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Miss Jessie's

Baby Buttermilk - Daily Hair Moisturizer

Leave-in / Rich leave-in, heavy

  • Leave-in
  • cream
  • Detangler
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Moisture-rich
  • Not vegan · ingredient list
Size8.5 fl oz
Price$14seen at one store · 8.5 oz
Price / oz$1.65/ozat 8.5 oz
Where to buy1 store

Scent:

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

Strength: Light

Listing used for research: walmart.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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Priced with its peers

$1.65/oz at 8.5 oz — less than 61% of the 477 leave-ins , which mostly run $1.17–5.50/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

Maybe skip if

this product carries a light scent
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Aerosol avoidancethis is a pressurised can
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here

Whether this weight sits well on your hair depends on density, porosity, and how much you already layer — 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.

Weight on the hair Rich

Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.

Slip and detangling Little

Nothing here is built to reduce combing force.

Water-binding (humectants) High

Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.

Oils and butters Present, high in the list

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

Protein Minor

Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient.

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. 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
WaterWater (Aqua, Eau) solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Glycerin humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Hydrogenated Castor Oil wax Holds shape and adds weight Buildup
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Acetylated Lanolin emollient Softens and smooths the strand Heavy
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
PEG-100 Stearate emulsifier Keeps oil and water mixed Stabilizes
Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Hydrolyzed Keratin film former A supporting film former Protein
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Fragrance is on the label. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list. This is a pressurised can.
Full ingredient list (24)

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 · Water (Aqua, 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 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 ingredient

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

    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

    Water 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.

    Scientific Reports
    • humectant
  • 3 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
    General function

    Castor oil hardened into a wax. It thickens balms and gives a firm, sealing feel.

    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.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

    • wax
    • emollient
    • sealant
  • 4 Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
    General function

    A thick, tacky oil used for sealing ends and for slick, held-down styles.

    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
  • 5 Acetylated Lanolin
    General function

    Lanolin modified to spread more easily and feel less tacky. It seals the surface strongly and is animal-derived, so it is not vegan.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • emollient
    • sealant
  • 6 Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
    General function

    A light oil with very long fatty-acid chains, used as a plant alternative to silicone shine.

    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
  • 7 PEG-100 Stearate
    General function

    The water-side half of the most common emulsifier pair in creams, used with glyceryl stearate.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • emulsifier
  • 8 Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil
    General function

    Wheat germ oil, a heavier oil used in small amounts for conditioning.

    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
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 9 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
  • 10 Ceteareth-20
    • emulsifier
  • 11 Peg-8 Dilaurate
    • emulsifier
  • 12 Glyceryl Stearate
    General function

    A workhorse emulsifier that holds oil and water together in a cream.

    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.

    PubChem
    • emulsifier
    • emollient
  • 13 DMDM Hydantoin
    • formaldehyde releaser
    • preservative
  • 14 Panthenol
    General function

    Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.

    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

    It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

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

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • conditioning agent
    • vitamin
  • 15 Cetyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fatty alcohol used to thicken creams and add slip. It softens rather than dries.

    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

    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.

    PubChem
    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 16 Carbomer
    General function

    A thickener that turns a liquid into a clear gel. It also contributes a light hold.

    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 suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

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

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

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

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

    • thickener
    • polymer
    • film former
  • 17 Aminomethyl Propanol
    General function

    A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic hold polymers so they thicken and set properly.

    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.

    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
  • 18 Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
    General function

    A rich, solid plant butter used for heavy conditioning on coarse or dry hair. High in the list it makes a product decidedly heavy.

    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

    Coarse, porous hair loses water quickly and can carry the weight; a butter slows that loss more than a thin oil does.

    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.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A solid fat melts onto the strand at body temperature and stays there, which is the heaviest surface moisture-holding a formula can offer.

    • butter
    • emollient
    • sealant
  • 19 Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter
    General function

    A firm plant butter used for sealing and hold in heavier styling creams.

    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

    Coarse, porous hair loses water quickly and can carry the weight; a butter slows that loss more than a thin oil does.

    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.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A solid fat melts onto the strand at body temperature and stays there, which is the heaviest surface moisture-holding a formula can offer.

    • butter
    • emollient
    • sealant
  • 20 Disodium EDTA
    General function

    Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise the formula.

    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.

    PubChem
    • hard-water chelator
  • 21 Hydrolyzed Keratin
    General function

    Fragments of the same protein hair is made of. They fill gaps on damaged strands and make hair feel firmer for a few washes.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

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

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

    Filling surface gaps evens out the cuticle, which is part of what makes damaged hair comb and reflect light more like undamaged hair.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

    DependsCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    How rigid the finish is depends on which polymer it is and what the formula pairs with it, not on there being one.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science
    • film former
    • protein
    • hydrolysed protein
  • 22 Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
    • preservative
  • 23 Butane
    • propellant
  • 24 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative

What the whole list adds up to

  • 9 emollients
  • 4 sealants
  • 4 emulsifiers
  • 3 oils
  • 3 preservatives
  • 2 humectants
  • 2 thickeners
  • 2 film formers
  • 2 butters
  • 1 solvent
  • 1 wax
  • 1 fragrance
  • 1 declared fragrance
  • 1 formaldehyde releaser

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-23. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 8.5 oz

Seen at $14 1 store · checked Aug 23
Good value under $9 Under $1.11/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 $9 line; products that do this job typically go for about $13 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store

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

How we work this out
  1. 8.5 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 $14 is the price we have observed for the 8.5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $9 comes from the 7 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.11/oz; at 8.5 oz that is $9. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $13 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8.5 oz.

Formula

Formula score
7 of 10

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

How the score is counted
  • 1 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 61% of the 477 leave-ins we’ve priced
  • No conditioning agents up front in the formula
  • Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs
  • 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 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.

ORSLowest cost per oz Olive Oil Curlshow Leave-In Conditioner Gel Infused with Collagen & Avocado Oil for Strength & Length $0.83/oz $0.82/oz less
  • Curly method
  • Rich
  • Silicone-free
· Close function
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Needs detergent to remove
Also
  • Cruelty-free
  • Drugstore tier
  • 16 oz bottle
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget

Built for curly to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person
Best user

Hair that craves moisture who want moisture that stays in and a curly-method-compatible formula

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or anyone stretching time between washes

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.

3
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
1
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Hydrate and moisturize dry, brittle curls, kinks, and waves without the greasy residue

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

  • Glycerin
  • Hydrogenated Castor Oil
  • Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

Excellent moisturizer for baby hair

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

  • Glycerin
  • Hydrogenated Castor Oil
  • Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

Will help cut down on frizz

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

  • Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
  • Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
  • Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil
Supported

Smoother strands, less frizz.

Lightweight, non-greasy formula

Heavy emollients sit high in the list.

  • Hydrogenated Castor Oil
  • Acetylated Lanolin
  • Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
Potential conflict

Expect it to sit on the strand.

Suitable for kids and adults

No formula reads the same on every texture; our fit panel is the better guide.

Stated by brand

See the fit panel instead.

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.

Provides light moisture, manageability, and a pleasant scent

CVS reviewers

Moisturizes curly or kinky hair and supports healthy-looking curls

Walmart reviewers

Too much can feel greasy or fail to detangle for some users

Walmart reviewers

More from Miss Jessie's

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.
  • 6 sources consulted for this product (4 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 7 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 2026-08-25.