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John Frieda

Volume Lift Dry Shampoo

Shampoo / Low-lather cleanser, non-foaming

  • Shampoo
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Curly-method
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size5.1 fl oz
Price$15.99seen at one store · 5.1 oz
Price / oz$3.14/ozat 5.1 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: us.johnfrieda.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.

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  • 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

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Priced above most shampoos

$3.14/oz at 5.1 oz, more than 76% of the 1544 shampoos , which mostly run $0.79–3.04/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash
Frequent washerswho want gentler cleansing
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Low-lather washesthis works as a cream rather than a foam
Matte, textured stylesabsorbent powders do the mattifying

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
A squeaky-clean feelthis deliberately leaves conditioning behind
Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
Foam-heavy washesit barely lathers
Hard waterno chelator here to bind the minerals

How much cleansing you need depends on how fast your scalp gets oily, how much product you layer and your water. 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.

Cleansing strength None

No detergent. The conditioners do the cleaning.

Expected lather Little

Very little foam; it is worked through rather than lathered.

Slip and detangling Some

Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners.

Water-binding (humectants) None found

No humectants, so nothing here pulls water into the hair.

Scalp active None

No over-the-counter scalp active.

Hard-water defence None

No chelating agent in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

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

Protein Minor

Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient.

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
Hydrofluorocarbon 152a propellant Pushes the product out of the can Neutral
Butane propellant Pushes the product out of the can Neutral
Alcohol Denat. drying alcohol Speeds drying but can leave hair feeling dry Drying
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate starch Soaks up oil and adds grip Neutral
FragranceFragrance/Parfum fragrance The scent Fragrance
Silica powder A trace of mattifying powder Stabilizes
VP/VA Copolymer film former A supporting film former Holds
Isopropyl Myristate light ester A light, silky feel Softens
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein film former A supporting film former Protein
Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer wax Adds a little grip Buildup
Alpha-Isomethyl IononeAlpha-Isomethyl-Ionone fragrance The scent Fragrance
Citronellol fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or silicones. Contains fragrance. Pressurised aerosol. Fast-drying alcohol is in the list.
Full ingredient list (23)

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 Hydrofluorocarbon 152a
    General function

    A non-flammable aerosol propellant used in dry shampoos and finishing sprays.

    Leading ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • propellant
  • 2 Butane
    General function

    A pressurised gas that pushes an aerosol out of the can and evaporates immediately.

    Leading ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • propellant
  • 3 Alcohol Denat.
    General function

    Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on the list.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Evaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.

    May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Porous hair gives water up easily as it is; a fast-evaporating solvent high on the list accelerates that.

    May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    It evaporates quickly and takes some water with it. On hair already short of moisture, a formula built on a lot of it can finish drier than it started.

    PubChem
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 4 Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
    General function

    A modified starch that absorbs oil and leaves a dry, matte feel.

    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

    Adds grip and body with no oil attached, which is what lifts fine hair at the root instead of weighing it down.

    DependsMaximum-hold styling

    Starch gives texture and grip rather than a set film; firm hold usually needs a polymer alongside it.

    • starch
    • powder
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 5 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
  • 6 Silica
    General function

    A fine mineral powder that absorbs oil and adds grip. It is what makes texture powders and matte pastes feel dry to the touch.

    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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

    A dry powder takes up oil and adds friction between strands, which is most of what root lift in fine hair actually is.

    PubChem
    • powder
    • thickener
    • mineral
  • 7 VP/VA Copolymer
    General function

    A hold polymer that dries to a clear film. It sets the style and washes out with water.

    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 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.

    • film former
    • polymer
  • 8 Isopropyl Myristate
    General function

    A very light ester that makes products glide and disappear quickly on the hair.

    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 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.

    PubChem
    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 9 Water · Water/Aqua/Eau
    • solvent
  • 10 Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
    General function

    A very light ester used for a dry, silky finish without silicone.

    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 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.

    PubChem
    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 11 Stearalkonium Hectorite
    • clay
    • thickener
  • 12 Isododecane
    General function

    A fast-evaporating carrier that lets oils and polymers spread thinly, then leaves nothing behind.

    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
    • solvent
    • emollient
  • 13 Squalane
    General function

    The fully hydrogenated form of squalene, now made from olive or sugarcane rather than shark liver. Hydrogenation is what makes it so slow to oxidise; it spreads very lightly and absorbs without a greasy film.

    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

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    PubChem
    • emollient
    • conditioning agent
  • 14 Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
    General function

    A general plant protein blend used for strength and body; the silanetriol form binds more firmly.

    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

    Filling 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 styling

    Film 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 hair

    Hydrolysed 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
  • 15 Propylene Carbonate
    • solvent
  • 16 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 17 Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer
    General function

    A plant-oil wax used as a vegan alternative to beeswax for hold and sheen.

    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.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

    DependsCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    How rigid the finish is depends on which polymer it is and what the formula pairs with it, not on there being one.

    • wax
    • film former
    • emollient
  • 18 Tocopherol
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 19 Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone · Alpha-Isomethyl-Ionone
    General function

    A violet-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
  • 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 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
  • 23 Vanillin
    General function

    The main scent compound in vanilla, used as a 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

    Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.

    PubChem
    • fragrance

What the whole list adds up to

  • 6 fragrances
  • 5 emollients
  • 4 solvents
  • 3 film formers
  • 3 named fragrance allergens
  • 2 propellants
  • 2 powders
  • 2 thickeners
  • 2 light esters
  • 1 drying alcohol
  • 1 starch
  • 1 declared fragrance
  • 1 mineral
  • 1 polymer

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-22. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 5.1 oz

Seen at $15.99 1 store · checked Oct 7
Good value under $13 Under $2.59/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 $13 line; products that do this job typically go for about $26 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store

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
  1. 5.1 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 $15.99 is the price we have observed for the 5.1 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $13 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.59/oz; at 5.1 oz that is $13. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $26 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 5.1 oz.

Formula

Formula score
0 of 10

It costs more per ounce than 76% of the 1544 shampoos we’ve priced, and the formula leaves out working detergent system, which most of the format carries.

How the score is counted
  • 1 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 76% of the 1544 shampoos we’ve priced
  • No working detergent system in the formula
  • No slip for detangling either
  • A working detergent systemWhat actually removes oil and product.3 pts
  • Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A hard-water chelatorBinds the minerals that dull hair in hard water.1 pt
  • A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.1 pt
  • No detergent-dependent filmNothing that needs a clarifying wash to remove.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, for less

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.

Trader Joe'sLowest cost per oz Peppermint Multi-Purpose Castile Soap $0.37/oz $2.77/oz less
  • Fragrance-free
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
· Close function
Function
  • Oils and butters
  • Protein
  • Film formers
Also
  • Drugstore tier
  • 16 oz bottle
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

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Above-range price, specific fit
Best user

Colour-treated hair, for washing without sulfates and gentle cleansing without foam

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or high-damage hair, or anyone who wants a squeaky-clean feel

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.

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 reviewers with fine or thin hair say it adds noticeable root volume and lift.

Reviewers with fine or thin hair

Many reviewers find the scent pleasant and not overpowering, though one found it faded quickly.

Reviewers across hair types

Many reviewers say it soaks up excess oil and keeps hair looking fresh between washes.

Reviewers across hair types

Many reviewers say it leaves no white cast or chalky residue on their hair.

Reviewers across hair types

More from John Frieda

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.
  • 3 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 10 of 16 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 2026-10-22.

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