Olive Oil Style and Curl Smooth n' Hold Pudding

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
  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 Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
  General function

  One of the few oils small enough to move into the strand, which is why it is used for pre-wash treatments. It can feel heavy or stiff on protein-sensitive hair.

  Leading ingredient

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

  May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

  Because it penetrates rather than sits on top, it works on hair that loses water through a worn cuticle instead of only slowing evaporation from the surface the way a non-penetrating oil does.

  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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  The exception to the class read: lauric acid is small and linear enough to enter the shaft rather than only coat it, and in comparison testing coconut oil was the one that reduced protein loss from washing on both undamaged and damaged hair.

  International Journal of Trichology
  • oil
  • emollient
• 3 Paraffinum Liquidum
  General function

  Mineral oil under its European name. It seals the surface and adds slip, and takes a detergent to remove.

  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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

  It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.

  International Journal of Trichology
  • emollient
  • sealant
  • oil
• 4 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.

  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

  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
• 5 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
• 6 Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil
  General function

  A heavy, coating oil traditionally used for deep conditioning.

  Supporting ingredient

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

  May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

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

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

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

  May not suitFine or easily flattened hair

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

  • oil
  • emollient
• 7 Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
  General function

  Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little natural hold.

  Supporting ingredient

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

  May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

  Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

  May suitFine or easily flattened hair

  Hydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.

  May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

  Aloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.

  • humectant
  • botanical extract
  • gum
• 8 Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil
  General function

  A rich oil used in masks and heavier creams for softness on coarse or dry 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

  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
• 9 Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil
  General function

  The oil pressed from Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis). It is one of the lighter plant oils, absorbing faster and leaving less residue.

  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 Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil
  General function

  A medium-weight oil used for softness and slip.

  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
• 11 Polyquaternium-11
  General function

  A styling and conditioning polymer that adds light hold and shine, common in mousses and setting sprays.

  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
• 12 Phenyl Trimethicone
  General function

  A high-refractive silicone used specifically for visible shine in serums and finishing oils.

  Secondary ingredient

  Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the 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
• 13 PEG-12 Dimethicone
  General function

  A water-soluble silicone that smooths without the build-up concern of standard silicones.

  Secondary ingredient

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

  May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

  The PEG- and PPG-modified silicones disperse in water, so ordinary washing carries them off instead of leaving a film to accumulate.

  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

  Delivers the slip and surface smoothing of a silicone without needing a detergent wash to remove it afterwards.

  • emollient
  • silicone
  • water-soluble silicone
• 14 Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
• 15 Polysorbate 60
  • emulsifier
  • solubilizer
• 16 Peg-150 Stearate
  • thickener
  • emulsifier
• 17 Cetyl Alcohol
  General function

  A fatty alcohol used to thicken creams and add slip. It softens rather than dries.

  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

  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.

  PubChem
  • fatty alcohol
  • emollient
  • thickener
• 18 Ceteareth-20
  • emulsifier
• 19 PEG-20 Hydrogenated Lanolin
• 20 PEG-40 Stearate
• 21 Oleth-20
  • emulsifier
  • solubilizer
• 22 Carbomer
  General function

  A thickener that turns a liquid into a clear gel. It also contributes a light hold.

  Secondary ingredient

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

  May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

  A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

  May suitMaximum-hold styling

  Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

  DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

  Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

  • thickener
  • polymer
  • film former
• ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
• 23 Aminomethyl Propanol
  General function

  A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic hold polymers so they thicken and set properly.

  Estimated lower-concentration zone

  It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

  DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

  pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

  PubChem
  • pH adjuster
• 24 Phenoxyethanol
  • preservative
• 25 Benzoic Acid
  • preservative
• 26 Ethylhexylglycerin
  General function

  A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.

  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.

  PubChem
  • preservative
  • emollient
• 27 Glycereth-2 Cocoate
  General function

  A coconut-derived emulsifier that softens a cleansing base.

  Estimated lower-concentration zone

  It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

  May 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.

  • emulsifier
  • emollient
• 28 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 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
• 29 Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
  General function

  A violet-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised 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
• 30 Benzyl Benzoate
  General function

  A fragrance component with a faint balsamic scent, named separately on the label because it is 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
• 31 Butylphenyl Methylpropional
  General function

  A floral fragrance component (lilial) named separately as a recognised allergen; increasingly reformulated out.

  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
• 32 Citronellol
  General function

  A rose-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised 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
• 33 Eugenol
  General function

  A clove-scented fragrance component listed separately as a recognised 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
• 34 Hexyl Cinnamal
  General function

  A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised 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
• 35 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
• 36 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
• 37 Yellow 5 · CI 19140 (Yellow 5)
  General function

  A certified colour added to tint the product itself. It does not colour hair.

  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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

  A violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.

  • colourant
• 38 Blue 1 (CI 42090) · CI 42090 (Blue 1)
  General function

  A certified colour used to tint the product itself, not the hair.

  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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

  A violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.

  • colourant
  • direct dye
  • blue dye

What the whole list adds up to

• 12 emollients
• 9 fragrances
• 8 named fragrance allergens
• 6 oils
• 5 emulsifiers
• 4 thickeners
• 3 preservatives
• 2 humectants
• 2 fatty alcohols
• 2 film formers
• 2 polymers
• 2 silicones
• 2 solubilizers
• 2 colourants

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-14. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.