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Side by side

Virtue Style-Setting Volumizing Primer vs Virtue Thickening & Volumizing Mousse

61% function match · 6 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 29%. Virtue Style-Setting Volumizing Primer and Virtue Thickening & Volumizing Mousse share 3 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.

  • Style-Setting Volumizing Primer — protein-hungry hair
  • Thickening & Volumizing Mousse — protein-hungry 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
Virtue

Style-Setting Volumizing Primer

  • Styler
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Virtue

Thickening & Volumizing Mousse

  • Styler
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Curly-method
Price, size & price per ounce
$42 5 oz · $8.40/oz
$42 5.5 oz · $7.64/oz
Value / price positioning
Same job for less elsewhere $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 83% of the 64 volumizers we’ve priced
Same job for less elsewhere $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 96% of the 138 mousses we’ve priced
Best for hair types
Straight–Wavy A light volumising formula — the lift it adds matters most on straighter hair. Your hair
All types Nothing in the formula or the claims narrows this to one pattern. Your hair
Moisture level Differs
High Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here. Your hair
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
Hold (as stated)
Light A light hold, as stated by the brand. Your hair
Light A light hold, as stated by the brand. Your hair
Slip / detangling Differs
High Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula. Your hair
Moderate Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list. Your hair
Weight on hair Same
Light Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair. Your hair
Light Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair. Your hair
Fragrance
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Protein Same
Prominent Protein high in the list — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Your hair
Prominent Protein high in the list — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Your hair
Silicone / wax buildup Differs
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
Low The silicones here are the water-soluble kind. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Low Your hair
Low Your hair
Hold system Same
Synthetic polymer Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems. Your hair
Synthetic polymer Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems. Your hair
Cast risk Same
Likely Film formers without much softening them — expect a cast to scrunch out. Your hair
Likely Film formers without much softening them — expect a cast to scrunch out. Your hair
Humidity resistance
Claimed The brand claims humidity resistance; the ingredient list cannot confirm it. Your hair
Claimed The brand claims humidity resistance; the ingredient list cannot confirm it. Your hair
Oil absorption Same
None No absorbent powders or starches. Your hair
None No absorbent powders or starches. 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
Fast-drying alcohol Differs
High in the list Fast-drying alcohol in the first three ingredients. Your hair
None No fast-drying alcohol in the list. Your hair
Formula completeness
out of 10
Complete for its job
out of 10
Complete for its job
Who should choose this
  • Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
  • Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
  • Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
  • Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
  • Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a light scent
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
  • Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
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
Stylerspray
Stylerfoam
Where to buy
Brand website · Ulta
Brand website · Ulta
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • curly-method compatible
  • sulfate-free
  • curly-method compatible
Scent
Scented, not described
Fresh & airyLight
Hold
lightLightweight, buildable hold with no stickiness or buildup
lightadds body, bounce, and flexible hold
Humidity claim
Yes
Yes
How often
as needed
as needed

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

IngredientStyle-Setting Volumizing PrimerThickening & Volumizing Mousse
Water
Neutral
#2Leading
#1Leading
Keratin
Protein
#5Supporting
#6Supporting
Panthenol
Detangles
#6Supporting
#9Secondary
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Protein
#7Supporting
#7Supporting
Fragrance
Fragrance
#11Below the 1% line
#29Below the 1% line
Citral
Fragrance
#14Below the 1% line
#51Below the 1% line
Limonene
Fragrance
#16Below the 1% line
#48Below the 1% line
Linalool
Fragrance
#17Below the 1% line
#45Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Style-Setting Volumizing Primer

Thickening & Volumizing Mousse

Full ingredient list — Style-Setting Volumizing Primer (17)
Full ingredient list — Thickening & Volumizing Mousse (51)

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.

VerdictsStyle-Setting Volumizing PrimerThickening & Volumizing Mousse
Supported
3
3
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
0
0
Potential conflict
0
1

Style-Setting Volumizing Primer

  • Lightweight, buildable hold with no stickiness or buildupSupportedLess likely to weigh hair down.
  • Adds instant volumeSupportedLeaves room for lift.
  • Protects hair from heat and humiditySupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.

Thickening & Volumizing Mousse

  • Instantly thickens hair, adds body, bounce, and flexible holdSupportedLeaves room for lift.
  • Strengthens hair, adds shineSupportedReinforces a damaged strand.
  • Protects from heat damage and humiditySupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • No sticky residues or crunchy finishesPotential conflictExpect a cast you have to scrunch out.

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 hold and volume. Virtue Style-Setting Volumizing Primer draws complaints about the scent and volume; Virtue Thickening & Volumizing Mousse draws complaints about the packaging.

Style-Setting Volumizing Primer

Hair looked and felt healthier than it had in years after continued use

Ulta reviewer, longer-term use

Blow-dried hair holds soft, weightless volume that lasts into the next day

Ulta reviewer using it as a daily volumizing step

Product did nothing noticeable and any volume faded within about 10 minutes

Ulta reviewer dissatisfied with results

Spray has a noticeable alcohol smell right after application

Ulta reviewer noting the scent

Light application gave only modest volume; using more product still didn't add much

Ulta reviewer comparing light vs heavier application

Thickening & Volumizing Mousse

Delivers really good volume and hold

Ulta reviewer

Light texture, fresh scent, and leaves hair with healthy shine — best mousse tried

Ulta reviewer comparing to other mousses

Gives a noticeable, defined cast after air-drying and cuts down frizz

Ulta reviewer who air-dries

Product itself is fine but the container failed — couldn't dispense anything from the first bottle

Ulta reviewer with a packaging/dispensing defect

Product performance is good but the cap on the container is hard to open

Ulta reviewer noting packaging friction

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.

$7.64/oz vs $8.40/oz — within about the same cost per ounce.

Style-Setting Volumizing Primer

Against 64 volumizers with a computable unit price.

Thickening & Volumizing Mousse

Against 138 mousses with a computable unit price.

Value readStyle-Setting Volumizing PrimerThickening & Volumizing Mousse
Label
Same job for less elsewhereYou are paying above the range for a formula close to several lower-priced options.
Same job for less elsewhereYou are paying above the range for a formula close to several lower-priced options.

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.

Style-Setting Volumizing Primer vs Thickening Blow-Dry Prep Spray - 8.5 ozBumble and bumble · 91% function matchThickening & Volumizing Mousse vs Thickening Full Form Soft Hair MousseBumble and bumble · 96% function matchStyle-Setting Volumizing Primer vs Advanced Climate Control Flexible Holding SprayOuidad · 89% function matchThickening & Volumizing Mousse vs Kenra Volume Mousse 12Kenra · 89% function matchStyle-Setting Volumizing Primer vs BOOSTA Volumizing SprayUNITE Hair · 89% function matchThickening & Volumizing Mousse vs Volume Mousse 12Kenra Professional · 89% function matchStyle-Setting Volumizing Primer vs Guava Beach Waves Texturizing SprayCeremonia · 88% function matchThickening & Volumizing Mousse vs Big Volume Weightless Lift MousseMarc Anthony · 89% function match

Style-Setting Volumizing Primer · Thickening & Volumizing Mousse · All volumizers 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.
  • 4 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.

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