refreshes and redefines second-day curls
No absorbent powder sits high in the list.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Design Essentials
Almond & Avocado Daily Curl Revitalizer
Styler / Styling product, light-hold
- Styler
- refresh spray
- mist
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Moisture-rich
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size8 fl oz
Price$12.59 Good valueseen at one store · 8 oz
Price / oz$1.66/ozat 8 oz
Where to buy3 stores · $12.59–13.99
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: designessentials.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Hold (as stated)
Light
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
Low
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
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
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
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
Not determined
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
Ingredient list
22 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Masstige
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 refresh spray
$1.66/oz at 8 oz — more than 58% of the 13 refresh sprays , which mostly run $0.88–2.30/oz.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Soft-hold stylesthat should stay touchable
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Styles that must holdno hold polymer, gum, or wax was found
Styles that must holdthe brand states a light hold at most
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Silicone-free routinesit does contain silicones — the water-soluble kind
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.
Hold (as stated)
Light
A light hold, as stated by the brand.
Hold system
None found
No hold polymer, gum, or wax found in the list.
Cast risk
Unlikely
Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely.
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
Rinses with water
The silicones here are the water-soluble kind.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterDeionized Water | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Polysorbate 20Polysorbate-20 | solubilizer | Keeps oils dissolved in water | Stabilizes |
| Propylene Glycol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| PEG-12 Dimethicone | emollient | Softens and smooths the strand | Shine |
| Pentylene GlycolPentylene Glycol (and) Propanediol (and) Caprylyl Glycol (and) Ethylhexyglycerin (and) Chlorophensin | humectant | Adds a little water-binding | Moisturizes |
| PanthenolDL Panthenol | humectant | Adds a little water-binding | Detangles |
| Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Fruit Extract | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Neutral |
| Fragrance | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Benzyl Benzoate | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Citral | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Geraniol | 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.
Full ingredient list (22)
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
· Deionized 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
-
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
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
-
3
Polysorbate 20
· Polysorbate-20
General function
Keeps fragrance and oils dissolved in a watery formula so it stays clear.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
-
4
Propylene Glycol
General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.
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
-
5
PEG-12 Dimethicone
General function
A water-soluble silicone that smooths without the build-up concern of standard silicones.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesThe PEG- and PPG-modified silicones disperse in water, so ordinary washing carries them off instead of leaving a film to accumulate.
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 hairDelivers the slip and surface smoothing of a silicone without needing a detergent wash to remove it afterwards.
- emollient
- silicone
- water-soluble silicone
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
6
Pentylene Glycol
· Pentylene Glycol (and) Propanediol (and) Caprylyl Glycol (and) Ethylhexyglycerin (and) Chlorophensin
General function
A humectant that also helps preserve the formula, often used where a brand wants a short preservative list.
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
- preservative
-
7
Panthenol
· DL 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.
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 hairIt hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.
- humectant
- conditioning agent
- vitamin
-
8
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Fruit Extract
General function
An extract from the fruit of Prunus Amygdalus. Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.
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.
- botanical extract
-
9
Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Fruit Extract
- botanical extract
-
10
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
-
11
Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Extract
- botanical extract
-
12
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Extract
- botanical extract
-
13
Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract
- botanical extract
- 14 Cocos Nucifera
- 15 FDC Yellow #5 Powder
- 16 FDC Blue #1 Powder
-
17
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
-
18
Benzyl Benzoate
General function
A fragrance component with a faint balsamic scent, named separately on the label because it is 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
-
19
Citral
General function
A lemon-scented 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
-
20
Geraniol
General function
A rose-scented fragrance component, listed on its own 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.
May 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
-
21
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
-
22
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
- 6 botanical extracts
- 6 fragrances
- 5 named fragrance allergens
- 4 humectants
- 3 solvents
- 1 solubilizer
- 1 emulsifier
- 1 emollient
- 1 silicone
- 1 water-soluble silicone
- 1 preservative
- 1 conditioning agent
- 1 vitamin
- 1 declared fragrance
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-26. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 8 oz
Seen at
$12.59
Good value under
$22
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $22 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $29 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores
-
JCPenney
$12.598 oz · $1.57/ozAug 30Lowest per ozSale · was $13.99
-
Design Essentials
$13.998 oz · $1.75/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.
How we work this out
- 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 $12.59 is the price we have observed for the 8 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $22 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.80/oz; at 8 oz that is $22. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $29 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8 oz.
Formula
7
Formula score
7 of 10
Nothing separates this from the middle of the range for refresh sprays, on formula or on cost per ounce.
How the score is counted
- Costs more per ounce than 58% of the 13 refresh sprays we’ve priced
- No hold system in the formula
- Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
- Masstige tier, sold at Brand website
- 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
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.
Design EssentialsLowest cost per oz
Coconut & Monoi Coconut Water Curl Refresher
$1.46/oz $0.20/oz less
- Curly method
- Alcohol-free
- No aerosol
- Function
- Also
PacificaSilicone-free
Salty Waves Texture Beachy Spray
$3.87/oz $2.21/oz more
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- Function
- Also
Bumble and bumbleSilicone-free
Texturizing Surf Spray - 4.2 oz
$7.62/oz $5.96/oz more
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- 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
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, styles that need real hold, or styles that have to hold all day
Best alternative if not
Nothing in our library matches it closely 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.
2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
1
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
rehydrates dry curls
Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.
- Glycerin
- Propylene Glycol
- PEG-12 Dimethicone
Supported
Helps hair feel hydrated.
tames frizz
Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.
- PEG-12 Dimethicone
Supported
Smoother strands, less frizz.
light hold
No hold polymer, gum, or wax was found in the ingredient list.
—
Potential conflict
Nothing in it holds a shape.
neutralizes odors
Odour control is a performance claim we cannot read from the list.
- Fragrance
- Benzyl Benzoate
- Citral
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.
Reviewers value a quick style-and-go refresh that restores moisture and brings curls back to life.
daily curl-refresh useA customer who had trouble finding the product locally says it leaves their curls moist, juicy, and healthy-looking.
between-wash curl refresh userA combination-texture reviewer says a small amount helps the front of their hair stay defined instead of puffing up.
combination hair textureThe brand-page review summary notes mixed experiences with frizz even though many users praise the spray's frizz-control result.
curl users discussing frizz controlMore from Design Essentials
- Agave & Lavender Moisturizing & Detangling Conditioner
- Almond & Avocado Moisturizing & Detangling Conditioner
- Almond Butter Express Instant Moisturizing Conditioner
- Milk & Honey 6N1 Reconstructive Conditioner
- Peppermint & Aloe Soothing Scalp Care Conditioner
- Rosemary & Mint Stimulating Super Moisturizing Conditioner
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 8 of 11 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 2026-08-26.