Why you are losing your hair: DHT, the androgen receptor, and what actually stops it
Not stress, not your shampoo, not the hard water - in the overwhelming majority of men, one androgen acting on follicles that...
Folliva Labs
Natural Hair Regrowth Serum
- Caffeine, rosemary and botanical oils for the scalp
- Scalp support — the mildest thing we make
- Every batch tested by an independent lab before it ships
- Not a DHT blocker — a natural layer, not the base
Batch and date on every bottle
Discreet, tracked shipping
Formulated & tested in the EU
Support before you order
Documented, or we make it right
We formulate it, we blend it in the EU, and an independent laboratory tests every batch before it ships. Questions before you start? Write to us — we answer first, you buy second.
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What is the growth serum?
A topical scalp serum built around caffeine, rosemary oil and botanical oils. We blend it ourselves in the EU, with the batch number and blend date on every bottle. It is the natural, gentlest end of the range — scalp support, not a drug.
How it works — and what it is not
This is the natural leg of the range: caffeine, rosemary oil and supporting botanicals applied to the scalp. It is not an antiandrogen and it is not a substitute for a DHT blocker. Think of it as scalp support and the mildest thing you can do — a leg of the table, not the table itself.
What the evidence actually is
We won’t overstate it, and we won’t dismiss it either. Rosemary oil has one small human trial where it performed comparably to 2% minoxidil. Caffeine has in-vitro work and a few small clinical studies. That is genuinely something — but it is thin next to an approved drug, and honesty means saying so.
How to use it
Six to seven pumps of the spray is about 1 ml. Apply to a dry scalp over the thinning areas, once a day, and let it dry.
Where it fits
The serum is the gentle layer. Some people use it alone as the lightest possible step; most get more from it paired with a blocker that addresses the cause. On its own, it will not hold a receding hairline.
Suitability & safety
Topical and gentle, but essential oils can irritate sensitive skin — patch-test first and stop if you react. Speak to a professional if unsure.
Batch & storage
Every bottle is stamped with its batch number, blend date and expiry. Store it cool, dry and out of direct light.
Conditions the scalp the follicle sits in. It is not a blocker and does not act on DHT.
WHAT IT IS
The natural leg. Honest about its size.
Every other product on this site works on DHT or the scalp directly. The serum is the gentle, natural option — caffeine and rosemary rather than a blocker. Here is what that does, and what it doesn’t.
- 01
Caffeine, on the scalp
Caffeine applied topically has in-vitro and small clinical work behind it in hair. It is a scalp-support ingredient, not a hormone blocker.
- 02
Rosemary oil
Rosemary oil is the strongest card here: one small human trial found it performed comparably to 2% minoxidil over six months. One small trial is not a mountain of evidence — but it is more than most botanicals can claim.
- 03
It does not block DHT
The serum is not an antiandrogen. It does nothing to the hormone driving male-pattern loss. It supports the scalp; it does not remove the cause.
- 04
A leg, not the table
This is the mildest thing we make. Used alone it is a light-touch option; its real value is as support alongside a blocker that does the heavy work.
Why natural isn’t the same as weak — or strong
The rosemary trial is real and worth knowing. It is also small, and one study is where evidence starts, not where it ends. We’d rather you bought this understanding exactly that than oversold on the word natural.
Who it is for
The serum suits someone who wants the gentlest possible start, or who is already running a blocker and wants a light natural layer on top. If you want to stop a receding hairline, the blocker is the tool — this is the support.
What we can be held to
We won’t inflate a botanical serum. What we stand behind is the bottle: caffeine, rosemary and supporting oils blended by us in the EU, lab-tested every batch, dated so you know how fresh it is.
THE ROUTINE
A spray, once a day.
The serum comes as a scalp spray pump. Gentle, quick, and easiest to keep up as a daily habit.
-
01
Count the pumps
Six to seven pumps of the spray is roughly 1 ml. It is a spray pump, so you count it — there is nothing to measure.
