Redensyl is a patented cosmetic active for hair growth, launched by Induchem (now part of Givaudan) in 2014. It combines two molecules, DHQG and EGCG2, derived from larch wood and green tea, with glycine and zinc chloride. It works by waking dormant stem cells in the hair follicle and calming scalp inflammation, which pushes follicles back into their growth phase.

It is a coined brand name, not a chemical term, built from “redensify”. There is no scientific meaning behind the word itself. The actual actives are dihydroquercetin glucoside (DHQG) and epigallocatechin gallate glucoside (EGCG2). Redensyl is a registered trademark of Givaudan.

Two of them. DHQG starts as dihydroquercetin from the wood of the European larch, Larix europaea. EGCG2 starts as EGCG from green tea leaf, Camellia sinensis. Both are then chemically modified in a lab, so the finished molecules are plant derived but do not occur in either plant.

Plant derived, but not naturally occurring. The starting materials come from larch and green tea, then a patented solvent free enzymatic glycosylation converts them into DHQG and EGCG2. You will not find those two molecules in nature. Call it plant based if you like; calling it a plant extract is not accurate.

By enzymatic glycosylation, meaning a sugar is attached to each starting molecule using enzymes rather than harsh solvents. Givaudan calls this a green chemistry process because it avoids organic solvents, cuts the number of steps and lowers energy use. The glycosylation is what makes DHQG and EGCG2 stable and water soluble, which the raw plant compounds are not.

No, and it is not meant to be. Redensyl is sold as a cosmetic ingredient, and cosmetic ingredients do not go through FDA drug approval in the United States. Minoxidil is the FDA approved hair loss drug; Redensyl is not. It is also not approved by the UK MHRA. In Singapore it sits under HSA cosmetic product notification rather than therapeutic product registration. All of that is legal and normal for a cosmetic. It simply means no regulator has reviewed the efficacy claims.

No. DHQG is a flavonoid glucoside and EGCG2 is a catechin glucoside. Both are polyphenols, the same broad family as the antioxidants in tea and berries. There is no steroid, and no hormone, anywhere in the ingredient.

It has been clinically tested, which is not quite the same phrase. The flagship study is Givaudan's own: 26 men with Norwood 3 to 4 hair loss, 14 on Redensyl and 12 on placebo, over 84 days, double blind. It reported up to 17% more hair, 9% more anagen hairs and 17% less shedding, with 85% of users improving. Independent 2020 and 2023 trials support the direction but tested Redensyl inside multi-ingredient formulas, so they cannot isolate it. Real evidence, small and mostly manufacturer funded.

For early stage thinning, the evidence says probably yes, modestly. The realistic expectation from the manufacturer's own data is around 10,000 new hairs across the scalp at 84 days, which reads as visibly denser rather than transformed. It is not a match for minoxidil's clinical record, and it will not do much for advanced baldness. If your hair loss is early and you want something without minoxidil's side effects, it is a reasonable bet.

Roughly 10,000 across the scalp in 84 days on average, or about 17 extra hairs per square centimetre. You will also see “up to 28,200 new hairs” and a claim that this equals three hair transplants. That 28,200 is the best responder in the study, not the average. Givaudan's own documents quote both numbers, which is where the confusion comes from.

No. The initial shed people dread is specific to minoxidil, which synchronises the hair cycle and releases a wave of resting hairs at once. Redensyl does not act that way, and no shedding phase has been reported in the literature. This is one of its genuine advantages.

At the 1 to 3% concentrations used in cosmetics, no significant adverse effects have been reported. No shedding phase, no dependency, no systemic effects since it is topical only. The one thing to watch is sodium metabisulfite, a sulfite preservative in the blend that stabilises the EGCG2; if you have reacted to sulfites before, patch test first. Bear in mind the evidence base is small, so “none reported” partly reflects how little has been studied.

There is no data either way, so we will not tell you it is safe. People infer safety from its plant derived origin and clean side effect record, but that is an inference. Separately, EGCG2 has been described as having anti-androgenic activity and at least one hair loss clinic advises women to hold off pending more research. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying, ask your doctor first.

Many do, and the early signals are reassuring, but the female evidence is genuinely thin: 23 women inside one combination product study. There is also an open question about EGCG2's anti-androgenic activity. For women with straightforward postpartum shedding or telogen effluvium it is a low risk option. For anything persistent or unexplained, get a diagnosis first, because female hair loss has causes a topical cannot fix.

The clinical work uses 1 to 3%. Our Hair Thrivee+ range uses 3%, the top of that range. Below 1% there is no evidence base to lean on. If a product does not state its percentage, assume it is low, because brands that hit 3% put it on the front of the bottle.

Reduced shedding around weeks 4 to 6, visible regrowth from month 3. Give it 12 full weeks before deciding. Hair grows on a cycle measured in months, so judging any growth active at four weeks tells you nothing useful.

Yes. They work through different mechanisms with no known antagonism, and stacking them is common. Apply Redensyl first, let it absorb fully, then apply minoxidil. If you are on a prescription regimen, mention it to your doctor.

Not on evidence, no. Minoxidil has far bigger trials and an FDA approval behind it. Redensyl is gentler, with no shedding phase and no systemic side effects. The one comparative study used RCP, a three active blend containing Redensyl, and beat 5% minoxidil on every measure, but it cannot tell you how much of that was Redensyl. The “twice as good as minoxidil” line you see online comes from a lab assay on follicles in a dish, not a clinical trial.

No, they are three separate ingredients with three different mechanisms. Redensyl activates follicle stem cells, AnaGain (pea sprout extract) works on growth signalling, and Baicapil works on the follicle's own cycle. Because they do not overlap, they combine well, which is why all three sit in our Hair Thrivee+ formulation.

The same thing that happens with any topical: the underlying hair loss carries on, so over time you drift back towards where you would have been. There is no rebound or withdrawal shed, unlike stopping minoxidil. Redensyl is maintenance, not a cure.

It is widely available. Our Hair Thrivee+ range with 3% Redensyl is available on our website at S$18.50 for singles and S$62.50 for the four piece set. You will also find Redensyl serums at Watsons SG, Amazon.sg, Lazada.sg and Shopee.sg. In Malaysia, Lazada.my and Shopee.my carry a wide range. Check the percentage on any listing before you buy.