Hydrates and restores parched hair for softer, shinier strands
Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Cetyl Esters
- Isostearyl Neopentanoate
Supported
Helps hair feel hydrated.
Paul Mitchell
Clean Beauty Hydrate Conditioner
Conditioner / Everyday rinse-out, detangling
- Conditioner
- Sulfate-free
- Vegan · label states
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size1.7 fl ozmost listed · 2 sizes
Price$8.50seen at one store · 1.7 oz · from $3.37/oz in the 8.45 oz
Price / oz$4.19/ozat 1.7 oz
Where to buy2 stores · 2 sizes
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: paulmitchell.com
Personal fit
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
All types
Not in your profile
Moisture level
Moderate
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
High
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Medium
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
Minor
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
High
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
High
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Show all 20 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
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
High
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
pH adjusted
Adjusted
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
30 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Drugstore
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.
Your avoid-list
Same job for less elsewhere
$4.19/oz at 1.7 oz — more than 86% of the 689 conditioners , which mostly run $0.91–3.10/oz.
Great for
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
Vegan and cruelty-freeour researched record has it as both
A wide range of haira middle-of-the-range weight
Tight budgetsit sits in the lower price tiers
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only
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.
Slip and detangling
High
Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula.
Oils and butters
Present, high in the list
Oils sit high in the list — a softening, coating formula.
Weight on the hair
Medium
Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.
Water-binding (humectants)
Low
Humectants appear, but low enough to be a minor part.
Protein
Minor
Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient.
Needs detergent to remove
Yes
Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.
Hard-water defence
Chelators present
Chelators are present — they bind hard-water and pool minerals.
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 |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol | Softens |
| Behentrimonium Chloride | conditioning agent | Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through | Detangles |
| Amodimethicone | silicone | Smooths the cuticle and adds shine | Buildup |
| Cetyl Esters | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Softens |
| Isostearyl Neopentanoate | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Softens |
| Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil | oil | Coats and softens the strand | Softens |
| Verbascum Densiflorum Flower/Stem Extract | botanical extract | A plant extract, marketed as much as functional | Neutral |
| Avena Sativa (Oat) Peptide | protein | A small amount of protein | Protein |
| Caprylyl Glycol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Moisturizes |
| Phenoxyethanol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Potassium Sorbate | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or drying alcohols. Fragrance is on the label. Water-insoluble silicones — needs a detergent wash to remove. Hard-water chelators are present.
Full ingredient list (30)
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 ingredientListed 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.
Role in this product typeIn conditioner, cetearyl alcohol gives the emulsion its creamy structure and helps it spread evenly through the hair. Its emollient layer adds slip and a smoother feel.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
BASFMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMay suit dry, coarse, or high-porosity hair that benefits from added slip and a more substantial conditioning film.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.
DependsFine or easily flattened hairConsider if hair is fine or easily flattened: a formula built heavily around fatty alcohols can feel richer than a lightweight conditioner.
- 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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
International Journal of Cosmetic ScienceMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairElectrokinetic 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 hairA cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSubstantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
- conditioning agent
- cleanser
-
4
Amodimethicone
General function
A silicone modified to stick where hair is damaged, so it smooths selectively instead of coating everything. It resists rinsing more than plain dimethicone.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA 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 hairAmino-functional silicone carries a positive charge, so it binds where the cuticle is worn rather than coating evenly. Damaged areas get most of it.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- silicone
- conditioning agent
- film former
-
5
Cetyl Esters
General function
A waxy ester blend that replaces spermaceti in creams. It thickens and leaves a smooth, non-greasy finish.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
- thickener
-
6
Isostearyl Neopentanoate
General function
A branched light ester used for a soft, dry slip.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- light ester
- emollient
-
7
Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil
General function
A heavy, coating oil traditionally used for deep conditioning.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats 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 hairA 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 hairNear 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
-
8
Verbascum Densiflorum Flower/Stem Extract
General function
An extract from the stem of Verbascum Densiflorum. Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- botanical extract
-
9
Helichrysum Italicum Extract
- botanical extract
-
10
Cota Tinctoria Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
- botanical extract
-
11
Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract
General function
Flaxseed gel. A natural polysaccharide that gives soft, flexible hold in curl products.
Secondary ingredientLower 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 holdA polysaccharide film stays softer than a synthetic one as it dries, which is what leaves a curl defined but still able to move.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what keeps flyaways lying down without stiffness.
May not suitMaximum-hold stylingGum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.
