Mimics the effect of a keratin treatment
A protein or amino acid appears in the ingredient list.
- Hydrolyzed Corn Protein
- Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
- Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Supported
The named ingredient is really there.
IGK
Good Behavior Spirulina Protein Smoothing Blowout Balm
Heat protectant / Lotion, heat-protecting
- Heat protectant
- cream
- Also a leave-in
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Moisture-rich
- Vegan · label states
- Cruelty-free · label states
Size5 fl oz
Price$34.20seen at one store · 5 oz
Price / oz$6.84/ozat 5 oz
Where to buy3 stores · $17.00–35.00
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: igkhair.com
Personal fit
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Straight–Curly
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Heat protection
Moderate
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Moderate
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Medium
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
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 20 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Vegan · label statesCruelty-free · label states
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Vegan · label states
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
High
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
24 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Prestige
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.
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Your avoid-list
Same job for less elsewhere
$6.84/oz at 5 oz — more than 82% of the 549 heat protectants , which mostly run $1.25–5.69/oz.
Great for
Heat stylingthe brand positions this as a heat protectant
Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
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.
Heat protection
Claimed, no temperature given
Sold as a heat protectant; no temperature is stated.
Weight on the hair
Medium
Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.
Slip and detangling
Moderate
Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Water-binding (humectants)
High
Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.
Fast-drying alcohol
None
No fast-drying alcohol in the list.
Fragrance
Present
Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterAqua/Water/Eau | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol | Softens |
| Propylene Glycol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Isodecyl Neopentanoate | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Softens |
| Peg-150/Decyl Alcohol/Smdi Copolymer | emulsifier | Keeps oil and water mixed | Stabilizes |
| Spirulina Maxima Extract | botanical extract | A plant extract, marketed as much as functional | Neutral |
| Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter | butter | Heavy softening — this is what makes it rich | Heavy |
| Sclerocarya Birrea (Marula) Seed OilSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil | oil | Coats and softens the strand | Softens |
| Hydrolyzed Corn Protein | film former | A supporting film former | Protein |
| Hydrolyzed Soy Protein | film former | A supporting film former | Protein |
| Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein | film former | A supporting film former | Protein |
| FragranceFragrance (Parfum) | fragrance | The scent | 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. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list.
Full ingredient list (24)
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
· 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
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 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
Propylene Glycol
General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- humectant
- solvent
-
4
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
General function
A light ester that spreads instantly and leaves almost no residue.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
5
Peg-150/Decyl Alcohol/Smdi Copolymer
General function
An ethoxylated or propoxylated formulation aid. Ingredients of this family keep oils, silicones and fragrance evenly dispersed in a water-based product.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- emulsifier
-
6
Spirulina Maxima Extract
General function
An extract of Spirulina Maxima. Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- botanical extract
-
7
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
General function
A rich, solid plant butter used for heavy conditioning on coarse or dry hair. High in the list it makes a product decidedly heavy.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoarse, porous hair loses water quickly and can carry the weight; a butter slows that loss more than a thin oil does.
May 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.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA solid fat melts onto the strand at body temperature and stays there, which is the heaviest surface moisture-holding a formula can offer.
- butter
- emollient
- sealant
-
8
Sclerocarya Birrea (Marula) Seed Oil
· Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
General function
Marula oil - light, stable, used for shine and softness.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
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.
May not suitFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
-
9
Hydrolyzed Corn Protein
General function
A plant protein used in strengthening blends, often with wheat and soy.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
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
-
10
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
General function
A plant protein used for body and moisture retention.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
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
-
11
Hydroxyethyl Cetearamidopropyldimonium Chloride
General function
A positively charged conditioning agent. Damaged hair carries a negative charge, so it deposits where the damage is and makes wet hair comb through.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
May 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
-
12
Behenyl Alcohol
General function
A long-chain fatty alcohol that gives rich conditioners their thickness and cushiony feel.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the 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.
