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Alterna

Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture Leave-In Conditioning Milk

Leave-in / Everyday leave-in, medium-weight

  • Leave-in
  • lotion
  • Sulfate-free
  • Moisture-rich
  • Not vegan · ingredient list
Size5 fl oz
Price$29–32commonly seen · 5 oz
Price / oz$6.40/ozat 5 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $25.60–32.00

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

Manufacturer page: alternahaircare.com

Personal fit

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Same job for less elsewhere

$6.40/oz at 5 oz — more than 80% of the 477 leave-ins , which mostly run $1.17–5.50/oz.

View alternatives

Great for

Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Sun and colour fadea UV filter is in the list
Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
A wide range of haira middle-of-the-range weight

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether this weight sits well on your hair depends on density, porosity, and how much you already layer — that is what the consultation works out.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Weight on the hair Medium

Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.

Slip and detangling High

Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula.

Water-binding (humectants) High

Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.

Oils and butters Present, lower down

Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch.

Protein Minor

Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.

Fragrance Present

Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients plus anything lower down that changes a decision. These chips name what an ingredient does — they are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterAqua solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Cetearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol Softens
Propanediol humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Glycerin humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Isododecane solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Softens
Behentrimonium Chloride conditioning agent Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through Detangles
Dimethicone silicone Smooths the cuticle and adds shine Buildup
Isohexadecane solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Softens
FragranceParfum fragrance The scent Fragrance
Isopropyl Alcohol drying alcohol A small amount, for fast drying Drying
Polysilicone-15 silicone A little smoothing and shine Buildup
Amodimethicone silicone A little smoothing and shine Buildup
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates. Contains fragrance. The silicones here need a detergent wash to come off. Chelators for hard water.
Full ingredient list (53)

US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.

  • 1 Water · Aqua
    General function

    The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    • solvent
  • 2 Cetearyl Alcohol
    General function

    A waxy fatty alcohol - nothing like drying alcohol. It gives conditioners their body and leaves a soft, smoothing film on the hair.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    The waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

    DependsFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.

    PubChem
    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 3 Propanediol
    General function

    A corn-derived humectant and solvent, often chosen as a lighter-feeling alternative to propylene glycol.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • solvent
  • 4 Glycerin
    General function

    A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    Water moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.

    Scientific Reports
    • humectant
  • 5 Isododecane
    General function

    A fast-evaporating carrier that lets oils and polymers spread thinly, then leaves nothing behind.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    PubChem
    • solvent
    • emollient
  • 6 Behentrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A positively charged conditioning agent that binds to damaged, negatively charged spots on the hair. It is the main detangling ingredient in most rinse-out conditioners.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Electrokinetic measurement puts the C22 quat ahead of the C16 ones for deposition: the longer chain adds van der Waals stabilisation on top of the charge binding. That extra deposit is what coarse hair usually needs to comb through.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science
    • conditioning agent
    • cleanser
  • 7 Dimethicone
    General function

    The most common conditioning silicone. It coats the strand for shine, slip, and frizz control, and needs a detergent (not just water) to wash out.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Lays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Dimethicone does not disperse in water. On a routine that skips detergent it stays on the hair and accumulates wash after wash.

    • silicone
    • emollient
    • conditioning agent
  • 8 Isohexadecane
    General function

    A light, quickly evaporating carrier that spreads silicones and oils thinly, then leaves.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    • solvent
    • emollient
  • 9 Dicaprylyl Ether
    General function

    A light emollient used for slip without a greasy after-feel.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.

    PubChem
    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 10 Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
    • botanical extract
  • ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 11 Fragrance · Parfum
    General function

    An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.

    • fragrance
    • declared fragrance
  • 12 Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract
    General function

    Resurrection plant extract, used for moisture-retention claims.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Hydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Aloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

    • botanical extract
    • humectant
  • 13 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 14 Isopropyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fast-evaporating alcohol used as a solvent and to speed drying. Well down the list it is a processing aid; near the top it can leave hair feeling dry.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Evaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.

