Intensely hydrates
Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.
- Glycerin
- Hexylene Glycol
- Sodium Hyaluronate
Supported
Helps hair feel hydrated.
Kerastase
Blond Absolu Bain Lumiere Shampoo
Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning
- Shampoo
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Lightweight
- Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size16.9 fl ozmost listed · 2 sizes
Price$13.25seen at one store · 16.9 oz
Price / oz$8.15/ozat 16.9 oz
Where to buy2 stores · 2 sizes
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Listing used for research: amazon.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
High
Not in your profile
Cleansing strength
Strong
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Moderate
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Sulfates
Sulfate detergent
Not in your profile
Show all 22 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
pH adjusted
Adjusted
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
19 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Prestige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Ulta · Sephora +2Widely sold
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.
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Your avoid-list
Same job for less elsewhere
$8.15/oz at 16.9 oz — more than 99% of the 817 shampoos , which mostly run $0.81–3.01/oz.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Sulfate-free routinesit uses a sulfate detergent
Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Hard waterno chelator here to bind the minerals
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
Strong
Removes oil, buildup, and most residue — a reset wash.
Expected lather
High
Thick foam that spreads quickly through the hair.
Slip and detangling
Moderate
Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list.
Water-binding (humectants)
High
Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.
Scalp active
None
No over-the-counter scalp active.
Hard-water defence
None
No chelating agent in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Protein
None
No protein or amino acids in the list.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterAqua/Water | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Sodium Laureth Sulfate | sulfate cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Coco-Betaine | amphoteric cleanser | — | Cleanses |
| Sodium Chloride | salt | Thickens the formula | Stabilizes |
| Cocamide MIPA | secondary cleanser | Softens the main detergent | Cleanses |
| Citric Acid | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
| Sodium Benzoate | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Salicylic Acid | active | A secondary active | Active |
| Limonene | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| FragranceParfum/Fragrance | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no silicones or drying alcohols. No protein — a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label.
Full ingredient list (19)
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
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
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
General function
A strong, high-foaming cleanser and the most common shampoo detergent. It removes oil and product efficiently, which can be more than dry or colour-treated hair wants.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Indian Journal of DermatologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesA sulfate detergent removes deposited silicone, wax and styling films in one wash, which is what resets a routine before build-up is visible.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairFine hair that goes limp under conditioning films usually reads a full detergent wash as volume returning.
May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoarse and high-porosity hair loses water quickly on its own; an efficient detergent removes the surface oils that were slowing that down.
- sulfate cleanser
- cleanser
-
3
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.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Scientific ReportsMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-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 hairBinds 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 hairWater 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.
- humectant
-
4
Coco-Betaine
General function
A coconut-derived mild cleanser that boosts foam and softens stronger detergents.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairOne of the mildest detergent classes. It is usually there to let a formula lather without a harsher detergent doing the work.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesThe mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
-
5
Sodium Chloride
General function
Table salt. In shampoo it is used to thicken the liquid, not to treat the hair.
Supporting ingredientPubChemListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- salt
- thickener
-
6
Cocamide MIPA
General function
A coconut-derived thickener that stabilises shampoo foam and gives the liquid its body.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA sugar-derived non-ionic detergent, among the gentlest in use. It cleanses with little foam of its own and little sebum removal.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesGentle cleansing leaves water-insoluble deposits largely in place; they come off with a stronger wash, not this one.
- secondary cleanser
- nonionic cleanser
- thickener
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
7
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 zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesHolds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe 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 hairWhere a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
8
Sodium Benzoate
General function
A food-grade preservative that works only in acidic formulas, which is why it usually appears alongside citric acid.
Estimated lower-concentration zonePubChemIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- preservative
-
9
Sodium Hydroxide
General function
A strong base used in trace amounts to raise pH; fully neutralised in the finished product.
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.
International Journal of TrichologyDependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe alkali half of a pH-adjusting pair, used in small amounts to bring a formula up to its target rather than to make it alkaline. Alkaline conditions raise the fibre's surface charge and lift the scales — but the finished pH is not on the label.
