up to 24 hours of clean hold
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Garnier Fructis
Pure Clean Styling Gel
Styler / Gel, strong-hold
- Styler
- gel
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
Size6.8 fl oz
Priceabout $5 Good valuecommonly seen · 6.8 oz
Price / oz$0.73/ozat 6.8 oz
Where to buy6 stores · 2 sizes
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
Notes: fresh.
Listing used for research: target.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 23 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 (as stated)
Maximum
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
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Scent
Fresh & airyStrength not recorded
Not in your profile
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Not yet verified
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
15 ingredientsA short list
Not in your profile
Price tier
Value
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand website · Target
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
Lower cost than most gels
$0.73/oz at 6.8 oz, less than 90% of the 267 gels , which mostly run $1.13–3.78/oz.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
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 has a scent
Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Soft, touchable finishesthe brand states a firm hold
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)
Maximum
A strong hold, as stated by the brand.
Hold system
Mixed
Gums and synthetic polymers together.
Cast risk
Likely
Film formers with little to soften them, so expect a cast to scrunch out.
Weight on the hair
Light
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
Oil absorption
High
Absorbent powders or starches high in the list.
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 is in the first eight ingredients, so it makes up 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. 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 |
| Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Dehydroxanthan Gum | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Benzyl Alcohol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate | clay | A little absorbency | Stabilizes |
| FragrancePARFUM / FRAGRANCE | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice | humectant | Adds a little water-binding | Moisturizes |
| Limonene | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Citronellol | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Linalool | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance.
Full ingredient list (15)
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
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
General function
A starch-derived sugar syrup used to hold water with a soft, non-tacky feel.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
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
-
3
Glycerin
General function
Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.
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
-
4
Dehydroxanthan Gum
General function
A plant or fermented gum. Gums thicken a water-based formula and give it a slippery, cushioned feel; in a styler they also contribute soft hold.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdA polysaccharide film stays softer than a synthetic one as it dries, which is what leaves a curl defined but still able to move.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what helps flyaways lie down.
May not suitMaximum-hold stylingGum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.
- film former
- gum
- thickener
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
5
Benzyl Alcohol
General function
A preservative and solvent that also occurs naturally in some essential oils.
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
- solvent
-
6
Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate
General function
A synthetic clay that thickens and suspends. It gives gels a clean, non-tacky flow.
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 suitFine or easily flattened hairAbsorbs oil and adds texture, which is what gives fine hair grip at the root instead of slip.
- clay
- thickener
-
7
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
-
8
Aloe Barbadensis 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
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
-
10
Citronellol
General function
A rose-like fragrance component named 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
-
11
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
-
12
Acacia Senegal Gum
General function
A plant or fermented gum. Gums thicken a water-based formula and give it a slippery, cushioned feel; in a styler they also contribute soft 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.
- gum
- thickener
-
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
What the whole list adds up to
- 4 fragrances
- 3 humectants
- 3 gums
- 3 thickeners
- 3 preservatives
- 3 named fragrance allergens
- 2 solvents
- 1 film former
- 1 clay
- 1 declared fragrance
- 1 botanical extract
- 1 pH adjuster
- 1 hard-water chelator
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-26. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 6.8 oz
Commonly seen
about $5
Good value under
$8
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $8 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $61 at this size.
Sizes
6.8 ozusual store size
$5
$0.73/oz
7.8 oz
$5.49
$0.70/oz
The sizes cost about the same per ounce.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it5 listings · 5 stores
6.8 ozusual store sizeBest per ounce
-
ShopRite
$4.396.8 oz · $0.65/ozOct 31Lowest per oz
-
Target
$4.976.8 oz · $0.73/ozOct 31
-
Garnier USA MSRP
$5.996.8 oz · $0.88/ozAug 25
-
Walgreens
$5.996.8 oz · $0.88/ozOct 31
7.8 oz
-
CVS
$5.497.8 oz · $0.70/ozOct 31Lowest per oz
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. and 1 listing we don’t count, from grey-market or unverified sellers.
How we work this out
- 6.8 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 6.8 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 $8 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.21/oz; at 6.8 oz that is $8. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
- About $61 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 6.8 oz.
Formula
7
Formula score
7 of 10
The formula covers the core of what a gel does, and it costs less per ounce than most gels in our library.
How the score is counted
- Costs less per ounce than 90% of the 267 gels we’ve priced
- No softeners alongside the hold in the formula
- Value tier, sold at Brand website and Target
- Value 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 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.
KenraSame function
Volumizing Powder 14
$60.00/oz $59.27/oz more
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- Differs
Gibs GroomingLowest cost per oz
Styling Texture Powder
$15.30/oz $14.57/oz more
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- Function
- Also
REUZELFragrance-free
Matte Texture Hair Volumizing Powder
$35.83/oz $35.10/oz more
- Fragrance-free
- Unscented
- Protein-free
- 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
Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and a curly-method-compatible formula
Biggest tradeoff
Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, anyone who will not scrunch out a cast, 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.
1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
1
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
extra strong hold
Synthetic hold polymers are present.
- Dehydroxanthan Gum
- Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
- Acacia Senegal Gum
Supported
Structure that lasts the day.
non-sticky, non-flaky, non-crunchy
Hold polymers appear without the emollients that usually keep a film from setting firm.
- Dehydroxanthan Gum
Potential conflict
Expect a cast you have to scrunch out.
adds shine without residue
Nothing in the list reads as a shine system.
—
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 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.
One repeat user says the gel keeps frizz down in regular use.
frequent-use reviewerSeveral negative reviews describe an unexpectedly sticky or unclean-looking result and little hold on their hair.
reviewers dissatisfied with feel or holdSome buyers like the clean scent and value but find the hold too weak for a style needing very firm control.
strong-hold shoppersMore from Garnier Fructis
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.
- 2 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-26.
- Ingredient references are linked for 5 of 11 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 2026-08-26.
