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Kenra Professional

Platinum Texturizing Taffy 13

Styler / Paste, medium-hold

  • Styler
  • paste
  • cream
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Moisture-rich
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size2 fl ozmost listed · 2 sizes
Price$25seen at one store · 2 oz · from $2.88/oz in the 13.2 oz
Price / oz$12.50/ozat 2 oz
Where to buy3 stores · 2 sizes

Scent:

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

Strength: Light

Listing used for research: ulta.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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Same job for less elsewhere

$12.50/oz at 2 oz — more than 83% of the 90 pastes , which mostly run $5.59–10.34/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
Sun and colour fadea UV filter is in the list
Aerosol avoidancea pump or tube, not a pressurised can

Maybe skip if

this product carries a light 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 (as stated) Medium

A medium hold, as stated by the brand.

Hold system Mixed

Gums and synthetic polymers together.

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 None

No oils or butters in the list.

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.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterAqua/Water/Eau solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Propylene Glycol humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Ozokerite film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Buildup
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride light ester Light slip without much weight Softens
Oleth-20 emulsifier Keeps oil and water mixed Stabilizes
Oleth-3 emulsifier Keeps oil and water mixed Stabilizes
Oleth-5 emulsifier Keeps oil and water mixed Stabilizes
Isopropyl Myristate light ester Light slip without much weight Softens
Dimethicone silicone A little smoothing and shine Buildup
Microcrystalline Wax wax Adds a little grip Buildup
Phenyl Trimethicone silicone A little smoothing and shine Buildup
Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax wax Adds a little grip Buildup
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. The silicones here need a detergent wash to come off.
Full ingredient list (27)

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/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 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 Ozokerite
    General function

    A mineral wax used to give balms and pomades their firm structure.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

    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.

    PubChem
    • film former
    • sealant
    • wax
  • 4 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.

    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
  • 5 Oleth-20
    General function

    An emulsifier that keeps oils dispersed in water-based formulas.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • 6 Oleth-3
    General function

    A fatty alcohol with ethylene oxide added. The number is how many units: low numbers sit on the oil side of an emulsion, high numbers dissolve in water.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • emulsifier
  • 7 Oleth-5
    General function

    A fatty alcohol with ethylene oxide added. The number is how many units: low numbers sit on the oil side of an emulsion, high numbers dissolve in water.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • emulsifier
  • 8 Isopropyl Myristate
    General function

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

    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.

    PubChem
    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 9 Oleth-10 Phosphate
    • emulsifier
  • 10 Oleth-3 Phosphate
    • emulsifier
  • 11 PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
    • thickener
    • emulsifier
  • ▾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 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
  • 14 PEG-45m
    • thickener
  • 15 Benzophenone-4
    General function

    A UV filter added to keep the product itself, and dyed hair, from fading in light.

    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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Sunlight oxidises hair pigment, and on gray, silver or lightened hair that shows up as yellowing. A UV filter on the label absorbs some of the light that drives it.

    PubChem
    • UV filter
  • 16 Ext. Violet 2 (CI 60730)
    General function

    A certified colour that tints the product itself. It does not colour 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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    A violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.

    • colourant
    • direct dye
    • violet dye
  • 17 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.

    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

    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
  • 18 Dimethicone
    General function

    The most common conditioning silicone. It coats the strand for shine, slip, and frizz control, and needs a detergent (not just water) to wash out.

    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 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.

    • silicone
    • emollient
    • conditioning agent
  • 19 Microcrystalline Wax
    General function

    A petroleum-derived wax used for firm, pliable hold in pomades and pastes.

    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 suitMaximum-hold styling

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

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

    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
    • sealant
  • 20 Phenyl Trimethicone
    General function

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

    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 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.

    • silicone
    • emollient
  • 21 Diazolidinyl Urea
    • formaldehyde releaser
    • preservative
  • 22 Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax
    General function

    A hard palm wax that gives firm hold and shine.

