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Herbal Essences

Touchable Hold Hair Styling Spray Gel

Styler / Gel, polymer-set

  • Styler
  • gel
  • spray
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size5.7 fl oz
Price$4.97 Good valueseen at one store · 5.7 oz
Price / oz$0.96/ozat 5.7 oz
Where to buy3 stores · $4.97–5.99

Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.

Scent:

Notes: lily.

“Fresh lily fragrance” (Brand page)

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 23 factors we check.
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  • 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.

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Lower cost than most gels

$0.96/oz at 5.7 oz, less than 81% of the 267 gels , which mostly run $1.13–3.78/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is 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

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
Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel

Whether this hold suits you depends on your density, porosity and how long your style needs to last. The consultation works that out.

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 kind of hold.

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 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 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
WaterWater/Eau solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
PVP film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Chitosan film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Detangles
Lactic Acid pH adjuster Fine-tunes the pH Moisturizes
Polysorbate 20 solubilizer Helps dissolve the oils Stabilizes
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil solubilizer Helps dissolve the oils Stabilizes
Phenoxyethanol preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
FragranceFragrance/Parfum fragrance The scent Fragrance
Ethylhexylglycerin preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Softens
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Hard-water chelators are present.
Full ingredient list (12)

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 · 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 PVP
    General function

    A classic hairspray polymer. It gives firm hold but attracts moisture, so humidity can soften the set.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

    May not suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    The film takes up water from the air. The patent work that produced the VP/VA copolymers describes a PVP film turning sticky after time in a humid atmosphere, and being dependable only where humidity is low — so hold and feel both move with the weather.

    PubChem
    • film former
    • polymer
  • 3 Chitosan
    General function

    A shellfish- or fungus-derived polymer that forms a light, positively charged film for body and hold.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    Cationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.

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

    A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

    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.

    • film former
    • polymer
    • conditioning agent
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 4 Lactic Acid
    General function

    An acid used to set pH and, in scalp products, to loosen flakes.

    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

    High-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 hair

    Binds 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 hair

    A 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.

    PubChem
    • pH adjuster
    • humectant
    • exfoliant
  • 5 Polysorbate 20
    General function

    Keeps fragrance and oils dissolved in a watery formula so it stays clear.

    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.

    • solubilizer
    • emulsifier
  • 6 PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
    General function

    A castor-oil derivative that dissolves fragrance and oils into water so the product stays clear and does not separate.

    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.

    • solubilizer
    • emulsifier
  • 7 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 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.

    PubChem
    • preservative
  • 8 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 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
  • 9 Polysorbate 80
    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • 10 Peg-60 Almond Glycerides
    • emulsifier
  • 11 Disodium EDTA
    General function

    Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise the formula.

    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

    Binds 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 hair

    Copper 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.

    PubChem
    • hard-water chelator
  • 12 Ethylhexylglycerin
    General function

    A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.

    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

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    PubChem
    • preservative
    • emollient

What the whole list adds up to

  • 4 emulsifiers
  • 3 solubilizers
  • 2 film formers
  • 2 polymers
  • 2 preservatives
  • 1 solvent
  • 1 conditioning agent
  • 1 pH adjuster
  • 1 humectant
  • 1 exfoliant
  • 1 fragrance
  • 1 declared fragrance
  • 1 hard-water chelator
  • 1 emollient

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-12. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 5.7 oz

Seen at $4.97 lowest of 2 stores · checked Sep 13
Good value under $10 Under $1.79/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $10 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $12 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 3 stores

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
  1. 5.7 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 $4.97 is the price we have observed for the 5.7 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $10 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.79/oz; at 5.7 oz that is $10. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $12 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 5.7 oz.

Formula

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 81% of the 267 gels we’ve priced
  • Covers 5 of the 6 things a gel should do
  • Drugstore tier, sold at Grocery / mass
  • 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 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.

PanteneLowest cost per oz Volumizing Root Lift Spray $1.22/oz $0.26/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Lightweight
· Same function
Differs
  • 5.9 oz bottle
Compare
DavinesSame function This is a Medium Hold Modeling Gel $3.79/oz $2.83/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Lightweight
Differs
  • Salon tier
  • 8.4 oz bottle
Compare
CurlsmithSame function Fragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel $2.80/oz $1.84/oz more
  • Fragrance-free
  • Unscented
  • Protein-free
Differs
  • Unscented
  • Vegan
  • Salon tier
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

Built for wavy to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein, looking for a protein-free formula and real detangling slip

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.

4
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
1
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
24-hour definition with touchable, never-sticky hold

Hold polymers appear without the emollients that usually keep a film from setting firm.

  • PVP
  • Chitosan
  • Ethylhexylglycerin
Potential conflict

Expect a cast you have to scrunch out.

Paraben-free

No parabens appear in the ingredient list.

—

Supported

Preserved without parabens.

Mineral-oil free

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Color-safe

It avoids sulfate detergents, which are the usual cause of fast fade.

  • Chitosan
Supported

Less fade per wash.

Dye-free

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

pH-balanced

A pH adjuster is present, which is how a formula is brought to an acidic pH.

  • Lactic Acid
Supported

Brought to an acidic pH.

Certified PETA Cruelty-Free

Our researched record has this brand as cruelty-free.

—

Supported

Matches our researched record.

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.

Several long-time users say it is hard to find in stores anymore and worry it will be discontinued, and are glad Walmart still carries it.

The scent is repeatedly described as light and pleasant rather than overpowering.

Reviewers say it gives light-to-medium hold without stiffness, crunch or residue, working well for frizz control on both straight and wavy hair.

Reviewers with fine, thin or short hair say it applies well to wet hair and gives body, shine and softness without weighing hair down.

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 (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-09-13.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 4 of 6 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 2026-09-13.

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