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Phyto

7 Elixir Universal Day Cream

Leave-in / Rich leave-in, heavy

  • Leave-in
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
  • Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size3.38 fl ozusual store size · 2 sizes
Price$27–43commonly seen · 3.38 oz
Price / oz$9.90/ozat 3.38 oz
Where to buy5 stores · 2 sizes

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: us.phyto.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 21 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.

Start your consultation

Same job for less elsewhere

$9.90/oz at 3.38 oz, more than 94% of the 749 leave-ins , which mostly run $1.31–5.50/oz.

View alternatives

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Hair that tangles wetnothing here makes combing easier
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here

Whether this weight suits your hair depends on density, porosity and how much you already layer. That is what the consultation looks at.

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.

Weight on the hair Rich

Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.

Slip and detangling Little

Nothing here is built to reduce combing force.

Water-binding (humectants) High

Humectants near the top: binding water is one of its main jobs.

Oils and butters Present, high in the list

Oils sit high in the list: a softening, coating formula.

Protein None

No protein or amino acids in the list.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Fragrance Prominent

Fragrance is in the first eight ingredients, so it makes up a larger share of the formula.

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.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterAQUA / WATER / EAU solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Propanediol humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Phospholipids emollient Softens and smooths the strand Softens
Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
FragrancePARFUM / FRAGRANCE fragrance The scent Fragrance
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract botanical extract A trace plant extract Neutral
Vanillin fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. Contains heavier butters.
Full ingredient list (30)

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 / WATER / 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 Propanediol
    General function

    A corn-derived humectant and solvent, often chosen as a lighter-feeling alternative to propylene glycol.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.

    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
  • 3 Phospholipids
    General function

    Fat-and-water-loving lipids that help conditioning ingredients bind evenly to the strand.

    Leading ingredient

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

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

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

    • emollient
    • emulsifier
  • 4 Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil
    General function

    A light, soft-feeling oil common in leave-ins and finishing products.

    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

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

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

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    May not suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 5 Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil
    General function

    A light plant oil used to soften and carry other oil-based ingredients.

    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

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

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

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    May not suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 6 Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
    General function

    A light, widely used oil that softens without much weight.

    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

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

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

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    May not suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • oil
    • emollient
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 7 Fragrance · PARFUM / FRAGRANCE
    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
  • 8 Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
    General function

    An extract from the root of Althaea Officinalis. Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.

    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.

    • botanical extract
  • 9 Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Butter
    • butter
    • emollient
    • sealant
  • 10 Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
    • antioxidant
  • 11 SALIX ALBA (WILLOW) LEAF EXTRACT
  • 12 Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 13 Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 14 Arctium Lappa Root Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 15 Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum
    General function

    A plant or fermented gum. Gums thicken a water-based formula and give it a slippery, cushioned feel; in a styler they also contribute soft hold.

    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.

    • gum
    • thickener
  • 16 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 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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Holds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.

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

    The 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 hair

    Where a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 17 GLYCERYL UNDECYLENATE
  • 18 LYSOLECITHIN
  • 19 Sclerotium Gum
    General function

    A fermented gum that thickens and gives 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

    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 helps flyaways lie down.

    May not suitMaximum-hold styling

    Gum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.

    • film former
    • gum
    • thickener
  • 20 Sodium Dehydroacetate
    • preservative
  • 21 Chlorphenesin
    • preservative
  • 22 Glycolipids
    General function

    Sugar-and-fat molecules used as gentle, fermentation-derived emulsifiers and cleansers.

    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

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

    • emulsifier
    • emollient
  • 23 Sodium Phytate
    General function

    A rice-derived chelator that binds hard-water minerals without EDTA.

    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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

    PubChem
    • hard-water chelator
  • 24 Pullulan
    General function

    A fermented sugar polymer that dries to a thin, flexible film — used for light hold and a temporary tightening 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

    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 helps flyaways lie down.

    May not suitMaximum-hold styling

    Gum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.

    • film former
    • gum
  • 25 Xanthan Gum
    General function

    A fermented sugar gum that thickens water-based formulas and adds soft, natural hold.

    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 helps flyaways lie down.

    May not suitMaximum-hold styling

    Gum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.

    • gum
    • thickener
    • film former
  • 26 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 27 Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols
    • amino acid
  • 28 Tocopherol
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 29 Silica
    General function

    A fine mineral powder that absorbs oil and adds grip. It is what makes texture powders and matte pastes feel dry to the touch.