    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 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
  • 23 PVP
    General function

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

    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 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.

    DependsCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    It sets firm on its own. Whether the curl stays flexible depends on the plasticisers and oils the rest of the formula carries.

    PubChem
    • film former
    • polymer
  • 24 Propylparaben
    • paraben
    • preservative
  • 25 Methylparaben
    • paraben
    • preservative
  • 26 Fragrance · Parfum/Fragrance
    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
  • 27 PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
    General function

    A coconut-derived emulsifier that softens a cleanser and helps oils disperse.

    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.

    • emulsifier
    • emollient

What the whole list adds up to

  • 7 emulsifiers
  • 5 film formers
  • 5 emollients
  • 3 waxs
  • 3 preservatives
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 humectants
  • 2 sealants
  • 2 light esters
  • 2 thickeners
  • 2 polymers
  • 2 silicones
  • 2 parabens
  • 1 solubilizer

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 2 oz

Seen at $25 1 store · checked Aug 30
Good value under $9 Under $4.62/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 $9 line; products that do this job typically go for about $16 at this size.

Sizes

2 ozmost listed
$25
$12.50/oz
13.2 oz
$37.98
$2.88/oz

The 13.2 oz costs 77% less per ounce than the 2 oz.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 3 stores

2 ozmost listed

13.2 ozBest per ounce

  • Ulta
    $25.00
    Aug 25

Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.

How we work this out
  1. 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.
  2. Seen at $25 is the price we have observed for the 2 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $9 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $4.62/oz; at 2 oz that is $9. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
  5. About $16 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 2 oz.

Formula

Formula score
10 of 10

The formula carries what a paste is built around, and 5 products we score as close matches cost at least a quarter less per ounce. The difference is buying the label, not a different formula.

How the score is counted
  • 5 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 83% of the 90 pastes we’ve priced
  • Covers 6 of the 6 things a paste should do
  • Reviewers mention 4 things they like about how it performs
  • A hold systemThe polymer, gum, or wax that holds the shape.3 pts
  • Softeners alongside the holdWhat keeps a film flexible instead of brittle.2 pts
  • No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A humidity claim with a mechanismThe claim has a film former or silicone behind it.1 pt
  • Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.

OUAILowest cost per oz Anti-Frizz Crème $5.00/oz $7.50/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Rich
  • Humidity
· Close function
Function
  • Weight on the hair
Also
  • Vegan
  • Salon tier
  • 6 oz bottle
Compare
Sexy HairClose function Healthy Sexy Hair Styling Paste $8.99/oz $3.51/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Rich
  • Humidity
Function
  • Weight on the hair
Also
  • 2.5 oz bottle
Compare
Paul MitchellClose function MITCH Construction Paste $6.60/oz $5.90/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Alcohol-free
  • Vegan & CF
Function
  • Film formers
  • Slip and detangling
Also
  • Vegan
  • 2.5 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

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person, not the lowest cost
Best user

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

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or very humid climates

Best alternative if not

OUAI Anti-Frizz Crème, 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.

1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Creates separation and texture with a soft, moveable feel

Not measurable from ingredients; depends on personal preference.

—

Stated by brand

Subjective feel varies by hair.

Superior control for styling short & long styles

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Medium-high shine finish

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

  • Ozokerite
  • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
  • Isopropyl Myristate
Supported

Reflects light for visible shine.

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.

Gives control on thin, very straight hair

Peggy, Cookeville TN, 5-star Ulta reviewer

Has been a long-term staple product she keeps repurchasing for years

Theresa, Warren OH, 5-star Ulta reviewer

Good for defining curls, especially when used with roller sets, using only a small amount

Nadine, Maryland, 5-star Ulta reviewer

Gives waves/curls definition and extra volume with a light, nice scent

Sue, Florida, 4-star Ulta reviewer

Too much hold for heavy, thick hair despite high expectations from other reviews

Ulta 'most helpful critical' reviewer, 3-star

More from Kenra Professional

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 7 of 16 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.

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