- pH adjuster
-
10
Hexylene Glycol
General function
A solvent that keeps other ingredients dissolved and helps preservatives work.
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.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA 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.
- solvent
- humectant
-
11
Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
General function
A guar-bean conditioning polymer that deposits during rinsing. It is why a strong shampoo can still leave hair combable.
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 suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdGums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairCationic conditioners bind to the negatively charged damaged cuticle, laying it flat and cutting the friction that causes combing breakage.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingA styling polymer dries into a film across the strands, which is what makes a shape hold instead of relax.
- conditioning agent
- polymer
- gum
-
12
Salicylic Acid
- active
- exfoliant
-
13
Limonene
General function
A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to 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.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne 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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
14
Tocopherol
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
15
Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
-
16
Sodium Hyaluronate
General function
A large water-binding molecule that sits on the surface holding moisture.
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 suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-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 hairBinds 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 hairA humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.
- humectant
-
17
Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Flower Extract
- botanical extract
-
18
Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
-
19
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 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
- 3 humectants
- 2 solvents
- 2 cleansers
- 2 secondary cleansers
- 2 thickeners
- 2 pH adjusters
- 2 preservatives
- 2 fragrances
- 2 antioxidants
- 2 botanical extracts
- 1 sulfate cleanser
- 1 amphoteric cleanser
- 1 salt
- 1 nonionic cleanser
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-23. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 16.9 oz
Seen at
$13.25
Good value under
$13
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 $16 at this size.
Sizes
2.7 oz
$22
$8.15/oz
16.9 ozmost listed
$72
$4.26/oz
The 16.9 oz costs 48% less per ounce than the 2.7 oz.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 2 stores
16.9 ozmost listedBest per ounce
-
Amazon (sold by brand-authorized listing)
$72.0016.9 oz · $4.26/ozAug 22Lowest per oz
1 oz
-
Target
$13.251 oz · $13.25/ozAug 30Lowest per ozSale · was $19.58
2.7 oz
-
Amazon (sold by brand-authorized listing)
$22.002.7 oz · $8.15/ozAug 22Lowest 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
- 16.9 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 $13.25 is the price we have observed for the 16.9 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- 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 $0.77/oz; at 16.9 oz that is $13. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
- About $16 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 16.9 oz.
Formula
10
Formula score
10 of 10
Sold through salons at a price 8 products that do the same job undercut — the distribution is part of what you are paying for.
How the score is counted
- 8 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 99% of the 817 shampoos we’ve priced
- Covers 7 of the 7 things a shampoo should do
- Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs
- 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 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.
KerastaseSame function
Kerastase Gloss Absolu Bain Hydra-Glaze Shampoo
$4.78/oz $3.37/oz less
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Lightweight
- Differs
RedkenSame function
Acidic Grow Full System Densifying Shampoo
$3.65/oz $4.50/oz less
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Lightweight
- Differs
AttitudeLowest cost per oz
Shampoo Conditioner 2in1
$0.93/oz $7.22/oz less
- Protein-free
- Deep clean
- Lightweight
- Differs
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?
Similar results available for lessBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein — for a protein-free formula and a proper reset wash
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, sulfate-free routines and fresh keratin treatments, or dry or damaged hair
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.
2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Illuminates shiny hair
Nothing in the list reads as a shine system.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Removes impurities and pollution
The detergent system is strong enough to strip build-up.
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Coco-Betaine
- Cocamide MIPA
Supported
Resets a coated scalp.
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.
Several reviewers call it the best shampoo they have used, with strong repeat-purchase intent
verified purchasersReviewers report visibly softer, shinier, more manageable blonde/lightened hair
multiple reviewers, some non-English (French: shine and fragrance both praised)A recurring complaint is that the bottle runs out quickly relative to its price
price/value-conscious reviewers, echoed on both the 16.9oz and travel-size listingsMore from Kerastase
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, 4 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
- Ingredient references are linked for 6 of 11 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 2026-08-25.