Skip to main content
Original Sprout

Leave-In Conditioner

Leave-in / Light leave-in, lightweight

  • Leave-in
  • lotion
  • Detangler
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Moisture-rich
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size12 fl ozusual store size · 2 sizes
Price$27.99seen at one store · 12 oz
Price / oz$2.33/ozat 12 oz
Where to buy4 stores · 3 sizes

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: Strong

Manufacturer page: originalsprout.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 22 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.

Start your consultation

Priced with its peers

$2.33/oz at 12 oz, less than 53% of the 749 leave-ins , which mostly run $1.31–5.50/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
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

Maybe skip if

this product has a strong scent
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Coarse, very dry hairthis is a light formula for its category
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel

Whether this weight suits your hair depends on density, porosity and how much you already layer. That is what the consultation looks at.

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 Light

Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.

Slip and detangling High

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

Water-binding (humectants) Moderate

Humectants in the working part of the formula.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Protein Minor

Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient.

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
WaterAqua/Water/Eau solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Alcohol Denat.SD Alcohol 40 drying alcohol Speeds drying but can leave hair feeling dry Drying
Cetrimonium Chloride conditioning agent Conditions and softens so hair combs through Detangles
Cetearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions (not a drying alcohol) Softens
Diheptyl Succinate light ester Light slip without much weight Softens
Behentrimonium Methosulfate conditioning agent Conditions and softens so hair combs through Detangles
Cocamidopropyl Betaine amphoteric cleanser — Cleanses
Panthenol humectant Pulls water into the hair Detangles
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Protein film former A supporting film former Protein
Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or silicones. Contains fragrance. Fast-drying alcohol is in the list.
Full ingredient list (22)

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 · Aqua/Water/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 Alcohol Denat. · SD Alcohol 40
    General function

    Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on the list.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Evaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.

    May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Porous hair gives water up easily as it is; a fast-evaporating solvent high on the list accelerates that.

    May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    It evaporates quickly and takes some water with it. On hair already short of moisture, a formula built on a lot of it can finish drier than it started.

    PubChem
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 3 Cetrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A quick-acting conditioning agent that reduces static and combing force. It also helps keep the formula stable.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    The 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 hair

    A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science
    • conditioning agent
    • cleanser
  • 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 Diheptyl Succinate
    General function

    A light plant-derived ester used as a silicone alternative for slip and a dry, smooth finish.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

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

    Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.

    PubChem
    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 6 Behentrimonium Methosulfate
    General function

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

    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

    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
  • 7 Cocamidopropyl Betaine
    General function

    A mild coconut-derived co-cleanser that boosts foam and softens the effect of stronger detergents. It appears in most shampoos, gentle or not.

    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

    Mild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    The mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.

    DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Among the mildest detergents in use — it is what baby shampoos are built on — but it is almost always the second detergent in a formula. How much a wash strips is still decided by the primary detergent listed above it.

    Indian Journal of Dermatology
    • amphoteric cleanser
    • secondary cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 8 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.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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
  • 9 Hydrolyzed Jojoba Protein
    General function

    A protein broken into fragments small enough to cling to the hair. It fills gaps on damaged strands and firms the feel for a few washes; too much reads as stiff.

    Secondary ingredient

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

    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.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Hydrolysed 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
  • 10 Organic Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 11 Organic Arnica Montana Flower Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 12 Organic Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 13 Organic Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 14 Organic Vaccinum Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 15 Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A conditioning agent that binds to hair and is also used to help shield it from sun exposure.

    Secondary ingredient

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

    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 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.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    The class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.

    • conditioning agent
    • UV filter
  • 16 Glycerin
    General function

    Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the 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
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 17 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 18 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 19 Polyaminopropyl Biguanide
  • 20 Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
    General function

    A plant-derived polymer that forms a light film and helps hold a style without a stiff feel.

    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.

    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.

    • film former
    • emollient
  • 21 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 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

    Holds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.

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

    The 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 hair

    Where a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 22 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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 5 botanical extracts
  • 3 conditioning agents
  • 3 emollients
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 cleansers
  • 2 humectants
  • 2 film formers
  • 2 preservatives
  • 1 drying alcohol
  • 1 fatty alcohol
  • 1 thickener
  • 1 light ester
  • 1 emulsifier
  • 1 amphoteric cleanser

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

Price · 12 oz

Seen at $27.99 1 store · checked Aug 30
Good value under $20 Under $1.69/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 $20 line; products that do this job typically go for about $27 at this size.

Sizes

3 oz
$12.95
$4.32/oz
4 oz
$8.40
$2.10/oz
12 ozusual store size
$27.99
$2.33/oz

The 4 oz costs the least per ounce, 51% less than the 3 oz.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 4 stores

12 ozusual store size

  • Target
    $27.99
    12 oz · $2.33/oz
    Aug 30Lowest per oz

3 oz

4 ozBest per ounce

  • iHerb
    $8.40
    4 oz · $2.10/oz
    Aug 30Lowest per ozSale · was $10.50

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. 12 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 $27.99 is the price we have observed for the 12 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $20 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.69/oz; at 12 oz that is $20. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
  5. About $27 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 12 oz.

Formula

Formula score
10 of 10

The formula carries the systems a leave-in is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for leave-ins per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • Costs less per ounce than 53% of the 749 leave-ins we’ve priced
  • Covers 6 of the 6 things a leave-in should do
  • Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
  • Prestige 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 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.

Original SproutLowest cost per oz Miracle Detangler $2.17/oz $0.16/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Lightweight
· Close function
Function
  • Protein
Also
  • Vegan
  • 12 oz bottle
Compare
Schwarzkopf ProfessionalClose function BLONDME Cool Blondes Neutralizing Spray Conditioner $4.35/oz $2.02/oz more
  • Curly method
  • Lightweight
  • Silicone-free
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
Also
  • Masstige tier
  • 5.1 oz bottle
Compare
CurlMixClose function Leave-In Conditioner – Pineapple Potion $3.75/oz $1.42/oz more
Function
  • UV filter
Also
  • Salon tier
  • 8 oz bottle
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

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

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or high-damage hair, or coarse, very dry hair that wants real richness

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.

1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
1
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Lightweight formula is made with jojoba protein and arnica for split ends

Protein or ceramides are present, but low enough that this reads as support, not treatment.

  • Cetrimonium Chloride
  • Behentrimonium Methosulfate
  • Hydrolyzed Jojoba Protein
Partly supported

Supports the surface, not a treatment.

Ideal for detangling and to help eliminate frizz from damaged hair

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

  • Cetrimonium Chloride
  • Cetearyl Alcohol
  • Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Supported

Easier detangling, less breakage.

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.

Several reviewers say it leaves hair feeling soft, smooth and easy to manage.

Reviewers across hair types

Long-time users say their hair feels healthier and more cared for after using it over time.

Reviewers who have used it for a year or more

Many reviewers say the scent is pleasant and a standout reason they keep using it.

Reviewers across hair types

More from Original Sprout

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.
  • 5 sources consulted for this product (4 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 9 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 2026-08-25.

Hair Care Consultation

A care plan made for your hair and goals, then follow-up questions and plan updates.

  • Answers to your hair concerns
  • Formula-based product picks
  • Routines for your lifestyle and preferences
  • Updates for weather, needs and goals

$49with 60 days of follow-ups

Start my consultation