vegan formulation
Our researched record has this brand or product as vegan.
—
Supported
Matches our researched record.
Shown: 15.22 fl oz (450 ml)
Sizes & containers
10.14 fl oz (300 ml) · $5.75 at one store
Herbal Essences
Repair & Renew Intensive Hair Mask, Argan Oil, Vegan Formula
Mask / Weekly treatment, lightly emollient
- Mask / treatment
- Sulfate-free
- Protein-free
- Vegan · label states
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size10.14 fl oz (300 ml)usual store size · 2 sizes
Price$5.75seen at one store · 10.14 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: herbalessences.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 20 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
All types
Not in your profile
Moisture level
Low
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
High
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Medium
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Prominent
Not in your profile
Protein
None
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
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Show all 20 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Vegan · label statesCruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Vegan · label states
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Not heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
High
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
pH adjusted
Adjusted
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
21 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, 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
Not enough priced masks and treatments to place it
We have not priced enough masks and treatments to place this one.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
Vegan and cruelty-freeour researched record has it as both
A wide range of haira middle-of-the-range weight
Maybe skip if
this product has a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Very dry hairno humectant appears in the list
Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel
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.
Oils and butters
Present, lower down
Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch.
Weight on the hair
Medium
Middle of the range: noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.
Protein
None
No protein or amino acids in the list.
Water-binding (humectants)
None found
No humectants, so nothing here pulls water into the hair.
Slip and detangling
High
Conditioning agents sit high in the list, so this is a detangling formula.
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.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterAqua | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Cetyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions (not a drying alcohol) | Softens |
| Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine | conditioning agent | Conditions and softens so hair combs through | Detangles |
| Stearyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions (not a drying alcohol) | Softens |
| Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone | silicone | Smooths the cuticle and adds shine | Buildup |
| Glutamic Acid | amino acid | A trace of amino acids | Protein |
| FragranceParfum | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Benzyl Alcohol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Benzyl Benzoate | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Hexyl Cinnamal | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Limonene | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or drying alcohols. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Water-insoluble silicones that need a detergent wash to remove.
Full ingredient list (21)
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
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
Cetyl Alcohol
General function
A fatty alcohol used to thicken creams and add slip. It softens rather than dries.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this 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.
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
-
3
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
General function
A gentle conditioning agent activated by the acid in the formula. It smooths the cuticle without much build-up.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
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
-
4
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
-
5
Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone
General function
An amino-modified silicone that binds to damaged spots for smoothing that survives rinsing.
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 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 hairAmino-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 stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- silicone
- conditioning agent
- film former
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
6
Glutamic Acid
General function
An amino acid used for moisture binding and to bring the formula to an acidic pH.
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 hairAmino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.
DependsFrizz-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.
DependsProtein-sensitive hairThe lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.
- amino acid
- pH adjuster
-
7
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
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
-
9
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
· Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil
General function
Argan oil. A medium-weight oil used for shine and softness on the outside of the strand.
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 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
-
10
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
-
11
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
-
12
Disodium EDTA
General function
Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise the formula.
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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesBinds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.
May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairCopper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.
- hard-water chelator
-
13
Polysorbate 20
· Polysorbate-20
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
-
14
Benzyl Benzoate
General function
A fragrance component with a faint balsamic scent, named separately on the label because it is 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
-
15
Hexyl Cinnamal
General function
A jasmine-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
-
16
Histidine
General function
One of the amino acids that make up hair protein, added for moisture binding.
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 hairAmino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.
DependsProtein-sensitive hairThe lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.
- amino acid
-
17
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
-
18
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
General function
A violet-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
-
19
Coumarin
General function
A sweet, hay-like fragrance component listed 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
-
20
Yellow 5
· CI 19140
General function
A certified colour added to tint the product itself. It does not colour hair.
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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairA 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
-
21
CI 17200
General function
A certified colour that tints the product itself. It does not colour hair.
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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairA 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
What the whole list adds up to
- 6 fragrances
- 5 named fragrance allergens
- 3 emollients
- 2 solvents
- 2 fatty alcohols
- 2 thickeners
- 2 amino acids
- 2 pH adjusters
- 2 preservatives
- 2 hard-water chelators
- 2 colourants
- 1 conditioning agent
- 1 silicone
- 1 conditioning agent
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-17. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 10.14 oz
Seen at
$5.75
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store
-
oh feliz (EU import shop)
$5.7510.14 oz · $0.57/ozSep 17Lowest 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
- 10.14 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 $5.75 is the price we have observed for the 10.14 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Formula
4
Formula score
4 of 10
Too few comparable prices to place it in the range; the formula itself leaves out rich emollients.
How the score is counted
- No rich emollients in the formula
- No humectant either
- Drugstore tier, sold at Brand website
- Drugstore tier
- Rich emollientsThe depth a treatment step is built around.3 pts
- Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.2 pts
- Protein or amino acidsThe strengthening side of a treatment.2 pts
- A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
- A stated dwell timeThe brand says how long to leave it on.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.
Similar products
- We don’t have close alternatives for this product yet.
- Browse this product category
Final decision
Should you buy it?
Depends on your hair: see who it suitsBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and real detangling slip
Biggest tradeoff
Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or soft, over-stretchy hair that needs protein
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
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
for intensive care of damaged hair
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 at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
More from Herbal Essences
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.
- 4 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-09-17.
- Ingredient references are linked for 12 of 17 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 2026-09-17.
