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Kenra Professional

Volume Mousse Extra 17

Styler / Mousse, strong-hold

  • Styler
  • mousse
  • aerosol
  • Sulfate-free
  • Strong hold
  • Curly-method
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size8 fl oz
Price$19–21commonly seen · 8 oz
Price / oz$2.63/ozat 8 oz
Where to buy5 stores · $14.17–21.00

Scent:

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

Strength: Strong

Manufacturer page: kenraprofessional.com

Personal fit

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Upper-mid price for a mouss

$2.63/oz at 8 oz — more than 50% of the 138 mousses , which mostly run $1.54–4.12/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

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
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Sun and colour fadea UV filter is in the list

Maybe skip if

this product carries a strong scent
Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
Soft, touchable finishesthe brand states a firm hold
Silicone-free routinesit does contain silicones — the water-soluble kind
Aerosol avoidancethis is a pressurised can

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) Strong

A strong hold, as stated by the brand.

Hold system Synthetic polymer

Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems.

Cast risk Likely

Film formers without much softening them — expect a cast to scrunch out.

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 None

No oils or butters in the list.

Fast-drying alcohol None

No fast-drying alcohol in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Rinses with water

The silicones here are the water-soluble kind.

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
Polyquaternium-11 film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Detangles
VP/VA Copolymer film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Isobutane propellant Pushes the product out of the can Neutral
Propane propellant Pushes the product out of the can Neutral
Steareth-21 emulsifier Keeps oil and water mixed Stabilizes
Nonoxynol-12 emulsifier Keeps oil and water mixed Stabilizes
DMDM Hydantoin formaldehyde releaser — Stabilizes
FragranceParfum/Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein film former A supporting film former Protein
PEG-12 Dimethicone emollient A softening touch, low in the list Shine
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or drying alcohols. Fragrance is on the label. This is a pressurised can.
Full ingredient list (15)

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 Polyquaternium-11
    General function

    A styling and conditioning polymer that adds light hold and shine, common in mousses and setting sprays.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    Cationic 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 hair

    A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

    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.

    • film former
    • polymer
    • conditioning agent
  • 3 VP/VA Copolymer
    General function

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

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

    • film former
    • polymer
  • 4 Isobutane
    General function

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

    Supporting ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • propellant
  • 5 Propane
    General function

    An aerosol propellant, usually blended with butane to set the spray pressure.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • propellant
  • 6 Steareth-21
    General function

    An emulsifier that keeps oil and water blended in a cream.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • emulsifier
  • 7 Nonoxynol-12
    General function

    An ethoxylated emulsifier used to keep oils dispersed. Largely replaced in newer formulas.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 8 DMDM Hydantoin
    General function

    A preservative that works by slowly releasing small amounts of formaldehyde; some brands avoid it for that reason.

    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.

    PubChem
    • formaldehyde releaser
    • preservative
  • 9 Cocamidopropyl Betaine
    General function

    A mild coconut-derived co-cleanser that boosts foam and softens the effect of stronger detergents. It appears in most shampoos, gentle or not.

    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

    Mild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    The mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.

    DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Among the mildest detergents in use — it is what baby shampoos are built on — but it is almost always the second detergent in a formula. How much a wash strips is still decided by the primary detergent listed above it.

    Indian Journal of Dermatology
    • amphoteric cleanser
    • secondary cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 10 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
  • 11 Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
    General function

    Wheat protein broken into fragments small enough to cling to the hair. It adds temporary strength and body; too much can feel stiff.

    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
  • 12 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
  • 13 Quaternium-52
  • 14 PEG-12 Dimethicone
    General function

    A water-soluble silicone that smooths without the build-up concern of standard silicones.

    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

    The PEG- and PPG-modified silicones disperse in water, so ordinary washing carries them off instead of leaving a film to accumulate.

    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

    Delivers the slip and surface smoothing of a silicone without needing a detergent wash to remove it afterwards.

    • emollient
    • silicone
    • water-soluble silicone
  • 15 PPG-5-Ceteth-20
    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer

What the whole list adds up to

  • 3 film formers
  • 3 emulsifiers
  • 2 polymers
  • 2 propellants
  • 2 solubilizers
  • 1 solvent
  • 1 conditioning agent
  • 1 formaldehyde releaser
  • 1 preservative
  • 1 amphoteric cleanser
  • 1 secondary cleanser
  • 1 cleanser
  • 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 · 8 oz

Commonly seen $19–21 Midpoint $21 · 4 stores · checked Aug 30
Good value under $20 Under $2.51/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Good value on sale. Some stores sell it under the $20 line; products that do this job typically go for about $21 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it6 listings · 5 stores

8 ozmost listedBest per ounce

  • JCPenney
    $14.17
    8 oz · $1.77/oz
    Aug 30Lowest per ozSale · was $21.00
  • Ulta
    $21.00
    8 oz · $2.63/oz
    Aug 27
  • Ulta Beauty
    $21.00
    8 oz · $2.63/oz
    Aug 30
  • Sephora
    $21.00
    8 oz · $2.63/oz
    Aug 30
  • Nordstrom Rack
    $21.00
    8 oz · $2.63/oz
    Aug 30
  • Ulta
    $21.00
    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. 8 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. Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 8 oz at recognised stores — the cheapest quarter and the dearest quarter are left out, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
  3. Good value under $20 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.51/oz; at 8 oz that is $20. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $21 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8 oz.

Formula

Formula score
7 of 10

Nothing separates this from the middle of the range for mousses, on formula or on cost per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • 1 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 50% of the 138 mousses we’ve priced
  • No softeners alongside the hold in the formula
  • Reviewers mention 3 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.

John FriedaLowest cost per oz Kickstarter Thickening Mousse $1.33/oz $1.30/oz less
  • Curly method
  • Lightweight
  • Silicone-free
· Close function
Function
  • Silicone type
  • Needs detergent to remove
Also
  • Drugstore tier
  • 7.5 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?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

People who want maximum slip, looking for real detangling slip and a curly-method-compatible formula

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, anyone who will not scrunch out a cast, or anyone who wants a soft, touchable finish

Best alternative if not

Consider John Frieda Kickstarter Thickening Mousse, 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.

3
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Firm hold styling control without stiffness or stickiness

Synthetic hold polymers are present.

  • Polyquaternium-11
  • VP/VA Copolymer
  • Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Supported

Structure that lasts the day.

Maximum body & fullness

It reads light on the strand, which is what volume claims depend on.

  • Polyquaternium-11
  • VP/VA Copolymer
  • Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Supported

Leaves room for lift.

Tames frizz & conditions

Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.

  • Polyquaternium-11
  • VP/VA Copolymer
  • Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Supported

Smoother strands, less frizz.

Thermal protection up to 450°F

Heat protection is a performance claim; an ingredient list cannot confirm it.

  • Polyquaternium-11
  • VP/VA Copolymer
  • Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Stated by brand

Only lab testing can show this.

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 great on fine, thin hair for added body

fine/thin-hair Ulta reviewer

Curls come out smooth and defined but still soft, with a bit of hold and no crunchy feel

curly-hair Ulta reviewer

Best frizz-control mousse she's tried, better than others in the category

Ulta reviewer comparing against other mousses

Too heavy for fine hair even in a small amount, weighs hair down

fine-hair Ulta reviewer

Lightweight feel and pleasant fragrance are frequently mentioned alongside strong hold

aggregated theme across many Ulta reviewers

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.
  • 2 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-27.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 2 of 7 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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