Strong is the new healthy
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Not Your Mother's
Way To Grow Leave-In Conditioner
Leave-in / Everyday leave-in, medium-weight
- Leave-in
- spray
- Detangler
- Sulfate-free
- Moisture-rich
- Not vegan · ingredient list
Size6 fl oz
Price$8.49 Good valueseen at one store · 6 oz
Price / oz$1.42/ozat 6 oz
Where to buy2 stores · $8.49–8.99
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: notyourmothers.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
All types
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Oils and butters
None
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
High
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Medium
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
Prominent
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 vegan · ingredient list
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not vegan · ingredient list
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
pH adjusted
Adjusted
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
17 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Drugstore
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand websiteOne channel
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, then reads every factor in this table against it — and tells you where this product fits, or what to use instead.
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Your avoid-list
Priced with its peers
$1.42/oz at 6 oz — less than 67% of the 477 leave-ins , which mostly run $1.17–5.50/oz.
Great for
Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
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
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only
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
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.
Protein
Prominent
Protein high in the list — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one.
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.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterWater (Aqua) | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Butylene Glycol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol | Softens |
| Cetyl Triethylmonium Dimethicone Peg-8 Succinate | emollient | Softens and smooths the strand | Buildup |
| Quaternium-91 | conditioning agent | Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through | Detangles |
| Hydrolyzed Keratin | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Protein |
| Apigenin | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Stabilizes |
| Oleanolic Acid | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Neutral |
| Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 | vitamin | A trace vitamin addition | Protein |
| Myristyl Myristate | light ester | A light, silky feel | Buildup |
| FragranceFragrance (Parfum) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or drying alcohols. Protein sits high: this is a strengthening step rather than a moisture one. Fragrance is on the label. Water-insoluble silicones — needs a detergent wash to remove.
Full ingredient list (17)
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 ingredientListed 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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA 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.
- humectant
- solvent
-
3
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.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairThe 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 hairDeposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.
DependsFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
4
Cetyl Triethylmonium Dimethicone Peg-8 Succinate
General function
A fatty ester. Esters give slip and a smooth after-feel; lighter ones read dry and silky, heavier ones read rich.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA 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 hairLays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesDimethicone does not disperse in water. On a routine that skips detergent it stays on the hair and accumulates wash after wash.
- emollient
- light ester
- silicone
-
5
Quaternium-91
General function
A conditioning agent used in leave-ins for detangling without much weight.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA 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 hairThe class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSubstantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
- conditioning agent
-
6
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.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
International Journal of Cosmetic ScienceMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairFilling 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 stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairSize decides where it goes. In fibre testing, fractions around 221 and 2,577 Da reached the cortex while a 75,440 Da fraction stayed on the surface. A label prints the name, never the size, so a protein line is a claim about the ingredient rather than about the depth.
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
7
Apigenin
General function
A plant flavonoid used at low levels in scalp and thinning-positioned products.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
-
8
Oleanolic Acid
General function
A plant triterpene used in scalp and thinning-positioned products at low levels.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- botanical extract
-
9
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
General function
Biotin bonded to a short peptide, included in thinning-positioned products. Evidence for applied biotin changing hair growth is limited.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemDependsVery dry or highly damaged hairUnhydrolysed protein is too large to enter the strand. It sits on the surface, which is a coating effect rather than internal reinforcement.
- vitamin
- protein
-
10
Behentrimonium Chloride
General function
A positively charged conditioning agent that binds to damaged, negatively charged spots on the hair. It is the main detangling ingredient in most rinse-out conditioners.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of Cosmetic ScienceMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSubstantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairEvery detergent removes some sebum along with the product it is there to wash out. Which detergent it is matters more than that there is one.
- conditioning agent
- cleanser
-
11
Myristyl Myristate
General function
A waxy ester that thickens and leaves a soft, powdery finish.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingA wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.
- light ester
- emollient
- wax
-
12
PPG-26-Buteth-26
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
13
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
-
14
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
15
Ethylhexylglycerin
General function
A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- preservative
- emollient
-
16
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 zoneIt 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 routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
17
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 zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesHolds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe 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 hairWhere a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
What the whole list adds up to
- 4 emollients
- 2 solvents
- 2 light esters
- 2 conditioning agents
- 2 proteins
- 2 botanical extracts
- 2 emulsifiers
- 2 solubilizers
- 2 preservatives
- 1 humectant
- 1 fatty alcohol
- 1 thickener
- 1 silicone
- 1 film former
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-23. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 6 oz
Seen at
$8.49
Good value under
$11
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $11 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $11 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores
-
Ulta Beauty
$8.496 oz · $1.42/ozAug 30Lowest per oz
-
Brand website
$8.996 oz · $1.50/ozAug 23
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
- 6 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 $8.49 is the price we have observed for the 6 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $11 comes from the 5 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.75/oz; at 6 oz that is $11. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $11 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 6 oz.
Formula
9
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
- Costs less per ounce than 67% of the 477 leave-ins we’ve priced
- Covers 5 of the 6 things a leave-in should do
- Reviewers mention 5 things they like about how it performs
- Drugstore 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 is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.
Does the same job
Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.
HaskLowest cost per oz
Placenta Leave Instant Conditioning Treatment
$1.75/oz $0.33/oz more
- Budget
- Differs
DrybarClose function
Liquid Glass Miracle Smoothing Sealant
$5.82/oz $4.40/oz more
- Heat protect
- Protein
- Alcohol-free
- Function
- Also
NexxusClose function
Humectress Leave-In Conditioner Spray 20-In-1 Perfector for Dry With Biotin Hyaluronic Acid
$7.88/oz $6.46/oz more
- Function
- Also
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
Final decision
Should you buy it?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsBest user
Soft, over-stretchy hair who want protein high in the formula and real detangling slip
Biggest tradeoff
Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or hair that stiffens on protein
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, 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
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Leaves hair stronger with less breakage and is a master at detangling
Protein sits in the first eight ingredients.
- Quaternium-91
- Hydrolyzed Keratin
- Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Supported
Reinforces a damaged strand.
Reduce breakage, anti-frizz, safe for color-treated hair
It avoids sulfate detergents, which are the usual cause of fast fade.
- Quaternium-91
- Apigenin
- Behentrimonium Chloride
Supported
Less fade per wash.
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.
Softness/silkiness after one use (Adrianna): "This leave in conditioner has made my hair so soft and silky after one use, it is the best one i've ever tried."
No buildup with daily use, hair looks healthier (SuperMmama): "I can use it several days in a row without any buildup. My hair looks so much healthier after just a few weeks!"
Strengthens fine thinning hair as part of full system (Lori): "I have very fine thinning hair and have found this entire system (shampoo, conditioner & leave-in conditioner) has really strengthen my hair"
Helps thin hair (Anonymous, Modesto CA): "Long & S leave in has done wonders for my thin hair"
Go-to daily leave-in (MDCSS): "My go to leave in conditioner spray. I use this religiously."
More from Not Your Mother'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.
- 4 sources consulted for this product (4 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
- Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 11 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.