Flexible, light hold
Synthetic hold polymers are present.
- Acrylates Copolymer
- Polyurethane-14
- Acrylates/Hydroxyesters Acrylates Copolymer
Supported
Structure that lasts the day.
Aussie
Mega Hair Spray
Styler / Hairspray, polymer-set
- Styler
- hairspray
- spray
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Curly-method
- Cruelty-free · label states
Size10 fl ozusual store size · 2 sizes
Priceabout $5 Good valuecommonly seen · 10 oz
Price / oz$0.50/ozat 10 oz
Where to buy6 stores · $4.97–5.99
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
“Bright fruits & florals” (Brand page)
Manufacturer page: aussie.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 6,000+ products in our library, we can match you to the right ones.
- About 20 minutes, and your answers save as you go.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 22 factors we check.
- A personalized routine built around your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
- Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
- Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.
$49 with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates
$99 with 12 months. Pay once; the year renews only if you choose.
Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Straight–Wavy
Not in your profile
Moisture level
Low
Not in your profile
Hold system
High
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Moderate
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Prominent
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
Low
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Show all 22 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · label states
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Aerosol can
Pressurised can
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Not determined
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Not heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
High
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
18 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Value
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Grocery / massOne channel
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.
Start your consultation$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.
Your avoid-list
Lower cost than most hairsprays
$0.50/oz at 10 oz, less than 98% of the 242 hairsprays , which mostly run $1.61–3.87/oz.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Tight budgetsit sits in the lower price tiers
Maybe skip if
this product has a scent
Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
Silicone-free routinesit does contain silicones, the water-soluble kind
Aerosol avoidancethis is a pressurised can
Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel
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.
Hold system
Synthetic polymer
Synthetic hold polymers, the firmest kind of hold.
Cast risk
Likely
Film formers with little to soften them, so expect a cast to scrunch out.
Weight on the hair
Light
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
Oil absorption
None
No absorbent powders or starches.
Oils and butters
None
No oils or butters in the list.
Fast-drying alcohol
None
No fast-drying alcohol in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
Rinses with water
The silicones here are the water-soluble kind.
Fragrance
Prominent
Fragrance is in the first eight ingredients, so it makes up a larger share of the formula.
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. The chips name what an ingredient does. They are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Dimethyl Ether | propellant | Pushes the product out of the can | Neutral |
| Acrylates Copolymer | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Fragrance | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Polyurethane-14 | film former | A supporting film former | Holds |
| Acrylates/Hydroxyesters Acrylates Copolymer | film former | A supporting film former | Holds |
| Aminomethyl Propanol | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
| AMP-Acrylates Copolymer | film former | A supporting film former | Holds |
| Bis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone | silicone | A little smoothing and shine | Shine |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. Pressurised aerosol.
Full ingredient list (18)
In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.
-
1
Water
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
Dimethyl Ether
General function
An aerosol propellant that also helps the formula spray as a fine, fast-drying mist.
Leading ingredientPubChemListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- propellant
- solvent
-
3
Acrylates Copolymer
General function
A hold polymer that forms a firm, humidity-resistant film. It is the usual source of a hard cast in gels.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- film former
- polymer
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
4
Fragrance
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 zoneIt 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 routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
5
Polyurethane-14
General function
A flexible hold polymer that bends rather than cracks, used for touchable styling.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt 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 hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- film former
- polymer
-
6
Acrylates/Hydroxyesters Acrylates Copolymer
- film former
- polymer
-
7
Aminomethyl Propanol
General function
A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic hold polymers so they thicken and set properly.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemDependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairpH 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.
- pH adjuster
-
8
AMP-Acrylates Copolymer
General function
A neutralised acrylate hold polymer used in sprays for firm, humidity-resistant set.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt 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 hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- film former
- polymer
-
9
Potassium Hydroxide
General function
A strong base used in trace amounts to set pH; it is fully neutralised in the finished product.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemDependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairpH 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.
- pH adjuster
-
10
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
11
Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
-
12
Bis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone
- silicone
- water-soluble silicone
- emulsifier
-
13
Caprylyl Glycol
General function
A gentle preservative helper that also holds a little moisture.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitVery dry or highly damaged hairHumectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA 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.
- preservative
- humectant
-
14
1,2-Hexanediol
General function
A preservative booster that also holds a little moisture and helps other ingredients dissolve.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA 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.
