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Kérastase

Elixir Ultime Refillable Hydrating Hair Oil

Finisher / Hair oil, glossing

  • Finisher
  • oil
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size2.5 fl oz
Price$30seen at one store · 2.5 oz
Price / oz$12.00/ozat 2.5 oz
Where to buy3 stores · $30.00–62.00

Scent:

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

Listing used for research: kohls.com

Personal fit

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Upper-mid price for a hair oil

$12.00/oz at 2.5 oz — more than 61% of the 169 hair oils , which mostly run $4.50–16.47/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
Dull-looking haira recognised shine system is present
Humid climatesthe brand claims humidity resistance
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Aerosol avoidancea pump or tube, not a pressurised can

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether a finisher this rich will read as shine or as grease depends on your strand thickness and oil rate — 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.

Shine system Silicone serum

A silicone or oil blend does the shine work here.

Weight on the hair Rich

Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.

Oils and butters Present, high in the list

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

Humidity resistance Claimed

The brand claims humidity resistance; the ingredient list cannot confirm it.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.

Fast-drying alcohol None

No fast-drying alcohol 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.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
Isododecane solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Shine
Dimethicone silicone The shine system Buildup
C11-13 Isoalkane solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride light ester Light slip without much weight Shine
Dimethiconol silicone The shine system Buildup
Amodimethicone silicone The shine system Buildup
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil oil The shine and softening system Shine
Zea Mays Germ Oil / Corn Germ Oil oil The shine and softening system Shine
Linalool fragrance The scent Fragrance
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone fragrance The scent Fragrance
Limonene fragrance The scent Fragrance
Coumarin fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or drying alcohols. No protein — a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list.
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 Isododecane
    General function

    A fast-evaporating carrier that lets oils and polymers spread thinly, then leaves nothing behind.

    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

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    PubChem
    • solvent
    • emollient
  • 2 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.

    Role in this product type

    In a finishing oil, dimethicone spreads as a smooth, low-friction layer over the hair surface. It improves slip, reduces flyaways, and creates a glossier finish.

    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 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

    May suit frizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair that benefits from surface smoothing and added slip.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Consider cleansing habits: dimethicone is not water-soluble, so repeated use may leave more deposited film than a low-detergent routine removes.

    Dow
    • silicone
    • emollient
    • conditioning agent
  • 3 C11-13 Isoalkane
    General function

    A branched hydrocarbon from coconut- or palm-derived fatty alcohols. It spreads other ingredients thinly and evaporates, which is how a product can feel weightless once it dries.

    Leading ingredient

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

    • solvent
  • 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 Dimethiconol
    General function

    A high-shine silicone often paired with dimethicone for a smoother, glossier finish.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Dimethicone does not disperse in water. On a routine that skips detergent it stays on the hair and accumulates wash after wash.

    PubChem
    • silicone
    • emollient
  • 6 Amodimethicone
    General function

    A silicone modified to stick where hair is damaged, so it smooths selectively instead of coating everything. It resists rinsing more than plain dimethicone.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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

    Amino-functional silicone carries a positive charge, so it binds where the cuticle is worn rather than coating evenly. Damaged areas get most of it.

    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.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • silicone
    • conditioning agent
    • film former
  • 7 Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
    General function

    Tea seed oil - light, fast-absorbing, used for shine on fine hair.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 8 Zea Mays Germ Oil / Corn Germ Oil
    General function

    The oil pressed from Zea Mays's germ. How much weight a plant oil leaves depends on the hair it lands on; coarse hair tends to take more of it than fine hair.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 9 Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
    General function

    Argan oil. A medium-weight oil used for shine and softness on the outside of the strand.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity 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
  • 10 Sclerocarya Birrea (Marula) Seed Oil · SCLEROCARYA BIRREA SEED OIL
    General function

    Marula oil - light, stable, used for shine and softness.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity 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
  • 11 Pentaclethra Macroloba Seed Oil
    General function

    The oil pressed from Pentaclethra Macroloba. How much weight a plant oil leaves depends on the hair it lands on; coarse hair tends to take more of it than fine hair.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity 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
  • 12 Camelina Sativa Seed Oil
    General function

    The oil pressed from Camelina Sativa. How much weight a plant oil leaves depends on the hair it lands on; coarse hair tends to take more of it than fine hair.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity 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
  • ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 13 Linalool
    General function

    A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.