    PubChem
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 15 Caprylyl Glycol
    General function

    A gentle preservative helper that also holds a little moisture.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Humectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

    PubChem
    • preservative
    • humectant
  • 16 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 17 Panthenol
    General function

    Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • conditioning agent
    • vitamin
  • 18 Polyquaternium-55
    General function

    A conditioning hold polymer used where flexibility and shine matter more than stiffness.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    Cationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

    • conditioning agent
    • film former
    • polymer
  • 19 Cetrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A quick-acting conditioning agent that reduces static and combing force. It also helps keep the formula stable.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    The C16 quat binds mostly by charge rather than by chain, so it deposits measurably less than the C22 ones. Less deposit is less conditioning and also less weight, which is usually the trade fine hair wants.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science
    • conditioning agent
    • cleanser
  • 20 Polysilicone-15
    General function

    A silicone that also absorbs UV, used in leave-on products to slow colour fade.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Lays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Sunlight oxidises hair pigment, and on gray, silver or lightened hair that shows up as yellowing. A UV filter on the label absorbs some of the light that drives it.

    • silicone
    • UV filter
  • 21 Citric Acid
    General function

    Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Holds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    The acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Where a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 22 Isopentyldiol
    General function

    A light solvent and humectant used to dissolve extracts and improve feel.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

    PubChem
    • solvent
    • humectant
  • 23 Phospholipids
    General function

    Fat-and-water-loving lipids that help conditioning ingredients bind evenly to the strand.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    • emollient
    • emulsifier
  • 24 Maris Aqua
  • 25 Tocopheryl Acetate
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 26 Disodium EDTA
    General function

    Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise the formula.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

    PubChem
    • hard-water chelator
  • 27 Amodimethicone
    General function

    A silicone modified to stick where hair is damaged, so it smooths selectively instead of coating everything. It resists rinsing more than plain dimethicone.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Amino-functional silicone carries a positive charge, so it binds where the cuticle is worn rather than coating evenly. Damaged areas get most of it.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • silicone
    • conditioning agent
    • film former
  • 28 Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil · Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
    General function

    A light, widely used oil that softens without much weight.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • oil
    • emollient
  • 29 C11-15 Pareth-7
    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • 30 Lactobacillus Ferment
    • preservative
    • botanical extract
  • 31 C12-16 Pareth-9
    • emulsifier
  • 32 Trideceth-12
    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • 33 Acetic Acid
    General function

    Vinegar acid, used in tiny amounts to bring the formula to an acidic pH so the cuticle lies flat.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

    PubChem
    • pH adjuster
  • 34 Hydrolyzed Milk Protein
    General function

    A protein broken into fragments small enough to cling to the hair. It fills gaps on damaged strands and firms the feel for a few washes; too much reads as stiff.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Filling surface gaps evens out the cuticle, which is part of what makes damaged hair comb and reflect light more like undamaged hair.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Hydrolysed fragments are small enough to sit in the gaps of a worn cuticle for a wash or two, temporarily restoring stiffness and cutting breakage in combing.

    • film former
    • protein
    • hydrolysed protein
  • 35 Peg-4
    General function

    A polyethylene glycol of the stated chain length, used as a carrier and to hold a little water. At this size it is a formulation aid, not an active.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

    • humectant
    • solvent
  • 36 Sodium Acetate
    General function

    A buffering salt used to hold the formula at a steady pH.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

    • salt
    • pH adjuster
  • 37 Tocopherol
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 38 Sodium Methoxy Peg-16 Maleate/Styrene Sulfonate Copolymer
    • film former
    • polymer
  • 39 Peg-4 Dilaurate
    • emulsifier
  • 40 Peg-4 Laurate
    • emulsifier
  • 41 Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
    • preservative
  • 42 Polyethylene Glycol
  • 43 Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment
    • botanical extract
  • 44 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 45 Superoxide Dismutase
  • 46 Ascorbic Acid
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 47 Butylene Glycol
    General function

    A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • solvent
  • 48 Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment
    • botanical extract
  • 49 Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment
    • botanical extract
  • 50 Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
    • botanical extract
  • 51 Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment
    • botanical extract
  • 52 Caviar Extract
    General function

    A fish-roe extract used at trace levels for luxury positioning. It is animal-derived.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Unhydrolysed protein is too large to enter the strand. It sits on the surface, which is a coating effect rather than internal reinforcement.

