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Davines

This is a Relaxing Moisturizing Fluid

Styler / Smoothing cream, polymer-set

  • Styler
  • smoothing cream
  • lotion
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Moisture-rich
  • Vegan · label states
  • Cruelty-free · brand states
Size125 ml
Price$34–41commonly seen · 4.23 oz
Price / oz$8.51/ozat 4.23 oz
Where to buy5 stores · $32.00–45.47

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

Scent:

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

Manufacturer page: us.davines.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.

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  • 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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Same job for less elsewhere

$8.51/oz at 4.23 oz, more than 88% of the 81 smoothing creams , which mostly run $3.50–7.03/oz.

View alternatives

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
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
Vegan and cruelty-freeour researched record has it as both
Aerosol avoidancea pump or tube, not a pressurised can

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether this hold suits you depends on your density, porosity and how long your style needs to last. The consultation works that 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 system Synthetic polymer

Synthetic hold polymers, the firmest kind of hold.

Cast risk Unlikely

Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely.

Weight on the hair Medium

Middle of the range: noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse 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 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. 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
WaterAqua/Water/Eau solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Dimethicone silicone Smooths the cuticle and adds shine Buildup
Propanediol humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Cyclopentasiloxane silicone Smooths the cuticle and adds shine Buildup
Vinyl Caprolactam/VP/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Cyclohexasiloxane silicone Smooths the cuticle and adds shine Buildup
Phenylpropyldimethylsiloxysilicate conditioning agent Reduces combing force Detangles
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
FragranceParfum/Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Dimethiconol silicone A little smoothing and shine Buildup
Linalool fragrance The scent Fragrance
Limonene fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or drying alcohols. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Water-insoluble silicones that need a detergent wash to remove.
Full ingredient list (21)

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 Water · Aqua/Water/Eau
    General function

    The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.

    Leading ingredient

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

    • solvent
  • 2 Dimethicone
    General function

    The most common conditioning silicone. It coats the strand for shine, slip, and frizz control, and needs a detergent (not just water) to wash out.

    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 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 hair

    Lays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Dimethicone does not disperse in water. On a routine that skips detergent it stays on the hair and accumulates wash after wash.

    • silicone
    • emollient
    • conditioning agent
  • 3 Propanediol
    General function

    A corn-derived humectant and solvent, often chosen as a lighter-feeling alternative to propylene glycol.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • solvent
  • 4 Cyclopentasiloxane
    General function

    A light, fast-evaporating silicone that spreads other ingredients then leaves. It gives serums their weightless glide.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    It 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 hair

    A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    A cyclic silicone evaporates after it has spread the formula, so it carries the other ingredients without leaving weight behind.

    PubChem
    • silicone
    • emollient
  • 5 Vinyl Caprolactam/VP/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
    General function

    A hold polymer that sets with flexibility and washes out with water.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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
  • 6 Cyclohexasiloxane
    General function

    A light, evaporating silicone that spreads other ingredients then leaves nothing behind.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    It 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 hair

    A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    A cyclic silicone evaporates after it has spread the formula, so it carries the other ingredients without leaving weight behind.

    PubChem
    • silicone
    • emollient
  • 7 Phenylpropyldimethylsiloxysilicate
    • conditioning agent
    • emollient
    • light ester
    • film former
  • 8 Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
    General function

    A synthetic film-forming polymer. Polymers of this kind dry to a continuous film on the hair, which is how a styling product holds a shape.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • film former
    • polymer
  • 9 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
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 10 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
  • 11 Caprylyl Glycol
    General function

    A gentle preservative helper that also holds a little moisture.

    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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Humectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

    PubChem
    • preservative
    • humectant
  • 12 Benzyl Alcohol
    • preservative
    • solvent
  • 13 Dimethiconol
    General function

    A high-shine silicone often paired with dimethicone for a smoother, glossier finish.

    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 suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A 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 hair

    Lays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.

    PubChem
    • silicone
    • emollient
  • 14 Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
    General function

    A gel-forming thickener that also keeps oils suspended. It contributes a little hold.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May 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.

    • thickener
    • polymer
    • film former
  • 15 Aminomethyl Propanol
    General function

    A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic hold polymers so they thicken and set properly.

    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

    pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

    PubChem
    • pH adjuster
  • 16 Caprylhydroxamic Acid
    General function

    A coconut-derived preservative booster that also binds trace metals.

    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

    Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

    PubChem
    • preservative
    • hard-water chelator
  • 17 Glycerin
    General function

    Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.

    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 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
  • 18 Sodium Phytate
    General function

    A rice-derived chelator that binds hard-water minerals without EDTA.

    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

    Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

    PubChem
    • hard-water chelator
  • 19 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 20 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
  • 21 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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 5 emollients
  • 4 silicones
  • 4 humectants
  • 4 film formers
  • 4 preservatives
  • 3 solvents
  • 3 conditioning agents
  • 3 polymers
  • 3 fragrances
  • 2 hard-water chelators
  • 2 named fragrance allergens
  • 1 light ester
  • 1 vitamin
  • 1 declared fragrance

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-17. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 4.23 oz

Commonly seen $34–41 Midpoint $36 · 3 stores · checked Oct 17
Good value under $15 Under $3.50/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 $15 line; products that do this job typically go for about $21 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it5 listings · 5 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. Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 4.23 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
  3. Good value under $15 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $3.50/oz; at 4.23 oz that is $15. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $21 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
10 of 10

Sold through salons, and 6 products that do the same job cost less. Part of what you pay for is where it is sold.

How the score is counted
  • 6 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 88% of the 81 smoothing creams we’ve priced
  • Covers 6 of the 6 things a smoothing cream should do
  • Salon tier, sold at Brand website and Salons
  • 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 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.

Paul MitchellSame function Straight Works Serum Gel $5.10/oz $3.41/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Alcohol-free
  • No aerosol
Differs
  • 5.1 oz bottle
  • Sold online
Compare
L'Oreal ProfessionnelSame function [TECNI.ART] Flex Web $5.69/oz $2.82/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Alcohol-free
  • No aerosol
Differs
  • 5.1 oz bottle
Compare
PhytoLowest cost per oz PRO STYLE Curl Cream $4.97/oz $3.54/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Alcohol-free
  • No aerosol
· Close function
Function
  • Cast risk
Also
  • 5.1 oz bottle
  • Sold at specialty beauty counters
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 straight to curly hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person, not the lowest cost
Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and moisture that stays in

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or very humid climates

Best alternative if not

Paul Mitchell Straight Works Serum Gel 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, 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
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Fluid for sleek straight hair

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

adds shine, eliminates frizz, moisturizes hair, and protects against humidity

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

  • Dimethicone
  • Propanediol
  • Cyclopentasiloxane
Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

Heat protectant

Heat protection is a performance claim; an ingredient list cannot confirm it.

  • Dimethicone
  • Cyclopentasiloxane
  • Vinyl Caprolactam/VP/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Stated by brand

Only lab testing can show this.

vegan-friendly

Our researched record has this brand or product as vegan.

—

Supported

Matches our researched record.

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.

More from Davines

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, 0 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-10-17.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 12 of 16 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 2026-10-17.

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