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Curlsmith

Bouncy Strength Volume Foam

Styler / Mousse, light-hold

  • Styler
  • mousse
  • foam
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Curly-method
  • Vegan · brand states
Size7.5 fl oz
Price$28seen at one store · 7.5 oz
Price / oz$3.73/ozat 7.5 oz
Where to buy3 stores · $28.00–28.00

Scent:

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

Manufacturer page: curlsmith.com

Personal fit

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Upper-mid price for a mouss

$3.73/oz at 7.5 oz — more than 72% of the 138 mousses , which mostly run $1.54–4.12/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
Styles that must holdthe brand states a light hold at most
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether this hold level is right for you depends on your density, porosity, and how long your style has to last — 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.

Hold (as stated) Light

A light hold, as stated by the brand.

Hold system Synthetic polymer

Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems.

Cast risk Likely

Film formers without much softening them — expect a cast to scrunch out.

Weight on the hair Light

Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.

Oil absorption None

No absorbent powders or starches.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Fast-drying alcohol None

No fast-drying alcohol in the list.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

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.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterWater (Aqua / Eau) solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Glycerin humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
VP/VA Copolymer film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Cocamidopropyl Betaine amphoteric cleanser — Cleanses
Lentinus Edodes (Shiitake Mushroom) Extract botanical extract A plant extract, marketed as much as functional Neutral
Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Fruit Extract botanical extract A plant extract, marketed as much as functional Neutral
Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract botanical extract A plant extract, marketed as much as functional Neutral
Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract botanical extract A plant extract, marketed as much as functional Neutral
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein film former A supporting film former Protein
FragranceParfum / Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Limonene fragrance The scent Fragrance
Geraniol fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Fragrance is on the label.
Full ingredient list (33)

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 ingredient

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

    • solvent
  • 2 Glycerin
    General function

    A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    High-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 hair

    Binds 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 hair

    Water 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.

    Scientific Reports
    • humectant
  • 3 VP/VA Copolymer
    General function

    A hold polymer that dries to a clear film. It sets the style and washes out with water.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

    • film former
    • polymer
  • 4 Cocamidopropyl Betaine
    General function

    A mild coconut-derived co-cleanser that boosts foam and softens the effect of stronger detergents. It appears in most shampoos, gentle or not.

    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

    Mild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    The mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.

    DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Among the mildest detergents in use — it is what baby shampoos are built on — but it is almost always the second detergent in a formula. How much a wash strips is still decided by the primary detergent listed above it.

    Indian Journal of Dermatology
    • amphoteric cleanser
    • secondary cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 5 Lentinus Edodes (Shiitake Mushroom) Extract
    General function

    An extract of Shiitake Mushroom (Lentinus Edodes). Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • botanical extract
  • 6 Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Fruit Extract
    General function

    An extract from the fruit of Black Currant (Ribes Nigrum). Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • botanical extract
  • 7 Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract
    General function

    An extract from the fruit of Opuntia Tuna. Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • botanical extract
  • 8 Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract
    General function

    An extract from the fruit of Psidium Guajava. Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • botanical extract
  • 9 Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 10 Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Seed Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 11 Panthenol
    General function

    Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

    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.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • conditioning agent
    • vitamin
  • 12 Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
    General function

    A light plant protein that adds body and shine, popular in volume products.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Filling surface gaps evens out the cuticle, which is part of what makes damaged hair comb and reflect light more like undamaged hair.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Hydrolysed fragments are small enough to sit in the gaps of a worn cuticle for a wash or two, temporarily restoring stiffness and cutting breakage in combing.

    • film former
    • protein
    • hydrolysed protein
  • 13 Hydrolyzed Hemp Seed Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 14 Sodium Chloride
    • salt
    • thickener
  • 15 PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
    • solubilizer
    • emulsifier
  • ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 16 Sodium Hydroxide
    General function

    A strong base used in trace amounts to raise pH; fully neutralised in the finished product.

    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.

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    The alkali half of a pH-adjusting pair, used in small amounts to bring a formula up to its target rather than to make it alkaline. Alkaline conditions raise the fibre's surface charge and lift the scales — but the finished pH is not on the label.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
  • 17 Laurtrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A light conditioning agent common in sprays and leave-ins where weight matters.

    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

    A 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 hair

    The class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.

    PubChem
    • conditioning agent
  • 18 Sodium Bisulfite
    • antioxidant
    • preservative
  • 19 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
  • 20 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 21 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 22 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 23 Ethylhexylglycerin
    General function

    A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.

