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Bondi Boost

Elixir Pre-Wash Oil

Scalp treatment

  • Scalp treatment
  • oil
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
  • Vegan · label states
  • Cruelty-free · label states
Size4.23 fl oz
Price$23seen at one store · 4.23 oz
Price / oz$5.44/ozat 4.23 oz

Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.

Scent:

Notes: peppermint.

Manufacturer page: bondiboost.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 21 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.

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Priced with its peers

$5.44/oz at 4.23 oz, less than 63% of the 280 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.84–19.05/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Vegan and cruelty-freeour researched record has it as both

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel

Whether this much richness suits you depends on your strand thickness, porosity and how easily your hair goes flat. We work that out in the consultation.

Wash day

How it fits into wash day

Read from the product’s own directions on the date shown. A step the label leaves out is shown as not stated, never filled in.

When
Before shampoo: Scalp oiling, Oiling the lengths
Start on
dry hair
Where
scalp and lengths
Label wait
15 minutes
Then
rinse, then shampoo
Conditioner after
the label recommends conditioning after
How often
not stated on the label
  1. Section hair
  2. apply sparingly oil from roots to ends
  3. Gently massage the product into the scalp
  4. leave in for 15 minutes
  5. then shampoo and condition as normal

Scalp products are listed for browsing; we do not yet place them in a personal routine.

Browse technique guides (general advice, not matched to this product’s directions)

Source: brand page · checked 2026-09-17

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 Some

Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners.

Oils and butters Present, high in the list

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

Weight on the hair Rich

Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.

Water-binding (humectants) None found

No humectants, so nothing here pulls water into the hair.

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. The 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
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed OilRicinus Communis Seed Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) OilPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride light ester Light slip without much weight Softens
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Juglans Regia Seed Oil emollient Softens and smooths the strand Softens
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) OilCocos Nucifera Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Brassica Juncea Seed Extract botanical extract A plant extract, there as much for marketing as for function Neutral
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) OilLavandula Angustifolia Oil botanical extract A trace plant extract Fragrance
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil fragrance The scent Fragrance
Linalool fragrance The scent Fragrance
Limonene 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. Contains heavier butters.
Full ingredient list (17)

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 Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil · Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
    General function

    A thick, tacky oil used for sealing ends and for slick, held-down styles.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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 not suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 2 Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil · Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
    General function

    A medium-weight oil used for softness and slip.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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 not suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 3 Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
    General function

    A light, refined coconut-derived oil that spreads easily and does not go rancid. It gives slip without a heavy feel.

    Leading ingredient

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

    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 4 Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
    General function

    Argan oil. A medium-weight oil used for shine and softness on the outside of the strand.

    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 not suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 5 Juglans Regia Seed Oil
    • emollient
    • oil
  • 6 Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil · Cocos Nucifera 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
  • 7 Brassica Juncea Seed Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 8 Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
    General function

    A light oil with very long fatty-acid chains, used as a plant alternative to silicone shine.

    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 not suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 9 Emblica Officinalis Fruit
  • 10 Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Oil
  • 11 Cedrus Atlantica Wood Oil
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 12 Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil · Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
    General function

    Lavender essential oil, used for scent in aromatherapy-positioned products.

    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

    Essential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.

    • botanical extract
    • essential oil
    • fragrance
  • 13 Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
    General function

    Cornmint oil, used for a cooling sensation and mint scent.

    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
    • botanical extract
  • 14 Linalool
    General function

    A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact 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
  • 15 Coffea Arabica Seed Oil
    • oil
    • emollient
  • 16 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
  • 17 Geraniol
    General function

    A rose-scented fragrance component, listed on its own 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.

    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen

What the whole list adds up to

  • 8 emollients
  • 7 oils
  • 5 fragrances
  • 3 botanical extracts
  • 3 named fragrance allergens
  • 1 light ester
  • 1 essential oil

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-17. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 4.23 oz

Seen at $23 lowest of 2 stores · checked Sep 17
Good value under $12 Under $2.94/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 $12 line; products that do this job typically go for about $26 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 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. 4.23 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 $23 is the price we have observed for the 4.23 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $12 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.94/oz; at 4.23 oz that is $12. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $26 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 4.23 oz.

Formula

Formula score
3 of 10

It costs about what other scalp treatments cost per ounce, but the formula leaves out conditioning agents up front, which most of the format carries.

How the score is counted
  • 4 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 63% of the 280 scalp treatments we’ve priced
  • No conditioning agents up front in the formula
  • No slip for detangling either
  • 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 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, for less

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.

HaskLowest cost per oz Scalp Secret Strengthening Scalp & Hair Oil $2.21/oz $3.23/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Rich
  • Silicone-free
· Same function
Differs
  • Drugstore tier
  • 4 oz bottle
Wash day
this one is not a before-shampoo product
Compare
ORSSame function Olive Oil Braidzone Soothing Scalp Oil $2.32/oz $3.12/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Rich
  • Silicone-free
Differs
  • Drugstore tier
  • 4.3 oz bottle
Wash day
this one is not a before-shampoo product
Compare
Mielle OrganicsClose function Lavender & Lychee Scalp & Hair Build Up Remover $3.87/oz $1.57/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Rich
  • Silicone-free
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
Also
  • Floral scent, not mint
  • 4 oz bottle
Wash day
this one is not a before-shampoo product
Compare

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

Built for curly to coily hair

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 a formula with real substance

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or anyone who wants to pick it up locally

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
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Cruelty-free & vegan

Our researched record has this brand or product as vegan.

—

Supported

Matches our researched record.

Salon quality & scalp friendly

Where a product is sold says nothing about what is in it.

—

Stated by brand

A channel, not a formula.

Powered by Aussie naturals

A named-ingredient story. What matters is where those sit in the list — see the ingredients table.

  • Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
  • Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil
  • Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Stated by brand

Check the position, not the name.

Safe for color & chemical treated hair

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Free from silicones, sulfates, parabens

No sulfate detergents appear in the ingredient list.

—

Supported

Gentler on colour and coils.

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.

Many reviewers say it leaves hair noticeably softer and silkier without feeling greasy

general Yotpo reviewers

Reviewers report it rinses out cleanly with the following shampoo, leaving no residue

general Yotpo reviewers

A minority of reviewers find it leaves a heavy residue unless double-shampooed or applied very sparingly

general Yotpo reviewers

Some curly-haired reviewers say it disrupted their curl pattern rather than helping it

curly-haired reviewers

More from Bondi Boost

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 (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-09-17.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 3 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 2026-09-17.

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