Nourish & hydrate curly hair with oat extract and shea butter
Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Glycerin
- Cetyl Esters
Supported
Helps hair feel hydrated.
Aveeno
Kids Curly Hair Conditioner
Conditioner / Everyday rinse-out, detangling
- Conditioner
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size12 fl oz
Priceabout $10 Good valuecommonly seen · 12 oz
Price / oz$0.83/ozat 12 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $8.89–10.49
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
“Gentle Scent” — Brand page
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 21 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.
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Oils and butters
Low
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
High
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Medium
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Show all 21 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
Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
pH adjusted
Adjusted
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
12 ingredientsA short list
Not in your profile
Price tier
Drugstore
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Grocery / massOne channel
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, then reads every factor in this table against it — and tells you where this product fits, or what to use instead.
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Your avoid-list
Lower cost than most conditioners
$0.83/oz at 12 oz — less than 78% of the 689 conditioners , which mostly run $0.91–3.10/oz.
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
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only
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.
Slip and detangling
High
Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula.
Oils and butters
Present, lower down
Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch.
Weight on the hair
Medium
Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.
Water-binding (humectants)
High
Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.
Protein
None
No protein or amino acids in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Hard-water defence
None
No chelating agent in the list.
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.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol | Softens |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Hydroxyethylcellulose | gum | Natural hold and clump definition | Holds |
| Cetyl Esters | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Softens |
| Sodium Benzoate | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Behentrimonium Chloride | conditioning agent | Adds slip, lower in the list | Detangles |
| Cetrimonium Chloride | conditioning agent | Adds slip, lower in the list | Detangles |
| Fragrance | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance.
Full ingredient list (12)
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 ingredientListed 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.
Role in this product typeIn conditioner, cetearyl alcohol gives the emulsion its creamy structure and helps it spread evenly through the hair. Its emollient layer adds slip and a smoother feel.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
BASFMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMay suit dry, coarse, or high-porosity hair that benefits from added slip and a more substantial conditioning film.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.
DependsFine or easily flattened hairConsider if hair is fine or easily flattened: a formula built heavily around fatty alcohols can feel richer than a lightweight conditioner.
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
3
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Scientific ReportsMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-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 hairBinds 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 hairWater 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.
- humectant
-
4
Hydroxyethylcellulose
General function
A cellulose thickener that gives gels and conditioners their body and adds a soft, flexible film.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdA polysaccharide film stays softer than a synthetic one as it dries, which is what leaves a curl defined but still able to move.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what keeps flyaways lying down without stiffness.
May not suitMaximum-hold stylingGum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.
- gum
- thickener
- film former
-
5
Cetyl Esters
General function
A waxy ester blend that replaces spermaceti in creams. It thickens and leaves a smooth, non-greasy finish.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
- thickener
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
6
Sodium Benzoate
General function
A food-grade preservative that works only in acidic formulas, which is why it usually appears alongside citric acid.
Estimated lower-concentration zonePubChemIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- preservative
-
7
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.
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 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.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairEvery detergent removes some sebum along with the product it is there to wash out. Which detergent it is matters more than that there is one.
- conditioning agent
- cleanser
-
8
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
-
9
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
-
10
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 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 TrichologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesHolds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe 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 hairWhere a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
11
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
General function
A rich, solid plant butter used for heavy conditioning on coarse or dry hair. High in the list it makes a product decidedly heavy.
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 suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoarse, porous hair loses water quickly and can carry the weight; a butter slows that loss more than a thin oil does.
May 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.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA solid fat melts onto the strand at body temperature and stays there, which is the heaviest surface moisture-holding a formula can offer.
- butter
- emollient
- sealant
-
12
Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract
- botanical extract
What the whole list adds up to
- 3 emollients
- 3 thickeners
- 2 conditioning agents
- 2 cleansers
- 1 solvent
- 1 fatty alcohol
- 1 humectant
- 1 gum
- 1 film former
- 1 light ester
- 1 preservative
- 1 fragrance
- 1 declared fragrance
- 1 pH adjuster
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-08. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 12 oz
Commonly seen
about $10
Good value under
$15
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $15 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $22 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
-
CVS
$9.7712 oz · $0.81/ozSep 8Lowest per ozSale · was $11.49
-
Schnuck Markets
$9.9912 oz · $0.83/ozSep 8
-
Target
$10.4912 oz · $0.87/ozSep 8
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 2 listings we don’t count — grey-market or unverified sellers.
How we work this out
- 12 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 12 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.
- Good value under $15 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.22/oz; at 12 oz that is $15. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $22 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 12 oz.
Formula
10
Formula score
10 of 10
This formula covers the systems a conditioner is built around, and it costs less per ounce than most of the conditioners we have researched.
How the score is counted
- Costs less per ounce than 78% of the 689 conditioners we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 6 things a conditioner should do
- Drugstore tier, sold at Grocery / mass
- Drugstore tier
- Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.3 pts
- Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
- Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
- A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
- A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.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
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.
AcureSame function
Vivacious Volume Conditioner
$1.25/oz $0.42/oz more
- Fragrance-free
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Differs
Maui MoistureLowest cost per oz
Maui Moisture Curl Quench + Coconut Oil Conditioner for Thick, Curly Hair
$0.87/oz $0.04/oz more
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
Pura d'orFragrance-free
Advanced Therapy Anti-Hair Thinning Conditioner
$1.12/oz $0.29/oz more
- Fragrance-free
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Function
- Also
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
Final decision
Should you buy it?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and real detangling slip
Biggest tradeoff
Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, soft, over-stretchy hair that needs protein, or very dry or very humid climates
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, 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.
5
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Gently nourishes & fights frizz for soft, smooth defined curls
Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Glycerin
- Cetyl Esters
Supported
Helps hair feel hydrated.
Detangles, smooths, & improves hair's manageability
Conditioning agents that reduce combing force sit high in the list.
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Behentrimonium Chloride
- Cetrimonium Chloride
Supported
Easier detangling, less breakage.
Helps define curls & control frizz for 24 hours
Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.
- Hydroxyethylcellulose
Supported
Smoother strands, less frizz.
Tear-free formula without phthalates, sulfates, dyes, or phenoxyethanol
No sulfate detergents appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Gentler on colour and coils.
Hypoallergenic; suitable for ages 3-7
No formula reads the same on every texture; our fit panel is the better guide.
—
Stated by brand
See the fit panel instead.
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.
Reviewers say it detangles curly and coily kids' hair easily and defines curls without weighing strands down
parents of kids with curly/coily hairA minority of reviewers said it weighs hair down and leaves an oily-looking finish
parents of kids with fine or thin curly hairMost reviewers find the scent pleasant, though a few describe it as noticeably strong for a kids' product
parents of kids with curly hairMore from Aveeno
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.
- 2 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-09-08.
- Ingredient references are linked for 6 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 2026-09-08.