smooths frizz
Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.
- Cyclopentasiloxane
- Phenyl Trimethicone
- Dimethiconol
Supported
Smoother strands, less frizz.
Color Wow
Pop & Lock Frizz Control & Glossing Serum
Finisher / Serum, glossing
- Finisher
- serum
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Moisture-rich
Size1.8 fl oz
Price$24seen at one store · 1.8 oz
Price / oz$15.56/ozat 1.8 oz
Where to buy3 stores · $24.00–32.00
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: colorwowhair.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
All types
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Shine system
High
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Some
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
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
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Show all 22 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
Aerosol can
Pump or tube
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Air-sets
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
Present
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
19 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Masstige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Color Wow · Ulta
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
Priced above most serums
$15.56/oz at 1.8 oz — more than 79% of the 79 serums , which mostly run $3.27–14.46/oz.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Dull-looking haira recognised shine system is present
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Sun and colour fadea UV filter is in the list
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
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.
Shine system
Silicone serum
A silicone or oil blend does the shine work here.
Weight on the hair
Light
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
Oils and butters
None
No oils or butters in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
Yes
Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.
Fast-drying alcohol
None
No fast-drying alcohol 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Propylene Glycol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| WaterAQUA/WATER | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Cyclopentasiloxane | silicone | The shine system | Buildup |
| Hexylene Glycol | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Moisturizes |
| Phenyl Trimethicone | silicone | The shine system | Buildup |
| Dimethiconol | silicone | The shine system | Buildup |
| Phenoxyethanol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Caprylyl Glycol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Moisturizes |
| FragrancePARFUM/FRAGRANCE | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Linalool | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Hexyl Cinnamal | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Citronellol | 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 (19)
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
Propylene Glycol
General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
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
-
2
Water
· AQUA/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
-
3
Cyclopentasiloxane
General function
A light, fast-evaporating silicone that spreads other ingredients then leaves. It gives serums their weightless glide.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesIt leaves the hair by evaporating rather than by being washed off, so it is not part of what accumulates.
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 suitFine or easily flattened hairA cyclic silicone evaporates after it has spread the formula, so it carries the other ingredients without leaving weight behind.
- silicone
- emollient
-
4
Hexylene Glycol
General function
A solvent that keeps other ingredients dissolved and helps preservatives work.
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.
- solvent
- humectant
-
5
Phenyl Trimethicone
General function
A high-refractive silicone used specifically for visible shine in serums and finishing oils.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
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 hairLays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesDimethicone does not disperse in water. On a routine that skips detergent it stays on the hair and accumulates wash after wash.
- silicone
- emollient
-
6
Dimethiconol
General function
A high-shine silicone often paired with dimethicone for a smoother, glossier finish.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay 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 hairLays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesDimethicone does not disperse in water. On a routine that skips detergent it stays on the hair and accumulates wash after wash.
- silicone
- 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 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
-
8
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
-
9
Polyacrylamide
General function
A thickening polymer that also leaves a light film, used in gels and styling creams.
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 set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- film former
- polymer
- thickener
-
10
C13-14 Isoparaffin
General function
A light carrier used to spread silicones and polymers thinly.
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 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.
- emollient
- solvent
-
11
Mica
General function
A mineral that adds shimmer or opacity to the product. It affects how the bottle looks, not how hair behaves.
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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairA violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.
- colourant
- mineral
- opacifier
-
12
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 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
-
13
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
General function
A UV filter used in leave-on hair products to slow colour fade.
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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairSunlight oxidises hair pigment, and on gray, silver or lightened hair that shows up as yellowing. A UV filter on the label absorbs some of the light that drives it.
- UV filter
-
14
Laureth-7
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
15
Titanium Dioxide
· TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891)
General function
A white mineral pigment that makes a product opaque or pearly.
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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairA violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.
- colourant
- opacifier
- mineral
-
16
Butylene Glycol
General function
A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.
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 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
-
17
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
-
18
Hexyl Cinnamal
General function
A jasmine-like fragrance component named 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
-
19
Citronellol
General function
A rose-like fragrance component named 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
What the whole list adds up to
- 5 solvents
- 4 humectants
- 4 emollients
- 4 fragrances
- 3 silicones
- 3 named fragrance allergens
- 2 preservatives
- 2 colourants
- 2 minerals
- 2 opacifiers
- 1 film former
- 1 polymer
- 1 thickener
- 1 declared fragrance
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-26. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 1.8 oz
Seen at
$24
Good value under
$9
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $9 line; products that do this job typically go for about $17 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it6 listings · 3 stores
-
unknown
$24.001.8 oz · $13.33/ozAug 26Lowest per oz
-
unknown
$24.001.8 oz · $13.33/ozAug 26
-
unknown
$24.001.8 oz · $13.33/ozAug 26
-
unknown
$24.001.8 oz · $13.33/ozAug 26
-
Gadabout SalonSpas
$24.001.8 oz · $13.33/ozAug 30
-
East Wind Long Island
$32.001.8 oz · $17.78/ozAug 30
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 1 listing we don’t count — grey-market or unverified sellers.
How we work this out
- 1.8 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 1.8 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $9 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $5.26/oz; at 1.8 oz that is $9. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $17 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 1.8 oz.
Formula
9
Formula score
9 of 10
It costs more per ounce than 79% of the 79 serums we’ve priced, and the formula carries the systems the format is built around. Nothing in our library comes close enough on formula to be a cheaper substitute.
How the score is counted
- 1 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 79% of the 79 serums we’ve priced
- Covers 5 of the 6 things a serum should do
- Reviewers mention 4 things they like about how it performs
- A shine systemThe silicone, oil, or ester that produces gloss.3 pts
- A weightless carrierDelivers the shine without leaving grease.2 pts
- Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
- An antioxidantKeeps the oils in the bottle from going off.1 pt
- No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.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.
Color WowLowest cost per oz
Extra Strength Dream Coat
$1.79/oz $13.77/oz less
- Fragrance-free
- Protein-free
- Shine
- 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?
An above-range pick for the hair it suitsBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein, looking for a protein-free formula and moisture that stays in
Biggest tradeoff
Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or anyone who will not scrunch out a cast
Best alternative if not
Consider Color Wow Extra Strength Dream Coat, 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.
3
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
temporarily seals split ends
No protein or bond ingredient appears in the list.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
high-gloss finish
The formula carries a recognised shine system — silicone, oil, or light ester.
- Cyclopentasiloxane
- Phenyl Trimethicone
- Dimethiconol
Supported
Reflects light for visible shine.
heat protection
Heat protection is a performance claim; an ingredient list cannot confirm it.
- Cyclopentasiloxane
- Phenyl Trimethicone
- Dimethiconol
Stated by brand
Only lab testing can show this.
UV/color-fade support
It avoids sulfate detergents, which are the usual cause of fast fade.
- Ethylhexyl Salicylate
Supported
Less fade per wash.
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.
A verified buyer says it calms frizz and stray hairs.
A verified fine straight-haired reviewer reports soft, shiny hair after using it.
A fine color-treated-haired customer uses it after styling on the ends and top to smooth flyaways.
A verified reviewer with fine damaged hair says a small amount on dry hair creates a smooth, sleek look.
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.
- 2 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-26.
- Ingredient references are linked for 11 of 16 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
- We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
- Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
- Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
- This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
- Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-08-27.