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Garnier Fructis

Sleek & Shine Smooth Leave-In Conditioning Cream

Leave-in / Everyday leave-in, medium-weight

  • Leave-in
  • cream
  • Sulfate-free
Size10.2 fl oz
Price$4.79 Good valueseen at one store · 10.2 oz
Price / oz$0.47/ozat 10.2 oz
Where to buy1 store

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: shopgarnier.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.

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Lower cost than most leave-ins

$0.47/oz at 10.2 oz, less than 99% of the 749 leave-ins , which mostly run $1.31–5.50/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
A wide range of haira middle-of-the-range weight
Tight budgetsit sits in the lower price tiers

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Very dry hairno humectant appears in the list

Whether this weight suits your hair depends on density, porosity and how much you already layer. That is what the consultation looks at.

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.

Weight on the hair Medium

Middle of the range: noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.

Slip and detangling High

Conditioning agents sit high in the list, so this is a detangling formula.

Water-binding (humectants) None found

No humectants, so nothing here pulls water into the hair.

Oils and butters Present, lower down

Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch.

Protein Minor

Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.

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.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterAqua/Water/Eau solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Cetearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions (not a drying alcohol) Softens
Amodimethicone silicone Smooths the cuticle and adds shine Buildup
Cetyl Esters light ester Light slip without much weight Softens
Behentrimonium Chloride conditioning agent Conditions and softens so hair combs through Detangles
FragranceParfum/Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract botanical extract A trace plant extract Neutral
Isopropyl Alcohol drying alcohol A small amount, for fast drying Drying
Hexyl Cinnamal fragrance The scent Fragrance
Linalool fragrance The scent Fragrance
Amyl Cinnamal fragrance The scent Fragrance
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Lemon Protein protein A small amount of protein Protein
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates. Contains fragrance. The silicones here need a detergent wash to come off. Fast-drying alcohol is in the list.
Full ingredient list (28)

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 ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    • solvent
  • 2 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.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    The 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 hair

    Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

    DependsFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.

    PubChem
    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 3 Amodimethicone
    General function

    A silicone modified to stick where hair is damaged, so it smooths selectively instead of coating everything. It resists rinsing more than plain dimethicone.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A 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 hair

    Amino-functional silicone carries a positive charge, so it binds where the cuticle is worn rather than coating evenly. Damaged areas get most of it.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • silicone
    • conditioning agent
    • film former
  • 4 Cetyl Esters
    General function

    A waxy ester blend that replaces spermaceti in creams. It thickens and leaves a smooth, non-greasy finish.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.

    • light ester
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 5 Behentrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A positively charged conditioning agent that binds to damaged, negatively charged spots on the hair. It is the main detangling ingredient in most rinse-out conditioners.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Electrokinetic measurement puts the C22 quat ahead of the C16 ones for deposition: the longer chain adds van der Waals stabilisation on top of the charge binding. That extra deposit is what coarse hair usually needs to comb through.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science
    • conditioning agent
    • cleanser
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 6 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 zone

    It 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 routines

    Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.

    • fragrance
    • declared fragrance
  • 7 Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
    General function

    An extract from the fruit of Pyrus Malus. Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    • botanical extract
  • 8 Isopropyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fast-evaporating alcohol used as a solvent and to speed drying. Well down the list it is a processing aid; near the top it can leave hair feeling dry.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It 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 hair

    Evaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.

    PubChem
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 9 Trideceth-6
    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • 10 Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
    General function

    Argan oil. A medium-weight oil used for shine and softness on the outside of the strand.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It 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 hair

    Coats 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 hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 11 Niacinamide
    General function

    Vitamin B3, used in scalp products for conditioning claims.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It 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 hair

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    PubChem
    • vitamin
    • conditioning agent
  • 12 Pyridoxine Hcl
    • vitamin
  • 13 Hexyl Cinnamal
    General function

    A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It 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 routines

    One 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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 14 Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride
    • preservative
  • 15 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 zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Holds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    The 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 hair

    Where a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 16 Cetrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A quick-acting conditioning agent that reduces static and combing force. It also helps keep the formula stable.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It 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 hair

