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Paul Mitchell

Clear Smoothing Serum (Blowout Primer)

Finisher / Serum, glossing

  • Finisher
  • serum
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size5.1 fl oz
Price$12 Good valueseen at one store · 5.1 oz
Price / oz$2.35/ozat 5.1 oz
Where to buy2 stores · $12.00–31.00

Scent:

No added fragrance, no scenting essential oils, and no declared fragrance allergens on the list.

“fragrance-free” — Brand page

Manufacturer page: paulmitchell.com

Personal fit

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Lower cost than most serums

$2.35/oz at 5.1 oz — less than 87% of the 79 serums , which mostly run $3.27–14.46/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

no fragrance (parfum) on the label
free of strong smells
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Dull-looking haira recognised shine system is present
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Aerosol avoidancea pump or tube, not a pressurised can

Maybe skip if

Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
If scent matters to younothing is added here

Whether a finisher this rich will read as shine or as grease depends on your strand thickness and oil rate — 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.

Shine system Silicone serum

A silicone or oil blend does the shine work here.

Weight on the hair Medium

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

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.

Fast-drying alcohol None

No fast-drying alcohol in the list.

Fragrance None listed

No fragrance is listed.

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
Isododecane solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Shine
Dimethicone silicone The shine system Buildup
Dimethiconol silicone The shine system Buildup
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, drying alcohols, or fragrance. No protein — a moisture formula, not a repair one. Water-insoluble silicones — needs a detergent wash to remove.
Full ingredient list (3)

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 Isododecane
    General function

    A fast-evaporating carrier that lets oils and polymers spread thinly, then leaves nothing behind.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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
    • solvent
    • emollient
  • 2 Dimethicone
    General function

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

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

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

    Lays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Dimethicone does not disperse in water. On a routine that skips detergent it stays on the hair and accumulates wash after wash.

    • silicone
    • emollient
    • conditioning agent
  • 3 Dimethiconol
    General function

    A high-shine silicone often paired with dimethicone for a smoother, glossier finish.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

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

    Lays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Dimethicone does not disperse in water. On a routine that skips detergent it stays on the hair and accumulates wash after wash.

    PubChem
    • silicone
    • emollient

What the whole list adds up to

  • 3 emollients
  • 2 silicones
  • 1 solvent
  • 1 conditioning agent

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 5.1 oz

Seen at $12 1 store · checked Aug 30
Good value under $21 Under $4.12/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 7 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $21 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $27 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 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. 5.1 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
  2. Seen at $12 is the price we have observed for the 5.1 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $21 comes from the 7 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $4.12/oz; at 5.1 oz that is $21. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $27 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 5.1 oz.

Formula

Formula score
9 of 10

It carries the working systems a serum needs and still sits in the lower part of the price range for serums per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • Costs less per ounce than 87% of the 79 serums we’ve priced
  • Covers 5 of the 6 things a serum should do
  • Reviewers mention 4 things they like about how it performs
  • Salon tier, sold at Amazon and Ulta
  • A shine systemThe silicone, oil, or ester that produces gloss.3 pts
  • A weightless carrierDelivers the shine without leaving grease.2 pts
  • Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
  • An antioxidantKeeps the oils in the bottle from going off.1 pt
  • No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.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

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.

Paul MitchellSame function Clear Smoothing Serum $14.12/oz $11.77/oz more
  • Fragrance-free
  • Unscented
  • Protein-free
Differs
  • Vegan
  • Drugstore tier
Compare
Kenra ProfessionalSame function Platinum Silkening Gloss $14.50/oz $12.15/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Shine
  • Humidity
Differs
  • 2 oz bottle
Compare
Paul MitchellLowest cost per oz Super Skinny Serum $4.17/oz $1.82/oz more
  • Heat protect
  • Protein-free
  • Alcohol-free
· Close function
Differs
  • Sold online
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?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

People sensitive to fragrance, looking for a formula with no added fragrance and a product with no scent

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to curly-method routines, people shopping on a budget, or anyone who wants a product to smell of something

Best alternative if not

Nothing in our library matches it closely 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.

3
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
fragrance-free

No fragrance is listed.

—

Supported

Safer for scent-sensitive scalps.

dye-free

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

dermatologist-tested

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.

speeds up drying time

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

smooths hair, fights frizz

Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.

  • Dimethicone
  • Dimethiconol
Supported

Smoother strands, less frizz.

adds shine

The formula carries a recognised shine system — silicone, oil, or light ester.

  • Dimethicone
  • Dimethiconol
Supported

Reflects light for visible shine.

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.

Frizz-proofing in humidity

Reviewer 'Aubrey' (New York) compared it favorably to a scented alternative: 'So glad they made a fragrance-free super skinny serum... it's just as good at frizz-proofing my hair in humid weather.'

Smooths color-treated hair

Reviewer 'Cathy' said her colored-treated hair 'feels like silk' and that the product 'removes any frizz.'

First fragrance-free serum that actually controls frizz

Reviewer 'Gena' (Chicago, IL) wrote 'This is the first fragrance free option I've found that actually works! It controls my frizz' — speaks directly to the fragrance-free value proposition.

Works well for allergy-prone users

Third-party reviewer (Trustpilot, via a UK reseller) wrote 'Excellent product for those of us with allergies, only 3 ingredients, works well.'

Made hair drier and frizzier for one user

Reviewer 'Fera' (Virginia) reported she 'had to stop using this after the second use due to making my hair extremely dry and frizzy' — a minority negative result worth noting.

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.
  • 4 sources consulted for this product (2 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-27.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 2 of 3 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
  • We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
  • Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
  • Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-08-27.

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