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
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?
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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, then reads every factor in this table against it — and tells you where this product fits, or what to use instead.
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Your avoid-list
Priced with its peers
$3.16/oz at 6.8 oz — less than 70% of the 64 volumizers , which mostly run $3–6.80/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 carries 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 of the hold systems.
Cast risk
Likely
Film formers without much softening them — 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. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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, marketed as much as functional | 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 — this is what makes it comb through | Detangles |
| Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride | conditioning agent | Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb 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)
US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.
-
1
Water
· Aqua
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 hydrates without contributing weight.
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 this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically 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 — 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 $15 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 $15 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
Nothing separates this from the middle of the range for volumizers, on formula or on cost per ounce.
How the score is counted
- 4 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs less per ounce than 70% of the 64 volumizers we’ve priced
- No softeners alongside the hold in the formula
- Reviewers mention 4 things they like about how it performs
- 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 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.
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
$1.56/oz $1.60/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 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?
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, against what the formula shows
Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.
2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
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 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.
Makes fine, thin hair look fuller with daily use; user notices the difference when they stop using it
reviewer with straight, fine hairReliable daily volumizer for fine, thin strands; repeat purchaser
reviewer, hair type unspecifiedLong-term daily user says it works consistently whether hair is air-dried or roller-set
reviewer with straight hair, repeat buyerLightweight and non-sticky even in humid weather; recommended for age/menopause-related thinning
reviewer describing thinning hairSmells pleasant and works, but hair gets greasier faster with continued/prolonged use
general reviewerMore 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.
- 1 source consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-27.
- Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 14 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.