    The C16 quat binds mostly by charge rather than by chain, so it deposits measurably less than the C22 ones. Less deposit is less conditioning and also less weight, which is usually the trade fine hair wants.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science
    • conditioning agent
    • cleanser
  • 17 Saccharum Officinarum Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 18 Benzyl Alcohol
    • preservative
    • solvent
  • 19 Linalool
    General function

    A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It 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 routines

    One 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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 20 Amyl Cinnamal
    General function

    A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It 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 routines

    One 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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 21 Tocopherol
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 22 Hydroxypropyltrimonium Lemon Protein
    • protein
  • 23 Ci 19140/Yellow 5
    General function

    A certified colour that tints the product itself. It does not colour hair.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    A violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.

    • colourant
  • 24 Ci 15985/Yellow 6
    General function

    A certified colour that tints the product itself. It does not colour hair.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    A violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.

    • colourant
  • 25 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 26 Citrus Limon Peel Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 27 Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
    • preservative
  • 28 Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract · Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
    • antioxidant

What the whole list adds up to

  • 4 fragrances
  • 4 botanical extracts
  • 4 preservatives
  • 3 solvents
  • 3 emollients
  • 3 vitamins
  • 3 named fragrance allergens
  • 2 thickeners
  • 2 conditioning agents
  • 2 conditioning agents
  • 2 cleansers
  • 2 antioxidants
  • 2 colourants
  • 1 fatty alcohol

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-23. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 10.2 oz

Seen at $4.79 1 store · checked Oct 22
Good value under $23 Under $2.24/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 7 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $23 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $23 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store
  • Target
    $4.79
    10.2 oz · $0.47/oz
    Oct 22Lowest 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.

How we work this out
  1. 10.2 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.
  2. Seen at $4.79 is the price we have observed for the 10.2 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $23 comes from the 7 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.24/oz; at 10.2 oz that is $23. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $23 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 10.2 oz.

Formula

Formula score
6 of 10

The formula covers the core of what a leave-in does, and it costs less per ounce than most leave-ins in our library.

How the score is counted
  • Costs less per ounce than 99% of the 749 leave-ins we’ve priced
  • No humectant in the formula
  • Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs
  • Drugstore tier, sold at Brand website and Target
  • Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.2 pts
  • A light baseWater or a volatile carrier first, so it does not weigh hair down.2 pts
  • Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
  • No detergent-dependent filmNothing that needs a clarifying wash to remove.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.

BiolageClosest function Smooth Proof Leave-In Conditioning Cream $3.97/oz $3.50/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Medium weight
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
  • Protein
Also
  • 6.8 oz bottle
  • Sold through salons
Compare
Garnier FructisLowest cost per oz Grow Strong 10-in-1 Hair Protection Leave-In Treatment $0.83/oz $0.36/oz more
  • Medium weight
  • Budget
· Close function
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
  • Oils and butters
Also
  • 12 oz bottle
  • Sold online
Compare
It's a 10Close function Coily Miracle Leave-In $6.50/oz $6.03/oz more
  • Heat protect
  • Medium weight
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
Also
  • Mint scent
  • Salon tier
  • 4 oz bottle
Compare

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

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person
Best user

People who want maximum slip who want real detangling slip and defined, clumped curls

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or high-damage hair

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
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Frizz control up to 72 hours when used with the Sleek & Shine system

Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.

  • Amodimethicone
  • Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Supported

Smoother strands, less frizz.

Helps resist frizz in up to 97% humidity

A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.

—

Stated by brand

Only the brand’s testing shows this.

Smooths strands for a sleek, shiny finish; helps reduce static and flyaways

Possible from silicones or film formers, but not something the list targets.

  • Amodimethicone
  • Behentrimonium Chloride
  • Cetrimonium Chloride
Stated by brand

May help, but not a primary focus.

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.

Pleasant scent and affordable price are highlighted

Target reviewers

Softens and smooths hair while reducing flyaways and frizz

Target reviewers

Using too much can feel heavy on the hair

Target reviewers

More 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.
  • 6 sources consulted for this product (3 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-10-22.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 10 of 15 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 2026-10-07.

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