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Paul Mitchell

Clean Beauty Repair Conditioner

Conditioner / Light rinse-out, detangling

  • Conditioner
  • Sulfate-free
  • Moisture-rich
  • Lightweight
  • Vegan · label states
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size8.5 fl oz
Price$17.95seen at one store · 8.5 oz
Price / oz$2.23/ozat 8.5 oz

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

Manufacturer page: paulmitchell.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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Upper-mid price for a conditioner

$2.23/oz at 8.5 oz — more than 63% of the 689 conditioners , which mostly run $0.91–3.10/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Matte, textured stylesabsorbent powders do the mattifying
Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers
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
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Coarse, very dry hairthis is a light formula for its category
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether this much richness is right for you depends on your strand thickness, porosity, and how easily your hair flattens — 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.

Slip and detangling High

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

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Weight on the hair Light

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

Water-binding (humectants) High

Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.

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.

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 — this is what makes it comb through Detangles
Glycerin humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Potato Starch Modified starch Soaks up oil and adds grip Neutral
Quaternium-87 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
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Hydrolyzed Pea Protein film former A supporting film former Protein
Zinc PCA humectant Adds a little water-binding Active
Isopropyl Alcohol drying alcohol A small amount, for fast drying Drying
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates. Fragrance is on the label. Water-insoluble silicones — needs a detergent wash to remove. Hard-water chelators are present.
Full ingredient list (39)

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 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 type

    In 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 ingredient

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    May 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 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

    Consider if hair is fine or easily flattened: a formula built heavily around fatty alcohols can feel richer than a lightweight conditioner.

    BASF
    • 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 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 Potato Starch Modified
    General function

    A modified starch. It soaks up oil and water and leaves a dry, slightly grippy feel, which is what puts starches in dry shampoos and texture products.

    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

    Adds grip and body with no oil attached, which is what lifts fine hair at the root instead of weighing it down.

    DependsMaximum-hold styling

    Starch gives texture and grip rather than a set film; firm hold usually needs a polymer alongside it.

    • starch
    • absorbent
  • 6 Quaternium-87
    General function

    A plant-derived conditioning agent used for slip and static control.

    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

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

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

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

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

    • conditioning agent
  • 7 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 ingredient

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

    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

    Amino-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 styling

    Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • silicone
    • conditioning agent
    • film former
  • 8 Cetyl Esters
    General function

    A waxy ester blend that replaces spermaceti in creams. It thickens and leaves a smooth, non-greasy finish.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

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

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

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

    • light ester
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 9 Verbascum Densiflorum Flower/Stem Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 10 Helichrysum Italicum Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 11 Cota Tinctoria Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 12 Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract
    General function

    Flaxseed gel. A natural polysaccharide that gives soft, flexible hold in curl products.

    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

    A 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 hair

    A soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what keeps flyaways lying down without stiffness.

    May not suitMaximum-hold styling

    Gum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.

    • gum
    • film former
    • botanical extract
  • 13 Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 14 Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil Unsaponifiables
  • 15 Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract
    General function

    Resurrection plant extract, used for moisture-retention claims.

    Secondary ingredient

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

    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.

    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.

    • botanical extract
    • humectant
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 16 Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
    • preservative
  • 17 Hypnea Musciformis Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 18 Hydrolyzed Pea Protein
    General function

    A plant protein used for strength claims in vegan formulas.

    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

    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
  • 19 Allantoin
    General function

    A soothing ingredient used in scalp formulas.

    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

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    • conditioning agent
  • 20 Lysine Hcl
    General function

    A salt form of the amino acid lysine, used in conditioning blends.

    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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

    DependsProtein-sensitive hair

    The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

    PubChem
    • amino acid
  • 21 Proline
    General function

    An amino acid from hair protein, used in amino-acid conditioning blends.

    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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

    DependsProtein-sensitive hair

    The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

    • amino acid
  • 22 Zinc PCA
    General function

    A zinc salt of a natural moisturising factor, used on the scalp for oil-control and soothing claims.

    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 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

    A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.

    • humectant
    • active
  • 23 Sucrose
    General function

    Table sugar, used as a humectant and, in scrubs, as a physical exfoliant.

