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Pureology

Style + Protect Soft Finish Hairspray - 11.0 oz

Styler / Hairspray, light-hold

  • Styler
  • hairspray
  • aerosol
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size11 fl oz
Price$36seen at one store · 11 oz
Price / oz$3.27/ozat 11 oz

Scent:

Reviewers describe it as fresh.

Strength: Light

Listing used for research: ulta.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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Upper-mid price for a hairspray

$3.27/oz at 11 oz — more than 61% of the 95 hairsprays , which mostly run $1.75–4.31/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
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
Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove

Maybe skip if

this product carries a light scent
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
Styles that must holdthe brand states a light hold at most
Aerosol avoidancethis is a pressurised can
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether this hold level is right for you depends on your density, porosity, and how long your style has to last — 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.

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.

Oil absorption None

No absorbent powders or starches.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Fast-drying alcohol High in the list

Fast-drying alcohol in the first three ingredients.

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.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
Alcohol Denat. drying alcohol Sets the style fast — the same reason it can read dry Drying
Hydrofluorocarbon 152a propellant Pushes the product out of the can Neutral
VA/Crotonates/Vinyl Neodecanoate Copolymer film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Aminomethyl Propanol pH adjuster Fine-tunes the pH pH balancer
Tocopheryl Acetate antioxidant Protects the formula Stabilizes
Ascorbyl Palmitate antioxidant Protects the formula Stabilizes
Benzyl Alcohol preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Benzyl Salicylate fragrance The scent Fragrance
Linalool fragrance The scent Fragrance
Citronellol fragrance The scent Fragrance
Limonene fragrance The scent Fragrance
Eugenol fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or silicones. No protein — a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. This is a pressurised can.
Full ingredient list (16)

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 Alcohol Denat.
    General function

    Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on the list.

    Role in this product type

    In hairspray, denatured alcohol acts as a fast-evaporating solvent that carries the styling polymers and helps distribute them in a fine spray. As it evaporates, the polymers remain on the hair to form the hold film.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    May suit hair that needs a fast-drying, lightweight spray base rather than an oil- or wax-led finish.

    May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Porous hair gives water up easily as it is; a fast-evaporating solvent high on the list accelerates that.

    DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Consider if hair is very dry or highly damaged: when alcohol is this prominent, the fast-evaporating base may leave the hair feeling drier.

    Cosmetic Ingredient Review
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 2 Hydrofluorocarbon 152a
    General function

    A non-flammable aerosol propellant used in dry shampoos and finishing sprays.

    Leading ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • propellant
  • 3 VA/Crotonates/Vinyl Neodecanoate Copolymer
    General function

    A hairspray polymer that holds firmly and resists humidity.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

    • film former
    • polymer
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 4 Aminomethyl Propanol
    General function

    A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic hold polymers so they thicken and set properly.

    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.

    PubChem
    • pH adjuster
  • 5 Tocopheryl Acetate
    General function

    A stable form of vitamin E used to keep the oils in a formula from oxidising. It is used at fractions of a percent.

    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.

    PubChem
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 6 Ascorbyl Palmitate
    General function

    An oil-soluble form of vitamin C used to keep oils from going rancid.

    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.

    PubChem
    • antioxidant
  • 7 Benzyl Alcohol
    General function

    A preservative and solvent that also occurs naturally in some 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.

    PubChem
    • preservative
    • solvent
  • 8 Benzyl Salicylate
    General function

    A soft floral fragrance component listed 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
  • 9 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
  • 10 Ethylhexyl Salicylate
    General function

    A UV filter used in leave-on hair products to slow colour fade.

    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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Sunlight 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.

    PubChem
    • UV filter
  • 11 Citronellol
    General function

    A rose-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
  • 12 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
  • 13 Eugenol
    General function

    A clove-scented fragrance component listed 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
  • 14 Benzyl Benzoate
    General function

    A fragrance component with a faint balsamic scent, named separately on the label because it is 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
  • 15 Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil · Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil (Orange Peel Oil)
    General function

    The essential oil of Citrus Aurantium. Essential oils are aromatic — they are in the formula for scent, and they are a common source of declared fragrance allergens.

    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
  • 16 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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 8 fragrances
  • 6 named fragrance allergens
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 antioxidants
  • 1 drying alcohol
  • 1 propellant
  • 1 film former
  • 1 polymer
  • 1 pH adjuster
  • 1 vitamin
  • 1 preservative
  • 1 UV filter
  • 1 botanical extract
  • 1 essential oil

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 11 oz

Seen at $36 1 store · checked Aug 27
Good value under $14 Under $1.29/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 $14 line; products that do this job typically go for about $29 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 1 store
  • Ulta
    $36.00
    11 oz · $3.27/oz
    Aug 25Lowest per oz
  • Ulta
    $36.00
    11 oz · $3.27/oz
    Aug 27

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. 11 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. Seen at $36 is the price we have observed for the 11 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $14 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.29/oz; at 11 oz that is $14. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $29 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 11 oz.

Formula

Formula score
4 of 10

Mid-range per ounce for a shorter formula: there is no softeners alongside the hold here.

How the score is counted
  • 4 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 61% of the 95 hairsprays we’ve priced
  • No softeners alongside the hold in the formula
  • No no drying alcohol in the first three either
  • 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.

L'Oréal ParisSame function L'Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Unscented Hair Spray $1.36/oz $1.91/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Lightweight
Differs
  • Masstige tier
Compare
got2bLowest cost per oz Glued Blasting Freeze Hairspray $0.60/oz $2.67/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Lightweight
· Same function
Differs
  • Drugstore tier
  • 12 oz bottle
Compare
DrybarClose function Seltzer Spritz Flexible Hold Hairspray - 9.0 oz $2.31/oz $0.96/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Lightweight
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
Also
  • Vegan
  • 9 oz bottle
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

Built for straight to wavy hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person
Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and a curly-method-compatible formula

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or high-damage hair, or anyone who will not scrunch out a cast

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.

1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
2
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Fast-drying, flexible, brushable hold

Hold polymers appear without the emollients that usually keep a film from setting firm.

  • VA/Crotonates/Vinyl Neodecanoate Copolymer
Potential conflict

Expect a cast you have to scrunch out.

Touchable softness

Hold polymers appear without the emollients that usually keep a film from setting firm.

  • VA/Crotonates/Vinyl Neodecanoate Copolymer
Potential conflict

Expect a cast you have to scrunch out.

Extraordinary color protection

It avoids sulfate detergents, which are the usual cause of fast fade.

  • Tocopheryl Acetate
  • Ascorbyl Palmitate
  • Ethylhexyl Salicylate
Supported

Less fade per wash.

100% vegan formula

A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.

Stated by brand

Only the brand’s testing shows this.

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.

Holds the style without feeling stiff

general reviewer

Light, clean scent that works well on colored fine hair

reviewer with colored, fine hair

Best hairspray for fine hair -- light finish, easy to brush and comb through

reviewer with fine hair

Doesn't actually feel like a light 'soft finish' -- sprays heavily and leaves hair stiff and crunchy

general reviewer

Likes that it's a light hairspray that can be combed through and reapplied, but the propellant feels too strong

general reviewer

More from Pureology

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 12 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.