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Joico

K-PAK Deep-Penetrating Reconstructor

Mask

  • Mask / treatment
  • cream
  • Not vegan · ingredient list
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size8.5 fl oz
Price$27.50seen at one store · 8.5 oz
Price / oz$2.56/ozat 8.5 oz

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?

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Priced with its peers

$2.56/oz at 8.5 oz — less than 59% of the 341 masks and treatments , which mostly run $1.63–5.59/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
Easy to findsold through several channels

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether your hair needs moisture, protein, or bond repair right now depends on your damage history and how your hair behaves wet — 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.

Oils and butters Present, high in the list

Oils sit high in the list — a softening, coating formula.

Water-binding (humectants) Low

Humectants appear, but low enough to be a minor part.

Slip and detangling High

Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula.

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.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterWater/Aqua/Eau solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine conditioning agent Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through Detangles
Mineral OilMineral Oil/Paraffinum Liquidum/Huile Minerale emollient Softens and smooths the strand Heavy
Glycol Stearate opacifier Makes the product look creamy Softens
Peg-8 Distearate thickener Sets the texture Stabilizes
Sodium Chloride salt Thickens the formula Stabilizes
Ceteth-2 emulsifier Keeps oil and water mixed Stabilizes
Hydrolyzed Hair Keratin Neutral
Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin conditioning agent Adds slip, lower in the list Protein
Myristyl Myristate light ester A light, silky feel Buildup
FragranceFragrance/Parfum fragrance The scent Fragrance
Keratin Amino Acids protein A small amount of protein Protein
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesFragrance is on the label.
Full ingredient list (21)

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 ingredient

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

    • solvent
  • 2 Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
    General function

    A gentle conditioning agent activated by the acid in the formula. It smooths the cuticle without much build-up.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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
  • 3 Mineral Oil · Mineral Oil/Paraffinum Liquidum/Huile Minerale
    General function

    A sealing oil that sits on the surface, adds slip and shine, and needs a detergent to remove.

    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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • emollient
    • sealant
    • oil
  • 4 Glycol Stearate
    General function

    A wax that makes shampoo look pearly and adds a slightly richer feel.

    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
    • opacifier
    • emollient
  • 5 Peg-8 Distearate
    General function

    An ethoxylated fatty ester used to thicken a liquid and hold oil and water together. At high ethoxylation it is a thickener more than an emollient.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • thickener
    • emulsifier
  • 6 Sodium Chloride
    General function

    Table salt. In shampoo it is used to thicken the liquid, not to treat the hair.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • salt
    • thickener
  • 7 Ceteth-2
    General function

    A lightly ethoxylated fatty alcohol that sits on the oil side of an emulsion.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • emulsifier
  • 8 Hydrolyzed Hair Keratin
  • 9 Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin
    General function

    A keratin given a positive charge so it deposits where hair is damaged, conditioning and firming in one ingredient.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower 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 hair

    A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

    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.

    • conditioning agent
    • film former
    • protein
    • hydrolysed protein
  • 10 Myristyl Myristate
    General function

    A waxy ester that thickens and leaves a soft, powdery finish.

    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.

    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.

    PubChem
    • light ester
    • emollient
    • wax
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 11 Citric Acid
    General function

    Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.

    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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Holds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    The acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Where a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 12 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
  • 13 Sorbic Acid
    • preservative
  • 14 Cetyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fatty alcohol used to thicken creams and add slip. It softens rather than dries.

    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 suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    The 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 hair

    Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

    PubChem
    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 15 Stearyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fatty alcohol that thickens conditioners and helps them coat the hair evenly.

    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 suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    The 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 hair

    Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

    PubChem
    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 16 Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil
    General function

    A light oil that softens without much residue.

    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 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.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 17 Yeast Extract · Yeast Extract/Faex/Extrait De Levure
    • botanical extract
  • 18 Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
    General function

    Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little natural hold.

    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 suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Hydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Aloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.

    • humectant
    • botanical extract
    • gum
  • 19 Keratin Amino Acids
    General function

    Keratin broken all the way down to individual amino acids. Small enough to sit inside the cuticle, used for softness rather than firmness.

