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Mixed Chicks

Base Coat with Prickly Pear Seed Oil

Leave-in

  • Leave-in
  • spray
  • Moisture-rich
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size9 fl oz
Price$12seen at one store · 9 oz
Price / oz$1.78/ozat 9 oz

Scent:

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

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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Priced with its peers

$1.78/oz at 9 oz — less than 56% of the 477 leave-ins , which mostly run $1.17–5.50/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Sun and colour fadea UV filter is in the list
Short ingredient listsfifteen ingredients or fewer
Tight budgetsit sits in the lower price tiers

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

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.

Slip and detangling High

Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula.

Water-binding (humectants) High

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

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters 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. 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) solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Glycerin humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Behentrimonium Methosulfate conditioning agent Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through Detangles
Cetearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol Softens
Quaternium-87 conditioning agent Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through Detangles
Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil (Brazil Nut Oil) Neutral
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil (Prickly Pear Oil) Neutral
Dimethicone silicone Smooths the cuticle and adds shine Buildup
Phenoxyethanol preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
FragranceFragrance (Parfum) fragrance The scent Fragrance
Benzyl Alcohol preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Potassium Sorbate preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesFragrance is on the label. Water-insoluble silicones — needs a detergent wash to remove.
Full ingredient list (15)

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)
    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 Behentrimonium Methosulfate
    General function

    A mild cationic conditioner known for heavy detangling with a light rinse-out feel. Common in curly-hair conditioners.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    A C22 conditioning quat, the chain length that deposits most heavily in electrokinetic testing. It is the slip coarse or porous hair usually needs, delivered by chain length rather than by charge alone.

    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.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science
    • conditioning agent
    • emulsifier
  • 4 Cetearyl Alcohol
    General function

    A waxy fatty alcohol - nothing like drying alcohol. It gives conditioners their body and leaves a soft, smoothing film on the 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

    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
  • 5 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
  • 6 Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil (Brazil Nut Oil)
  • 7 Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil (Prickly Pear Oil)
  • 8 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.

    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.

    • silicone
    • emollient
    • conditioning agent
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 9 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 10 Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein/PG-Propyl Silanetriol
  • 11 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
    General function

    A UV filter added to protect the product's colour and, in leave-ins, 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
  • 12 Fragrance · Fragrance (Parfum)
    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
  • 13 Polyquaternium-10
    General function

    A cellulose-based conditioning polymer that leaves a thin, static-reducing film. Very common in shampoos as the ingredient that keeps them from stripping.

    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
  • 14 Benzyl Alcohol
    • preservative
    • solvent
  • 15 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative

What the whole list adds up to

  • 3 conditioning agents
  • 3 preservatives
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 emollients
  • 1 humectant
  • 1 emulsifier
  • 1 fatty alcohol
  • 1 thickener
  • 1 silicone
  • 1 conditioning agent
  • 1 UV filter
  • 1 fragrance
  • 1 declared fragrance
  • 1 film former

Drug facts actives

  • undefined

This product is an over-the-counter drug as well as a cosmetic. It treats a cosmetic scalp condition; it does not diagnose or treat disease.

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-08. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 9 oz

Seen at $12 lowest of 2 stores · checked Sep 8
Good value under $8 Under $0.94/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 $8 line; products that do this job typically go for about $23 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.

How we work this out
  1. 9 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
  2. Seen at $12 is the price we have observed for the 9 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $8 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.94/oz; at 9 oz that is $8. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $23 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 9 oz.

Formula

Formula score
9 of 10

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

How the score is counted
  • 3 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 56% of the 477 leave-ins we’ve priced
  • Covers 5 of the 6 things a leave-in should do
  • 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.

RuskLowest cost per oz Sensories Smoother Passionflower & Aloe Smoothing Leave-In Conditioner $0.69/oz $1.09/oz less
  • Alcohol-free
  • Medium weight
· Close function
Function
  • Film formers
Also
  • Masstige tier
  • 35 oz bottle
Compare
Design EssentialsClose function Coconut & Monoi Deep Moisture Milk Soufflé $0.83/oz $0.95/oz less
  • Alcohol-free
  • Medium weight
  • Budget
Function
  • Oils and butters
  • UV filter
Also
  • 12 oz bottle
Compare
TRESemmeClose function Pro Pure Detangle & Smooth Leave-In Conditioner Spray $0.98/oz $0.80/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Alcohol-free
  • Medium weight
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • UV filter
Also
  • 6.1 oz bottle
  • Sold in drugstores and mass retail
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

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

People who want maximum slip, looking for real detangling slip and moisture that stays in

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or very humid climates

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

Claims check

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

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

2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Adds instant shine, fights frizz, and softens hair

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

  • Dimethicone
  • Polyquaternium-10
Supported

Smoother strands, less frizz.

Detangles hair

Conditioning agents that reduce combing force sit high in the list.

  • Behentrimonium Methosulfate
  • Cetearyl Alcohol
  • Quaternium-87
Supported

Easier detangling, less breakage.

Color safe & dye-free

The detergent system is not recorded, so fade risk cannot be read.

  • Behentrimonium Methosulfate
  • Quaternium-87
  • Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Paraben-free, phthalate-free, sulfate-free, formaldehyde-free, mineral oil-free

The detergent system is not recorded for this product.

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

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.

Multiple reviewers say the spray feels lightweight and doesn't weigh their curls down, even after years of repeat use.

repeat customers with curly hair

Reviewers describe it as an effective detangler that works without pulling or damaging hair, including on long, fine curly hair.

reviewers detangling fine or long curly hair

More from Mixed Chicks

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.
  • 1 source consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-09-08.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 4 of 8 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 2026-09-08.