Skip to main content

Side by side

Pantene Pro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner vs Wella Professionals Ultimate Smooth Conditioner

10 of 10 functions match Formula overlap 85%. Pantene Pro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner and Wella Professionals Ultimate Smooth Conditioner share 4 ingredients among each other's most prominent.

Based on your consultation

Which of these fits your hair?

We check your pattern, moisture need, scalp, fragrance tolerance, weight sensitivity and more against each formula — and say which one lines up.

Your profile at a glance

  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here

When each one is the right call

What each formula is built for, from its own ingredient list.

  • Pro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner — protein-sensitive hair
  • Ultimate Smooth Conditioner — protein-sensitive hair

Side by side

Every trait, aligned

One row per trait, read from each product’s own ingredient list and record. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a “no”.

Trait
Pantene Pro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner — 9 oz container Pantene

Pro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner

  • Conditioner
  • Drugstore
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
Wella Professionals Ultimate Smooth Conditioner — 33.8 oz container Wella Professionals

Ultimate Smooth Conditioner

  • Conditioner
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$26.49 9.3 oz · $2.85/oz
$18 33.8 oz · $0.53/oz

Compared at different sizes — 33.8 oz against 9.3 oz. Per-ounce prices favour the larger bottle.

Value / price positioning
Upper-mid price for a conditioner $$$$$ Drugstore tier · costs more than 71% of the 689 conditioners we’ve priced
Lower cost than most conditioners $$$$$ Salon tier · costs less than 88% of the 689 conditioners we’ve priced
Best for hair types
All types Nothing in the formula or the claims narrows this to one pattern. Your hair
All types Nothing in the formula or the claims narrows this to one pattern. Your hair
Moisture level Same
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
Oils and butters Same
None No oils or butters in the list. Your hair
None No oils or butters in the list. Your hair
Slip / detangling Same
High Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula. Your hair
High Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula. Your hair
Weight on hair Same
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Fragrance
Prominent Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula. Your hair
Prominent Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula. Your hair
Protein Same
None No protein or amino acids in the list. Your hair
None No protein or amino acids in the list. Your hair
Silicone / wax buildup Same
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
High Your hair
High Your hair
Hard-water defence Same
Chelators present Chelators are present — they bind hard-water and pool minerals. Your hair
Chelators present Chelators are present — they bind hard-water and pool minerals. Your hair
Formula completeness
out of 10
Complete for its job
out of 10
Complete for its job
Who should choose this
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
  • Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
  • Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
  • Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
  • Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
  • Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a light scent
  • Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
  • Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
More facts about each one
Type
Conditioner
Conditioner
Line
Sheer Volume
Ultimate Smooth
Where to buy
Target
Salons · Manufacturer B2b
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • protein-free
  • sulfate-free
  • protein-free
Vegan
—
Vegan · label states
Cruelty-free
Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Scent
Fruity
Scented, not described

Facts as we recorded them. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a "no".

The bottom line

The bottom line depends on your hair

Which of these two suits you is a question about your hair, not about them. The consultation answers it — and tells you what your routine needs around it.

Take the consultation

$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.

The detail behind the table

Where the readings above come from: the ingredient lists themselves, each brand’s claims checked against them, what owners report, and cost per ounce in context.

Shared and distinct ingredients

Shared and distinct ingredients

Computed from the ingredient lists as printed. "Shared" means both lists carry it; where it sits on each label is stated, because position is what tells you how much.

What both formulas carry

IngredientPro-V Sheer Volume ConditionerUltimate Smooth Conditioner
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Stearyl Alcohol
Softens
#2Leading
#2Leading
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Detangles
#3Leading
#5Below the 1% line
Cetyl Alcohol
Softens
#4Supporting
#3Leading
Fragrance
Fragrance
#5Below the 1% line
#7Below the 1% line
Glutamic Acid
Protein
#6Below the 1% line
#9Below the 1% line
Panthenol
Detangles
#12Below the 1% line
#6Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Pro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner

Ultimate Smooth Conditioner

Full ingredient list — Pro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner (15)
Full ingredient list — Ultimate Smooth Conditioner (27)

Claims check

What each brand says, against what each formula shows

Claims are quoted from each brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when that product’s ingredient list actually speaks to it.

VerdictsPro-V Sheer Volume ConditionerUltimate Smooth Conditioner
Supported
0
1
Partly supported
1
0
Stated by brand
2
2
Potential conflict
0
0

Pro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner

  • 72 HR fullness vs. non-conditioning shampooStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Hydrates while it lifts to ensure hair looks healthyPartly supportedNeutral on lift.
  • 0% parabens and colorantsStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.

