Finishing Spray
Styler / Hairspray, polymer-set
- Styler
- hairspray
- Sulfate-free
- Lightweight
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
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: paulmitchell.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 22 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.
Show all 22 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.
Start your consultation$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.
Your avoid-list
Upper-mid price for a hairspray
$2.91/oz at 9.1 oz, more than 55% of the 242 hairsprays , which mostly run $1.61–3.87/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Maybe skip if
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.
Synthetic hold polymers, the firmest kind of hold.
Film formers with little to soften them, so expect a cast to scrunch out.
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
No absorbent powders or starches.
No oils or butters in the list.
Fast-drying alcohol in the first three ingredients.
Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.
Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.
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.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol Denat.Alcohol Denat. (SD Alcohol 40-B) | drying alcohol | Sets the style fast, which is also why it can feel dry | Drying |
| Hydrofluorocarbon 152aHydrofluorocarbon152a | propellant | Pushes the product out of the can | Neutral |
| Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate CopolymerActylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract | botanical extract | A plant extract, there as much for marketing as for function | Neutral |
| Keratin | protein | Firms up soft, over-stretchy hair | Protein |
| Hydrolyzed Keratin | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Protein |
| Oxidized Keratin | protein | Firms up soft, over-stretchy hair | Protein |
| Cyclotetrasiloxane | silicone | Smooths the cuticle and adds shine | Buildup |
| Cyclopentasiloxane | silicone | A little smoothing and shine | Buildup |
| PEG/PPG-17/18 Dimethicone | emulsifier | Stabilises the mix | Buildup |
| Phenyl Trimethicone | silicone | A little smoothing and shine | Buildup |
| Amp-Isostearoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein | conditioning agent | Adds slip, lower in the list | Protein |
Full ingredient list (27)
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
Alcohol Denat.
· Alcohol Denat. (SD Alcohol 40-B)
General function
Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on the list.
Role in this product typeIn hairspray, denatured alcohol acts as a fast-evaporating solvent that carries the styling polymers and helps distribute them in a fine spray. As it evaporates, the polymers remain on the hair to form the hold film.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Cosmetic Ingredient ReviewMay suitFine or easily flattened hairMay suit hair that needs a fast-drying, lightweight spray base rather than an oil- or wax-led finish.
May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairPorous hair gives water up easily as it is; a fast-evaporating solvent high on the list accelerates that.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairConsider if hair is very dry or highly damaged: when alcohol is this prominent, the fast-evaporating base may leave the hair feeling drier.
- drying alcohol
- solvent
-
2
Hydrofluorocarbon 152a
· Hydrofluorocarbon152a
General function
A non-flammable aerosol propellant used in dry shampoos and finishing sprays.
Leading ingredientPubChemListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- propellant
-
3
Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
· Actylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
General function
A firm hold polymer used in hairsprays and gels. It holds well in humidity and brushes out.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- film former
- polymer
-
4
Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract
General function
White ginger lily extract, used at low levels for scent association and label appeal.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- botanical extract
-
5
Keratin
General function
The protein hair is made of. On the outside of the strand it fills gaps and firms up the feel for a few washes.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May not suitProtein-sensitive hairA large surface-depositing protein. If protein reliably makes your hair feel rigid, this is the form most likely to do it.
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
-
6
Hydrolyzed Keratin
General function
Fragments of the same protein hair is made of. They fill gaps on damaged strands and make hair feel firmer for a few washes.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
International Journal of Cosmetic ScienceMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairFilling 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 stylingFilm 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 hairSize decides where it goes. In fibre testing, fractions around 221 and 2,577 Da reached the cortex while a 75,440 Da fraction stayed on the surface. A label prints the name, never the size, so a protein line is a claim about the ingredient rather than about the depth.
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
-
7
Oxidized Keratin
General function
Keratin treated to make it water-soluble so it can be formulated. It deposits on damaged areas and firms the feel for a few washes.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May not suitProtein-sensitive hairA large surface-depositing protein. If protein reliably makes your hair feel rigid, this is the form most likely to do it.
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
-
8
Cyclotetrasiloxane
General function
A very light evaporating silicone used as a spreading agent.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesIt leaves the hair by evaporating rather than by being washed off, so it is not part of what accumulates.
May 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 suitFine or easily flattened hairA cyclic silicone evaporates after it has spread the formula, so it carries the other ingredients without leaving weight behind.
- silicone
- emollient
-
9
Cyclopentasiloxane
General function
A light, fast-evaporating silicone that spreads other ingredients then leaves. It gives serums their weightless glide.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
PubChemMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesIt leaves the hair by evaporating rather than by being washed off, so it is not part of what accumulates.
May 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 suitFine or easily flattened hairA cyclic silicone evaporates after it has spread the formula, so it carries the other ingredients without leaving weight behind.
