extraordinary, crunch-free volume
It reads light on the strand, which is what volume claims depend on.
- Polyquaternium-11
- VP/VA Copolymer
- Pentapeptide-29 Cysteinamide
Supported
Leaves room for lift.
Product image coming soon
Joico
Joi Whip Firm Hold Design Foam
Styler / Mousse, strong-hold
- Styler
- mousse
- foam
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Strong hold
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size10.2 fl oz
Price$23seen at one store · 10.2 oz
Price / oz$2.26/ozat 10.2 oz
Where to buy1 store · $23.00–23.00
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
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 22 factors we check.
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- 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
All types
Not in your profile
Moisture level
Low
Not in your profile
Hold (as stated)
Strong
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
High
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
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 22 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
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Aerosol can
Pressurised can
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Set with a dryer
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
13 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.
Start your consultation$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.
Your avoid-list
Priced with its peers
$2.26/oz at 10.2 oz — less than 57% of the 138 mousses , which mostly run $1.54–4.12/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
Soft, touchable finishesthe brand states a firm hold
Aerosol avoidancethis is a pressurised can
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 (as stated)
Strong
A strong hold, as stated by the brand.
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
Light
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
Oil absorption
None
No absorbent powders or starches.
Oils and butters
Present, lower down
Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch.
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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterWater/Aqua/Eau | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Butane | propellant | Pushes the product out of the can | Neutral |
| Polyquaternium-11 | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Detangles |
| Propane | propellant | Pushes the product out of the can | Neutral |
| VP/VA Copolymer | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Pentapeptide-29 Cysteinamide | protein | Firms up soft, over-stretchy hair | Protein |
| Pentapeptide-30 Cysteinamide | protein | Firms up soft, over-stretchy hair | Protein |
| Tetrapeptide-28 Argininamide | protein | Firms up soft, over-stretchy hair | Protein |
| Hydrolyzed Keratin | film former | A supporting film former | Protein |
| Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin | conditioning agent | Adds slip, lower in the list | Protein |
| FragranceFragrance/Parfum | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein-forward — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Contains fragrance. Pressurised aerosol.
Full ingredient list (13)
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
· Water/Aqua/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
Butane
General function
A pressurised gas that pushes an aerosol out of the can and evaporates immediately.
Leading ingredientPubChemListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- propellant
-
3
Polyquaternium-11
General function
A styling and conditioning polymer that adds light hold and shine, common in mousses and setting sprays.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this 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.
- film former
- polymer
- conditioning agent
-
4
Propane
General function
An aerosol propellant, usually blended with butane to set the spray pressure.
Supporting ingredientPubChemListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- propellant
-
5
VP/VA Copolymer
General function
A hold polymer that dries to a clear film. It sets the style and washes out with water.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- film former
- polymer
-
6
Pentapeptide-29 Cysteinamide
General function
A short synthetic peptide designed to bind to hair, used in bond-repair positioned products.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- protein
-
7
Pentapeptide-30 Cysteinamide
General function
A short synthetic peptide designed to bind to keratin, used in repair-positioned formulas.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- protein
-
8
Tetrapeptide-28 Argininamide
General function
A short synthetic peptide used in repair- and strength-positioned products.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- protein
- 9 Tetrapeptide-29 Argininamide
-
10
Hydrolyzed Keratin
General function
Fragments of the same protein hair is made of. They fill gaps on damaged strands and make hair feel firmer for a few washes.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
International Journal of Cosmetic ScienceMay 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 hairSize decides where it goes. In fibre testing, fractions around 221 and 2,577 Da reached the cortex while a 75,440 Da fraction stayed on the surface. A label prints the name, never the size, so a protein line is a claim about the ingredient rather than about the depth.
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
-
11
Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin
General function
A protein given a positive charge so it deposits where hair is damaged. It conditions and adds temporary firmness in one ingredient.
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 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.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
-
12
Aleurites Moluccanus (Kukui) Seed Oil
· Aleurites Moluccana Seed Oil
General function
Kukui nut oil - a light oil used for softness on fine textured hair.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
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.
- oil
- emollient
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
13
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
- 5 proteins
- 4 film formers
- 2 propellants
- 2 polymers
- 2 conditioning agents
- 2 hydrolysed proteins
- 1 solvent
- 1 oil
- 1 emollient
- 1 fragrance
- 1 declared fragrance
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 10.2 oz
Seen at
$23
Good value under
$10
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $10 line; products that do this job typically go for about $14 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 1 store
How we work this out
- 10.2 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 $23 is the price we have observed for the 10.2 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $10 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.95/oz; at 10.2 oz that is $10. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $14 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 10.2 oz.
Formula
9
Formula score
9 of 10
The formula carries the systems a mouss is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for mousses per ounce.
How the score is counted
- 3 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs less per ounce than 57% of the 138 mousses we’ve priced
- Covers 5 of the 6 things a mouss should do
- Reviewers mention 2 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.
Design EssentialsClosest function
Almond & Avocado Anti-Frizz Curl Defining Gel
$1.63/oz $0.63/oz less
- Protein
- Function
- Also
John FriedaClose function
Kickstarter Thickening Mousse
$1.33/oz $0.93/oz less
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
John FriedaLowest cost per oz
Frizz-Ease Dream Curls Curl Reviver Mousse
$1.32/oz $0.94/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- 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
Soft, over-stretchy hair — for protein high in the formula and real detangling slip
Biggest tradeoff
Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, hair that stiffens on protein, or anyone who wants a soft, touchable finish
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
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
boosts shine
The formula carries a recognised shine system — silicone, oil, or light ester.
- Aleurites Moluccanus (Kukui) Seed Oil
Supported
Reflects light for visible shine.
fights frizz and flyaways
Possible from silicones or film formers, but not something the list targets.
- Polyquaternium-11
- VP/VA Copolymer
- Hydrolyzed Keratin
Stated by brand
May help, but not a primary focus.
thermal protection up to 450F
Heat protection is a performance claim; an ingredient list cannot confirm it.
- Polyquaternium-11
- VP/VA Copolymer
- Pentapeptide-29 Cysteinamide
Stated by brand
Only lab testing can show this.
paraben-free and silicone-free
No silicones appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Nothing that needs a strong wash.
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.
Works well for curly and textured hair, giving defined curls without crunch when used sparingly
curly-hair Ulta reviewerFragrance is mild and not overpowering compared to other mousses
Ulta reviewerFormula feels different (worse) than an earlier version of the product long-time users remember
repeat-purchase Ulta reviewerFeels way too heavy and leaves hair weighed down, crunchy, and dirty-looking when applied at normal amounts
fine-hair Ulta reviewerLeaves a sticky residue on hands and hair after application
Ulta reviewerMore from Joico
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 6 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.