-
02
Apply to a dry scalp
Spray over the thinning areas, onto the skin. A dry scalp takes it best.
-
03
Let it dry
Spread it gently and let it dry. Nothing to wash out.
-
04
Every day, gently
Consistency matters more than intensity with a natural product. Same spot, same light, monthly photos.
For topical use. Batch number, blend date and expiry are printed on the bottle.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Gentle means gradual.
A natural serum works slowly and modestly. Set the bar where it belongs and it can earn its place; set it too high and it will disappoint you.
-
WEEKS 0–4
Baseline
Photograph your starting point. Nothing dramatic happens early with a natural product — that is expected.
-
MONTHS 1–3
Scalp support
Any early change is about scalp comfort and condition more than visible new hair. Keep the routine steady.
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MONTHS 3–6
Modest, at most
In the rosemary evidence, differences took months and were gradual. Judge it against a gentle natural baseline, not against a drug.
-
MONTHS 6+
An honest read
At six months, compare photographs. Expect modest support, not transformation — and pair it with a blocker if you want to act on the cause.
MECHANISM COMPARISON
The options, side by side.
The common ways men treat male-pattern hair loss, compared on mechanism, side effects, evidence and cost.
| Feature | RU-58841Topical antiandrogen | CB-03-01Clascoterone, topical antiandrogen | PyrilutamideKX-826, topical antiandrogen | MinoxidilTopical growth stimulant | Oral finasterideSystemic DHT blocker | Ketoconazole shampooTopical antifungal | GHK-CuCopper peptide, scalp support | Natural topicalsCaffeine, rosemary, saw palmetto | Doing nothingBaseline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | |||||||||
| What it acts on | The androgen receptor | The androgen receptor | The androgen receptor | Potassium channels, blood flow | 5-alpha-reductase. Lowers DHT | Fungus. Mildly, the receptor | The scalp skin itself. Not the hormone | Several weak effects. None well mapped | |
| Where it acts | Scalp | Scalp. Broken down there by design, but measurable amounts still reach the blood | Scalp, by design | Scalp. Some absorption | Whole body | Scalp | Scalp | Scalp | |
| Side effects | |||||||||
| No systemic or sexual side effects | PartlyDesigned to break down before it reaches the blood. No human data proves that it does. | PartlyBuilt to break down in the skin, but blood levels measured for their scalp solution are similar to the acne cream's, so a smaller treated area is not a safety argument. In the acne studies 3 of 42 had brief adrenal suppression that cleared after stopping. | PartlyBuilt to act locally. In the trials, safety was no different from placebo. The data is still thin. | YesNot a hormonal drug. Rare heart-rate effects at high doses. | NoLower libido and erectile problems in a minority of men. Most recover after stopping. Some report that they did not. | YesTopical, barely absorbed | YesA topical peptide. It does nothing to hormones, for better or worse. | YesNothing here reaches your bloodstream in any amount that matters | Yes |
| No scalp irritation | PartlyThe alcohol carrier can dry or sting. That is the vehicle, not the compound. | PartlyIn the hair trials local reactions matched the placebo liquid, but the placebo was the same carrier without the drug. The carrier is glycol-heavy and can dry the skin. | PartlyUsually mild, but it does not suit everyone | NoItching and flaking are common. Mostly the propylene glycol. | YesIt never touches your scalp | PartlyCan dry the scalp with regular use | YesGenerally well tolerated on skin. Patch-test anyway. | YesIn the rosemary trial, less itching than minoxidil. | Yes |
| What it does | |||||||||
| Blocks DHT | YesAt the receptor. A non-steroidal molecule. | YesAt the receptor. Same target, a steroidal molecule. | YesAt the receptor. Same target, non-steroidal like RU-58841. | NoIt grows hair by a different route entirely | YesLowers DHT at the source | PartlyA weak antiandrogen at best | NoNot an antiandrogen. It does nothing to DHT. | PartlySaw palmetto is a weak 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor | No |