    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 dry powder takes up oil and adds friction between strands, which is most of what root lift in fine hair actually is.

    PubChem
    • powder
    • thickener
    • mineral
  • 30 Vanillin
    General function

    The main scent compound in vanilla, used as a fragrance note.

    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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance

What the whole list adds up to

  • 6 emollients
  • 5 botanical extracts
  • 4 gums
  • 4 thickeners
  • 3 oils
  • 3 film formers
  • 3 preservatives
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 emulsifiers
  • 2 fragrances
  • 2 antioxidants
  • 2 hard-water chelators
  • 1 humectant
  • 1 declared fragrance

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-21. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 3.38 oz

Commonly seen $27–43 Midpoint $33.47 · 4 stores · checked Sep 18
Good value under $3 Under $1.03/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $3 line; products that do this job typically go for about $6 at this size.

Sizes

1.69 oz
$13.25
$7.84/oz
3.38 ozusual store size
$27–42
$9.90/oz

The 1.69 oz costs the least per ounce, 21% less than the 3.38 oz.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it7 listings · 5 stores

3.38 ozusual store sizeBest per ounce

1.69 oz

  • Care to Beauty
    $13.25
    1.69 oz · $7.84/oz
    Sep 18Lowest per ozSale · was $16.57

Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.

How we work this out
  1. 3.38 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
  2. Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 3.38 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
  3. Good value under $3 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.03/oz; at 3.38 oz that is $3. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
  5. About $6 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 3.38 oz.

Formula

Formula score
7 of 10

It costs more per ounce than 94% of the 749 leave-ins we’ve priced, and 4 formulas we score as close matches cost at least a quarter less per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • 4 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 94% of the 749 leave-ins we’ve priced
  • No conditioning agents up front in the formula
  • Prestige tier, sold at Brand website and Specialty beauty
  • Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.2 pts
  • A light baseWater or a volatile carrier first, so it does not weigh hair down.2 pts
  • Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
  • No detergent-dependent filmNothing that needs a clarifying wash to remove.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.

Camille RoseFragrance-free Latte "The Leave-in Collection" $1.89/oz $8.01/oz less
  • Fragrance-free
  • Unscented
  • Protein-free
· Close function
Function
  • Film formers
Also
  • Unscented
  • 9 oz bottle
  • Sold online
Compare
WondercurlClose function Get Slick Hair Smoothie $2.50/oz $7.40/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Rich
Function
  • Film formers
Also
  • Masstige tier
  • 8 oz bottle
Compare
SheaMoistureLowest cost per oz 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Leave In Conditioner $1.12/oz $8.78/oz less
  • Curly method
  • Rich
  • Silicone-free
· Close function
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Protein
Also
  • Sweet scent
  • Drugstore tier
  • 8 oz bottle
Compare

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

Built for curly to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person, not the lowest cost
Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and moisture that stays in

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or soft, over-stretchy hair that needs protein

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.

4
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Its silky, melting texture nourishes lengths and ends while helping keep hair disciplined for up to 48 hours of anti-frizz protection.

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

  • Propanediol
  • Phospholipids
  • Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil
Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

7 ACTIVE BOTANICAL INGREDIENTS WHITE MALLOW BOTANICAL EXTRACTION SHINE Our white mallow extraction delivers twice as much shine and softens the hair fiber.***

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

  • Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil
  • Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil
  • Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
Supported

Reflects light for visible shine.

CALENDULA EXTRACT NUTRITION Calendula extract helps strengthen and nourish the hair fiber. SOY, WILLOW & BURDOCK EXTRACTS SOFTNESS Soy, willow, and burdock extracts soften the fiber and help make hair more supple.

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

  • Propanediol
  • Phospholipids
  • Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil
Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

ROSEMARY & SAGE EXTRACTS PROTECTION Rosemary and sage extracts help protect the hair fiber from external aggressors and oxidative stress. Silicone-free. *** strand test: comparison between white mallow extraction and water.

No silicones appear in the ingredient list.

—

Supported

Nothing that needs a strong wash.

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.

Provides everyday nourishment and shine for various hair types, particularly effective on frizzy and curly hair.

The reformulated version with added fragrance differs from the original; long-term users report mixed responses to the change.

customers comparing the original and current formulas

More from Phyto

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, 1 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-09-21.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 6 of 15 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 2026-10-19.

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  • Formula-based product picks
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