    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 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

    A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.

    PubChem
    • humectant
  • 24 Shikimic Acid
  • 25 Isopropyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fast-evaporating alcohol used as a solvent and to speed drying. Well down the list it is a processing aid; near the top it can leave hair feeling dry.

    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

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

    PubChem
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 26 Caprylyl Glycol
    General function

    A gentle preservative helper that also holds a little moisture.

    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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Humectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.

    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
    • preservative
    • humectant
  • 27 Propylene Glycol
    General function

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

    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
  • 28 Citric Acid
    General function

    Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

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

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

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

    The acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

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

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 29 Trideceth-12
    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • 30 Polyquaternium-80
    General function

    A positively charged conditioning polymer. It leaves a thin film that cuts static and eases combing, and it survives rinsing better than a simple conditioner.

    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 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
  • 31 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
  • 32 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 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

    The C16 quat binds mostly by charge rather than by chain, so it deposits measurably less than the C22 ones. Less deposit is less conditioning and also less weight, which is usually the trade fine hair wants.

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

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

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science
    • conditioning agent
    • cleanser
  • 33 Disodium EDTA
    General function

    Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise the formula.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

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

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Binds 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 hair

    Copper 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.

    PubChem
    • hard-water chelator
  • 34 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 35 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 36 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 37 Potassium Gluconate
  • 38 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 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
  • 39 Benzyl Alcohol
    • preservative
    • solvent

What the whole list adds up to

  • 7 humectants
  • 7 botanical extracts
  • 6 preservatives
  • 5 solvents
  • 4 conditioning agents
  • 4 film formers
  • 2 emollients
  • 2 thickeners
  • 2 cleansers
  • 2 conditioning agents
  • 2 amino acids
  • 2 hard-water chelators
  • 1 fatty alcohol
  • 1 starch

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-12. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 8.5 oz

Seen at $17.95 lowest of 2 stores · checked Sep 12
Good value under $8 Under $0.94/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 $8 line; products that do this job typically go for about $25 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
  • Pomelo Beauty
    $17.95
    8.5 oz · $2.11/oz
    Sep 12Lowest per oz
  • Target
    $20.00
    8.5 oz · $2.35/oz
    Sep 12Sale · was $29.00
  • Brand website
    $28.50
    8.5 oz · $3.35/oz
    Sep 12

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 $17.95 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 $8 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.94/oz; at 8.5 oz that is $8. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $25 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
10 of 10

A complete read of the format at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among conditioners, with the working systems present.

How the score is counted
  • 3 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 63% of the 689 conditioners we’ve priced
  • Covers 6 of the 6 things a conditioner should do
  • Salon 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.

PanteneClosest function Pro-V Miracles Bond Repair Keratin + Vitamin E Conditioner $0.92/oz $1.31/oz less
  • Lightweight
  • Alcohol-free
  • Budget
Function
  • Film formers
Also
  • Coconut scent
  • Drugstore tier
  • 10.9 oz bottle
Compare
Kirkland SignatureLowest cost per oz Moisture Conditioner $0.43/oz $1.80/oz less
  • Lightweight
  • Budget
· Close function
Function
  • Oils and butters
  • Film formers
Also
  • Drugstore tier
  • 33.8 oz bottle
Compare
AveenoClose function Fresh Greens Blend Refresh and Thicken Conditioner $0.95/oz $1.28/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Lightweight
  • Budget
Function
  • Protein
  • Film formers
Also
  • Mint scent
  • Drugstore tier
  • 12 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

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person
Best user

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

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or high-damage hair

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
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Reconstructs and protects against physical and chemical damage

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

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Contains amaranth extract and vegan pea protein for strengthening

Our researched record has this brand or product as vegan.

Supported

Matches our researched record.

93% ingredients of natural origin

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-free, paraben-free, vegan, color-safe, gluten-free

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.

A few long-term users report initial softness fading over weeks into dullness, dryness or increased breakage.

Multiple reviewers describe the conditioner as very thick, hard to squeeze out and difficult to distribute through wet hair.

Many reviewers say it leaves damaged or color-treated hair noticeably softer and more nourished with minimal scent.

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 13 of 24 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.