Kérastase Genesis vs Densifique NZ: Which One for Hair Fall or Thinning?

Genesis vs Densifique: the products and NZ prices

NZ prices at UKIYO, checked 15 September 2026.

If you're finding more hair in the shower drain, on your pillow, or in your brush than you used to, Genesis is the Kérastase range built for exactly that.

Hair fall is one of the most common worries clients bring to the chair, and one of the least talked about. Post-partum shedding, stress, seasonal fall, over-processing, or hair that has simply become finer and snappier with age — it all shows up the same way: more hair coming out, less density staying in. Here's what Genesis actually is, who it's for, how we build the routine in-salon, and where its sister range, Densifique, fits instead.

Genesis vs Densifique: the difference

They sound like they do the same thing. They don't.

• Genesis is about hair falling. It's for weakened hair that sheds because it breaks, at the root or along the length, and you notice it as more hair in the drain and the brush. The range is built on ginger root and edelweiss.
• Densifique is about how much hair you've got. Nothing much is falling out, but the ponytail is thinner than it used to be and the roots sit flat. It uses hyaluronic acid so hair feels fuller and bouncier from the first wash.

A quick way to tell: look at your brush. If there's more in it than there used to be, start with Genesis. If the brush looks normal but your hair doesn't, Densifique is the one.

What Genesis does (and doesn't do)

Genesis works on the two reasons hair gets thinner that haircare can genuinely help with: hair falling from the root (weakened anchoring) and hair breaking along the length (fibre weakness). The range pairs Aminexil — the ingredient Kérastase uses to support the root — with Edelweiss flower and ceramides to reinforce the fibre itself.

Being honest, because it matters: Genesis is not a drug and it won't reverse male-pattern baldness. If your hairline is genuinely receding, see your GP about medical options. But for shedding, weakness and breakage-driven thinning — which is most of what we see — it's the strongest routine in the salon.

Choosing your shampoo: Hydra vs Nutri

There are two Genesis bains, and the choice is simple:

• Bain Hydra-Fortifiant — for fine hair or a scalp that gets oily. Lightweight, keeps roots fresh while it fortifies.
• Bain Nutri-Fortifiant — for normal-to-dry hair. Same fortifying action with more nourishment through the lengths.

The rest of the routine

Fondant Renforçateur is the matching conditioner — it detangles without weight, which matters because weakened hair snaps most in wet detangling. Masque Reconstituant is the weekly step for hair that's also dry or damaged. Défense Thermique goes on before every blow-wave or hot tool — heat is brutal on already-fragile hair, and this doubles as leave-in protection.

The hero is the Sérum Anti-Chute Fortifiant: a 6-week scalp ritual with Aminexil, applied directly to a dry or towel-dried scalp. This is the piece most people skip and it's the one that does the root-anchoring work. Six weeks, daily, no rinsing — commit to it before you judge the range.

For men

Genesis Homme runs the same science in a men's line — a thickening shampoo, texturising wax and its own scalp serum. If it's your partner quietly worrying about the hairline, that's the one to point them at.

Where Densifique fits

Densifique is for hair that's got finer with age, after years of colour, or just over time, where the problem is volume rather than fall. Bain Densité is the place to start: a gentle shampoo with hyaluronic acid that leaves lengths feeling thicker and springier.

Can you use both?

Yes, and a lot of hair needs a bit of each: some shedding and some lost density. The simple version is the Genesis serum on your scalp every day, then wash with Densifique Bain Densité and condition with Genesis Fondant. If shedding is the bigger worry, keep the whole routine Genesis.

What to expect, honestly

Give it 6-8 weeks of consistent use. What clients report first is less hair in the brush and shower, then hair that feels denser at the root and snaps less when styling. Photos help — take one at the start, because day-to-day you won't notice the change until you compare.

Not sure whether your issue is shedding or breakage? Our thinning-hair guide walks through how to tell the difference. And if you want it diagnosed properly, ask at your next appointment — it takes us two minutes at the basin.

Genesis is salon-only in New Zealand. Here's how to make sure you're buying genuine Kérastase in NZ — or shop the range below, shipped from our Wānaka salon.

Free NZ shipping over $75. Genuine salon stock, shipped from our Wānaka studio.

Keep reading

• Postpartum hair loss, explained
• Menopause hair changes and what helps
• Which Kérastase range is right for you?