- gum
- film former
- botanical extract
-
12
Avena Sativa (Oat) Peptide
General function
A short-chain oat protein used for conditioning and a soothing claim.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairUnhydrolysed protein is too large to enter the strand. It sits on the surface, which is a coating effect rather than internal reinforcement.
- protein
- 13 Olive Glycerides
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
14
Caprylyl Glycol
General function
A gentle preservative helper that also holds a little moisture.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitVery dry or highly damaged hairHumectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA 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.
- preservative
- humectant
-
15
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.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
Scientific ReportsMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairBinds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairWater moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.
- humectant
-
16
Glyceryl Oleate
General function
An emulsifier that also softens, often added to make a cleanser feel less stripping.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- emulsifier
- emollient
-
17
Trideceth-12
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
18
C11-15 Alketh-7
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
19
Laureth-9
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
20
Cetrimonium Chloride
General function
A quick-acting conditioning agent that reduces static and combing force. It also helps keep the formula stable.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of Cosmetic ScienceMay suitFine or easily flattened hairThe C16 quat binds mostly by charge rather than by chain, so it deposits measurably less than the C22 ones. Less deposit is less conditioning and also less weight, which is usually the trade fine hair wants.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSubstantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
- conditioning agent
- cleanser
- 21 Glyceryl Linolenate
-
22
Glyceryl Linoleate
General function
A fatty ester. Esters give slip and a smooth after-feel; lighter ones read dry and silky, heavier ones read rich.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
23
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 zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesHolds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe 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 hairWhere a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
24
Disodium EDTA
General function
Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise the formula.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesBinds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.
May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairCopper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.
- hard-water chelator
-
25
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
26
Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
-
27
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
-
28
Fragrance
· Parfum (Fragrance)
General function
An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
29
Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
-
30
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 zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne 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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
What the whole list adds up to
- 6 emollients
- 5 preservatives
- 4 botanical extracts
- 4 emulsifiers
- 3 light esters
- 3 solubilizers
- 2 solvents
- 2 thickeners
- 2 conditioning agents
- 2 cleansers
- 2 film formers
- 2 humectants
- 2 hard-water chelators
- 2 fragrances
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-12. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 1.7 oz
Seen at
$8.50
Good value under
$1
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $1 line; products that do this job typically go for about $4 at this size.
Sizes
1.7 ozmost listed
$8.50
$5.00/oz
8.45 oz
$28.49
$3.37/oz
The 8.45 oz costs 33% less per ounce than the 1.7 oz.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores
1.7 ozmost listed
-
Brand website
$8.501.7 oz · $5.00/ozSep 12Lowest per oz
8.45 ozBest per ounce
-
Dressinn.com
$28.498.45 oz · $3.37/ozSep 12Lowest per ozSale · was $31.66
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
- 1.7 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 $8.50 is the price we have observed for the 1.7 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $1 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.77/oz; at 1.7 oz that is $1. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
- About $4 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 1.7 oz.
Formula
10
Formula score
10 of 10
This is a complete conditioner formula. It is also above the range for conditioners per ounce, with 5 close matches selling for meaningfully less.
How the score is counted
- 5 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 86% of the 689 conditioners we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 6 things a conditioner should do
- Drugstore tier, sold at Brand website
- Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.3 pts
- Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
- Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
- A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
- A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.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.
Not Your Mother'sClosest function
Aura Boost Anti-Frizz Conditioner
$0.85/oz $3.34/oz less
- Medium weight
- Budget
- Function
- Also
Kristin EssClose function
Strengthening Conditioner
$1.24/oz $2.95/oz less
- Medium weight
- Budget
- Function
- Also
L'Oreal Paris ElviveLowest cost per oz
Elvive Dream Lengths Conditioner for Long, Damaged Hair
$0.39/oz $3.80/oz less
- Medium weight
- Budget
- Function
- Also
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, not the lowest costBest user
People who want maximum slip, looking for real detangling slip and a formula with no drying alcohol
Biggest tradeoff
Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or anyone who wants to pick it up locally
Best alternative if not
Not Your Mother's Aura Boost Anti-Frizz 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.
2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
92% natural-origin ingredients
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.
Color-safe, vegan, sulfate-free, paraben-free, made without gluten
No sulfate detergents appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Gentler on colour and coils.
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.
Can be overly moisturizing for very thin or fine hair causing excessive conditioning
Delivers a clean fresh fragrance that reviewers consistently praise
Provides moisture and hydration without weighing down thin or fine hair types
Improves frizz control and creates soft silky smooth hair with exceptional shine
More from Paul Mitchell
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.
- 5 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 4 editorial), last checked 2026-09-12.
- Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 16 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 2026-09-12.