- silicone
- emollient
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
10
Aminomethyl Propanol
General function
A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic hold polymers so they thicken and set properly.
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.
PubChemDependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairpH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.
- pH adjuster
-
11
Water
· Water (Aqua, Eau)
- solvent
-
12
PEG/PPG-17/18 Dimethicone
General function
A water-soluble silicone that smooths and helps other silicones spread, without the build-up concern.
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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesThe 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 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 hairDelivers the slip and surface smoothing of a silicone without needing a detergent wash to remove it afterwards.
- emulsifier
- silicone
- water-soluble silicone
-
13
Phenyl Trimethicone
General function
A high-refractive silicone used specifically for visible shine in serums and finishing oils.
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 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 hairLays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.
- silicone
- emollient
-
14
Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate
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
-
15
Triethyl Citrate
General function
A citrate ester used to stabilise fragrance and support the preservative system.
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.
PubChemDependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairpH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.
- pH adjuster
- preservative
-
16
Amp-Isostearoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
General function
A protein given a positive charge so it deposits where hair is damaged. It conditions and adds temporary firmness in one ingredient.
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 hairA cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm 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 hairHydrolysed 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.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
-
17
Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl PG-Propyl Dimethicone
General function
An amino silicone used in heat-protection and smoothing products for a durable film.
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 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 hairLays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.
- silicone
- conditioning agent
-
18
PEG-12 Dimethicone
General function
A water-soluble silicone that smooths without the build-up concern of standard silicones.
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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesThe 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 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 hairDelivers the slip and surface smoothing of a silicone without needing a detergent wash to remove it afterwards.
- emollient
- silicone
- water-soluble silicone
-
19
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
20
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 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
-
21
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
-
22
Benzyl Salicylate
General function
A soft floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.
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
-
23
Hexyl Cinnamal
General function
A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.
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
-
24
Linalool
General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.
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
-
25
Citrus Aurantium Peel Oil
General function
A cold-pressed orange peel oil used for scent. Citrus oils are naturally high in limonene.
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 routinesEssential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
-
26
Linalyl Acetate
General function
A lavender-like fragrance component, related to linalool and listed for the same allergen reason.
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 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
-
27
Pinene
General function
A pine-scented component of essential oils, declared as part of the fragrance.
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
What the whole list adds up to
- 8 fragrances
- 6 silicones
- 5 emollients
- 5 named fragrance allergens
- 4 proteins
- 3 film formers
- 2 solvents
- 2 botanical extracts
- 2 hydrolysed proteins
- 2 pH adjusters
- 2 water-soluble silicones
- 2 preservatives
- 1 drying alcohol
- 1 propellant
Ingredient list captured 2026-10-07. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 9.1 oz
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $14 line; products that do this job typically go for about $24 at this size.
Sizes
The 10 oz costs 17% less per ounce than the 9.1 oz.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it8 listings · 8 stores
9.1 ozusual store size
-
Beauty Supply 123
$23.999.5 oz · $2.52/ozOct 7Lowest per oz
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Target
$27.009.5 oz · $2.84/ozOct 7
-
JCPenney
$27.009.5 oz · $2.84/ozOct 7
-
Ulta Beauty
$27.009.1 oz · $2.97/ozOct 7
-
Sephora
$27.009.1 oz · $2.97/ozOct 7
-
John Paul Mitchell Systems
$27.009.1 oz · $2.97/ozOct 7
-
Paul Mitchell (brand site)
$28.009.1 oz · $3.08/ozOct 7
10 ozBest per ounce
-
Total Beauty Experience
$24.0010 oz · $2.40/ozOct 7Lowest per oz
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
- 9.1 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.
- Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 9.1 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
- Good value under $14 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.58/oz; at 9.1 oz that is $14. 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 $24 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 9.1 oz.
Formula
Nothing separates this from the middle of the range for hairsprays, on formula or on cost per ounce.
How the score is counted
- 3 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 55% of the 242 hairsprays we’ve priced
- No no drying alcohol in the first three in the formula
- Salon tier, sold at Brand website
- A hold systemThe polymer, gum, or wax that holds the shape.3 pts
- Softeners alongside the holdWhat keeps a film flexible instead of brittle.2 pts
- No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.2 pts
- A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
- A humidity claim with a mechanismThe claim has a film former or silicone behind it.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.
- Protein
- Lightweight
- Function
- Also
- Protein
- Medium weight
- Function
- Also
- Protein
- Lightweight
- Flexible hold
- Function
- Also
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
Final decision
Should you buy it?
Only for a specific needSoft, over-stretchy hair, for protein high in the formula and defined, clumped curls
Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or hair that stiffens on protein
Keratin Complex Flex Hold Hairspray 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.
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.
- 2 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-10-07.
- Ingredient references are linked for 10 of 23 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 2026-10-07.
