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Moroccanoil

Root Boost

Styler / Volumizer, polymer-set

  • Styler
  • volumizer
  • aerosol
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size8.5 oz
Price$28–32commonly seen · 8.5 oz
Price / oz$3.65/ozat 8.5 oz
Where to buy5 stores · $22.40–32.00

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: ulta.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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Priced with its peers

$3.65/oz at 8.5 oz, less than 71% of the 143 volumizers , which mostly run $3.31–9.38/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Aerosol avoidancethis is a pressurised can
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether this hold suits you depends on your density, porosity and how long your style needs to last. The consultation works that 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.

Hold system Synthetic polymer

Synthetic hold polymers, the firmest kind of hold.

Cast risk Unlikely

Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely.

Weight on the hair Medium

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

Humidity resistance Not claimed

No humidity claim on the label.

Oil absorption None

No absorbent powders or starches.

Oils and butters Present, high in the list

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

Fast-drying alcohol None

No fast-drying alcohol in the list.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

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.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
Water solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Hydrofluorocarbon 152a propellant Pushes the product out of the can Neutral
Dimethyl Ether propellant Pushes the product out of the can Neutral
VP/VA Copolymer film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
PVP film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Peg-45 Palm Kernel Glycerides emulsifier Keeps oil and water mixed Softens
Argania Spinosa Kernel OilArgania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil oil Softens the film so it does not set hard Softens
Polyquaternium-7 conditioning agent Conditions and softens so hair combs through Detangles
FragranceParfum/Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes fragrance The scent Fragrance
Hexamethylindanopyran fragrance The scent Fragrance
Linalyl Acetate fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. This is a pressurised can.
Full ingredient list (21)

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
    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 Hydrofluorocarbon 152a
    General function

    A non-flammable aerosol propellant used in dry shampoos and finishing sprays.

    Leading ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • propellant
  • 3 Dimethyl Ether
    General function

    An aerosol propellant that also helps the formula spray as a fine, fast-drying mist.

    Leading ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • propellant
    • solvent
  • 4 VP/VA Copolymer
    General function

    A hold polymer that dries to a clear film. It sets the style and washes out with water.

    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 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.

    • film former
    • polymer
  • 5 PVP
    General function

    A classic hairspray polymer. It gives firm hold but attracts moisture, so humidity can soften the set.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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.

    May not suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    The film takes up water from the air. The patent work that produced the VP/VA copolymers describes a PVP film turning sticky after time in a humid atmosphere, and being dependable only where humidity is low — so hold and feel both move with the weather.

    PubChem
    • film former
    • polymer
  • 6 Peg-45 Palm Kernel Glycerides
    General function

    A plant fat made water-dispersible by ethoxylation. It softens the formula and helps the oil and water phases stay together.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • emulsifier
    • emollient
  • 7 Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil · Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil
    General function

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

    Supporting ingredient

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

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

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    May not suitFine or easily flattened hair

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

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 8 Polyquaternium-7
    General function

    A conditioning polymer that improves wet combing and adds body. Repeated use can build up on fine hair.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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
  • 9 Benzophenone-4
    General function

    A UV filter added to keep the product itself, and dyed hair, from fading in light.

    Secondary ingredient

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

    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
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 10 Tetrasodium EDTA
    General function

    Binds the metal ions in hard water so they cannot dull 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
  • 11 PPG-5-Ceteth-20
    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • 12 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 13 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 14 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
  • 15 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
  • 16 Polysorbate 20
    • solubilizer
    • emulsifier
  • 17 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
  • 18 Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
    General function

    A synthetic musk or woody-amber note used as a fragrance base.

    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
  • 19 Hexamethylindanopyran
    General function

    A synthetic musk used as a long-lasting fragrance base note.

    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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
  • 20 Linalyl Acetate
    General function

    A lavender-like fragrance component, related to linalool and listed for the same allergen reason.

    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 Camphor
    General function

    Produces a cooling, medicinal sensation on the scalp and contributes scent.

    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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • active

What the whole list adds up to

  • 5 fragrances
  • 4 film formers
  • 4 polymers
  • 3 emulsifiers
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 propellants
  • 2 emollients
  • 2 solubilizers
  • 2 preservatives
  • 1 oil
  • 1 conditioning agent
  • 1 UV filter
  • 1 hard-water chelator
  • 1 thickener

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

Price · 8.5 oz

Commonly seen $28–32 Midpoint $31 · 4 stores · checked Aug 30
Good value under $29 Under $3.47/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Good value on sale. Some stores sell it under the $29 line; products that do this job typically go for about $30 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it6 listings · 5 stores

8.5 ozusual store sizeBest per ounce

  • Ulta
    $32.00
    Aug 25

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. Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 8.5 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
  3. Good value under $29 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $3.47/oz; at 8.5 oz that is $29. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $30 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
9 of 10

A complete formula at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among volumizers, with the working systems in place.

How the score is counted
  • Costs less per ounce than 71% of the 143 volumizers we’ve priced
  • Covers 5 of the 6 things a volumizer should do
  • Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
  • Reviewers mention 2 recurring complaints
  • A hold systemThe polymer, gum, or wax that holds the shape.3 pts
  • Softeners alongside the holdWhat keeps a film flexible instead of brittle.2 pts
  • No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A humidity claim with a mechanismThe claim has a film former or silicone behind it.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

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.

TRESemmeClosest function Flawless Curls Mousse $5.34/oz $1.69/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Silicone-free
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
Also
  • Drugstore tier
  • 10.5 oz bottle
Compare
PATTERNLowest cost per oz Curl Mousse $3.13/oz $0.52/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Silicone-free
· Close function
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
  • Propellant
Also
  • Vegan
  • Masstige tier
  • 8 oz bottle
Compare
PATTERNClose function Palo Santo Curl Mousse Mini $3.50/oz $0.15/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Silicone-free
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
  • Propellant
Also
  • Woody scent
  • Vegan
  • Masstige tier
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

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, looking for a protein-free formula and real detangling slip

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, people avoiding aerosols, or people shopping on a budget

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.

Claims check

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.

0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
2
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Instant lift and volume

A mid-weight formula: it will not flatten fine hair, but lift is not its main job.

  • VP/VA Copolymer
  • PVP
  • Polyquaternium-7
Partly supported

Neutral on lift.

Fortifies and thickens at the root

A mid-weight formula: it will not flatten fine hair, but lift is not its main job.

  • VP/VA Copolymer
  • PVP
  • Polyquaternium-7
Partly supported

Neutral on lift.

Natural-looking finish

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Long-lasting texture

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

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

Reviewers

What people report

Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.

Gives noticeable body to fine, thin hair

Ulta reviewer with thin hair

Doesn't leave hair looking greasy, crunchy, or weighed down

Ulta reviewer

Described as a game-changer with instant volume that still feels soft and touchable

Ulta reviewer with fine hair

Leaves a greasy residue that weighs hair down, requiring an extra wash

Ulta reviewer

Sprayer nozzle malfunctions, sputtering product instead of an even spray

Ulta reviewer

More from Moroccanoil

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.
  • 2 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-27.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 6 of 13 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 2026-08-27.

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