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Paul Mitchell

Bond Rx Step 1 Professional Bond Builder

Mask / Weekly treatment, lean

  • Mask / treatment
  • cream
  • Sulfate-free
  • Moisture-rich
  • Curly-method
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size8.5 fl oz
Price$65seen at one store · 8.5 oz
Price / oz$8.29/ozat 8.5 oz

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.

Manufacturer page: sleekshop.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 21 factors we check.
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  • 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.

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Priced above most masks and treatments

$8.29/oz at 8.5 oz, more than 88% of the 576 masks and treatments , which mostly run $1.80–5.62/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
A wide range of haira middle-of-the-range weight

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Silicone-free routinesit does contain silicones, the water-soluble kind
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether your hair needs moisture, protein or bond repair right now depends on its damage history and how it behaves wet. The consultation finds out which.

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.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Weight on the hair Medium

Middle of the range: noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.

Protein Prominent

Protein high in the list: a strengthening formula, not a moisture one.

Water-binding (humectants) High

Humectants near the top: binding water is one of its main jobs.

Slip and detangling High

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

Needs detergent to remove Rinses with water

The silicones here are the water-soluble kind.

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
Cetearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions (not a drying alcohol) Softens
Behentrimonium Chloride conditioning agent Conditions and softens so hair combs through Detangles
Propylene Glycol humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Polyquaternium-37 conditioning agent Conditions and softens so hair combs through Detangles
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Protein
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride conditioning agent Conditions and softens so hair combs through Detangles
PEG-12 DimethiconePolyethylene Glycol-12 Dimethicone emollient Softens and smooths the strand Shine
FragranceFragrance/Parfum fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or drying alcohols. Protein-forward: a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Contains fragrance.
Full ingredient list (11)

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 Cetearyl Alcohol
    General function

    A waxy fatty alcohol - nothing like drying alcohol. It gives conditioners their body and leaves a soft, smoothing film on the hair.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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
  • 3 Behentrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A positively charged conditioning agent that binds to damaged, negatively charged spots on the hair. It is the main detangling ingredient in most rinse-out conditioners.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Electrokinetic measurement puts the C22 quat ahead of the C16 ones for deposition: the longer chain adds van der Waals stabilisation on top of the charge binding. That extra deposit is what coarse hair usually needs to comb through.

    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 Propylene Glycol
    General function

    A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.

    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

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.

    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
  • 5 Polyquaternium-37
    General function

    A thickening polymer that gives creams and curl products their bounce and helps them cling to the strand.

    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

    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.

    • conditioning agent
    • film former
    • polymer
    • thickener
  • 6 Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol
    General function

    A plant protein modified to bind more firmly to hair than a plain hydrolysed protein. Used for strength and body claims.

    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 Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A conditioning polymer made from guar bean gum. It deposits during rinsing, which is why sulfate shampoos can still leave hair soft.

    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 suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Cationic conditioners bind to the negatively charged damaged cuticle, laying it flat and cutting the friction that causes combing breakage.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A styling polymer dries into a film across the strands, which is what makes a shape hold instead of relax.

    • conditioning agent
    • polymer
    • gum
  • 8 PEG-12 Dimethicone · Polyethylene Glycol-12 Dimethicone
    General function

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

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 9 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 10 Methylparaben
    • paraben
    • preservative
  • 11 Fragrance · Fragrance/Parfum
    General function

    An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.

    Estimated lower-concentration 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

  • 3 conditioning agents
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 emollients
  • 2 thickeners
  • 2 film formers
  • 2 polymers
  • 2 preservatives
  • 1 fatty alcohol
  • 1 cleanser
  • 1 humectant
  • 1 protein
  • 1 hydrolysed protein
  • 1 gum
  • 1 silicone

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-05. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 8.5 oz

Seen at $65 lowest of 2 stores · checked Sep 5
Good value under $30 Under $3.56/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 $30 line; products that do this job typically go for about $40 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores

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. 8.5 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 $65 is the price we have observed for the 8.5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $30 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $3.56/oz; at 8.5 oz that is $30. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $40 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8.5 oz.

Formula

Formula score
6 of 10

It costs more per ounce than 88% of the 576 masks and treatments we’ve priced. The formula covers the core of the format, and we do not have a close match at a lower price.

How the score is counted
  • 1 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 88% of the 576 masks and treatments we’ve priced
  • No rich emollients in the formula
  • Prestige tier, sold at Salons and Specialty beauty
  • Rich emollientsThe depth a treatment step is built around.3 pts
  • Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.2 pts
  • Protein or amino acidsThe strengthening side of a treatment.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A stated dwell timeThe brand says how long to leave it on.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.

LADORLowest cost per oz Perfect Hair Fill-Up $4.01/oz $4.28/oz less
  • Curly method
  • Medium weight
· Close function
Function
  • Oils and butters
  • Protein
Also
  • Salon tier
  • 5.1 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?

An above-range pick for the hair it suits
Best user

Soft, over-stretchy hair who want protein high in the formula and real detangling slip

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, hair that stiffens on protein, or very dry or very humid climates

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.

4
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
designed to transform any lightening or hair color service into a powerful bond-building treatment

Protein sits in the first eight ingredients.

  • Behentrimonium Chloride
  • Polyquaternium-37
  • Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol
Supported

Reinforces a damaged strand.

addresses breakage, brittleness, and damage caused by chemical treatments

Protein sits in the first eight ingredients.

  • Behentrimonium Chloride
  • Polyquaternium-37
  • Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol
Supported

Reinforces a damaged strand.

contains bonding agents, amino acids, and proteins

Protein sits in the first eight ingredients.

  • Behentrimonium Chloride
  • Polyquaternium-37
  • Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol
Supported

Reinforces a damaged strand.

designed to be used on all hair types and colors

No formula reads the same on every texture; our fit panel is the better guide.

—

Stated by brand

See the fit panel instead.

retains 85 percent of disulfide bonds while lightening (Step 1 + Step 2, vs. virgin hair)

Protein sits in the first eight ingredients.

  • Behentrimonium Chloride
  • Polyquaternium-37
  • Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol
Supported

Reinforces a damaged strand.

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.

More from Paul Mitchell

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.
  • 3 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-09-05.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 3 of 8 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 2026-09-06.

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