes.  Like all hair growth products, it is effective as long as you are using it.  However, when people stop using the products many will likely experience shedding again.
             
Happi: What are the aesthetics like? Does it feel like you are using a medicinal range?

Shaban: Hair growth takes time, and ongoing compliance is key to success. Most hair growth products out there are medicinal and an unpleasant user experience, so customer dissatisfaction and discontinuation are common. It was important to us to develop products that were not only effective, but also a pleasure to use.  Virtue Flourish products have been clinically tested to prove their efficacy, but they also include premium aesthetic ingredients that feel great, smell great, and help your hair look fantastic throughout the process.  And the packaging was designed to look great on your shelf as well.  In a traditionally “shy-to-buy” category, there’s no reason to feel shy about Flourish.

The Flourish Collection is sold online and through hair salons, but there’s another distribution outlet where consumers can pick up the regimen: the dermatologist’s office.

The Virtue Labs team will be at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting, which will be held March 25-29 in Boston.

Hair loss and thinning issues have risen among those sickened by covid-19. See this recent feature on Happi.com for one patient's story.