    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

    One 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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 14 Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
    General function

    A violet-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

    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

    One 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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 15 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 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

    One 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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 16 Coumarin
    General function

    A sweet, hay-like fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.

    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

    One 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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 17 Benzyl Alcohol
    • preservative
    • solvent
  • 18 Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 19 Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 20 Tocopherol
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 21 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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 10 emollients
  • 6 oils
  • 5 fragrances
  • 4 named fragrance allergens
  • 3 solvents
  • 3 silicones
  • 2 conditioning agents
  • 2 botanical extracts
  • 1 light ester
  • 1 film former
  • 1 preservative
  • 1 antioxidant
  • 1 vitamin
  • 1 declared fragrance

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-26. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 2.5 oz

Seen at $30 1 store · checked Aug 30
Good value under $19 Under $7.59/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 $19 line; products that do this job typically go for about $29 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores

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. and 2 listings we don’t count — grey-market or unverified sellers.

How we work this out
  1. 2.5 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 $30 is the price we have observed for the 2.5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $19 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $7.59/oz; at 2.5 oz that is $19. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $29 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 2.5 oz.

Formula

Formula score
8 of 10

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

How the score is counted
  • 2 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 61% of the 169 hair oils we’ve priced
  • Covers 5 of the 6 things a hair oil should do
  • Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
  • A shine systemThe silicone, oil, or ester that produces gloss.3 pts
  • A weightless carrierDelivers the shine without leaving grease.2 pts
  • Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
  • An antioxidantKeeps the oils in the bottle from going off.1 pt
  • No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.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.

Garnier FructisLowest cost per oz Sleek & Shine Moroccan Sleek Oil Treatment $2.08/oz $9.92/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Shine
  • Humidity
· Close function
Function
  • Weight on the hair
Also
  • Drugstore tier
  • 3.8 oz bottle
Compare
Doo GroLighter feel Hair Polish Shine Mist $2.14/oz $9.86/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Shine
  • Alcohol-free
· Close function
Function
  • Weight on the hair
Also
  • Drugstore tier
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

Built for curly to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person
Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and a formula with real substance

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or oily scalps and fine hair

Best alternative if not

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Moroccan Sleek Oil Treatment — 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
4
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
instant softness and easier styling

Not measurable from ingredients; depends on personal preference.

—

Stated by brand

Subjective feel varies by hair.

controls frizz and flyaways

Possible from silicones or film formers, but not something the list targets.

  • Dimethicone
  • Dimethiconol
  • Amodimethicone
Stated by brand

May help, but not a primary focus.

up to 92% more shine

A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.

—

Stated by brand

Only the brand’s testing shows this.

heat protection up to 450°F

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

  • Dimethicone
  • Dimethiconol
  • Amodimethicone
Stated by brand

Only lab testing can show this.

helps protect lengths from humidity

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

  • Dimethicone
  • Dimethiconol
  • Amodimethicone
Supported

Smoother strands, less frizz.

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.

A curly, fine-haired reviewer says a small amount softens and polishes the ends while taming frizz without making hair look oily.

curly, fine hair used as an ends finisher

A color-treated, fine-haired reviewer reports shine without a greasy finish and says it improved the look of damaged hair over several days.

fine, color-treated damaged hair

A reviewer with dry, thick hair says the oil made hair less frizzy and visibly shinier.

dry, thick hair

More from Kérastase

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 2026-08-26.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 8 of 15 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 2026-08-26.

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