Skip to main content
Aussie

Miracle Curls 2nd Day Curl Activator

Styler / Styling product, polymer-set

  • Styler
  • refresh spray
  • spray
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Moisture-rich
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size8.5 fl oz
Price$4.97 Good valueseen at one store · 8.5 oz
Price / oz$0.62/ozat 8.5 oz

Scent:

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

Strength: Strong

Manufacturer page: aussie.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Complete the consultation to see exactly how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 2,400+ products in our library we can match exactly the right products to you.

  • In 10 minutes we can identify your exact hair condition and traits.
  • Every product matched against your hair across the 24 factors we check.
  • A personalized routine for your daily life — 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.

$49.00 one-time consultation, no subscription

Add the optional $49/year membership for unlimited adjustments for changes in weather and lifestyle.

Start your consultation

Lower cost than most refresh sprays

$0.62/oz at 8.5 oz — less than 92% of the 13 refresh sprays , which mostly run $0.88–2.30/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

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
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Humid climatesthe brand claims humidity resistance
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

Maybe skip if

this product carries a strong scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you

Whether this hold level is right for you depends on your density, porosity, and how long your style has to last — 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.

Hold system Synthetic polymer

Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems.

Cast risk Unlikely

Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely.

Weight on the hair Medium

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

Humidity resistance Claimed

The brand claims humidity resistance; the ingredient list cannot confirm it.

Oil absorption None

No absorbent powders or starches.

Oils and butters Present, high in the list

Oils sit high in the list — a softening, coating formula.

Fast-drying alcohol None

No fast-drying alcohol in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

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

Fragrance Prominent

Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — 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. 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
Water solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Glycerin humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Fragrance fragrance The scent — a large share of the formula at this position Fragrance
Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone silicone Smooths the cuticle and adds shine Buildup
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil oil Softens the film so it does not set hard Softens
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil emollient Softens and smooths the strand Buildup
Polyacrylamide film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Polyquaternium-11 film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Detangles
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or drying alcohols. No protein — a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Water-insoluble silicones — needs a detergent wash to remove.
Full ingredient list (14)

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
    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 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.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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
  • 3 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.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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
  • 4 Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone
    General function

    An amino-modified silicone that binds to damaged spots for smoothing that survives rinsing.

    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

    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.

    • silicone
    • conditioning agent
    • film former
  • 5 Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
    General function

    One of the few oils small enough to move into the strand, which is why it is used for pre-wash treatments. It can feel heavy or stiff on protein-sensitive hair.

    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

    Because it penetrates rather than sits on top, it works on hair that loses water through a worn cuticle instead of only slowing evaporation from the surface the way a non-penetrating oil does.

    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.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    The exception to the class read: lauric acid is small and linear enough to enter the shaft rather than only coat it, and in comparison testing coconut oil was the one that reduced protein loss from washing on both undamaged and damaged hair.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • oil
    • emollient
  • 6 Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
    General function

    Not chemically an oil: about 97% of it is liquid wax esters, which is why it resists going rancid and sits close to the scalp's own sebum. It smooths without a heavy finish.

    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

    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.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

    • emollient
    • light ester
    • oil
    • wax
  • 7 Polyacrylamide
    General function

    A thickening polymer that also leaves a light film, used in gels and styling creams.

    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 set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

    • film former
    • polymer
    • thickener
  • 8 Polyquaternium-11
    General function

    A styling and conditioning polymer that adds light hold and shine, common in mousses and setting sprays.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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.

    • film former
    • polymer
    • conditioning agent
  • 9 C13-14 Isoparaffin
    General function

    A light carrier used to spread silicones and polymers thinly.

    Secondary ingredient

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

    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
    • solvent
  • 10 Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-9
  • 11 Laureth-7
    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 12 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 13 Benzyl Alcohol
    • preservative
    • solvent
  • 14 Ethylhexylglycerin
    General function

    A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.

    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.

    PubChem
    • preservative
    • emollient

What the whole list adds up to

  • 4 emollients
  • 3 solvents
  • 3 film formers
  • 3 preservatives
  • 2 oils
  • 2 polymers
  • 1 humectant
  • 1 fragrance
  • 1 declared fragrance
  • 1 silicone
  • 1 conditioning agent
  • 1 light ester
  • 1 wax
  • 1 thickener

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 8.5 oz

Seen at $4.97 lowest of 2 stores · checked Aug 29
Good value under $10 Under $1.19/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 7 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $10 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $14 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores
  • Hy-Vee
    $4.97
    8.5 oz · $0.58/oz
    Aug 29Lowest per oz
  • CVS
    $5.49
    8.5 oz · $0.65/oz
    Aug 29

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. and 3 listings we don’t count — grey-market or unverified sellers.

How we work this out
  1. 8.5 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. Seen at $4.97 is the price we have observed for the 8.5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $10 comes from the 7 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.19/oz; at 8.5 oz that is $10. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $14 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8.5 oz.

Formula

Formula score
9 of 10

It carries the working systems a refresh spray needs and still sits in the lower part of the price range for refresh sprays per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • 1 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 92% of the 13 refresh sprays we’ve priced
  • Covers 5 of the 6 things a refresh spray should do
  • Reviewers mention 4 things they like about how it performs
  • 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 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.

ORSLowest cost per oz Olive Oil Max Moisture Daily Styling Lotion $0.42/oz $0.20/oz less
  • Rich
  • Alcohol-free
  • No aerosol
· Close function
Function
  • Weight on the hair
  • Protein
Also
  • Drugstore tier
  • 16 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

Built for wavy to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and real detangling slip

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or very humid climates

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.

2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
delivers enriched hydration and moisture to each strand

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

  • Glycerin
  • Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
  • Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

revitalizes curls and banishes frizz

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

  • Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone
  • Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
  • Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
Supported

Smoother strands, less frizz.

brings curls back to life days after wash day

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

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.

Tames frizz and locks in shine on wavy/curly hair

CVS reviewer (Julie)

Reactivates curl pattern on hair that's straight until wet, adds volume and hold without oiliness

Walmart reviewer (Virginia/Shela)

Cuts styling time by refreshing curls without a full rewash, adds moisture

Walmart reviewer (M)

Revives second-day curl pattern and adds shine without a rewash

CVS reviewer (Ljc12) on curly hair

Fragrance is strong right after spraying but settles down once dry

Walmart reviewer (Shela)

More from Aussie

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.
  • 3 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-27.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 3 of 9 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 2026-08-27.