cuts down drying time
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
It's A 10
Silk Express Miracle Silk Smoothing Balm
Styler / Smoothing cream, polymer-free
- Styler
- smoothing cream
- cream
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
Size5 fl oz
Price$20–22commonly seen · 5 oz
Price / oz$4.40/ozat 5 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $18.50–22.00
Scent:
No added fragrance, no scenting essential oils, and no declared fragrance allergens on the list.
Listing used for research: ulta.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see exactly how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 2,400+ products in our library we can match exactly the right products to you.
- In 10 minutes we can identify your exact hair condition and traits.
- 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.
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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
Hold system
None
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Little
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Medium
Not in your profile
Fragrance
None listed
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
Scent
Unscented
Not in your profile
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Aerosol can
Pump or tube
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Not determined
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Not heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
4 ingredientsA short list
Not in your profile
Price tier
Masstige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
UltaOne 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
Priced with its peers
$4.40/oz at 5 oz — less than 67% of the 56 smoothing creams , which mostly run $3.70–7.10/oz. The cost less.
Great for
no fragrance (parfum) on the label
free of strong smells
Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Maybe skip if
Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
Styles that must holdno hold polymer, gum, or wax was found
If scent matters to younothing is added here
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.
Hold system
None found
No hold polymer, gum, or wax found in the list.
Cast risk
Unlikely
Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely.
Weight on the hair
Medium
Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.
Oil absorption
None
No absorbent powders or starches.
Oils and butters
Present, high in the list
Oils sit high in the list — a softening, coating formula.
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
None listed
No fragrance is listed.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Althaea Officinalis (Marshmallow) Root ExtractMarshmallow Root Extract | botanical extract | A plant extract, marketed as much as functional | Neutral |
| Red Raspberry Seed Oil | oil | Softens the film so it does not set hard | Softens |
| Hydrolyzed Silk | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Protein |
| Panthenol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Detangles |
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.
Full ingredient list (4)
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
Althaea Officinalis (Marshmallow) Root Extract
· Marshmallow Root Extract
General function
An extract from the root of Marshmallow (Althaea Officinalis). Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- botanical extract
-
2
Red Raspberry Seed Oil
General function
The oil pressed from Red Raspberry. How much weight a plant oil leaves depends on the hair it lands on; coarse hair tends to take more of it than fine hair.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- oil
- emollient
-
3
Hydrolyzed Silk
General function
A light protein used for slip and shine rather than strength.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this 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
-
4
Panthenol
General function
Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairIt hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.
- humectant
- conditioning agent
- vitamin
What the whole list adds up to
- 1 botanical extract
- 1 oil
- 1 emollient
- 1 film former
- 1 protein
- 1 hydrolysed protein
- 1 humectant
- 1 conditioning agent
- 1 vitamin
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 5 oz
Commonly seen
$20–22
Good value under
$8
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $8 line; products that do this job typically go for about $16 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it5 listings · 4 stores
5 ozmost listedBest per ounce
-
Pomelo Beauty
$18.505 oz · $3.70/ozAug 30Lowest per oz
-
Ulta
$22.005 oz · $4.40/ozAug 27
-
Ulta Beauty
$22.005 oz · $4.40/ozAug 30
-
It's A 10 Haircare
$22.005 oz · $4.40/ozAug 30
-
Ulta
$22.00Aug 25
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.
- Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 5 oz at recognised stores — the cheapest quarter and the dearest quarter are left out, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
- Good value under $8 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.62/oz; at 5 oz that is $8. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $16 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 5 oz.
Formula
7
Formula score
7 of 10
Nothing separates this from the middle of the range for smoothing creams, on formula or on cost per ounce.
How the score is counted
- 5 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs less per ounce than 67% of the 56 smoothing creams we’ve priced
- No hold system in the formula
- Reviewers mention 4 things they like about how it performs
- 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 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.
African PrideLowest cost per oz
Dream Kids Olive Miracle Smooth Edges Anti-Frizzy Conditioning Gel
$0.77/oz $3.63/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
CurlsClose function
Curl Souffle Medium Curl Cream
$1.47/oz $2.93/oz less
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Rinses clean
- Function
- Also
DONNA'S RECIPELighter feel
Whipped Vanilla Cream Edge Gel
$3.30/oz $1.10/oz less
- Fragrance-free
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- 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?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsBest user
People sensitive to fragrance who want a formula with no added fragrance and a product with no scent
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for hair that stiffens on protein, styles that need real hold, or anyone who wants a product to smell of something
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.
1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
5
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
natural botanical straightener
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
smoothness & shine
The formula carries a recognised shine system — silicone, oil, or light ester.
- Red Raspberry Seed Oil
Supported
Reflects light for visible shine.
thermal protector
Heat protection is a performance claim; an ingredient list cannot confirm it.
- Hydrolyzed Silk
Stated by brand
Only lab testing can show this.
buildup-free
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
prolongs blow-out results
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 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.
Cuts down blow-dry time and leaves hair soft and shiny
5-star reviewer, first-time buyerMakes detangling much easier while transitioning from permed/relaxed to natural 4c hair
5-star reviewer with 4c natural hairHelps curls from a curling wand hold for days
5-star reviewer, ArkansasLeaves hair so soft the reviewer keeps touching it after use
5-star reviewer with wavy hair, daily userSmells nice but reviewer noticed no visible difference and returned it
1-star reviewer, thick wavy hairMore from It's A 10
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.
- 1 source consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-27.
- Ingredient references are linked for 1 of 2 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 2026-08-27.