John Frieda

Frizz Ease Secret Weapon Touch-Up Cream

Styler / Smoothing cream, polymer-set

Styler
smoothing cream
cream
Sulfate-free
Protein-free
Moisture-rich
Vegan · brand states
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed

Size4 fl oz

Price$28.51seen at one store · 4 oz

Price / oz$7.13/ozat 4 oz

Where to buy2 stores · $8.99–28.51

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

“Salon-elevated fragrance transforming every wash into a mood-enhancing ritual” — Brand page

Manufacturer page: us.johnfrieda.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types Straight–Curly Not in your profile

Moisture level High Not in your profile

Hold system High 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 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

Show all 22 factors we check

The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.

Essential oils Present Not in your profile

Fast-drying alcohol None Not in your profile

Vegan / cruelty-free Vegan · brand statesCruelty-free · PETA-listed Not in your profile

Animal-derived ingredients Vegan · brand states 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 Heavy Not in your profile

Hard-water defence None Not in your profile

UV filter None listed Not in your profile

Ingredient list 23 ingredientsAbout average Not in your profile

Price tier Drugstore Not in your profile

Where to buy it Grocery / massOne 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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$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.

Same job for less elsewhere

$7.13/oz at 4 oz — more than 76% of the 56 smoothing creams , which mostly run $3.70–7.10/oz.

View alternatives

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added

Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front

Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together

Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

Vegan and cruelty-freeour researched record has it as both

Aerosol avoidancea pump or tube, not a pressurised can

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent

Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove

Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you

Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

Whether this hold level is right for you depends on your density, porosity, and how long your style has to last — that is what the consultation works 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 of the hold systems.

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 Yes

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

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)	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Propylene Glycol	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil	oil	Softens the film so it does not set hard	Softens
Phenyl Trimethicone	silicone	Smooths the cuticle and adds shine	Buildup
Glycerin	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate	light ester	Light slip without much weight	Softens
Glyceryl Stearate	emulsifier	Keeps oil and water mixed	Softens
Isostearyl Palmitate	light ester	Light slip without much weight	Softens
FragranceFragrance/Parfum	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Citronellol	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Hexyl Cinnamal	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Pogostemon Cablin Oil	botanical extract	A trace plant extract	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 — needs a detergent wash to remove.

Full ingredient list (23)

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)

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 Propylene Glycol

General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.

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

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A 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.

PubChem
- humectant
- solvent
3 Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil

General function
A rich oil used in masks and heavier creams for softness on coarse or dry 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
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.

May not suitFine or easily flattened hair
Near 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
4 Phenyl Trimethicone

General function
A high-refractive silicone used specifically for visible shine in serums and finishing oils.

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

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
Lays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
Dimethicone does not disperse in water. On a routine that skips detergent it stays on the hair and accumulates wash after wash.
- silicone
- emollient
5 Glycerin

General function
A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.

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
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
Water moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.

Scientific Reports
- humectant
6 C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

General function
A dry-feeling ester used for a silky, non-greasy finish - a common silicone substitute.

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
7 Glyceryl Stearate

General function
A workhorse emulsifier that holds oil and water together in a cream.

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

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
- emulsifier
- emollient
8 Isostearyl Palmitate

General function
A fatty ester. Esters give slip and a smooth after-feel; lighter ones read dry and silky, heavier ones read rich.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChem
- light ester
- emollient
9 Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

General function
A light, refined coconut-derived oil that spreads easily and does not go rancid. It gives slip without a heavy feel.

Secondary ingredient
Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

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
10 PVP

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

Secondary ingredient
Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the 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
11 Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

General function
A gel-forming thickener that also keeps oils suspended. It contributes a little hold.

Secondary ingredient
Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

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.
- thickener
- polymer
- film former
▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
12 Triethanolamine

General function
A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic polymers so a gel thickens.

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.

DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
pH 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.

