Clinically trialled ingredients. Independently safety assessed. Tested on real people.
Most hair products are a nice label and a promise. Every Watermans formula has a full independent safety assessment, a 36-month stability record, a preservative test to an international standard and, for Grow Me®, a three-month consumer study on 122 people. This is the paperwork behind the bottle.
Before the laboratories, a salon and a 4,000-year-old reading list
Long before Watermans had a name, Gail and Matt Waterman were doing the research together, the way they still do everything: one finds something, the other pulls it apart, and the idea comes out better. They read everything they could find about what people had put on their hair through history. Some of it went back thousands of years: rosemary in the Mediterranean, argan oil in Morocco, comfrey root for the skin, white lupin, a crop grown since ancient Egypt.
Gail ran a hair salon, so she did the mixing and had the heads to test on. The early versions were pastes, worked up at home and tried on real customers: fine hair, thick hair, Afro hair, coloured hair, men and women. What came back shaped the next batch. That is how seven ingredients were chosen, and why the method has always been "leave it on, give it time".
Years later, a UK laboratory turned that work into a stable, safety-assessed formula, and an independent company tested it on 122 people. Everything on this page below rests on that testing. This is just where the thinking came from.
RosemaryUsed on hair for centuries around the Mediterranean
Argan oilPressed by Moroccan women for generations
White lupinA crop grown since ancient Egypt, now a trialled protein active
AllantoinThe soothing compound first found in comfrey rootThe salon years are our history, not our evidence. The evidence is the independent testing on the rest of this page.
Four layers of testing, before a bottle reaches you
UK and EU cosmetics law sets a high bar, and we go past it. Here is what sits behind Grow Me® Shampoo, Condition Me® and Grow More® Elixir.
Independent safety assessment
An independent UK safety assessor (BSc, PhD, Chartered Biologist) reviewed every ingredient in every formula for skin irritation, sensitisation and photo-sensitivity, calculated a margin of safety for each, and signed the product off as safe for sale in the UK and EU.
Assessed to Regulation EC 1223/2009 and the SCCS Notes of Guidance, following Good Laboratory Practice principlesStability testing
Each formula spent 12 weeks in the lab at 5°C, 20°C and 40°C while pH, viscosity, appearance, colour and smell were checked against the starting bottle. All three passed on every measure, which is why we can stand behind a 36-month shelf life.
12-week accelerated stability and container-compatibility test, every passPreservative efficacy, ISO 11930
An independent microbiology laboratory deliberately contaminated each formula with five test organisms, including E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida, then measured how fast the preservative system knocked them out over 28 days. All three meet the international standard.
BS EN ISO 11930, tested by Melbec Microbiology, an independent UK laboratoryConsumer study on 122 people
An independent research company gave 122 UK volunteers Grow Me® Shampoo in a plain, unbranded bottle for three months, four washes a week. They did not know what they were using. Then they were asked what changed.
Independent three-month home-use study by Ayton Global Research, 104 women and 18 men, 2020. See every result
What 122 people said after three months of Grow Me®*
They used an unbranded bottle, four times a week, and did not know whose shampoo it was. See every result.
Two actives with their own clinical trials
Most "hair growth" shampoos lean on caffeine alone. Ours carry two trademarked actives from a French biotechnology manufacturer, each put through human trials by the people who make them. We are licensed to use them. Here is what their trials found.
The lupine protein active
A trademarked hydrolysed protein from white lupin seed, rich in peptides, trace elements and vitamins
In the manufacturer's 12-week trial on 16 men with thinning hair, a lotion with this active was measured by phototrichogram, the camera method trichologists use to count hairs.
- Supports the microcirculation of the scalp, so the follicle is better supplied
- Stimulates the cells in the hair bulb that build the hair fibre
- Skin safety tested on human volunteers: non-irritating and hypoallergenic
The yeast-derived active
A patented, peptide-rich active from a yeast first isolated on an azalea flower. This is why the elixir is our strongest leave-in.
In the manufacturer's 8-month trial on 22 men with thinning hair, a lotion with this active was applied twice a day and measured by phototrichogram and wash test.
