create appearance of thick, healthy hair
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Oars + Alps
Texturizing + Thickening Spray
Styler / Volumizer, light-hold
- Styler
- volumizer
- spray
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Curly-method
- Cruelty-free · brand states
Size3.4 fl oz
Price$16seen at one store · 3.4 oz
Price / oz$4.71/ozat 3.4 oz
Where to buy1 store · $16.00–16.00
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.
Strength: Light
Listing used for research: ulta.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 6,000+ products in our library, we can match you to the right ones.
- About 20 minutes, and your answers save as you go.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 23 factors we check.
- A personalized routine built around your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
- Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
- Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.
$49 with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates
$99 with 12 months. Pay once; the year renews only if you choose.
Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Straight–Wavy
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Hold (as stated)
Light
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Moderate
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Prominent
Not in your profile
Protein
Prominent
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Scent
ScentedLight strength
Not in your profile
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · brand states
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Aerosol can
Pump or tube
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Not determined
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
Ingredient list
20 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Masstige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Ulta · Brand website
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.
Your avoid-list
Priced with its peers
$4.71/oz at 3.4 oz, less than 61% of the 143 volumizers , which mostly run $3.31–9.38/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove
Maybe skip if
this product has a light scent
Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
Styles that must holdthe brand states a light hold at most
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
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 (as stated)
Light
A light hold, as stated by the brand.
Hold system
Mixed
Gums and synthetic polymers together.
Cast risk
Likely
Film formers with little to soften them, so expect a cast to scrunch out.
Weight on the hair
Light
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
Oil absorption
Some
Absorbents appear, low in the list.
Oils and butters
None
No oils or butters in the list.
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
Prominent
Fragrance is in the first eight ingredients, so it makes up a larger share of the formula.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Maltodextrin/VP Copolymer | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Pisum Sativum Peptide | protein | Firms up soft, over-stretchy hair | Protein |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Polysorbate 20 | solubilizer | Keeps oils dissolved in water | Stabilizes |
| Fragrance | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Phenoxyethanol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Neutral |
| Caffeine | active | A secondary active | Active |
| Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein | film former | A supporting film former | Protein |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein sits high: this is a strengthening step rather than a moisture one. Fragrance is on the label.
Full ingredient list (20)
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
Maltodextrin/VP Copolymer
General function
A starch-based hold polymer that sets softly and washes out with water.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- film former
- polymer
-
3
Pisum Sativum Peptide
General function
A short-chain pea protein used for strength and body claims in vegan formulas.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- protein
-
4
Glycerin
General function
Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
Scientific ReportsMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-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 hairBinds 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 hairWater 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.
- humectant
-
5
Polysorbate 20
General function
Keeps fragrance and oils dissolved in a watery formula so it stays clear.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
6
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 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
-
7
Phenoxyethanol
General function
The most common modern preservative; it keeps the product free of bacteria and mould. It sits well below 1% of the formula.
Estimated lower-concentration zonePubChemIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- preservative
-
8
Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract
General function
A soy seed extract used at low levels for conditioning claims.
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
Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Fruit Extract
· Elaeis Guineensis Fruit Extract
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
-
10
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 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 hairIt hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.
- humectant
- conditioning agent
- vitamin
-
11
Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract
- botanical extract
-
12
Caffeine
- active
-
13
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
-
14
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
General function
Wheat protein broken into fragments small enough to cling to the hair. It adds temporary strength and body; too much can feel stiff.
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 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 hairHydrolysed fragments are small enough to sit in the gaps of a worn cuticle for a wash or two, temporarily restoring stiffness and cutting breakage in combing.
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
-
15
Cetrimonium Chloride
General function
A quick-acting conditioning agent that reduces static and combing force. It also helps keep the formula stable.
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 suitFine or easily flattened hairThe C16 quat binds mostly by charge rather than by chain, so it deposits measurably less than the C22 ones. Less deposit is less conditioning and also less weight, which is usually the trade fine hair wants.
May 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.
- conditioning agent
- cleanser
-
16
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
- preservative
-
17
Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch
General function
A starch fragment used for light body and film. It is a carbohydrate, not a protein.
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 suitFine or easily flattened hairAdds grip and body with no oil attached, which is what lifts fine hair at the root instead of weighing it down.
DependsCurls or waves needing flexible holdHow rigid the finish is depends on which polymer it is and what the formula pairs with it, not on there being one.
DependsMaximum-hold stylingStarch gives texture and grip rather than a set film; firm hold usually needs a polymer alongside it.
- film former
- starch
-
18
Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
- botanical extract
- 19 Cladonia Stellaris Extract (Alpine Caribou Moss)
-
20
Biotin
- vitamin
What the whole list adds up to
- 4 botanical extracts
- 3 film formers
- 3 preservatives
- 2 proteins
- 2 humectants
- 2 vitamins
- 1 solvent
- 1 polymer
- 1 solubilizer
- 1 emulsifier
- 1 fragrance
- 1 declared fragrance
- 1 antioxidant
- 1 conditioning agent
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 3.4 oz
Seen at
$16
Good value under
$10
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $10 line; products that do this job typically go for about $15 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 1 store
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 $16 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 $10 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $3.06/oz; at 3.4 oz that is $10. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $15 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 3.4 oz.
Formula
7
Formula score
7 of 10
Nothing separates this from the middle of the range for volumizers, on formula or on cost per ounce.
How the score is counted
- 3 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs less per ounce than 61% of the 143 volumizers we’ve priced
- No softeners alongside the hold in the formula
- Masstige tier, sold at Ulta and Brand website
- 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, 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.
CHILowest cost per oz
Straight Guard
$1.76/oz $2.95/oz less
- Protein
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Function
CHIClose function
Infra Maximum Control Gel
$2.02/oz $2.69/oz less
- Protein
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Function
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?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsBest user
Soft, over-stretchy hair who want protein high in the formula and a curly-method-compatible formula
Biggest tradeoff
Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, hair that stiffens on protein, or anyone who will not scrunch out a cast
Best alternative if not
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.
1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
1
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
adds texture, tames flyaways
Possible from silicones or film formers, but not something the list targets.
- Maltodextrin/VP Copolymer
- Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
- Cetrimonium Chloride
Stated by brand
May help, but not a primary focus.
light, flexible hold with natural movement
Hold polymers appear without the emollients that usually keep a film from setting firm.
- Maltodextrin/VP Copolymer
- Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
- Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch
Potential conflict
Expect a cast you have to scrunch out.
no added shine
Nothing in the list reads as a shine system.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
strengthens and moisturizes hair
Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.
- Glycerin
- Panthenol
Supported
Helps hair feel hydrated.
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.
A little goes a long way; subtle, non-sticky thickening effect with a pleasant scent, effectively styles and thickens hair
Ulta reviewer "JT25", Waxhaw NC, 5 starsHow 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 2026-09-05.
- Ingredient references are linked for 3 of 7 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 2026-09-23.
