Paul Mitchell Lemon Sage Thickening Treatment — 5.1 oz container

Paul Mitchell

Lemon Sage Thickening Treatment

Mask / Weekly treatment, lean

Mask / treatment
multi
Sulfate-free
Vegan · label states
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed

Size5.1 fl oz

Priceabout $24commonly seen · 5.1 oz

Price / oz$4.71/ozat 5.1 oz

Where to buy4 stores · $24.00–24.00

Scent:

Notes: citrus, herbal, lemon, mint, sage.

Manufacturer page: paulmitchell.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types All types Not in your profile

Moisture level Low Not in your profile

Time on the hair Short 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 Moderate Not in your profile

Scent Mint & herbal · CitrusStrength not recorded Not in your profile

Show all 22 factors we check

The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.

Parabens / preservatives Present Not in your profile

Essential oils Present Not in your profile

Fast-drying alcohol Moderate 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 None Not in your profile

UV filter None listed Not in your profile

pH adjusted Adjusted Not in your profile

Ingredient list 51 ingredientsA long list Not in your profile

Price tier Salon Not in your profile

Where to buy it Manufacturer · Salons 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.

Upper-mid price for a treatment

$4.71/oz at 5.1 oz — more than 64% of the 341 masks and treatments , which mostly run $1.63–5.59/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet

Short shower windowsit works in ten minutes or less

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

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

Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether your hair needs moisture, protein, or bond repair right now depends on your damage history and how your hair behaves wet — 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.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Weight on the hair Medium

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

Protein Minor

Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient.

Water-binding (humectants) Low

Humectants appear, but low enough to be a minor part.

Slip and detangling High

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

Time on the hair 1–3 min

A short wait — it fits inside an ordinary shower.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

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

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
WaterWater (Aqua, Eau)	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Polyquaternium-116	conditioning agent	Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through	Detangles
Propoxytetramethyl Piperdinyl Dimethicone	silicone	Smooths the cuticle and adds shine	Buildup
Peg-7 Dimethicone	emulsifier	Keeps oil and water mixed	Buildup
Stearyl Alcohol	fatty alcohol	Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol	Softens
Cetyl Alcohol	fatty alcohol	Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol	Softens
Isododecane	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Softens
Isohexadecane	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Softens
Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil	botanical extract	A trace plant extract	Fragrance
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein	film former	A supporting film former	Protein
Isopropyl Alcohol	drying alcohol	A small amount, for fast drying	Drying
FragranceFragrance (Parfum)	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance

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. Contains fast-drying alcohol.

Full ingredient list (51)

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 · Water (Aqua, 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 Polyquaternium-116

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.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
3 Propoxytetramethyl Piperdinyl Dimethicone

General function
A silicone. Silicones coat the strand for slip, shine and frizz control; unless the name carries PEG or PPG, removing one takes a detergent rather than water.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- silicone
- conditioning agent
4 Peg-7 Dimethicone

General function
A silicone made water-soluble by ethoxylation. It smooths and adds slip, and rinses out with water rather than needing a detergent.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- emulsifier
- silicone
- water-soluble silicone
5 Stearyl Alcohol

General function
A fatty alcohol that thickens conditioners and helps them coat the hair evenly.

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
The waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

DependsFine or easily flattened hair
Near the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.

PubChem
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
6 Cetyl Alcohol

General function
A fatty alcohol used to thicken creams and add slip. It softens rather than dries.

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
The waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

DependsFine or easily flattened hair
Near the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.

PubChem
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
7 Isododecane

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

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
Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

PubChem
- solvent
- emollient
8 Isohexadecane

General function
A light, quickly evaporating carrier that spreads silicones and oils thinly, then leaves.

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
Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- solvent
- emollient
▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
9 Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil

General function
Tea tree essential oil, used in scalp products for its sharp scent and traditional clarifying reputation.

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
Essential 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
10 Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract
- botanical extract
11 Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Extract
- botanical extract
12 Nymphaea Alba Root Extract
- botanical extract
13 Beta Vulgaris (Beet) Root Extract

General function
Beetroot extract, used at low levels for moisture claims and natural colour.

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
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
14 Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

General function
A light plant protein that adds body and shine, popular in volume products.

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
15 Panthenol

General function
Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine 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 suitFine or easily flattened hair
It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

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.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

PubChem
- humectant
- conditioning agent
- vitamin
16 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 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
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
17 Lactic Acid

General function
An acid used to set pH and, in scalp products, to loosen flakes.

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
- pH adjuster
- humectant
- exfoliant
18 Sorbitol

General function
A sugar-based humectant that adds moisture and a slight cushiony feel.

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
19 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
20 Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

General function
A light, refined coconut-derived oil that spreads easily and does not go rancid. It gives slip without a heavy feel.

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
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
21 Myristyl Alcohol

General function
A fatty alcohol used to build texture in creams and add a light smoothing layer.

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
The waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

PubChem
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
22 Magnesium Nitrate
- salt
23 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
24 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
25 Hydroxypropyl Guar

General function
A modified guar gum used to thicken and give a slippery, cushioned feel.

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
Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
A styling polymer dries into a film across the strands, which is what makes a shape hold instead of relax.
- gum
- thickener
- polymer
26 Hydroxyethylcellulose

General function
A cellulose thickener that gives gels and conditioners their body and adds a soft, flexible film.

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
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.

PubChem
- gum
- thickener
- film former
27 Sodium Acetate

General function
A buffering salt used to hold the formula at a steady pH.

