Liquid Glass High-Gloss Finishing Serum
Finisher / Serum, glossing
- Finisher
- serum
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
Scent:
No added fragrance on the label, but it carries scenting botanicals — essential oils smell even when they are not labelled as fragrance.
Strength: Strong
Listing used for research: ulta.com
Personal fit
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The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
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Your avoid-list
Upper-mid price for a serum
$13.91/oz at 2.3 oz — more than 71% of the 79 serums , which mostly run $3.27–14.46/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Maybe skip if
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.
A silicone or oil blend does the shine work here.
Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.
Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch.
The brand claims humidity resistance; the ingredient list cannot confirm it.
Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.
No fast-drying alcohol in the list.
No fragrance is listed.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterAqua/Water/Eau | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Dimethicone | silicone | The shine system | Buildup |
| Propanediol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Shine |
| Stearyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol | Shine |
| Glyceryl Stearate Se | emulsifier | Keeps oil and water mixed | Shine |
| Isopentyldiol | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Moisturizes |
| Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Shine |
| Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil | emollient | A softening touch, low in the list | Buildup |
| Caffeine | active | A secondary active | Active |
| Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Fragrance |
| Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Leaf Oil | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
Full ingredient list (29)
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
· 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
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this 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
-
3
Propanediol
General function
A corn-derived humectant and solvent, often chosen as a lighter-feeling alternative to propylene glycol.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- humectant
- solvent
-
4
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
General function
A light, refined coconut-derived oil that spreads easily and does not go rancid. It gives slip without a heavy feel.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
5
Stearyl Alcohol
General function
A fatty alcohol that thickens conditioners and helps them coat the hair evenly.
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
Glyceryl Stearate Se
General function
A self-emulsifying version of glyceryl stearate that builds a cream on its own.
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 hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- emulsifier
- emollient
-
7
Isopentyldiol
General function
A light solvent and humectant used to dissolve extracts and improve feel.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- solvent
- humectant
-
8
Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate
General function
A light ester used for shine and slip in finishing products.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
9
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
General function
Not chemically an oil: about 97% of it is liquid wax esters, which is why it resists going rancid and sits close to the scalp's own sebum. It smooths without a heavy finish.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingA wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.
- emollient
- light ester
- oil
- wax
- 10 Sodium Polyaspartate
-
11
Xylitylglucoside
General function
A sugar-derived humectant used for lasting moisture without stickiness.
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 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 hairA humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.
- humectant
-
12
Oryza Sativa (Rice) Seed Water
- botanical extract
-
13
Niacinamide
General function
Vitamin B3, used in scalp products for conditioning claims.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
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.
- vitamin
- conditioning agent
-
14
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 ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
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
-
15
Biotin
- vitamin
-
16
Caffeine
- active
-
17
Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Seed Oil
General function
A light, inexpensive plant oil used as a base emollient.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
-
18
Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil
General function
A medium-weight oil used for conditioning and scalp application.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
-
19
Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract
- botanical extract
-
20
Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Seed Oil
General function
The oil pressed from Raspberry (Rubus Idaeus). How much weight a plant oil leaves depends on the hair it lands on; coarse hair tends to take more of it than fine hair.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
21
Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil
General function
Rosemary essential oil, used for scent and its traditional scalp reputation.
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 routinesEssential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
-
22
Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Leaf Oil
General function
The essential oil of Clove (Eugenia Caryophyllus). Essential oils are aromatic — they are in the formula for scent, and they are a common source of declared fragrance allergens.
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
- botanical extract
- 23 Bakuchiol
-
24
Tocopheryl Acetate
- antioxidant
- vitamin
- 25 Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
-
26
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.
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.
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
-
27
Pisum Sativum (Pea) Seed Extract
- botanical extract
-
28
Sodium Hyaluronate
General function
A large water-binding molecule that sits on the surface holding 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.
May 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 hairA humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.
- humectant
-
29
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
What the whole list adds up to
- 9 emollients
- 6 humectants
- 5 botanical extracts
- 4 oils
- 4 vitamins
- 3 solvents
- 3 conditioning agents
- 3 light esters
- 2 fragrances
- 1 silicone
- 1 fatty alcohol
- 1 thickener
- 1 emulsifier
- 1 wax
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 2.3 oz
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $19 line; products that do this job typically go for about $24 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it5 listings · 5 stores
-
Ulta Beauty
$32.002.3 oz · $13.91/ozAug 30Lowest per oz
-
Sephora
$32.002.3 oz · $13.91/ozAug 30
-
Drybar
$32.002.3 oz · $13.91/ozAug 30
-
Nordstrom
$32.002.3 oz · $13.91/ozAug 30
-
Dillard's
$32.002.3 oz · $13.91/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
- 2.3 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 2.3 oz at recognised stores — the cheapest quarter and the dearest quarter are left out, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
- Good value under $19 comes from the 6 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $8.31/oz; at 2.3 oz that is $19. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $24 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 2.3 oz.
Formula
The formula carries the systems a serum is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for serums per ounce.
How the score is counted
- 3 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 71% of the 79 serums we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 6 things a serum should do
- Reviewers mention 3 recurring complaints
- A shine systemThe silicone, oil, or ester that produces gloss.3 pts
- A weightless carrierDelivers the shine without leaving grease.2 pts
- Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
- An antioxidantKeeps the oils in the bottle from going off.1 pt
- No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.1 pt
- Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt
The formula score is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.
Does the same job, for less
Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.
- Protein-free
- Lightweight
- Shine
- Function
- Also
- Protein-free
- Shine
- Humidity
- Function
- Also
- Protein-free
- Shine
- Alcohol-free
- 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?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsPeople sensitive to fragrance — for a formula with no added fragrance and a protein-free formula
Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or very humid climates
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.
Reviewers
What people report
Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.
Works on fine, frizzy, thinning, color-damaged hair when nothing else did
Fragrance is strong, borders on overpowering
Too heavy for fine hair, works better damp than dry
No noticeable high-gloss shine, just fragrance and weight
More from Drybar
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.
- 1 source consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-27.
- Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 18 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 2026-08-28.