    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

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    PubChem
    • preservative
    • emollient
  • 24 Tocopherol
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 25 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
  • 26 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
  • 27 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
  • 28 Benzyl Alcohol
    • preservative
    • solvent
  • 29 Geranyl Acetate
    General function

    A rose-scented fragrance component related to geraniol.

    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
  • 30 Dimethyl Phenethyl Acetate
    General function

    A fresh, floral fragrance component.

    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
  • 31 anethole
    General function

    An individual aroma chemical. It is part of the product's fragrance; brands that print these are disclosing more of the blend than the rules require.

    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
  • 32 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
  • 33 Citrus Aurantium (Orange) Peel Oil
    General function

    The essential oil of Orange (Citrus Aurantium). Essential oils are aromatic — they are in the formula for scent, and they are a common source of declared fragrance allergens.

    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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 8 botanical extracts
  • 8 fragrances
  • 6 preservatives
  • 4 named fragrance allergens
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 humectants
  • 2 film formers
  • 2 vitamins
  • 2 pH adjusters
  • 2 antioxidants
  • 1 polymer
  • 1 amphoteric cleanser
  • 1 secondary cleanser
  • 1 cleanser

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 7.5 oz

Seen at $28 1 store · checked Aug 30
Good value under $10 Under $1.40/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 $10 line; products that do this job typically go for about $16 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores

7.5 ozmost listedBest per ounce

  • Curlsmith
    $28.00
    7.5 oz · $3.73/oz
    Aug 27Lowest per oz
  • Sephora
    $28.00
    7.5 oz · $3.73/oz
    Aug 30
  • Ulta
    $28.00
    Aug 25

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. 7.5 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 $28 is the price we have observed for the 7.5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $10 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.40/oz; at 7.5 oz that is $10. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $16 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 7.5 oz.

Formula

Formula score
8 of 10

A complete read of the format at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among mousses, with the working systems present.

How the score is counted
  • 5 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 72% of the 138 mousses we’ve priced
  • Covers 5 of the 6 things a mouss should do
  • Reviewers mention 4 things they like about how it performs
  • A hold systemThe polymer, gum, or wax that holds the shape.3 pts
  • Softeners alongside the holdWhat keeps a film flexible instead of brittle.2 pts
  • No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A humidity claim with a mechanismThe claim has a film former or silicone behind it.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.

The DouxLowest cost per oz BEE GIRL Honey Curl Custard $0.91/oz $2.82/oz less
  • Curly method
  • Lightweight
  • Silicone-free
· Same function
Differs
  • Sweet scent
  • Masstige tier
  • 16 oz bottle
Compare
AG CareStronger hold Mousse Gel Extra-Firm Curl Retention $2.40/oz $1.33/oz less
  • Curly method
  • Lightweight
  • Silicone-free
· Close function
Function
  • Propellant
Also
  • Cruelty-free
  • 10 oz bottle
Compare
Not Your Mother'sFragrance-free Curl Talk Fragrance & Protein Free Sculpting Gel $1.56/oz $2.17/oz less
  • Fragrance-free
  • Unscented
  • Protein-free
· Close function
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Protein
Also
  • Unscented
  • Drugstore tier
  • 6 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

Built for wavy to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

Curly-method routines who want a curly-method-compatible formula and defined, clumped curls

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, anyone who will not scrunch out a cast, or styles that have to hold all day

Best alternative if not

Consider The Doux BEE GIRL Honey Curl Custard, 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
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Soft hold and volume while enhancing your natural curl pattern

It reads light on the strand, which is what volume claims depend on.

  • VP/VA Copolymer
  • Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Supported

Leaves room for lift.

Ideal for extra volume, boosts strength

It reads light on the strand, which is what volume claims depend on.

  • VP/VA Copolymer
  • Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Supported

Leaves room for lift.

Light bouncy curls

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Weightless, does not weigh hair down

Light silicones and low wax content help it avoid visible residue.

  • Water
Supported

Less likely to weigh hair down.

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.

Delivers the best crunch-free curls her hair type can achieve, holding all day

reviewer 'Shelley' on brand site

Leaves curls hydrated, bouncy, and defined with no crunch

reviewer 'Gabriela C.' on brand site

Makes curls noticeably lighter while adding great volume

reviewer 'Kari' on brand site

Keeps curls soft with minimal residue and doesn't weigh hair down

reviewer 'Sarah' on brand site

More from Curlsmith

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 2026-08-27.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 17 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.

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