- preservative
- humectant
- solvent
-
15
Disodium EDTA
General function
Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise the formula.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesBinds 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 hairCopper 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.
- hard-water chelator
-
16
Laureth-4
- emulsifier
-
17
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 zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of Cosmetic ScienceMay suitFine or easily flattened hairThe 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 hairA cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSubstantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
- conditioning agent
- cleanser
-
18
Ethylhexylglycerin
General function
A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- preservative
- emollient
What the whole list adds up to
- 5 preservatives
- 4 solvents
- 4 film formers
- 4 polymers
- 2 pH adjusters
- 2 emulsifiers
- 2 humectants
- 1 propellant
- 1 fragrance
- 1 declared fragrance
- 1 silicone
- 1 water-soluble silicone
- 1 hard-water chelator
- 1 conditioning agent
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-13. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 10 oz
Commonly seen
about $5
Good value under
$8
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $8 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $14 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it5 listings · 5 stores
-
Hy-Vee
$4.9710 oz · $0.50/ozSep 14Lowest per oz
-
Walmart
$4.9710 oz · $0.50/ozSep 14Sale · was $9.37
-
Target
$4.9910 oz · $0.50/ozSep 14
-
CVS
$5.4910 oz · $0.55/ozSep 14
-
Walgreens
$5.9910 oz · $0.60/ozSep 14
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
- 10 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.
- Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 10 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
- Good value under $8 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.81/oz; at 10 oz that is $8. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $14 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 10 oz.
Formula
7
Formula score
7 of 10
The formula covers the core of what a hairspray does, and it costs less per ounce than most hairsprays in our library.
How the score is counted
- Costs less per ounce than 98% of the 242 hairsprays we’ve priced
- No softeners alongside the hold in the formula
- Reviewers mention 3 recurring complaints
- Value tier, sold at Grocery / mass
- A hold systemThe polymer, gum, or wax that holds the shape.3 pts
- Softeners alongside the holdWhat keeps a film flexible instead of brittle.2 pts
- No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.2 pts
- A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
- A humidity claim with a mechanismThe claim has a film former or silicone behind it.1 pt
- Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt
The formula score measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.
Does the same job
Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.
AG CareSame function
Bigwigg Root Volumizer
$3.20/oz $2.70/oz more
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- Differs
Herbal EssencesLowest cost per oz
Hair Moisturizing Maximum Hold Hairspray
$0.75/oz $0.25/oz more
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Alcohol-free
- Function
- Also
Herbal EssencesClose function
Lightweight Hair Volumizing Hairspray for Strong Hold
$0.75/oz $0.25/oz more
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Alcohol-free
- Function
- Also
See more alternatives in the product library
These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find the one that fits your hair, routine and budget
Final decision
Should you buy it?
Good for the right personBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein, for a protein-free formula and a curly-method-compatible formula
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, anyone who will not scrunch out a cast, or silicone-free routines
Best alternative if not
Nothing in our library matches it closely 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, and what the formula shows
Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.
2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
1
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Won't weigh you down
Light silicones and low wax content help it avoid visible residue.
- Water
- Dimethyl Ether
- Benzyl Alcohol
Supported
Less likely to weigh hair down.
Doesn't make your hair crunchy
Hold polymers appear without the emollients that usually keep a film from setting firm.
- Acrylates Copolymer
- Polyurethane-14
- Acrylates/Hydroxyesters Acrylates Copolymer
Potential conflict
Expect a cast you have to scrunch out.
How to read this
We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
Reviewers
What people report
Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.
Older/curated reviews (predating the reformulation complaints) describe a pleasant, light scent and a hold that doesn't feel crunchy or stiff
curated 'what others are saying' reviewersNew formula leaves a white, flaky residue, especially noticeable on dark hair
a long-time user with dark hairA formula change is widely reported to have ruined the product -- reviewers who used it for years say the new version is sticky, stiff, and no longer 'flexible'
long-time repeat buyers (some citing 10-15+ years of use)Reformulation also changed the hold: reviewers say the spray now feels wet and provides little to no lasting hold
decades-long repeat buyersMore from Aussie
How this page was made
- Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one 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 (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-09-14.
- Ingredient references are linked for 7 of 11 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
- We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
- Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
- 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 v23. Record last updated 2026-09-14.