PubChem
- pH adjuster
13 Sorbitan Oleate
- emulsifier
14 Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate

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.

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
A 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 hair
The class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.

DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines
Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.

PubChem
- conditioning agent
15 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
16 Acacia Senegal Gum Extract
- botanical extract
17 Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
18 Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
19 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
20 Citronellol

General function
A rose-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 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
22 Pogostemon Cablin Oil

General function
Patchouli essential oil, used as an earthy fragrance note.

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
Essential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
23 Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes

General function
A synthetic musk or woody-amber note used as a fragrance base.

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

What the whole list adds up to

7 emollients
5 fragrances
3 light esters
3 preservatives
2 solvents
2 humectants
2 emulsifiers
2 film formers
2 polymers
2 botanical extracts
2 named fragrance allergens
1 oil
1 silicone
1 thickener

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-13. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 4 oz

Seen at $28.51 1 store · checked Sep 14

Good value under $3 Under $0.67/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $3 line; products that do this job typically go for about $17 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 4 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores

Target (target.com)
$8.99

4 oz · $2.25/oz

Sep 13Lowest per oz
Origin Beauty
$28.51

4 oz · $7.13/oz

Sep 14

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

4 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 $28.51 is the price we have observed for the 4 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $3 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.67/oz; at 4 oz that is $3. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $17 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 4 oz.

Formula

Formula score

10 of 10

This is a complete smoothing cream formula. It is also above the range for smoothing creams per ounce, with 4 close matches selling for meaningfully less.

How the score is counted

4 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
Costs more per ounce than 76% of the 56 smoothing creams we’ve priced
Covers 6 of the 6 things a smoothing cream should do
Reviewers mention 2 recurring complaints

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.

ORSLowest cost per oz ORS Olive Oil Girls Healthy Style Hair Pudding $0.26/oz $6.87/oz less

Protein-free
Rich
Alcohol-free

· Close function

Function: Film formers
Weight on the hair
Also: 13 oz bottle
Sold online

Compare

ORSClose function Olive Oil Style and Curl Smooth n' Hold Pudding $0.69/oz $6.44/oz less

Protein-free
Rich
Alcohol-free

Function: Film formers
Weight on the hair
Also: 13 oz bottle

Compare

AussieClose function Miracle Curls 2nd Day Curl Activator $0.62/oz $6.51/oz less

Protein-free
Humidity
Alcohol-free

Function: Film formers
Slip and detangling
Also: Value tier
8.5 oz bottle

Compare

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 cost

Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein, looking for a protein-free formula and moisture that stays in

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or very humid climates

Best alternative if not

ORS ORS Olive Oil Girls Healthy Style Hair Pudding — for similar results 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, 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.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

Flawless, shiny finish

The formula carries a recognised shine system — silicone, oil, or light ester.

Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil
Phenyl Trimethicone
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Supported

Reflects light for visible shine.

Stops frizz and flyaways on contact

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

Phenyl Trimethicone
PVP
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

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 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.

Reviewers use a small amount worked into palms and pulled through dry, already-styled hair to tame flyaways and revive style between washes

long-time users and reviewers who received the product through a sampling program (Topbox)

Reviewers with fine or thin hair warn that more than a dime-sized amount weighs hair down and can look greasy

reviewers describing fine or thin hair

A recent reviewer reports the formula was changed, is now thinner and no longer performs or smells the way it used to

a long-time daily user comparing the current formula to an earlier one

Several reviewers say the cream barely works when applied to wet or very curly hair and performs best as a dry-hair touch-up rather than a primary styler

reviewers with curly or wavy hair testing different application points

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.
5 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-09-13.
Ingredient references are linked for 9 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 2026-09-17.

Frizz Ease Secret Weapon Touch-Up Cream

Is this right for you?

Read from the label, not the marketing

The ingredients that change a decision

What the whole list adds up to

Should you buy it?

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

What people report

More from John Frieda

How this page was made

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