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.

DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
pH 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.
- salt
- pH adjuster
28 Trideceth-6
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
29 Laureth-7
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
30 C11-15 Alketh-7 · C11-C15 Alketh-7
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
31 Cellulose

General function
Plant fibre used to thicken and give body to a 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 suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.
- thickener
- gum
32 Polysorbate 20
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
33 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
34 Magnesium Chloride
- salt
35 Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
36 Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
37 Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- isothiazolinone
- preservative
38 Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
39 Methylisothiazolinone
- isothiazolinone
- preservative
40 Fragrance · Fragrance (Parfum)

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

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

May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines
Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
41 Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil

General function
A cold-pressed citrus oil used for a fresh scent; naturally high in limonene.

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
Essential 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
42 Geranyl Acetate

General function
A rose-scented fragrance component related to geraniol.

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
One 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
43 Hexyl Cinnamal

General function
A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

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
One 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.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
44 Lavandula Oil/Extract
- botanical extract
- essential oil
45 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 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
One 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.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
46 Linalool

General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.

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
One 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.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
47 Linalyl Acetate

General function
A lavender-like fragrance component, related to linalool and listed for the same allergen reason.

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
One 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
48 Pinene

General function
A pine-scented component of essential oils, declared as part of the fragrance.

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
49 Rose Ketones

General function
An individual aroma chemical. It is part of the product's fragrance; brands that print these are disclosing more of the blend than the rules require.

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
50 Terpineol

General function
A lilac-like fragrance component found naturally in several essential oils.

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
51 Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes

General function
A synthetic musk or woody-amber note used as a fragrance base.

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

What the whole list adds up to

12 fragrances
7 solvents
7 botanical extracts
7 humectants
6 emollients
5 emulsifiers
5 thickeners
5 preservatives
5 named fragrance allergens
4 solubilizers
3 film formers
3 fatty alcohols
3 essential oils
3 salts

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-24. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 5.1 oz

Commonly seen about $24 Midpoint $24 · 3 stores · checked Aug 30

Show the price ladder

Price for 5.1 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 4 stores

Ulta Beauty
$24.00

5.1 oz · $4.71/oz

Aug 30Lowest per oz
John Paul Mitchell Systems
$24.00

5.1 oz · $4.71/oz

Aug 30
JCPenney
$24.00

5.1 oz · $4.71/oz

Aug 30
Paul Mitchell (brand site)
$24.00

5.1 oz

Aug 24

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

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.
Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 5.1 oz at recognised stores — the cheapest quarter and the dearest quarter are left out, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
About $18 is what masks and treatments typically cost at this size. Too few of the products that do the same job carry a price for us to draw a good-value line.

Formula

Formula score

7 of 10

Nothing separates this from the middle of the range for masks and treatments, on formula or on cost per ounce.

How the score is counted

2 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
Costs more per ounce than 64% of the 341 masks and treatments we’ve priced
No rich emollients in the formula
Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs

Rich emollientsThe depth a treatment step is built around.3 pts
Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.2 pts
Protein or amino acidsThe strengthening side of a treatment.2 pts
A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
A stated dwell timeThe brand says how long to leave it on.1 pt
Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score 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.

Marc AnthonyLowest cost per oz Grow Long Anti-Breakage Mask $1.06/oz $3.65/oz less

Medium weight
Budget

· Close function

Function: Oils and butters
Hard-water defence
Film formers
Also: Drugstore tier
10 oz bottle

Compare

L'Oreal ProfessionnelClose function Serie Expert Metal Detox Mask $3.30/oz $1.41/oz less

Protein-free
Medium weight
Widely sold

Function: Water-binding (humectants)
Protein
Film formers
Also: Fresh scent, not mint
8.5 oz bottle
Sold in drugstores and mass retail

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

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person

Best user

People who want maximum slip — for real detangling slip and a treatment that fits inside a shower

Biggest tradeoff

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

Best alternative if not

Consider Marc Anthony Grow Long Anti-Breakage Mask, 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.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

adds volume/fullness

A mid-weight formula: it will not flatten fine hair, but lift is not its main job.

Polyquaternium-116
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Partly supported

Neutral on lift.

locks in moisture and protects from damage

Humectants and emollients are present, but lower in the list than the claim implies.

Stearyl Alcohol
Cetyl Alcohol
Isododecane

Partly supported

Some hydration, at a low level.

won't weigh down fine hair

A mid-weight formula: light on coarse hair, noticeable on fine hair.

Water
Propoxytetramethyl Piperdinyl Dimethicone
Peg-7 Dimethicone

Partly supported

Depends how fine your hair is.

vegan

Our researched record has this brand or product as vegan.

—

Supported

Matches our researched record.

gluten-free

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

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.

Noticeable thickening after just 5 minutes; fresh lemon-sage scent praised

Thickens in the shower! - mixed with the freshness of the lemon and sage, this thickening treatment smells so good

Delivers volume and softness for fine hair though does not add curl definition; considered worth the price

Great volume and softness! - nice volume and softness after three applications, did not enhance curl definition

Hair feels fuller and softer even during rinsing after just two uses

Silky - hair already feels so much fuller and softer

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.
3 sources consulted for this product (3 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
Ingredient references are linked for 16 of 32 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 2026-08-25.

Lemon Sage Thickening Treatment

Is this right for you?

Read from the label, not the marketing

The ingredients that change a decision

What the whole list adds up to

Should you buy it?

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

What people report

More from Paul Mitchell

How this page was made

Your personalized hair plan