The Best Function of Beauty Alternatives (Compared by Cost and Ingredients)

Function of Beauty built a following on customized shampoo and conditioner, plus topical booster shots, but it does not sell an oral hair-growth supplement. Personalized cosmetics can leave hair looking healthier, but if your real goal is growth, the question is whether a custom wash does much, or whether a targeted oral supplement is the better spend. Here is how the best Function of Beauty alternatives compare.

Why look for a Function of Beauty alternative?

The usual reasons are cost over time and wanting something that targets growth directly. Custom shampoo addresses feel and appearance at the surface, while growth is driven by what is clinically dosed and taken consistently, which points toward a transparent supplement.

Custom shampoo vs a growth supplement

A personalized wash can improve manageability and shine, but the follicle responds to nutrition and proven actives over time. That is why, for thinning, we compare the options below on hero ingredient, dose, and transparency rather than on customization. For what actually matters in a cleanser, see our shampoo for hair loss ingredient guide.

The best Function of Beauty alternatives at a glance

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
Brand Monthly cost Format Hero ingredient Guarantee
HAIRLOVE Growth Complex $57/mo (sub) Oral, 2 capsules Cynatine HNS keratin 1-year money-back
Nutrafol $79/mo (sub) Oral, 4 capsules Proprietary blend Conditional
Viviscal $49.99/mo Oral, 2 tablets AminoMar marine complex Varies
Vegamour $48/mo (sub) Topical serum Plant phytoactives Varies
Function of Beauty (baseline) No oral supplement Custom wash + topical boosters Customized Varies

1. HAIRLOVE Growth Complex: best overall value

This is the piece Function of Beauty does not actually sell: a dedicated oral growth supplement. Growth Complex is built for exactly that job, with Cynatine HNS keratin and a fully listed nutrient blend in a two-capsule daily dose, backed by a one-year money-back guarantee. Pair it with a cleanser you like and you have covered both the surface and the follicle. See Growth Complex or a first-order discount code, and our best scalp serum for hair growth guide for a topical companion.

2. Nutrafol: best known brand

If brand familiarity matters most to you, Nutrafol is the household name, sold through dermatology offices and major retailers, though its proprietary blend keeps the exact doses behind a curtain. See our best Nutrafol alternatives guide for the full comparison.

3. Viviscal: best budget pick

For the lowest sticker price, Viviscal is the usual pick, though its marine complex is fish-derived, which rules it out for some allergies and diets. See Viviscal side effects.

4. Vegamour: best topical alternative

Vegamour's GRO serum is the topical, plant-forward option for people who prefer not to add a pill, and it pairs with an oral supplement since the two act differently.

How to choose

Want a targeted growth supplement? Choose Growth Complex. Want the best-known brand? Choose Nutrafol. Want the lowest cost? Choose Viviscal. Prefer a topical? Choose Vegamour. Give any supplement three to six months.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best alternative to Function of Beauty?

Because Function of Beauty does not sell an oral growth supplement, the better question is what fills that gap, and a targeted formula like HAIRLOVE Growth Complex is our pick. Keep a good custom or off-the-shelf cleanser if you like it, and add the supplement for the part a shampoo cannot do. That combination covers both the surface and the follicle.

Is Function of Beauty worth it?

For personalized shampoo and conditioner, it can be, and some people enjoy the customization and scent options. For thinning and growth, remember that its hair lineup is cosmetic and topical, not an ingestible supplement, so it addresses feel more than follicle health. Judge it on the job it actually does.

Does Function of Beauty help with hair loss?

Its custom cleansers and topical booster shots mainly affect how hair looks and feels at the surface, rather than driving new growth from the follicle. Growth is shaped more by nutrition and proven actives taken consistently over time. For that reason, pairing good hair care with a growth supplement is the more complete approach.

Is a custom shampoo enough for hair growth?

Usually not on its own, since a cleanser spends only seconds on the scalp and is rinsed away. It can improve manageability, shine, and breakage, which helps hair look fuller, but the follicle responds to nutrition and sustained actives. Treat a good shampoo as support and a supplement as the engine.

Function of Beauty vs a hair supplement?

They do fundamentally different jobs: Function of Beauty works at the surface with custom cleansers and topical boosters, while a supplement supports the follicle from within. If growth is the goal, the supplement is the higher-leverage spend, with good hair care as the complement. You do not have to choose only one.

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