    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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

    DependsProtein-sensitive hair

    The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

    • protein
    • amino acid
  • 20 Methylparaben
    • paraben
    • preservative
  • 21 Propylparaben
    • paraben
    • preservative

What the whole list adds up to

  • 6 emollients
  • 4 thickeners
  • 3 preservatives
  • 2 conditioning agents
  • 2 oils
  • 2 emulsifiers
  • 2 proteins
  • 2 fatty alcohols
  • 2 botanical extracts
  • 2 parabens
  • 1 solvent
  • 1 sealant
  • 1 opacifier
  • 1 salt

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-08. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 8.5 oz

Seen at $27.50 1 store · checked Sep 8
Good value under $9 Under $1.02/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 6 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $9 line; products that do this job typically go for about $25 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores

8.5 ozmost listed

51 ozBest per ounce

  • JCPenney
    $27.50
    51 oz · $0.54/oz
    Sep 8Lowest per oz

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. 8.5 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.
  2. Seen at $27.50 is the price we have observed for the 8.5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $9 comes from the 6 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.02/oz; at 8.5 oz that is $9. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $25 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8.5 oz.

Formula

Formula score
9 of 10

A complete read of the format at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among masks and treatments, with the working systems present.

How the score is counted
  • 3 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 59% of the 341 masks and treatments we’ve priced
  • Covers 5 of the 6 things a treatment should do
  • Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
  • Rich emollientsThe depth a treatment step is built around.3 pts
  • Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.2 pts
  • Protein or amino acidsThe strengthening side of a treatment.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A stated dwell timeThe brand says how long to leave it on.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.

AussieLowest cost per oz Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Deep Conditioner w/ Avocado $0.62/oz $1.94/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Alcohol-free
  • Quick
· Close function
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
Also
  • Value tier
  • 8 oz bottle
Compare
Head & ShouldersClose function Head and Shoulders Royal Oils Deep Moisture Masque Conditioner Treatment $1.45/oz $1.11/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Alcohol-free
  • Medium weight
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
Also
  • Drugstore tier
  • 7.6 oz bottle
Compare
Eden BodyWorksClose function Coconut Shea Hair Masque Treatment $0.87/oz $1.69/oz less
  • Curly method
  • Rich
  • Silicone-free
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
Also
  • Sweet scent
  • Drugstore tier
  • 16 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

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person
Best user

People who want maximum slip, looking for real detangling slip and a formula brought to an acidic pH

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, anyone stretching time between washes, or vegan and cruelty-free shopping

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
2
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Quadramine Complex delivers low molecular weight/size proteins with 19 essential amino acids

A protein or amino acid appears in the ingredient list.

  • Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin
  • Keratin Amino Acids
Supported

The named ingredient is really there.

Smart Release Technology liposome delivery slowly releases strengthening ingredients

Protein or ceramides are present, but low enough that this reads as support, not treatment.

  • Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
  • Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin
  • Keratin Amino Acids
Partly supported

Supports the surface, not a treatment.

Provides strengthening, repairing and antioxidant protection for damaged hair

Protein or ceramides are present, but low enough that this reads as support, not treatment.

  • Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
  • Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin
  • Keratin Amino Acids
Partly supported

Supports the surface, not a treatment.

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.

Users report the product delivers visible results immediately, with shine and improved manageability noticeable after a single application.

customers evaluating immediate effectiveness

Users report the protein-rich formula works best when followed by a hydrating conditioner to properly balance protein and moisture in the hair.

customers using the product as part of a treatment system

Long-term users spanning decades report this as a highly effective product that restores severely bleached and chemically damaged hair to healthy, silky softness.

customers with heavy damage from bleaching and chemical processing

Some reviewers experienced dryness or product buildup if left on too long, requiring careful timing and always following with a hydrating treatment.

customers finding the product over-dries hair

The distinctive scent and texture are divisive features, with some customers loving the characteristic banana or coconut aroma while others find it unpleasant.

customers evaluating product sensory qualities

More 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.
  • 4 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 3 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-09-08.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 7 of 12 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 2026-09-09.