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
13
Steareth-2
- emulsifier
-
14
Polyquaternium-55
General function
A conditioning hold polymer used where flexibility and shine matter more than stiffness.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdCationic 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 hairA cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
-
15
Steareth-20
- emulsifier
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
16
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
-
17
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
-
18
Butylene Glycol
General function
A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.
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 suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- humectant
- solvent
-
19
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
General function
A gentle conditioning agent activated by the acid in the formula. It smooths the cuticle without much build-up.
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 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
-
20
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
-
21
Tocopheryl Acetate
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
22
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
23
Sodium Hydroxide
General function
A strong base used in trace amounts to raise pH; fully neutralised in the finished product.
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 TrichologyDependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe alkali half of a pH-adjusting pair, used in small amounts to bring a formula up to its target rather than to make it alkaline. Alkaline conditions raise the fibre's surface charge and lift the scales — but the finished pH is not on the label.
- pH adjuster
-
24
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
What the whole list adds up to
- 6 emollients
- 4 film formers
- 3 solvents
- 3 emulsifiers
- 3 proteins
- 3 hydrolysed proteins
- 3 conditioning agents
- 2 fatty alcohols
- 2 thickeners
- 2 humectants
- 2 preservatives
- 1 light ester
- 1 botanical extract
- 1 butter
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-23. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 5 oz
Seen at
$34.20
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 3 stores
5 ozmost listedBest per ounce
-
Artisan Hair Salon
$34.205 oz · $6.84/ozAug 30Lowest per oz
-
James Geidner Hair Studio
$34.205 oz · $6.84/ozAug 30
-
Brand website
$35.00Aug 23
-
Brand website
$17.00Aug 23
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
- 5 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 $34.20 is the price we have observed for the 5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- About $12 is what heat protectants typically cost at this size. Too few of the products that do the same job carry a price for us to draw a good-value line.
Formula
10
Formula score
10 of 10
This is a complete heat protectant formula. It is also above the range for heat protectants per ounce, with 2 close matches selling for meaningfully less.
How the score is counted
- 2 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 82% of the 549 heat protectants we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 6 things a heat protectant should do
- Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
- A film-forming heat spreaderSilicones or polymers that spread heat along the strand.3 pts
- A stated heat claimThe brand names the protection it claims.2 pts
- A light baseWater or a volatile carrier first, so it does not weigh hair down.2 pts
- A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
- Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.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, for less
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.
CantuLowest cost per oz
Conditioning Detangler - Protective Styles
$1.00/oz $5.84/oz less
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Rinses clean
- Function
- Also
SheaMoistureClose function
Baby Raw Shea + Chamomile + Argan Oil Moisturizes & Detangles for Curls & Coils Detangler
$1.00/oz $5.84/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Rich
- Function
- Also
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?
Good for the right person, not the lowest costBest user
People who blow-dry or flat-iron, looking for heat protection and protein high in the formula
Biggest tradeoff
Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, hair that stiffens on protein, or very dry or very humid climates
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.
3
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Salon-grade results at home
Where a product is sold says nothing about what is in it.
—
Stated by brand
A channel, not a formula.
Vegan formula
Our researched record has this brand or product as vegan.
—
Supported
Matches our researched record.
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 marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
Reviewers
What people report
Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.
Product is repeatedly cited in beauty-press roundups for its keratin-mimicking smoothing/heat-protection effect (mentioned via aggregated press-search summary; specific outlet article page could not be independently loaded to pull a verbatim quote)
Allure featured the balm in a flyaway/frizz-taming roundup, calling it best suited for fine hair
Called a "holy grail" for frizz control by curly-hair users, makes at-home blowouts easier
curly hairA few reviewers with thick/wavy hair report it made hair more frizzy or left an undesirable feel
thick/wavy hairMore from IGK
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.
- 3 sources consulted for this product (3 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
- Ingredient references are linked for 8 of 17 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 2026-08-25.