Biolage Hydra Source Conditioning Balm — 16.9 oz container

Biolage · Hydra Source

Hydra Source Conditioning Balm

Conditioner / Everyday rinse-out, detangling

Conditioner
Sulfate-free
Silicone-free
Protein-free

Size16.9 fl oz

Price$24seen at one store · 16.9 oz

Price / oz$1.60/ozat 16.9 oz

Where to buy3 stores · $24.00–45.00

Scent:

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

Listing used for research: beautybrands.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types All types Not in your profile

Moisture level High Not in your profile

Oils and butters None Not in your profile

Slip / detangling High Not in your profile

Weight on hair Medium Not in your profile

Fragrance Prominent 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 yet verified 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 22 ingredientsAbout average Not in your profile

Price tier Salon Not in your profile

Where to buy it SalonsOne 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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$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.

Upper-mid price for a conditioner

$1.60/oz at 16.9 oz — more than 50% of the 689 conditioners , which mostly run $0.91–3.10/oz. The cost less.

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

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

Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

Whether this much richness is right for you depends on your strand thickness, porosity, and how easily your hair flattens — 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.

Slip and detangling High

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

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

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 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.

Ingredient	What it does	Why it matters	Chip
WaterAqua/water/eau	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Propylene Glycol	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
Myristyl Alcohol	fatty alcohol	Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol	Softens
Cetrimonium Chloride	conditioning agent	Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through	Detangles
Cetearyl Alcohol	fatty alcohol	Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol	Softens
Decyl Oleate	light ester	Light slip without much weight	Softens
Phenoxyethanol	preservative	Keeps the product from spoiling	Stabilizes
FragranceParfum/fragrance	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Limonene	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Hexyl Cinnamal	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Coumarin	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 (22)

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/water/eau

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 Propylene Glycol

General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.

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
3 Myristyl Alcohol

General function
A fatty alcohol used to build texture in creams and add a light smoothing layer.

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
4 Cetrimonium Chloride

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

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

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
5 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 type
In 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.

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
May 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 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
Consider if hair is fine or easily flattened: a formula built heavily around fatty alcohols can feel richer than a lightweight conditioner.

BASF
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
6 Decyl Oleate

General function
A fatty ester. Esters give slip and a smooth after-feel; lighter ones read dry and silky, heavier ones read rich.

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

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
▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
7 Phenoxyethanol

General function
The most common modern preservative; it keeps the product free of bacteria and mould. It sits well below 1% of 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.
PubChem
- preservative
8 Fragrance · Parfum/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 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
9 Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

General function
Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little natural hold.

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
Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

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.
- humectant
- botanical extract
- gum
10 Limonene

General function
A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to 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
One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
11 Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride
- preservative
12 Hexyl Cinnamal

General function
A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

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
One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
13 Coumarin

General function
A sweet, hay-like fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.

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
One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
14 Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
15 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
16 Passiflora Edulis Fruit Juice
- botanical extract
17 Trideceth-9
- emulsifier
18 Bisabolol

General function
A chamomile-derived ingredient used for a soothing claim on the scalp.

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

PubChem
- conditioning agent
- botanical extract
19 Tocopherol
- antioxidant
- vitamin
20 Hydrogenated palm glycerides citrate
21 Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
22 Sodium Benzoate
- preservative

What the whole list adds up to

5 preservatives
4 fragrances
3 solvents
3 emollients
3 botanical extracts
3 named fragrance allergens
2 humectants
2 fatty alcohols
1 conditioning agent
1 cleanser
1 thickener
1 light ester
1 declared fragrance
1 gum

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-21. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 16.9 oz

Seen at $24 lowest of 2 stores · checked Aug 29

Good value under $21 Under $1.25/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $21 line; products that do this job typically go for about $31 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 16.9 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 3 stores

16.9 ozmost listedBest per ounce

Hair Cosmopolitan
$24.00

16.9 oz · $1.42/oz

Aug 29Lowest per oz
Nordstrom Rack
$29.97

16.9 oz · $1.77/oz

Aug 29Sale · was $45.00
Beauty Brands
$44.98

16.9 oz · $2.66/oz

Aug 21

9.5 oz

Hair Cosmopolitan
$45.00

9.5 oz · $4.74/oz

Aug 29Lowest per oz

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

16.9 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.
Seen at $24 is the price we have observed for the 16.9 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $21 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.25/oz; at 16.9 oz that is $21. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $31 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 16.9 oz.

Formula

Formula score

9 of 10

The formula carries the systems a conditioner is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for conditioners per ounce.

How the score is counted

2 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
Costs more per ounce than 50% of the 689 conditioners we’ve priced
Covers 5 of the 6 things a conditioner should do
Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs

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, 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.

VanicreamSame function Vanicream Conditioner $1.04/oz $0.56/oz less

Fragrance-free
Unscented
Protein-free

Differs: Unscented
Drugstore tier
12 oz bottle

Compare

Creme of NatureLowest cost per oz Chamomile and Comfrey Nourishing Conditioner $0.47/oz $1.13/oz less

Protein-free
Curly method
Silicone-free

· Same function

Differs: Drugstore tier
8.4 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

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits

Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein — for a protein-free formula and real detangling slip

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, soft, over-stretchy hair that needs protein, or very dry or very humid climates

Best alternative if not

Vanicream Vanicream 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.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

Deeply hydrates and softens hair without weighing it down

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

Propylene Glycol
Myristyl Alcohol
Cetearyl Alcohol

Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

6x more hydration after one use

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.

Seals cuticle to lock in moisture

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

Propylene Glycol
Myristyl Alcohol
Cetearyl Alcohol

Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

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.

Many reviewers cite strong detangling performance, making hair easier to comb through after rinsing.

general users, dry/damaged hair

Reviewers frequently praise the balm for leaving hair noticeably softer and silkier, with several long-term repeat purchasers (one citing decades of use).

straight, wavy, curly, thick, and bleached/color-treated hair

Reviewers with dry hair describe the formula as deeply moisturizing without feeling heavy or weighing hair down.

dry-hair reviewers

A minority of reviewers report the current formulation performs worse than an older version they remember, including complaints of leftover residue or hair staying tangled/dry after rinsing.

longer-term repeat customers noting a formulation change

A subset of reviewers find the balm very thick and hard to distribute evenly, sometimes needing to dilute it with water to apply.

general users

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.
5 sources consulted for this product (3 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
Ingredient references are linked for 10 of 12 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 2026-08-25.