Ultimate Smooth Conditioner

  • Smooths, nourishes, and adds silky shine to dull, rough, and frizzy hairSupportedHelps hair feel hydrated.
  • Powered by patented technology with Squalane and Omega-9Stated by brandCheck the position, not the name.
  • Color safe, vegan, dermatologically testedStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.

What owners say

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings, and we never balance one product’s themes against another’s by inventing them.

Both praised for the scent. Pantene Pro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner draws complaints about tangling and dryness.

Pro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner

Pleasant berry scent is consistently noted

general reviewers

Reviewers with fine or thin hair report conditioning without greasiness or weigh-down

fine/thin hair reviewers

Some reviewers with dry hair report a heavy or tacky feel and difficulty detangling

dry-hair reviewers

Long-term users report a perceived reformulation, describing hair as drier and more fragile than the prior formula

long-term/repeat-purchase reviewers

Ultimate Smooth Conditioner

Scent is frequently called out as pleasant/light and a highlight of the product

general

A little product goes a long way; several long-hair reviewers say a small (pea-sized) amount is sufficient

long hair

Reviewers with frizzy or wavy/curly hair report reduced frizz and added shine, some noting it works best paired with the matching shampoo/serum

frizzy, wavy/curly hair

Widely reported to make hair feel softer and smoother with easier detangling immediately after rinsing

general

Some reviewers with very dry hair (e.g. in cold/dry winter climates) found it felt heavy or only average, not a standout among conditioners they have tried

very dry hair / winter climate

Price check

Cost per ounce, in context

Cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in. Value labels are computed from that percentile and from how many products that do the same job cost less; they are comparisons, not judgements about a brand.

$0.53/oz vs $2.85/oz — Pantene Pro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner costs about 5.4× more per ounce than Wella Professionals Ultimate Smooth Conditioner.

$0.09/oz median $1.60/oz $56.25/oz $2.85/oz Pro-V Sheer Volume Conditi $0.53/oz Ultimate Smooth Conditione

Every mark sits on one distribution because these are compared against the same set: 689 conditioners with a computable unit price.

Value readPro-V Sheer Volume ConditionerUltimate Smooth Conditioner
Label
Upper-mid price for a conditionerSits in the middle of the range for conditioners per ounce.
Lower cost than most conditionersCosts less per ounce than most conditioners we have researched.

Computed from cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, and from how many products that do the same job cost less. It is a comparison, not a judgement about the brand.

Compare with something else

Close formulas to each of these, as their own comparison pages.

Pro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner vs Equate Beauty Moisture Rich Conditioner with Vitamin EEquate · 100% function matchUltimate Smooth Conditioner vs Equate Beauty Moisture Rich Conditioner with Vitamin EEquate · 100% function matchPro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner vs Herbal Essences Classics Shine Conditioner with ChamomileHerbal Essences · 100% function matchUltimate Smooth Conditioner vs Herbal Essences Classics Shine Conditioner with ChamomileHerbal Essences · 100% function matchPro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner vs Pro-V Miracle Rescue Deep Repair ConditionerPantene · 100% function matchUltimate Smooth Conditioner vs Pro-V Miracle Rescue Deep Repair ConditionerPantene · 100% function matchPro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner vs Conditioner Moisture RepairSuave · 100% function matchUltimate Smooth Conditioner vs Tea Tree Lavender Mint Moisturizing ConditionerPaul Mitchell · 100% function match

Pro-V Sheer Volume Conditioner · Ultimate Smooth Conditioner · All conditioners in the library

How this page was made

  • This page is assembled from the same researched records the individual product pages render: identity, each ingredient list as printed, each brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. Nothing on it is written per comparison.
  • We do not rank these against each other. Which of them suits you depends on your hair, and that is what the consultation works out.
  • The formula similarity percentage is a stored, precomputed number: position-weighted overlap of the two ingredient lists blended with agreement on the attributes we derive. It measures how alike two formulas are, not how well either works.
  • The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
  • The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
  • 9 sources were consulted across the products on this page.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice. We do not sell these products and take no placement fees.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.

Still unsure? Take your consultation or browse more products.

Your personalized hair plan

Tell us what’s going on with your hair, see what we understand, and get a plan built around it — with the reason behind every recommendation.

Free to start · $49.00 for your consultation and hair profile · No subscription · Nothing you must buy

Start your consultation