- Works on the dermal papilla, the cluster of cells at the base of the follicle that drives growth
- Results built month on month: better at 6 months than 3, better at 8 than 6
- Volunteers reported hair that felt thicker, denser and more resistant
Seven ingredients, one four-minute window
A shampoo that is rinsed straight off is a detergent and a perfume. Grow Me® is built around the three to four minutes it sits on your scalp, and every ingredient has a job in that window. Here is the order it happens in.
The openers
Caffeine and rosemary wake the scalp up. That is the tingle most people feel, and it is the signal the window is open.
The workers
With the scalp stimulated, the lupine protein active, biotin and niacinamide get their working time at the follicle. This is the part a wash-and-go shampoo never gets.
The peacekeeper
Allantoin keeps the scalp calm and comfortable, so you can leave an active shampoo on for four minutes without a tight, itchy feeling. It is what makes the routine doable.
The finisher
Argan oil stays behind on the strand, so the hair you already have looks fuller and shinier while the scalp work carries on underneath.
Extending the window
Condition Me® carries caffeine, rosemary and the lupine active onto the lengths. Grow More® Elixir keeps both trialled actives on the scalp overnight, turning four minutes into eight hours.
The only test of all seven together is the one that matters
Nobody has run a trial proving the seven are stronger together than apart, and we will not pretend otherwise. What has been tested is the finished shampoo, all seven in one bottle: 122 people, three months, unbranded. 83% said their hair looked fuller. 78% said their density increased.*
Everything in Grow Me®, and everything that is not
The full line-up, with what each one is there for. Never with sulphates, parabens or palm oil.
What it does for your hair and scalp
Packed with
- Energises the scalpCaffeineThe opener. Stimulates the follicles and energises the scalp while the shampoo sits on it, so everything below can get in
- For strengthBiotinGoes into the follicle to support the strength and structure of every strand
- Balances the scalpRosemaryAn ancient hair herb. Stimulates and balances the scalp, and keeps it calm and clean
- For shineNiacinamideVitamin B3. Conditions the scalp and gives shine and flexibility, so hair looks fuller in the light
- For fuller-looking hairLupine proteinA trademarked hydrolysed lupine protein rich in peptides, trace elements and vitamins. In its manufacturer's tests it increased hair density
- For softnessArgan oilAncient Moroccan oil. Does its own job on the strand: nourishes and protects without weighing fine hair down
- Calms the scalpAllantoinThe soother. Calms a scalp that feels red, itchy or tight from stress, dryness or the weather, helps keep it from flaking, and keeps hair hydrated
Never with
- DrugsDrug-free. Grow Me® is a cosmetic, not a medicine, so there is nothing to prescribe
- SulphatesThe foaming detergents that strip a scalp already under strain
- ParabensNone, in any Watermans product
- Palm oilNone
- Animal testingNever. We don't just avoid animal testing, we fund the fight against it. Listed cruelty-free by PETA
The paperwork behind each bottle
Every Watermans product has a product information file, as the law requires. These are the tests that sit in it for our three hair growth products.
Grow Me® Shampoo
Our best seller. Seven actives, every wash.
- Independent consumer studyAyton Global Research, 122 people, unbranded bottle, three months. 83% said their hair looked fuller, 78% said their density increased
- Independent safety assessmentEvery ingredient reviewed, margin of safety over 100 for each. Signed off safe for sale in the UK and EU
- Stability tested12 weeks at three temperatures, all pass. 36-month shelf life
- Preservative efficacy, ISO 11930Melbec Microbiology, five organisms, meets the standard
- No animal testingStated in the safety report. Watermans is listed cruelty-free by PETA
Condition Me® Conditioner
The partner step, for the lengths.
- Independent safety assessmentEvery ingredient reviewed, margin of safety over 100 for each. No CMR ingredients and no known sensitisers. Signed off safe for sale in the UK and EU
- Stability tested12 weeks at three temperatures, all pass. 36-month shelf life
- Preservative efficacy, ISO 11930Melbec Microbiology, five organisms, meets the standard at its strictest level
- Carries the actives onto the lengthsCaffeine, rosemary and the lupine protein active, with shea butter, olive oil and panthenol
Grow More® Elixir
The leave-in. Works while you sleep.
