Contains Banana Extract and Sunflower Seed Extract
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Sun Bum
Air Dry Styling Cream
Styler / Smoothing cream, mixed-hold
- Styler
- smoothing cream
- cream
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size6 fl oz
Price$13.99seen at one store · 6 oz
Price / oz$2.33/ozat 6 oz
Where to buy2 stores · $13.99–13.99
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–Curly
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Hold system
Moderate
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
High
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Medium
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
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Show all 22 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Essential oils
None listed
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
Not determined
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
21 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
Lower cost than most smoothing creams
$2.33/oz at 6 oz — less than 93% of the 56 smoothing creams , which mostly run $3.70–7.10/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
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
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
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 system
Mixed
Gums and synthetic polymers together.
Cast risk
Unlikely
Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely.
Weight on the hair
Medium
Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.
Oil absorption
None
No absorbent powders or starches.
Oils and butters
Present, high in the list
Oils sit high in the list — a softening, coating formula.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterWater/Aqua/Eau | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Polyimide-1 | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Behentrimonium Chloride | conditioning agent | Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through | Detangles |
| Propanediol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol | Softens |
| Musa Sapientum (Banana) Fruit Extract | botanical extract | A plant extract, marketed as much as functional | Neutral |
| Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract | botanical extract | A plant extract, marketed as much as functional | Neutral |
| Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil | oil | Softens the film so it does not set hard | Softens |
| FragranceFragrance/Parfum | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Sodium Benzoate | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Potassium Sorbate | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Ethylhexylglycerin | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Softens |
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.
Full ingredient list (21)
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
· Water/Aqua/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 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
Behentrimonium Chloride
General function
A positively charged conditioning agent that binds to damaged, negatively charged spots on the hair. It is the main detangling ingredient in most rinse-out conditioners.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
International Journal of Cosmetic ScienceMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairElectrokinetic measurement puts the C22 quat ahead of the C16 ones for deposition: the longer chain adds van der Waals stabilisation on top of the charge binding. That extra deposit is what coarse hair usually needs to comb through.
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
-
4
Propanediol
General function
A corn-derived humectant and solvent, often chosen as a lighter-feeling alternative to propylene glycol.
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
-
5
Cetearyl Alcohol
General function
A waxy fatty alcohol - nothing like drying alcohol. It gives conditioners their body and leaves a soft, smoothing film on the hair.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairThe waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.
DependsFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
6
Musa Sapientum (Banana) Fruit Extract
General function
An extract from the fruit of Banana (Musa Sapientum). Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- botanical extract
-
7
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract
General function
A sunflower extract used at low levels alongside the seed oil.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- botanical extract
-
8
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
General function
A light oil with very long fatty-acid chains, used as a plant alternative to silicone shine.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats 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 hairA 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 hairNear 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
-
9
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
General function
A light, widely used oil that softens without much weight.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats 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 hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairIt works on the surface. In the comparison that established coconut oil's penetration, sunflower oil did not reduce protein loss from washing — its fatty acids are bulkier and less linear. It softens and smooths; it does not reinforce the fibre.
- oil
- emollient
-
10
Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil
General function
A rich oil used in masks and heavier creams for softness on coarse or dry hair.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats 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 hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
-
11
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
General function
A conditioning polymer made from guar bean gum. It deposits during rinsing, which is why sulfate shampoos can still leave hair soft.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdGums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairCationic conditioners bind to the negatively charged damaged cuticle, laying it flat and cutting the friction that causes combing breakage.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingA styling polymer dries into a film across the strands, which is what makes a shape hold instead of relax.
- conditioning agent
- polymer
- gum
-
12
Hydroxyethylcellulose
General function
A cellulose thickener that gives gels and conditioners their body and adds a soft, flexible film.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
PubChemMay suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdA 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 hairA soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what keeps flyaways lying down without stiffness.
May not suitMaximum-hold stylingGum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.
- gum
- thickener
- film former
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
13
Fragrance
· 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
Polysorbate 60
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
15
Ethyl Linoleate
General function
A light fatty ester used to soften and carry other oil-based ingredients.
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 suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
16
Ethyl Oleate
General function
A light ester used as a spreading agent for oils and fragrance.
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 suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
17
Glycerin
General function
A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.
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.
Scientific ReportsMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-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 hairBinds 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 hairWater moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.
- humectant
-
18
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
-
19
Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
-
20
Ethylhexylglycerin
General function
A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.
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 suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- preservative
- emollient
-
21
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
What the whole list adds up to
- 7 emollients
- 4 preservatives
- 3 oils
- 2 solvents
- 2 film formers
- 2 polymers
- 2 conditioning agents
- 2 humectants
- 2 thickeners
- 2 botanical extracts
- 2 gums
- 2 light esters
- 1 cleanser
- 1 fatty alcohol
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 6 oz
Seen at
$13.99
Good value under
$6
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $6 line; products that do this job typically go for about $17 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 2 stores
How we work this out
- 6 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 $13.99 is the price we have observed for the 6 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $6 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.06/oz; at 6 oz that is $6. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $17 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 6 oz.
Formula
10
Formula score
10 of 10
This formula covers the systems a smoothing cream is built around, and it costs less per ounce than most of the smoothing creams 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 93% of the 56 smoothing creams we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 6 things a smoothing cream should do
- Reviewers mention 2 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.
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$0.80/oz $1.53/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
CurlyKidsClose function
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$0.88/oz $1.45/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
Not Your Mother'sClose function
Curl Talk Defining Gel Custard
$1.12/oz $1.21/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- 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 — for a protein-free formula and real detangling slip
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance or very dry or very humid climates
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
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Formulated without parabens, sulfates, phthalates
No sulfate detergents appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Gentler on colour and coils.
Gluten-free
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Cruelty-free
Our researched record has this brand as cruelty-free.
—
Supported
Matches our researched record.
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.
Adds definition and hold to waves without creating crunch or greasiness when applied to damp hair.
reviewers with wavy and curly hair who apply product to damp hair and style as desiredSignificantly reduces frizz and flyaways on curly and wavy hair, keeping curls intact throughout the day.
reviewers with curly and wavy hair reporting consistent frizz controlThick creamy texture and strong banana scent may not appeal to all users; some find the fragrance overpowering.
reviewers noting personal preferences and sensitivities to the banana fragranceWorks best applied to damp hair before blow-drying or as an overnight setting cream; excessive product or dry application causes crunchiness.
reviewers noting technique-dependent results and difference between damp and dry applicationMore from Sun Bum
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.
- 3 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-09-05.
- 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 2026-09-05.