L'Oreal Professionnel

[Metal Detox] Smoothing Cream

Leave-in / Everyday leave-in, medium-weight

Leave-in
cream
Sulfate-free
Protein-free
Moisture-rich

Size3.4OZ

Price$40seen at one store · 3.4 oz

Price / oz$11.77/ozat 3.4 oz

Where to buy1 store

Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.

Scent:

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

Listing used for research: walmart.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types All types Not in your profile

Moisture level High Not in your profile

Oils and butters Low Not in your profile

Slip / detangling Moderate Not in your profile

Weight on hair Medium Not in your profile

Fragrance Present Not in your profile

Protein None Not in your profile

Silicone / wax buildup High Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Moderate Not in your profile

Parabens / preservatives None of these listed Not in your profile

Show all 21 factors we check

The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.

Essential oils None listed Not in your profile

Fast-drying alcohol None Not in your profile

Vegan / cruelty-free Not yet verified 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 Present Not in your profile

pH adjusted Adjusted Not in your profile

Ingredient list 26 ingredientsAbout average Not in your profile

Price tier Salon Not in your profile

Where to buy it Brand websiteOne channel Not in your profile

The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.

Start your consultation

$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.

Same job for less elsewhere

$11.77/oz at 3.4 oz, more than 96% of the 749 leave-ins , which mostly run $1.31–5.50/oz.

View alternatives

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added

Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front

Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together

Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

Sun and colour fadea UV filter is in the list

Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent

Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove

Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list

Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you

Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel

Whether this weight suits your hair depends on density, porosity and how much you already layer. That is what the consultation looks at.

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.

Weight on the hair Medium

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

Slip and detangling Moderate

Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list.

Water-binding (humectants) High

Humectants near the top: binding water is one of its main jobs.

Oils and butters Present, lower down

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

Protein None

No protein or amino acids in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

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

Fragrance Present

Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients, plus anything lower down that changes a decision. The 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 / EAU	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Butylene Glycol	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
Aminopropyl Dimethicone	silicone	Smooths the cuticle and adds shine	Buildup
Isododecane	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Softens
Isononyl Isononanoate	light ester	Light slip without much weight	Softens
Glycine	amino acid	Small protein fragments that bind water	Protein
PEG-240/HDI Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether	polymer	The hold system	Holds
Undecane	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Softens
Limonene	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Hexyl Cinnamal	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Linalool	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Citral	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. The silicones here need a detergent wash to come off.

Full ingredient list (26)

In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.

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 Butylene Glycol

General function
A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.

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

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

PubChem
- humectant
- solvent
3 Aminopropyl Dimethicone

General function
A silicone. Silicones coat the strand for slip, shine and frizz control; unless the name carries PEG or PPG, removing one takes a detergent rather than 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 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.
- silicone
- conditioning agent
4 Isododecane

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

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

PubChem
- solvent
- emollient
5 Isononyl Isononanoate

General function
A very light, dry-feeling ester used where a silky finish without weight is wanted.

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
6 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
7 PEG-240/HDI Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether
- polymer
- thickener
8 Undecane

General function
A light plant-derived hydrocarbon that spreads other ingredients and evaporates.

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
Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- solvent
- emollient
▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
9 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
10 Sclerotium Gum

General function
A fermented gum that thickens and gives a slippery, cushioned feel.

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
A polysaccharide film stays softer than a synthetic one as it dries, which is what leaves a curl defined but still able to move.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
A soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what helps flyaways lie down.

May not suitMaximum-hold styling
Gum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.
- film former
- gum
- thickener
11 Tridecane

General function
A light hydrocarbon carrier, usually paired with undecane as a plant alternative to volatile silicone.

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

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- solvent
- emollient
12 Tocopherol
- antioxidant
- vitamin
13 Ethylhexyl Salicylate

General function
A UV filter used in leave-on hair products to slow colour fade.

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
14 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
15 Sodium Citrate

General function
Used with citric acid to hold the formula at a steady, slightly acidic pH. It also binds a little hard-water mineral.

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
Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair
Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

PubChem
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
16 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
17 Hexyl Cinnamal

General function
A jasmine-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
18 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
19 Citral

General function
A lemon-scented 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
20 Geraniol

General function
A rose-scented fragrance component, listed on its own 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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
21 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
22 POTASSIUM LAURATE
23 Polyquaternium-7

General function
A conditioning polymer that improves wet combing and adds body. Repeated use can build up on fine 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 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
24 Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
25 Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil / Sunflower Seed Oil

General function
The oil pressed from Helianthus Annuus's flower. It is one of the lighter plant oils, absorbing faster and leaving less residue.

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
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
26 Fragrance · PARFUM / FRAGRANCE

General function
An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.

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

May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines
Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance

What the whole list adds up to

7 fragrances
6 named fragrance allergens
5 solvents
5 emollients
2 humectants
2 polymers
2 thickeners
2 preservatives
2 film formers
2 pH adjusters
2 hard-water chelators
1 silicone
1 conditioning agent
1 light ester

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-07. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 3.4 oz

Seen at $40 1 store · checked Oct 17

Good value under $4 Under $1.23/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 7 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $4 line; products that do this job typically go for about $6 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 3.4 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store

Planet Beauty (planetbeauty.com)
$40.00

3.4 oz · $11.77/oz

Oct 17Lowest 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

3.4 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.
Seen at $40 is the price we have observed for the 3.4 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $4 comes from the 7 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.23/oz; at 3.4 oz that is $4. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $6 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 3.4 oz.

Formula

Formula score

7 of 10

It costs more per ounce than 96% of the 749 leave-ins we’ve priced, and 6 formulas we score as close matches cost at least a quarter less per ounce.

How the score is counted

6 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
Costs more per ounce than 96% of the 749 leave-ins we’ve priced
No conditioning agents up front in the formula
Salon tier, sold at Brand website

Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.2 pts
A humectantBinds water into the hair.2 pts
A light baseWater or a volatile carrier first, so it does not weigh hair down.2 pts
Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
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 measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.

As I AmLowest cost per oz Dry & Itchy Scalp Care Leave-In Conditioner $0.96/oz $10.81/oz less

Protein-free
Alcohol-free
Medium weight

· Close function

Function: Film formers
Oils and butters
UV filter
Also: Amber scent
Cruelty-free
Drugstore tier

Compare

Bumble and bumbleClose function Bond-Building Repair Styling Cream for Hair Repair $7.80/oz $3.97/oz less

Heat protect
Alcohol-free
Medium weight

Function: Film formers
Oils and butters
Protein
Also: Sweet scent
Cruelty-free
Prestige tier

Compare

Gibs GroomingClose function Top Down Tea Tree Hair & Body Hydrator $1.49/oz $10.28/oz less

Protein-free
Alcohol-free
Medium weight

Function: Film formers
Oils and butters
UV filter
Also: Masstige tier
12 oz bottle

Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find the one that fits your hair, routine and budget

Final decision

Should you buy it?

What the brand says, and what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

Hydrates, smooths, and reduces frizz

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

Butylene Glycol
Isododecane
Isononyl Isononanoate

Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

Provides heat protection up to 450°F

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

Aminopropyl Dimethicone
PEG-240/HDI Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether

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 at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

How this page was made

Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one 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.
3 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-10-17.
Ingredient references are linked for 12 of 21 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
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 v23. Record last updated 2026-10-17.

[Metal Detox] Smoothing Cream

Is this right for you?

Read from the label, not the marketing

The ingredients that change a decision

What the whole list adds up to

Should you buy it?

What the brand says, and what the formula shows

More from L'Oreal Professionnel

How this page was made

Hair Care Consultation