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L'Oréal

Elvive Hyaluron Plump Moisture Plump Serum

Finisher / Serum, light-reflecting

  • Finisher
  • serum
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
Size4.4 fl oz
Price$7.99 Good valueseen at one store · 4.4 oz
Price / oz$1.82/ozat 4.4 oz
Where to buy1 store

Scent:

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

Listing used for research: target.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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Lower cost than most serums

$1.82/oz at 4.4 oz — less than 96% of the 77 serums , which mostly run $3.25–14.50/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove
Dull-looking haira recognised shine system is present
Aerosol avoidancea pump or tube, not a pressurised can

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

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 Single oil

Light esters or a volatile carrier: shine with little residue.

Weight on the hair Medium

Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.

Oils and butters Present, lower down

Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Fast-drying alcohol Present

Fast-drying alcohol is present — it speeds drying and can read dry on the hair.

Fragrance Prominent

Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula.

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-37 conditioning agent Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through Detangles
FragranceParfum/Fragrance fragrance The scent — a large share of the formula at this position Fragrance
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate light ester Light slip without much weight Shine
Polysorbate 20 solubilizer Keeps oils dissolved in water Stabilizes
Quaternium-87 conditioning agent Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through Detangles
Stearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol Shine
Glycine amino acid Small protein fragments that bind water Protein
Isopropyl Alcohol drying alcohol A small amount, for fast drying Drying
Limonene fragrance The scent Fragrance
Coumarin fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or silicones. No protein — a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Contains fast-drying alcohol.
Full ingredient list (20)

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-37
    General function

    A thickening polymer that gives creams and curl products their bounce and helps them cling to the strand.

    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.

    • conditioning agent
    • film former
    • polymer
    • thickener
  • 3 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.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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
  • 4 Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
    General function

    A light, dry-feeling ester that spreads other ingredients and softens without a greasy finish.

    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 Polysorbate 20
    General function

    Keeps fragrance and oils dissolved in a watery formula so it stays clear.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • solubilizer
    • emulsifier
  • 6 Quaternium-87
    General function

    A plant-derived conditioning agent used for slip and static control.

    Supporting ingredient

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

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

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

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    The class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.

    • conditioning agent
  • 7 Stearyl Alcohol
    General function

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

    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

    The waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.

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

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

    DependsFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.

    PubChem
    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 8 Glycine
    General function

    The smallest amino acid in hair protein, added for moisture binding.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

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

    DependsProtein-sensitive hair

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

    PubChem
    • amino acid
  • 9 Soja Oil/Soybean Oil
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 10 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 11 Caprylyl Glycol
    General function

    A gentle preservative helper that also holds a little moisture.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Humectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.

    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
    • preservative
    • humectant
  • 12 Behentrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A positively charged conditioning agent that binds to damaged, negatively charged spots on the hair. It is the main detangling ingredient in most rinse-out conditioners.

    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

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

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.

    DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Every detergent removes some sebum along with the product it is there to wash out. Which detergent it is matters more than that there is one.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science
    • conditioning agent
    • cleanser
  • 13 Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil · Cocos Nucifera Oil/Coconut Oil
    General function

    One of the few oils small enough to move into the strand, which is why it is used for pre-wash treatments. It can feel heavy or stiff on protein-sensitive 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 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.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • oil
    • emollient
  • 14 Propylene Glycol
    General function

    A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.

    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 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
  • 15 Citric Acid
    General function

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

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

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

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

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

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

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 16 Isopropyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fast-evaporating alcohol used as a solvent and to speed drying. Well down the list it is a processing aid; near the top it can leave hair feeling dry.

    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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Evaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.

    PubChem
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 17 Polyquaternium-11
    General function

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

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    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
  • 18 Sodium Hyaluronate
    General function

    A large water-binding molecule that sits on the surface holding moisture.

    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

    A 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
  • 19 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
  • 20 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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 4 conditioning agents
  • 3 solvents
  • 3 fragrances
  • 3 emollients
  • 3 humectants
  • 2 film formers
  • 2 polymers
  • 2 thickeners
  • 2 preservatives
  • 2 named fragrance allergens
  • 1 declared fragrance
  • 1 light ester
  • 1 solubilizer
  • 1 emulsifier

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

Price · 4.4 oz

Seen at $7.99 1 store · checked Aug 28
Good value under $20 Under $4.55/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $20 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $43 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store
  • Target
    $7.99
    4.4 oz · $1.82/oz
    Aug 28Lowest per oz

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

How we work this out
  1. 4.4 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 $7.99 is the price we have observed for the 4.4 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  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 $4.55/oz; at 4.4 oz that is $20. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $43 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 4.4 oz.

Formula

Formula score
8 of 10

It carries the working systems a serum needs and still sits in the lower part of the price range for serums per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • Costs less per ounce than 96% of the 77 serums we’ve priced
  • Covers 4 of the 6 things a serum should do
  • Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs
  • Drugstore tier, sold at Target
  • 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

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.

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  • No aerosol
Function
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  • Needs detergent to remove
Also
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  • Rinses clean
· Related function
Function
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Curl KeeperLowest cost per oz Style & Scrunch - Finishing Shimmer Cream $10.00/oz $8.18/oz more
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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

Hair that stiffens on protein — for a protein-free formula and real detangling slip

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or high-damage hair, or anyone who wants to pick it up locally

Best alternative if not

Nothing in our library matches it closely 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.

Reviewers

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.

Effectively controls frizz in humid conditions and on naturally coarse or frizz-prone hair, bringing frizz under control even in challenging weather.

Reviewers with coarse or frizz-prone hair who tested the serum in humid conditions and saw clear frizz reduction.

Delivers excellent hydration and moisture to dry and frizzy curls, making hair feel noticeably softer and smoother throughout the day.

Reviewers with wavy or curly hair that is dry or frizzy who experienced improved moisture levels and softness.

Works better on curly and wavy hair types than on straight hair, which may not experience the plumping or volumizing benefits advertised.

Reviewers with different hair types (curly, wavy, and straight) who noticed varying levels of effectiveness based on their natural hair texture.

May initially appear oily or slick when first applied but dries down to a lightweight finish that does not weigh hair down, making it suitable for fine and curly textures.

Reviewers who noted a brief oily appearance immediately after application that resolves after waiting or blow-drying.

More from L'Oréal

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 (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-09-08.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 10 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 2026-09-09.