| An antiandrogen you apply, not swallow | Yes | Yes | Yes | NoTopical, but not an antiandrogen | NoAn antiandrogen, but a tablet | PartlyTopical, weakly antiandrogenic | NoTopical, but not an antiandrogen at all | PartlyTopical. Weakly, and only through saw palmetto. | |
| Stimulates new growth on its own | NoIt takes the brake off. It adds nothing. | NoIt takes the brake off. It adds nothing of its own. | NoSame route. It removes suppression. | YesThis is the one thing it is for | NoSame idea: it removes suppression | No | NoIt looks after the scalp. It does not push growth. | PartlyA little, in small trials. Nothing like minoxidil. | |
| Also works on the scalp itself | No | No | No | No | No | YesClears the flaking and inflammation. The only antifungal here. | YesThis is the whole job of it: the condition of the skin your follicles grow from | PartlySome anti-inflammatory effect. It is not an antifungal. | |
| Evidence and approval | |||||||||
| An approved medicine for hair loss | NoA research compound. No approved human use, anywhere. | NoThe same molecule has been an approved 1% acne cream in the US since 2020, but nothing containing it is approved for hair loss anywhere. Another company is expected to file in 2027. | NoA research compound. No approved use, anywhere. The manufacturer is heading for a filing in China. | YesApproved for male-pattern hair loss | YesApproved, on prescription | PartlyApproved as an antifungal, not for hair loss | NoA peptide sold in cosmetics. No medicine containing it is approved anywhere. | NoCosmetics. Nobody has taken them through approval. | |
| Human evidence behind it | NoNo completed human trials. None. | YesTwo Phase 3 studies, 1,465 men, twelve months. Run by the company taking it through approval, on their formulation, not ours. | PartlyPhase 3 trial data at 0.5% and 1.0%, which puts it ahead of most topicals. The results are the manufacturer's and are not yet published. | YesDecades of randomised trials | YesDecades of randomised trials, and the longest evidence base of anything on this table | PartlyA handful of small studies | PartlyReal human data, but in skin and wound healing. What exists for hair is thin. | PartlyOne small trial matched rosemary oil to 2% minoxidil. Caffeine has a few. That is all of it. | |
| Available without a prescription | YesOnly because there is no approved use to prescribe | YesNo approved hair-loss version to prescribe. The acne cream made from the same molecule is prescription only. | YesSame reason again. There is no approved version to prescribe, anywhere. | YesOver the counter | NoPrescription only. A doctor has to agree. | Partly1% over the counter. 2% is usually a prescription. | YesNo approved medicine here to prescribe | YesAny shop, any time | |
| Living with it | |||||||||
| If you stop | Loss resumes | Loss resumes | Loss resumes | Shedding within weeks | Loss resumes | The flaking comes back | The scalp goes back to how it was | Back to baseline | |
| Daily effort | Once a day | Twice a day | Once a day | Once or twice a day | One tablet | Two or three times a week | Once a day | Daily, or every wash | None |
| Cost per month, roughly | €40–50 | €145 at 2.5%, €230 at 5% | €60–90 | €20–60 | €10–20 | €5–10 | €90 | €10–25 | €0 |
A comparison of mechanisms, not medical advice. Minoxidil and finasteride are approved medicines with decades of randomised trials behind them, and finasteride has the longest evidence base of anything here. RU-58841, CB-03-01 and pyrilutamide are research compounds: none of them is an approved hair-loss medicine today. The Phase 3 figures quoted for clascoterone come from the formulation another company is taking through approval, not from ours, and no cortisol data from those hair trials has been published. The pyrilutamide trial results come from the manufacturer and are not yet published. GHK-Cu is a copper peptide included here as scalp support, not as a regrowth treatment. The natural column covers topical caffeine, rosemary oil and saw palmetto, where the human data is real but thin. Prices are rough monthly estimates and vary by dose, bottle size and brand, and each assumes the routine on that product's own page. Speak to a doctor before you start or stop anything.
What else the lab makes.
