Original Sprout

Protective Protein Hair Mist

Leave-in / Rich leave-in, heavy

Leave-in
mist
Sulfate-free
Vegan · label states
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed

Size1 fl oz

Price$1.99 Good valueseen at one store · 1 oz

Price / oz$1.99/ozat 1 oz

Where to buy1 store

Scent:

Notes: herbal.

Manufacturer page: originalsprout.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types Curly–Coily Not in your profile

Moisture level Moderate Not in your profile

Oils and butters Moderate Not in your profile

Slip / detangling Moderate Not in your profile

Weight on hair Rich 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

Scent Mint & herbalStrength not recorded Not in your profile

Show all 22 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 Vegan · label statesCruelty-free · PETA-listed Not in your profile

Animal-derived ingredients Vegan · label states Not in your profile

Heavy humectants Not heavy Not in your profile

Hard-water defence None Not in your profile

UV filter None listed Not in your profile

pH adjusted No adjuster listed Not in your profile

Ingredient list 27 ingredientsAbout average Not in your profile

Price tier Prestige 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.

Start your consultation

$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.

Priced with its peers

$1.99/oz at 1 oz — less than 52% of the 477 leave-ins , which mostly run $1.17–5.50/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet

Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together

Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it

Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

Vegan and cruelty-freeour researched record has it as both

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

Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down

Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

Whether this weight sits well on your hair depends on density, porosity, and how much you already layer — that is what the consultation works out.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Weight on the hair Rich

Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.

Slip and detangling Moderate

Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list.

Water-binding (humectants) Moderate

Humectants in the working part of the formula.

Oils and butters Present, high in the list

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

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
WaterAqua/Water/Eau	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Dimethicone	silicone	Smooths the cuticle and adds shine	Buildup
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Oil	oil	Coats and softens the strand	Softens
Saccharomyces/Gold Ferment	botanical extract	A plant extract, marketed as much as functional	Neutral
Hydrolyzed Kale Protein	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Protein
Hydrolyzed Carrot Protein	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Protein
Hydrolyzed Lemon Protein	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Protein
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Protein	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Protein
Sodium Benzoate	preservative	Keeps the product from spoiling	Stabilizes
Potassium Sorbate	preservative	Keeps the product from spoiling	Stabilizes
Fragrance	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Benzyl Alcohol	preservative	Keeps the product from spoiling	Stabilizes

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or drying alcohols. Protein-forward — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Contains fragrance. Contains heavier butters.

Full ingredient list (27)

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 · 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 Dimethicone

General function
The most common conditioning silicone. It coats the strand for shine, slip, and frizz control, and needs a detergent (not just water) to wash out.

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

May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Lays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
Dimethicone does not disperse in water. On a routine that skips detergent it stays on the hair and accumulates wash after wash.
- silicone
- emollient
- conditioning agent
3 Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Oil

General function
The liquid fraction of shea, lighter than the butter but with the same softening effect.

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

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
4 Saccharomyces/Gold Ferment

General function
A yeast ferment carrying trace gold, used at very low levels for luxury positioning.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- botanical extract
5 Hydrolyzed Kale 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.

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

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
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
6 Hydrolyzed Carrot 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.

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

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
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
7 Hydrolyzed Lemon 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.

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

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
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
8 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.

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

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
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
9 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.

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
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.
- oil
- emollient
10 Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter

General function
A plant butter that is slightly lighter than shea, used in curl creams.

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
Coarse, porous hair loses water quickly and can carry the weight; a butter slows that loss more than a thin oil does.

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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A solid fat melts onto the strand at body temperature and stays there, which is the heaviest surface moisture-holding a formula can offer.
- butter
- emollient
11 Glycerin · Organic Glycerin

General function
A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.

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
12 Organic Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
13 Organic Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract
- botanical extract
14 Organic Punica Granatum Extract
- botanical extract
15 Organic Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract
- botanical extract
16 Organic Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
17 Organic Foeniculum Vulgare Filtrate
18 Chitosan · Chitosan (Vegetal)

General function
A shellfish- or fungus-derived polymer that forms a light, positively charged film for body and hold.

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

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.
- film former
- polymer
- conditioning agent
19 Gellan Gum

General function
A fermented gum used to suspend particles and thicken clear formulas.

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

May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.
- gum
- thickener
20 Coco-Glucosides
- nonionic cleanser
- cleanser
▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
21 Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
22 Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
23 Butylene Glycol

General function
A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.

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 suitFine or easily flattened hair
Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A 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.

PubChem
- humectant
- solvent
24 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
25 Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
26 Limonene

General function
A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to 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
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.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
27 Linalool

General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.

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.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen

What the whole list adds up to

6 botanical extracts
5 film formers
4 emollients
4 proteins
4 hydrolysed proteins
3 solvents
3 preservatives
3 fragrances
2 oils
2 humectants
2 named fragrance allergens
1 silicone
1 conditioning agent
1 butter

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

Price · 1 oz

Seen at $1.99 1 store · checked Aug 23

Good value under $2 Under $2.00/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 5 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $2 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $3 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 1 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store

Brand website
$1.99

1 oz · $1.99/oz

Aug 23Lowest per oz

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 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 $1.99 is the price we have observed for the 1 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $2 comes from the 5 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.00/oz; at 1 oz that is $2. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $3 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 1 oz.

Formula

Formula score

7 of 10

Both the formula and the price land mid-range: it covers the core of what a leave-in does and costs about what leave-ins cost per ounce.

How the score is counted

1 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
Costs less per ounce than 52% of the 477 leave-ins we’ve priced
No conditioning agents up front in the formula
Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs

Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.2 pts
A humectantBinds water into the hair.2 pts
A light baseWater or a volatile carrier first, so it does not weigh hair down.2 pts
Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
No detergent-dependent filmNothing that needs a clarifying wash to remove.1 pt
Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.

Creme of NatureLowest cost per oz Argan Oil Strength & Shine Leave-in Conditioner $0.89/oz $1.10/oz less

Heat protect
Protein
Alcohol-free

· Close function

Function: Slip and detangling
Weight on the hair
UV filter
Also: Drugstore tier
8.4 oz bottle

Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person

Best user

Soft, over-stretchy hair — for protein high in the formula and defined, clumped curls

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or hair that stiffens on protein

Best alternative if not

Creme of Nature Argan Oil Strength & Shine Leave-in Conditioner — for similar results 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.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

Repairs hair that has been damaged from heat-styling or over-processing

Protein sits in the first eight ingredients.

Hydrolyzed Kale Protein
Hydrolyzed Carrot Protein
Hydrolyzed Lemon Protein

Supported

Reinforces a damaged strand.

Vega Bead Technology microcapsules described as restoring hair structure

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Dermatologist-tested, pH 4.5-5.5

A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.

—

Stated by brand

Only the brand’s testing shows this.

Sulfate/phthalate/paraben-free, vegan and cruelty-free

No parabens appear in the ingredient list.

—

Supported

Preserved without parabens.

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.

Fights frizz without weighing hair down or leaving it greasy

Conditions and softens hair, makes it manageable

Contains silicones, a dealbreaker for silicone-free-preferring users (mild complaint/caveat)

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.
3 sources consulted for this product (3 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
Ingredient references are linked for 4 of 15 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.