    • botanical extract
    • protein
  • 53 Alaria Esculenta Extract
    • botanical extract

What the whole list adds up to

  • 10 botanical extracts
  • 8 solvents
  • 8 humectants
  • 7 emollients
  • 6 preservatives
  • 6 emulsifiers
  • 4 vitamins
  • 4 film formers
  • 3 conditioning agents
  • 3 silicones
  • 3 conditioning agents
  • 3 pH adjusters
  • 3 antioxidants
  • 2 cleansers

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-08. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 5 oz

Commonly seen $29–32 Midpoint $32 · 3 stores · checked Sep 8
Good value under $6 Under $1.12/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 5 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $6 line; products that do this job typically go for about $12 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 4 stores

Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.

How we work this out
  1. 5 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
  2. Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 5 oz at recognised stores — the cheapest quarter and the dearest quarter are left out, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
  3. Good value under $6 comes from the 5 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.12/oz; at 5 oz that is $6. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $12 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 5 oz.

Formula

Formula score
9 of 10

The formula carries what a leave-in is built around, and 3 products we score as close matches cost at least a quarter less per ounce. The difference is buying the label, not a different formula.

How the score is counted
  • 3 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 80% of the 477 leave-ins we’ve priced
  • Covers 5 of the 6 things a leave-in should do
  • Salon tier, sold at Brand website and Specialty beauty
  • Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.2 pts
  • A light baseWater or a volatile carrier first, so it does not weigh hair down.2 pts
  • Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
  • No detergent-dependent filmNothing that needs a clarifying wash to remove.1 pt
  • Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.

Creme of NatureLowest cost per oz Pure Honey Break Up Breakage Leave In Conditioner $0.93/oz $5.47/oz less
  • Medium weight
  • Budget
· Close function
Function
  • Film formers
Also
  • Sweet scent
  • Drugstore tier
  • 8 oz bottle
Compare
WellaClose function Invigo Nutri-Enrich Wonder Balm $2.30/oz $4.10/oz less
  • Medium weight
Function
  • Film formers
  • Oils and butters
Also
  • Masstige tier
  • 5.1 oz bottle
Compare
John FriedaClose function Frizz-Ease Daily Nourishment Leave-in Conditioner Spray $1.12/oz $5.28/oz less
  • Budget
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • UV filter
Also
  • Cruelty-free
  • Drugstore tier
  • 8 oz bottle
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Similar results available for less
Best user

People who want maximum slip, looking for real detangling slip and moisture that stays in

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or high-damage hair

Best alternative if not

Consider Creme of Nature Pure Honey Break Up Breakage Leave In Conditioner, for similar results at a lower price

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.

3
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Provides moisture to hydrate parched hair

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

  • Cetearyl Alcohol
  • Propanediol
  • Glycerin
Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

Leaves hair soft, smooth, and with added shine

Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.

  • Dimethicone
  • Polyquaternium-55
  • Polysilicone-15
Supported

Smoother strands, less frizz.

Reduces breakage by up to 98%

A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.

—

Stated by brand

Only the brand’s testing shows this.

Adds slip to help detangle damp hair

Conditioning agents that reduce combing force sit high in the list.

  • Cetearyl Alcohol
  • Behentrimonium Chloride
  • Dimethicone
Supported

Easier detangling, less breakage.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula — not marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

Reviewers

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.

Effectively detangles tangled hair and makes brushing much easier, especially beneficial for long, fine hair that is difficult to comb through.

multiple reviewers with long and fine hair report the product resolved painful tangling issues

Has an addictive floral scent with a clean, spa-like quality that is pleasant without being overwhelming.

reviewers consistently praise the scent profile as enjoyable and not overpowering

Delivers lightweight moisture and smoothness to dry and color-treated hair without any greasy or heavy feel.

reviewers describe the lightweight yet moisturizing benefits across different hair types

Large 5-ounce bottle provides excellent value with a little product going a long way, lasting several months with regular use.

reviewers emphasize the generous size and long-lasting nature as great value for money

More from Alterna

How this page was made

  • Everything above is generated from our researched product record — identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. No part of this page is written per product.
  • 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.
  • Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
  • 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 consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-09-08.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 17 of 28 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
  • We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
  • Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
  • Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-09-09.

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