Proven to reduce breakage by 50% in a single blow dry, heat protectant
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.
Product image coming soon
Color Wow
Dream Cocktail Kale-Infused Leave-in Treatment
Leave-in / Everyday leave-in, medium-weight
- Leave-in
- lotion
- Also a heat protectant
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Moisture-rich
Size1.6 fl ozmost listed · 2 sizes
Price$12seen at one store · 1.6 oz · from $3.88/oz in the 6.7 oz
Price / oz$5.69/ozat 1.6 oz
Where to buy1 store · 2 sizes
Scent:
Notes: sweet.
Manufacturer page: colorwowhair.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.
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
All types
Not in your profile
Moisture level
Moderate
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
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
High
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate
Not in your profile
Scent
Sweet & vanillaStrength not recorded
Not in your profile
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
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
No adjuster listed
Not in your profile
Heat protection
Moderate
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
23 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Prestige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand websiteOne 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
Upper-mid price for a leave-in
$5.69/oz at 1.6 oz — more than 74% of the 553 leave-ins , which mostly run $1.25–5.80/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Heat stylingthe brand positions this as a heat protectant
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
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
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
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.
Weight on the hair
Medium
Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.
Slip and detangling
High
Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula.
Water-binding (humectants)
Moderate
Humectants in the working part of the formula.
Oils and butters
None
No oils or butters in the list.
Protein
None
No protein or amino acids in the list.
Heat protection
Claimed, no temperature given
Sold as a heat protectant; no temperature is stated.
Needs detergent to remove
Yes
Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterWater (Aqua/Eau) | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Behentrimonium Methosulfate | 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 |
| Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Softens |
| Polyquaternium-37 | conditioning agent | Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through | Detangles |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Butylene Glycol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil | solubilizer | Keeps oils dissolved in water | Stabilizes |
| FragranceFragrance (Parfum) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Silicone Quaternium-18 | silicone | A little smoothing and shine | Buildup |
| Benzyl Salicylate | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Linalool | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
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. The silicones here need a detergent wash to come off.
Full ingredient list (23)
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
· Water (Aqua/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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
General function
A mild cationic conditioner known for heavy detangling with a light rinse-out feel. Common in curly-hair conditioners.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
International Journal of Cosmetic ScienceMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairA C22 conditioning quat, the chain length that deposits most heavily in electrokinetic testing. It is the slip coarse or porous hair usually needs, delivered by chain length rather than by charge alone.
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.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairThe class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.
- conditioning agent
- emulsifier
-
3
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.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairThe 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 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 hairNear the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
4
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.
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
-
5
Polyquaternium-37
General function
A thickening polymer that gives creams and curl products their bounce and helps them cling to the strand.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdCationic 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 hairA cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
- thickener
-
6
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.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
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
-
7
Butylene Glycol
General function
A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.
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.
- humectant
- solvent
-
8
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
General function
A castor-oil derivative that dissolves fragrance and oils into water so the product stays clear and does not separate.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
-
9
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
General function
A light, dry-feeling ester that spreads other ingredients and softens without a greasy finish.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
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
-
10
Crambe Maritima Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
-
11
Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract
- botanical extract
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
12
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
-
13
Ceteareth-20
- emulsifier
-
14
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
15
PPG-26-Buteth-26
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
16
Fragrance
· Fragrance (Parfum)
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
-
17
Silicone Quaternium-18
General function
A conditioning silicone that clings to damaged areas and survives rinsing.
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 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 hairAmino-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 stylingFilm 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
-
18
Trideceth-6
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
19
PPG-1 Trideceth-6
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
20
Trideceth-12
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
21
Benzyl Salicylate
General function
A soft floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.
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 not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne 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
-
22
Linalool
General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.
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 not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne 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
-
23
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 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 not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne 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
- 7 emulsifiers
- 5 solubilizers
- 4 fragrances
- 3 conditioning agents
- 3 emollients
- 3 humectants
- 3 named fragrance allergens
- 2 solvents
- 2 thickeners
- 2 light esters
- 2 film formers
- 2 botanical extracts
- 2 preservatives
- 1 fatty alcohol
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-23. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 1.6 oz
Seen at
$12
Good value under
$2
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $2 line; products that do this job typically go for about $3 at this size.
Sizes
1.6 ozmost listed
$12
$7.50/oz
6.7 oz
$26
$3.88/oz
The 6.7 oz costs 48% less per ounce than the 1.6 oz.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 1 store
1.6 ozmost listed
-
Brand website
$12.001.6 oz · $7.50/ozAug 23Lowest per oz
6.7 ozBest per ounce
-
Brand website
$26.006.7 oz · $3.88/ozAug 23Lowest 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
- 1.6 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 $12 is the price we have observed for the 1.6 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $2 comes from the 5 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.03/oz; at 1.6 oz that is $2. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
- About $3 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 1.6 oz.
Formula
9
Formula score
9 of 10
The formula carries the systems a leave-in is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for leave-ins per ounce.
How the score is counted
- 5 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 74% of the 553 leave-ins we’ve priced
- Covers 5 of the 6 things a leave-in should do
- Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
- Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.2 pts
- A humectantBinds water into the hair.2 pts
- A light baseWater or a volatile carrier first, so it does not weigh hair down.2 pts
- Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
- No detergent-dependent filmNothing that needs a clarifying wash to remove.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.
Paul MitchellClosest function
Kids Taming Spray
$1.65/oz $4.04/oz less
- Protein-free
- Alcohol-free
- Medium weight
- Function
- Also
PanteneLowest cost per oz
Pro-V Moisturizing Leave-In Conditioner
$0.85/oz $4.84/oz less
- Protein-free
- Lightweight
- Alcohol-free
- Function
- Also
AphogeeClose function
ProVitamin Leave-In Conditioner
$1.03/oz $4.66/oz less
- Budget
- 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?
Good for the right personBest user
People who blow-dry or flat-iron who want heat protection and a protein-free formula
Biggest tradeoff
Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or soft, over-stretchy hair that needs protein
Best alternative if not
Consider Paul Mitchell Kids Taming Spray, 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.
0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Style with heat to activate
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
This leave-in, heat-protectant treatment is activated when you blow dry
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.
Reduced breakage frequently cited
Softness and improved manageability widely reported
Frizz reduction and pleasant scent mentioned
More from Color Wow
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 (3 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
- Ingredient references are linked for 8 of 13 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.