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Pureology

Style + Protect Weightless Volume Mousse

Styler / Volumizer, polymer-set

  • Styler
  • volumizer
  • Sulfate-free
  • Curly-method
  • Lightweight
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size323g / 11.4 oz
Price$36seen at one store · 11.4 oz
Price / oz$3.16/ozat 11.4 oz
Where to buy1 store

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 22 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.

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Lower cost than most volumizers

$3.16/oz at 11.4 oz, less than 78% of the 143 volumizers , which mostly run $3.31–9.38/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Porous, damaged hairceramides are in the list
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Sun and colour fadea UV filter is in the list

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
Silicone-free routinesit does contain silicones, the water-soluble kind
Aerosol avoidancethis is a pressurised can
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel

Whether this hold suits you depends on your density, porosity and how long your style needs to last. The consultation works that 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 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.

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 Rinses with water

The silicones here are the water-soluble kind.

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.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterAQUA / WATER / EAU solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Isobutane propellant Pushes the product out of the can Neutral
Polyacrylate-32 film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Propane propellant Pushes the product out of the can Neutral
Phenoxyethanol preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
AMP-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer film former A supporting film former Holds
Aminomethyl Propanol pH adjuster Fine-tunes the pH pH balancer
FragrancePARFUM / FRAGRANCE fragrance The scent Fragrance
PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone emulsifier Stabilises the mix Shine
Benzyl Salicylate fragrance The scent Fragrance
Linalool fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or drying alcohols. Contains fragrance. Pressurised aerosol.
Full ingredient list (35)

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 Isobutane
    General function

    A pressurised gas that pushes an aerosol out of the can and evaporates on contact.

    Leading ingredient

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

    PubChem
    • propellant
  • 3 Polyacrylate-32
    General function

    A synthetic film-forming polymer. Polymers of this kind dry to a continuous film on the hair, which is how a styling product holds a shape.

    Leading ingredient

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

    • film former
    • polymer
  • 4 Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate
    General function

    A film-forming polymer used for hold and to help other ingredients deposit.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    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
  • 5 Propane
    General function

    An aerosol propellant, usually blended with butane to set the spray pressure.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    PubChem
    • propellant
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 6 Phenoxyethanol
    General function

    The most common modern preservative; it keeps the product free of bacteria and mould. It sits well below 1% of the formula.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

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

    PubChem
    • preservative
  • 7 AMP-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer
    General function

    A hold polymer used for strong, humidity-resistant set in hairsprays.

    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 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
  • 8 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
  • 9 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
  • 10 Polysorbate 20
    • solubilizer
    • emulsifier
  • 11 PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone
    • emulsifier
    • silicone
    • water-soluble silicone
  • 12 Cocamidopropyl Betaine
    General function

    A mild coconut-derived co-cleanser that boosts foam and softens the effect of stronger detergents. It appears in most shampoos, gentle or not.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Mild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    The mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.

    DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Among the mildest detergents in use — it is what baby shampoos are built on — but it is almost always the second detergent in a formula. How much a wash strips is still decided by the primary detergent listed above it.

    Indian Journal of Dermatology
    • amphoteric cleanser
    • secondary cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 13 Tocopherol
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 14 Xylose
    General function

    A plant sugar used as a light humectant, often alongside other sugar-derived moisturisers.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.

    • humectant
  • 15 Lauramine Oxide
    • amphoteric cleanser
    • secondary cleanser
    • cleanser
  • 16 Ethylhexylglycerin
    General function

    A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.

    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.

    PubChem
    • preservative
    • emollient
  • 17 Butylene Glycol
    General function

    A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it 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
  • 18 Sodium Chloride
    • salt
    • thickener
  • 19 Benzyl Alcohol
    • preservative
    • solvent
  • 20 Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract / Sunflower Seed Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 21 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
  • 22 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
  • 23 Propylene Glycol
    General function

    A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it 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
  • 24 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
    General function

    A ceramide-like lipid used to reinforce the outer surface of damaged hair.