RU58841 Topical Solution
4.9 (88)·5/8% · 30/50/100 ml
Occupies the androgen receptor so DHT cannot deliver its signal to the follicle.
This is the cause, not the symptom. On its own it will not push a dormant follicle back into growth.
From €39,99
View
Pyrilutamide 0.5% (KX-826)
4.6 (16)·0.5% w/v · 30 mL
A newer topical androgen-receptor antagonist. Different molecule, same target as RU-58841.
For people who do not tolerate RU. Run one blocker or the other, not both.
€90,00
Waitlist
CB-03-01 2.5/5% (Clascoterone)
2.5/5% · 50 ml
Blocks the androgen receptor at the follicle, then breaks down in the skin into an inactive form.
The only one here that finished phase 3. Clascoterone sold much cheaper elsewhere is usually weaker than the label says.
From €89,00
Waitlist
Minoxidil 5%
4.6 (25)·5% · 60 mL
Extends the growth phase so follicles stay active longer. It does nothing to the hormone driving the loss.
Pairs with a blocker, never replaces one. Stop it and the growth it borrowed goes back.
€60,00
Waitlist
Ketoconazole Shampoo
An antifungal wash that handles the flaking and irritation sitting underneath a lot of shedding.
Two or three washes a week, alongside a blocker. It is not a blocker itself.
€29,99
Waitlist
GHK-CU Copper Peptide Spray
4.5 (13)·Copper peptide · 30 mL
A copper peptide that works on the condition of the scalp itself. Not an antiandrogen; it does nothing to DHT.
For scalp quality. On its own it will not hold a receding hairline.
€50,00
Waitlist
Natural Hair Regrowth Serum
4.6 (13)·Topical · 50 mL
Caffeine, rosemary and botanical oils. Scalp support, and the mildest thing in the range.
A leg of the routine, not the whole table. It does not block DHT.
€60,00
Waitlist
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The gentlest thing we make. We’ll tell you exactly how much it can do.
The serum is the natural leg of the range — caffeine, rosemary and botanical oils for the scalp. Rosemary has one small trial that stood up to 2% minoxidil; the rest is thin, and it is not a DHT blocker. If you want the mildest possible start, or a natural layer over a blocker, here it is: blended by us in the EU and lab-tested every batch.
- Every batch is tested by an independent laboratory before it ships.
- Formulated and blended by us in the EU.
- Batch, blend date and expiry printed on every bottle. It degrades with time, so its age matters.
- Plain, unbranded packaging. Nothing on the outside says what is inside.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is in the serum?
Caffeine, rosemary oil and supporting botanical oils, blended into a topical scalp serum. It is the natural, gentlest end of our range — scalp support rather than a drug.
Does it block DHT?
No. The serum is not an antiandrogen and does nothing to the hormone behind male-pattern hair loss. It supports the scalp; it does not remove the cause. For that you want a receptor blocker.
Is there any evidence it works?
Some, and we won’t overstate it. Rosemary oil has one small human trial where it performed comparably to 2% minoxidil. Caffeine has in-vitro work and a few small studies. That is real, but thin next to an approved drug — treat it as scalp support, not a cure.
How do I use it?
Six to seven pumps of the spray is about 1 ml. Apply to a dry scalp once a day and let it dry. It is a spray pump, so you count it; there is nothing to measure.
Can I use it on its own?
You can, as the lightest possible step. But it will not hold a receding hairline by itself. Most people get more from it as a natural layer alongside a blocker that addresses the cause.
Will it irritate my scalp?
It is gentle, but essential oils can bother sensitive skin. Patch-test first and stop if you react.
How do I know it is genuine?
We blend it in the EU and an independent laboratory tests every batch before it ships. Every bottle carries its batch number, blend date and expiry.
Shipping and returns?
Shipped from the EU, usually 2–5 working days, in plain unbranded packaging. Unopened bottles can be returned within 14 days.
Science articles
Read before you start.
What the research actually says about hair loss, DHT, and the compounds people reach for.
