Revives curls
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Design Essentials
Wave By Design Define & Shine 2N1 Dry Finishing Lotion
Styler / Styling product, mixed-hold
- Styler
- lotion
- Sulfate-free
- Moisture-rich
- Lightweight
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size8 ozusual store size · 2 sizes
Price$15–17 Good valuecommonly seen · 8 oz
Price / oz$1.88/ozat 8 oz
Where to buy5 stores · $14.00–19.99
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: designessentials.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.
- About 20 minutes, and your answers save as you go.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 22 factors we check.
- A personalized routine built around your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
- Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
- 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.
Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Hold system
Moderate
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
High
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
Minor
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
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
19 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Masstige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand website · Specialty beauty
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.
Start your consultation$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.
Your avoid-list
Priced with its peers
$1.88/oz at 8 oz, less than 60% of the 36 lotions , which mostly run $1.45–6.04/oz.
Great for
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
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
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
Mixed
Gums and synthetic polymers together.
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
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.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterAqua / Water / Eau | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Propylene Glycol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Acetamide MEA | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Detangles |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions (not a drying alcohol) | Softens |
| Ceteareth-20 | emulsifier | Keeps oil and water mixed | Stabilizes |
| Stearalkonium Chloride | conditioning agent | Conditions and softens so hair combs through | Detangles |
| Paraffin | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Buildup |
| Dimethicone | silicone | A little smoothing and shine | Buildup |
| Hydrolyzed Collagen | film former | A supporting film former | Protein |
| FragranceParfum / Fragrance | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or drying alcohols. Fragrance is on the label. Water-insoluble silicones that need a detergent wash to remove.
Full ingredient list (19)
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
Glycerin
General function
Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.
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
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 adds less weight than oils or butters do.
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
-
4
Acetamide MEA
General function
A humectant that also improves slip, used in conditioners and styling creams.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay 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 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.
- humectant
- conditioning agent
-
5
Cetearyl Alcohol
General function
A waxy fatty alcohol - nothing like drying alcohol. It gives conditioners their body and leaves a soft, smoothing film on the hair.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairThe waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.
DependsFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
6
Ceteareth-20
General function
An emulsifier that holds oil and water together in a conditioner or cream.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- emulsifier
-
7
Stearalkonium Chloride
General function
A long-standing conditioning agent that flattens the cuticle and cuts static. It rinses less completely than newer alternatives.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairThe class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSubstantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
- conditioning agent
-
8
Paraffin
General function
A mineral wax used for firm structure and sealing in pomades.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingA wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairForms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesIt does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.
- film former
- sealant
- wax
-
9
Polyquaternium-11
General function
A styling and conditioning polymer that adds light hold and shine, common in mousses and setting sprays.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdCationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- film former
- polymer
- conditioning agent
-
10
Ppg-15 Stearyl Ether
- emulsifier
-
11
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.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
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
- conditioning agent
-
12
Cetyl Alcohol
General function
A fatty alcohol used to thicken creams and add slip. It softens rather than dries.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairThe waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
13
Hydrolyzed Collagen
General function
An animal-derived protein used for body and a smoother surface.
Secondary ingredientLower 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 hairFilling 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 stylingFilm 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 hairHydrolysed 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
- 14 Paraffinum Liquidum / Mineral Oil / Huile Minérale
-
15
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
General function
A mild cationic conditioner known for heavy detangling with a light rinse-out feel. Common in curly-hair conditioners.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
International Journal of Cosmetic ScienceMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairA C22 conditioning quat, the chain length that deposits most heavily in electrokinetic testing. It is the slip coarse or porous hair usually needs, delivered by chain length rather than by charge alone.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairThe class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.
- conditioning agent
- emulsifier
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
16
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
-
17
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
18
Ethylhexylglycerin
General function
A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.
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 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.
- preservative
- emollient
-
19
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
What the whole list adds up to
- 4 humectants
- 4 emollients
- 3 emulsifiers
- 3 conditioning agents
- 3 film formers
- 3 preservatives
- 2 solvents
- 2 conditioning agents
- 2 fatty alcohols
- 2 thickeners
- 1 sealant
- 1 wax
- 1 polymer
- 1 silicone
Ingredient list captured 2026-10-17. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 8 oz
Commonly seen
$15–17
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 $41 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it5 listings · 5 stores
-
JCPenney
$14.008 oz · $1.75/ozOct 17Lowest per oz
-
Design Essentials (brand site)
$15.008 oz · $1.88/ozOct 7
-
Design Essentials (designessentials.com)
$15.008 oz · $1.88/ozOct 17
-
Design Essentials
$15.008 oz · $1.88/ozOct 17
-
Target
$19.998 oz · $2.50/ozOct 17Sale · was $25.00
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.
- Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 8 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
- Good value under $22 comes from the 6 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.71/oz; at 8 oz that is $22. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $41 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8 oz.
Formula
10
Formula score
10 of 10
A complete formula at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among lotions, with the working systems in place.
How the score is counted
- Costs less per ounce than 60% of the 36 lotions we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 6 things a lotion should do
- Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs
- Reviewers mention 2 recurring complaints
- 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
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.
Design EssentialsLowest cost per oz
Agave & Lavender Blow-Dry & Style Primer - Lavender
$1.50/oz $0.38/oz less
- Protein-free
- Alcohol-free
- No aerosol
- Function
- Also
Paul MitchellClose function
Construction Paste Flexible Styling Paste
$7.20/oz $5.32/oz more
- Protein-free
- Alcohol-free
- No aerosol
- Function
- Also
Paul MitchellClose function
MITCH Construction Paste
$6.60/oz $4.72/oz more
- Protein-free
- Alcohol-free
- Vegan & CF
- Function
- Also
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
Final decision
Should you buy it?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsBest user
People who want maximum slip who want real detangling slip and moisture that stays in
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or very humid climates
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, 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.
4
SupportedBacked by ingredients
1
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
adds shine
The formula carries a recognised shine system — silicone, oil, or light ester.
- Paraffin
- Dimethicone
Supported
Reflects light for visible shine.
anti-breakage
Protein or ceramides are present, but low enough that this reads as support, not treatment.
- Stearalkonium Chloride
- Polyquaternium-11
- Hydrolyzed Collagen
Partly supported
Supports the surface, not a treatment.
detangles
Conditioning agents that reduce combing force sit high in the list.
- Acetamide MEA
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Stearalkonium Chloride
Supported
Easier detangling, less breakage.
light thermal protection
Heat protection is a performance claim; an ingredient list cannot confirm it.
- Polyquaternium-11
- Dimethicone
- Hydrolyzed Collagen
Stated by brand
Only lab testing can show this.
minimizes frizz
Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.
- Paraffin
- Polyquaternium-11
- Dimethicone
Supported
Smoother strands, less frizz.
guards against humidity
Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.
- Paraffin
- Polyquaternium-11
- Dimethicone
Supported
Smoother strands, less frizz.
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.
Reviewers
What people report
Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.
Reviewers like how it enhances their natural curl or wave pattern and note a pleasant smell.
curl and wave wearersMany reviewers say it keeps natural and curly hair moisturized, soft and shiny without feeling greasy or leaving buildup.
daily users, including short 4C hairSeveral long-time buyers say the lotion has become watery or thinner than the original thick formula, and one said consistency varied between bottles.
repeat buyers of many yearsSome reviewers find it sticky, hard or ineffective on their hair type, leaving a coated feel or no visible effect.
low-rating reviewers with varied texturesMore 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 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.
- 5 sources consulted for this product (2 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-10-17.
- Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 14 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.