    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

    Restoring surface lipids lowers friction between strands, which is where much of the roughness in damaged hair comes from.

    May suitProtein-sensitive hair

    A lipid, not a protein, despite sitting alongside proteins in most repair claims. It does not carry the stiffening effect.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Ceramides are the lipid class bleaching and heat deplete. Replacing them works on the surface layer rather than adding protein stiffness.

    • ceramide
    • emollient
  • 25 Benzophenone-4
    General function

    A UV filter added to keep the product itself, and dyed hair, from fading in light.

    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
  • 26 Coumarin
    General function

    A sweet, hay-like 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
  • 27 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
  • 28 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
  • 29 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
  • 30 Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol
    General function

    A plant protein modified to bind more firmly to hair than a plain hydrolysed protein. Used for strength and body claims.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

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

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

    Filling surface gaps evens out the cuticle, which is part of what makes damaged hair comb and reflect light more like undamaged hair.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Hydrolysed fragments are small enough to sit in the gaps of a worn cuticle for a wash or two, temporarily restoring stiffness and cutting breakage in combing.

    • film former
    • protein
    • hydrolysed protein
  • 31 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
  • 32 Anise Alcohol
    General function

    A sweet, anise-like fragrance component named 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.

    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 33 Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
    • antioxidant
  • 34 Triisopropanolamine
    • pH adjuster
  • 35 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative

What the whole list adds up to

  • 9 fragrances
  • 8 named fragrance allergens
  • 4 solvents
  • 4 film formers
  • 4 preservatives
  • 3 polymers
  • 3 humectants
  • 2 propellants
  • 2 pH adjusters
  • 2 emulsifiers
  • 2 amphoteric cleansers
  • 2 secondary cleansers
  • 2 cleansers
  • 2 antioxidants

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-07. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 11.4 oz

Seen at $36 1 store · checked Oct 7
Good value under $23 Under $2.05/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 $23 line; products that do this job typically go for about $35 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store

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. 11.4 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 11.4 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $23 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.05/oz; at 11.4 oz that is $23. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $35 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 11.4 oz.

Formula

Formula score
8 of 10

This formula covers the systems a volumizer is built around, and it costs less per ounce than most of the volumizers we have researched.

How the score is counted
  • 3 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 78% of the 143 volumizers we’ve priced
  • Covers 5 of the 6 things a volumizer should do
  • 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.

Kenra ProfessionalSame function Root Lifting Spray 13 $2.06/oz $1.10/oz less
  • Curly method
  • Lightweight
  • Flexible hold
Differs
  • Masstige tier
  • 13 oz bottle
Compare
Sexy HairClose function Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Plus Humidity Resistant Volumizing Spray Mousse $2.00/oz $1.16/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Lightweight
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
  • Protein
Also
  • Masstige tier
  • 10 oz bottle
Compare
AussieLowest cost per oz Mega Hair Spray $0.50/oz $2.66/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Lightweight
· Close function
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Protein
Also
  • Value tier
  • 10 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 straight to wavy hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person
Best user

Curly-method routines who want a curly-method-compatible formula and defined, clumped curls

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, anyone who will not scrunch out a cast, or silicone-free routines

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.

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 say it adds volume and body without weighing hair down or leaving it greasy.

Reviewers with fine, curly, or color-treated hair

Some reviewers describe a sticky, crunchy, or hard finish that makes hair tough to comb or manage.

Reviewers with fine or naturally curly hair

Several reviewers say it leaves hair feeling dry, straw-like, or stiff after use.

Reviewers across hair types

Curly-haired reviewers split: some say it defines and holds curls, while others say it did little or flattened them.

Reviewers with wavy or curly hair

Reviewers disagree on scent: some find it pleasant, while others say it is strong enough to cause headaches.

Reviewers across hair types; some sensitive to fragrance

More from Pureology

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.
  • 3 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 13 of 20 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 2026-10-07.

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