Plumps up strands with lightweight thickening ingredients
It reads light on the strand, which is what volume claims depend on.
- Polyimide-1
Supported
Leaves room for lift.
Paul Mitchell
Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Spray - 6.8 oz
Styler / Volumizer, light-hold
- Styler
- volumizer
- spray
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size6.8 fl oz
Price$21.50seen at one store · 6.8 oz
Price / oz$3.16/ozat 6.8 oz
Where to buy2 stores · $21.50–21.50
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.
Listing used for research: ulta.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 23 factors we check.
- A personalized routine built around your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
- 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.
Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Straight–Wavy
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Hold (as stated)
Light
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
High
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
Present
Not in your profile
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Essential oils
Present
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Aerosol can
Pump or tube
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Air-sets
Not in your profile
Humidity resistance
None
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
Present
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
18 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Masstige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Ulta · Brand website
Not in your profile
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
Lower cost than most volumizers
$3.16/oz at 6.8 oz, less than 77% of the 143 volumizers , which mostly run $3.31–9.38/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Maybe skip if
this product has a scent
Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
Styles that must holdthe brand states a light hold at most
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
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.
Hold (as stated)
Light
A light hold, as stated by the brand.
Hold system
Synthetic polymer
Synthetic hold polymers, the firmest kind of hold.
Cast risk
Likely
Film formers with little to soften them, so expect a cast to scrunch out.
Weight on the hair
Light
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
Humidity resistance
Not claimed
No humidity claim on the label.
Oil absorption
None
No absorbent powders or starches.
Oils and butters
None
No oils or butters in the list.
Fast-drying alcohol
None
No fast-drying alcohol in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
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. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterAqua | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Polyimide-1 | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil | botanical extract | A plant extract, there as much for marketing as for function | Fragrance |
| Panthenol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Detangles |
| Butylene Glycol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Cetrimonium Chloride | conditioning agent | Conditions and softens so hair combs through | Detangles |
| Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride | conditioning agent | Conditions and softens so hair combs through | Detangles |
| Citric Acid | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
| Triethyl Citrate | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
| DMDM Hydantoin | formaldehyde releaser | — | Stabilizes |
| Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| FragranceParfum | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label.
Full ingredient list (18)
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
Water
· Aqua
General function
The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
Polyimide-1
General function
A flexible hold polymer used for touchable styling and humidity resistance.
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
-
3
Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil
General function
Tea tree essential oil, used in scalp products for its sharp scent and traditional clarifying reputation.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
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
-
4
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.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairIt hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.
- humectant
- conditioning agent
- vitamin
-
5
Butylene Glycol
General function
A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- humectant
- solvent
-
6
Cetrimonium Chloride
General function
A quick-acting conditioning agent that reduces static and combing force. It also helps keep the formula stable.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
International Journal of Cosmetic ScienceMay suitFine or easily flattened hairThe C16 quat binds mostly by charge rather than by chain, so it deposits measurably less than the C22 ones. Less deposit is less conditioning and also less weight, which is usually the trade fine hair wants.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSubstantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
- conditioning agent
- cleanser
-
7
Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride
General function
A conditioning agent that binds to hair and is also used to help shield it from sun exposure.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairSunlight oxidises hair pigment, and on gray, silver or lightened hair that shows up as yellowing. A UV filter on the label absorbs some of the light that drives it.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairThe class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.
- conditioning agent
- UV filter
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
8
Citric Acid
General function
Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesHolds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.
May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairWhere a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
9
Polysorbate 20
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
-
10
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
-
11
DMDM Hydantoin
- formaldehyde releaser
- preservative
-
12
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
- preservative
-
13
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
-
14
Citral
General function
A lemon-scented 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
-
15
Geraniol
General function
A rose-scented fragrance component, listed on its own 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.
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
-
16
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
-
17
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
-
18
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
What the whole list adds up to
- 7 fragrances
- 5 named fragrance allergens
- 3 preservatives
- 2 solvents
- 2 humectants
- 2 conditioning agents
- 2 pH adjusters
- 1 film former
- 1 polymer
- 1 botanical extract
- 1 essential oil
- 1 conditioning agent
- 1 vitamin
- 1 cleanser
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 6.8 oz
Seen at
$21.50
Good value under
$7
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $7 line; products that do this job typically go for about $10 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 2 stores
How we work this out
- 6.8 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
- Seen at $21.50 is the price we have observed for the 6.8 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $7 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.97/oz; at 6.8 oz that is $7. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $10 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 6.8 oz.
Formula
7
Formula score
7 of 10
Not the most complete volumizer formula we have read, but it is under most of the range for volumizers per ounce.
How the score is counted
- 5 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs less per ounce than 77% of the 143 volumizers we’ve priced
- No softeners alongside the hold in the formula
- Reviewers mention 2 recurring complaints
- 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.
Mielle OrganicsLowest cost per oz
Pomegranate & Honey Air Dry Styler Gel
$0.38/oz $2.78/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- Differs
Not Your Mother'sSame function
Curl Talk Fragrance & Protein Free Sculpting Gel
$1.60/oz $1.56/oz less
- Fragrance-free
- Unscented
- Protein-free
- Differs
Mielle OrganicsClose function
Pomegranate & Honey Air Dry Styling Lotion
$0.97/oz $2.19/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- 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?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and real detangling slip
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, anyone who will not scrunch out a cast, or styles that have to hold all day
Best alternative if not
Mielle Organics Pomegranate & Honey Air Dry Styler Gel, 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, and what the formula shows
Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.
2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Grips fine hair for added control
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Delivers light, clean hold
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Fresh, no-product feel
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Color safe, paraben-free, gluten-free
No parabens appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Preserved without parabens.
How to read this
We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
Reviewers
What people report
Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.
Several reviewers praise the spray's pleasant scent, and some say it is its main appeal.
Reviewers across hair typesSome reviewers say the spray left hair greasy-looking, stringy, or drier with repeated use.
Reviewers across hair typesSeveral longtime users say the reformulated spray no longer works like the old version.
Longtime users of earlier bottlesSome reviewers say the lift holds all day, while others say volume fades within about an hour.
Reviewers across hair typesMany reviewers with fine or thin hair say it adds fullness, though several others say it did little for them.
Reviewers with fine or thin hairMore 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, 2 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
- Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 14 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 2026-08-27.