- Both clinically trialled activesThe lupine protein active and the yeast-derived active, at a higher concentration than the shampoo, left on the scalp overnight
- Independent safety assessmentEvery ingredient reviewed, margin of safety over 100 for each. Signed off safe for sale in the UK and EU
- Stability tested12 weeks at three temperatures, all pass. 36-month shelf life
- Preservative efficacy, ISO 11930Melbec Microbiology, five organisms, meets the standard
- No animal testingStated in the safety report
Who checked our work
None of the testing on this page was done by us. We send the formulas out to independent specialists and we publish what comes back.
A UK cosmetic safety assessor
BSc, PhD in pharmacology and toxicology, Member of the Royal Society of Biology and Chartered Biologist. Assesses to EC 1223/2009 and the SCCS Notes of Guidance.
Melbec Microbiology
An independent UK microbiology laboratory in Lancashire. Melbec runs the ISO 11930 preservative efficacy tests on every formula, with the same five challenge organisms the standard demands.
Ayton Global Research
An independent UK consumer research company. Ayton recruited 122 volunteers with thinning, dull or flat hair, gave them Grow Me® in a blank bottle for three months, and reported what they said.
Trichologists and hair loss surgeons
Certified trichologists in the UK and Australia recommend the routine, and UK hair loss clinics hold trade accounts with Watermans for their patients.
Real improvements in both my own hair and my clients, from stronger strands to healthier scalp condition with consistent use.
Trichologists see hair loss every day, and the ones who recommend Watermans do it for a simple reason: a sulphate-free wash that puts seven actives on the scalp for 3 to 4 minutes, and clients who come back with hair that looks and feels fuller. Hair loss surgeons stock it for their patients too.
Straight answers
Questions people ask about our testing
Watermans products are cosmetics. They are not medicines and do not treat medical hair loss. If your hair is falling out suddenly or in patches, see your GP first.
Two of its actives have their own clinical trials, run by the ingredient manufacturer on human volunteers, which is why we say "clinically trialled ingredients". The finished shampoo was tested in an independent three-month consumer study on 122 people. We keep the two separate on purpose: the trials tested the actives on their own, the consumer study tested the shampoo you buy.
UK and EU law requires every cosmetic to be assessed by a qualified safety assessor before sale. Ours were done by an independent UK assessor with a PhD in pharmacology and toxicology and Chartered Biologist status. Each report reviews every ingredient for irritation, sensitisation and photo-toxicity, calculates a margin of safety for it, and concludes whether the product is safe as directed and under foreseeable misuse. All three products passed.
Melbec Microbiology, an independent UK laboratory, adds five micro-organisms to the product on purpose, including E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus, then counts how many survive at 7, 14 and 28 days. The preservative system has to knock them down and keep them down. It is how the industry proves a product will stay safe in your bathroom for its whole shelf life.
Because the actives need contact time. A rinse-off shampoo that is washed straight out is a detergent and a smell. Caffeine and rosemary wake the scalp up in those minutes, which is the tingle most people feel, and that gives the lupine protein active, biotin and niacinamide time to get to work. Our 122-person study used a 2-minute minimum; we recommend 3 to 4.
Yes. There are no drugs in any Watermans product. Everything here is a cosmetic active. That is why there is nothing to prescribe, and also why we never promise what a medicine promises. If you are using a treatment from your GP, ask them before adding anything.
No. The safety reports for Grow Me® and Grow More® state that no animal testing was conducted on the formulations. Watermans is listed cruelty-free by PETA, and we donate to PETA's work against animal testing.
The consumer study is published on our site. The safety assessments and laboratory reports are held in our product information files, as the law requires, and are available to regulators and trading standards. If you are a retailer, salon or clinic and need them, contact us.
A kiss of life for hair
*Consumer study: an independent three-month home-use study of 122 people (104 women, 18 men) who used unbranded Grow Me® Shampoo four times a week. Consumer perception results. Individual results vary. Ingredient trial results are the ingredient manufacturer's own in-vivo studies of each active tested on its own in a lotion, not of the finished Watermans products. Watermans products are cosmetics, not medicines, and do not treat medical hair loss. Full study and test reports available on request.