no mineral oils, silicones, or dyes
"Clean" and "free from" are marketing frames, not defined terms.
—
Stated by brand
A brand’s own definition.
Eden BodyWorks
Lavender Aloe Smoothing Gel
Styler / Gel, polymer-set
- Styler
- gel
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Curly-method
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size8 fl oz
Price$9.47 Good valueseen at one store · 8 oz
Price / oz$1.18/ozat 8 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $5.00–10.99
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: edenbodyworks.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see exactly how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 2,400+ products in our library we can match exactly the right products to you.
- In 10 minutes we can identify your exact hair condition and traits.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 22 factors we check.
- A personalized routine for your daily life — 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.
$49.00 one-time consultation, no subscription
Add the optional $49/year membership for unlimited adjustments for changes in weather and lifestyle.
Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Hold system
High
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Little
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Prominent
Not in your profile
Protein
Prominent
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
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
Present
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
16 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Drugstore
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.
Start your consultation$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.
Your avoid-list
Lower cost than most gels
$1.18/oz at 8 oz — less than 75% of the 155 gels , which mostly run $1.19–3.51/oz.
Great for
Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
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 system
Synthetic polymer
Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems.
Cast risk
Likely
Film formers without much softening them — expect a cast to scrunch out.
Weight on the hair
Light
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
Oil absorption
None
No absorbent powders or starches.
Oils and butters
None
No oils or butters in the list.
Fast-drying alcohol
None
No fast-drying alcohol in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Fragrance
Prominent
Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterWater (Aqua) | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Polysorbate 20 | solubilizer | Keeps oils dissolved in water | Stabilizes |
| Carbomer | thickener | Sets the texture | Holds |
| Phenoxyethanol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Aminomethyl Propanol | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
| FragranceFragrance (Parfum) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceAloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice | humectant | Adds a little water-binding | Moisturizes |
| Hydrolyzed Keratin | film former | A supporting film former | Protein |
| Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein | film former | A supporting film former | Protein |
| Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein sits high: this is a strengthening step rather than a moisture one. Fragrance is on the label.
Full ingredient list (16)
US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.
-
1
Water
· Water (Aqua)
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.
Role in this product typeIn styling gel, glycerin helps retain moisture as the product dries, supporting a softer, more flexible finish. The hold itself comes from the formula's film-forming polymers.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Cosmetic Ingredient ReviewMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMay suit hair that benefits from added water retention and a softer, more flexible gel finish.
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 hairConsider the climate and the complete formula: prominent humectants can behave differently in very dry air and on frizz-prone hair in high humidity.
- humectant
-
3
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
Carbomer
General function
A thickener that turns a liquid into a clear gel. It also contributes a light hold.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome 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
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
5
Phenoxyethanol
General function
The most common modern preservative; it keeps the product free of bacteria and mould. It sits well below 1% of the formula.
Estimated lower-concentration zonePubChemIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- preservative
-
6
Aminomethyl Propanol
General function
A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic hold polymers so they thicken and set properly.
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.
PubChemDependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairpH 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.
- pH adjuster
-
7
Fragrance
· Fragrance (Parfum)
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
-
8
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
· Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice
General function
Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little natural hold.
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 suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdGums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairHydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairAloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.
- humectant
- botanical extract
- gum
-
9
Hydrolyzed Keratin
General function
Fragments of the same protein hair is made of. They fill gaps on damaged strands and make hair feel firmer for a few washes.
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.
International Journal of Cosmetic ScienceMay 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.
DependsCurls or waves needing flexible holdHow rigid the finish is depends on which polymer it is and what the formula pairs with it, not on there being one.
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
-
10
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
-
11
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
General function
Wheat protein broken into fragments small enough to cling to the hair. It adds temporary strength and body; too much can feel stiff.
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 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
-
12
Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil
General function
Lavender essential oil, used for scent in aromatherapy-positioned products.
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
-
13
Citric Acid
General function
Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesHolds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.
May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairWhere a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
14
Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
-
15
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
-
16
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
- botanical extract
What the whole list adds up to
- 4 preservatives
- 3 film formers
- 3 botanical extracts
- 2 humectants
- 2 pH adjusters
- 2 fragrances
- 2 proteins
- 2 hydrolysed proteins
- 1 solvent
- 1 solubilizer
- 1 emulsifier
- 1 thickener
- 1 polymer
- 1 declared fragrance
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 8 oz
Seen at
$9.47
Good value under
$13
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $13 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $14 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
-
Eden BodyWorks
$5.008 oz · $0.63/ozAug 26Lowest per oz
-
Walmart
$9.478 oz · $1.18/ozSep 5
-
Eden BodyWorks (brand site)
$10.998 oz · $1.37/ozAug 27
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 $9.47 is the price we have observed for the 8 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $13 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.63/oz; at 8 oz that is $13. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $14 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8 oz.
Formula
9
Formula score
9 of 10
It carries the working systems a gel needs and still sits in the lower part of the price range for gels per ounce.
How the score is counted
- Costs less per ounce than 75% of the 155 gels we’ve priced
- Covers 5 of the 6 things a gel should do
- Drugstore tier, sold at Brand website
- Drugstore tier
- 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.
OdeleLowest cost per oz
Texturizing Sea Salt Spray for Tousled Styles
$1.50/oz $0.32/oz more
- Protein
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- Differs
SoCozySame function
Kids Sensitive Hair Style Foam
$1.67/oz $0.49/oz more
- Protein
- Curly method
- Lightweight
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 suitsBest user
Soft, over-stretchy hair — for protein high in the formula and a curly-method-compatible formula
Biggest tradeoff
Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, hair that stiffens on protein, or anyone who will not scrunch out a cast
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.
1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
cruelty-free
Our researched record has this brand as cruelty-free.
—
Supported
Matches our researched record.
made in USA
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
shapes and sculpts hair to a gorgeous finish
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
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.
More from Eden BodyWorks
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 5 of 10 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 2026-09-05.