UNITE Hair BOOSTA Volumizing Spray — front of package

UNITE Hair

BOOSTA Volumizing Spray

Styler / Volumizer, light-hold

Styler
volumizer
spray
Sulfate-free
Silicone-free
Curly-method
Vegan · label states
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed

Size8 fl oz (236 ml)

Price$37–39commonly seen · 8 oz

Price / oz$4.81/ozat 8 oz

Where to buy5 stores · $32.49–38.50

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: unitehair.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types Straight–Wavy Not in your profile

Moisture level High Not in your profile

Hold (as stated) Light Not in your profile

Slip / detangling Little Not in your profile

Weight on hair Light Not in your profile

Fragrance Present Not in your profile

Protein Prominent 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 Moderate Not in your profile

Vegan / cruelty-free Vegan · label statesCruelty-free · PETA-listed Not in your profile

Animal-derived ingredients Vegan · label states Not in your profile

Aerosol can Pump or tube Not in your profile

Needs heat to set Set with a dryer Not in your profile

Heavy humectants Heavy Not in your profile

Hard-water defence High Not in your profile

UV filter None listed Not in your profile

Ingredient list 24 ingredientsAbout average Not in your profile

Price tier Salon Not in your profile

Where to buy it Ulta · Brand website Not in your profile

The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.

Start your consultation

$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.

Priced with its peers

$4.81/oz at 8 oz, less than 58% of the 143 volumizers , which mostly run $3.31–9.38/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet

Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones

Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together

Fine hairthat flattens under most products

Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent

Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein

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

Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you

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 (as stated) Light

A light hold, as stated by the brand.

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 Present

Contains fast-drying alcohol, which speeds drying but can leave hair feeling dry.

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. The 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
Propylene Glycol	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
VP/VA Copolymer	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Holds
Alcohol Denat.SD Alcohol 40-B/Alcohol Denat.	drying alcohol	Sets the style fast, which is also why it can feel dry	Drying
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil	solubilizer	Keeps oils dissolved in water	Stabilizes
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract	botanical extract	A trace plant extract	Stabilizes
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein	film former	A supporting film former	Protein
Macrocystis Pyrifera (Kelp) Extract	botanical extract	A trace plant extract	Neutral
Caprylyl Glycol	preservative	Keeps the product from spoiling	Moisturizes
Ethylhexylglycerin	preservative	Keeps the product from spoiling	Softens
FragranceFragrance/Parfum	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Phenoxyethanol	preservative	Keeps the product from spoiling	Stabilizes

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or silicones. Protein-forward: a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Contains fragrance. Chelators for hard water.

Full ingredient list (24)

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 · 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 ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
2 Propylene Glycol

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

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 VP/VA Copolymer

General function
A hold polymer that dries to a clear film. It sets the style and washes out with water.

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
4 Alcohol Denat. · SD Alcohol 40-B/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.

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

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
Evaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.

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.

May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
It evaporates quickly and takes some water with it. On hair already short of moisture, a formula built on a lot of it can finish drier than it started.

PubChem
- drying alcohol
- solvent
5 PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

General function
A castor-oil derivative that dissolves fragrance and oils into water so the product stays clear and does not separate.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
6 Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract

General function
A sunflower seed extract used at low levels for antioxidants and label appeal.

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
- antioxidant
7 Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

General function
A light plant protein that adds body and shine, popular in volume products.

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
8 Macrocystis Pyrifera (Kelp) Extract

General function
A seaweed extract used at low levels for moisture and mineral 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.
- botanical extract
9 Caprylyl Glycol

General function
A gentle preservative helper that also holds a little moisture.

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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Humectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.

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
- preservative
- humectant
10 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
11 Hexylene Glycol

General function
A solvent that keeps other ingredients dissolved and helps preservatives work.

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
- solvent
- humectant
12 Disodium EDTA

General function
Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise 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.

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
13 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
14 Glycerin

General function
Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.

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
Water 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.

Scientific Reports
- humectant
15 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 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
16 Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
17 Cinnamyl Alcohol

General function
A soft cinnamon-floral 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
18 Citral

General function
A lemon-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
19 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
20 Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
21 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
22 Geraniol

General function
A rose-scented fragrance component, listed on its own 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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
23 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
24 Sodium Benzoate
- preservative

What the whole list adds up to

7 fragrances
6 solvents
6 named fragrance allergens
5 humectants
5 preservatives
2 film formers
2 botanical extracts
1 polymer
1 drying alcohol
1 solubilizer
1 emulsifier
1 antioxidant
1 protein
1 hydrolysed protein

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

Price · 8 oz

Commonly seen $37–39 Midpoint $38.50 · 4 stores · checked Aug 30

Good value under $11 Under $1.42/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 $11 line; products that do this job typically go for about $13 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 8 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it6 listings · 5 stores

8 ozusual store sizeBest per ounce

Target
$32.49

8 oz · $4.06/oz

Aug 30Lowest per ozSale · was $38.50
Ulta
$38.50

8 oz · $4.81/oz

Aug 27
Ulta Beauty
$38.50

8 oz · $4.81/oz

Aug 30
Sephora
$38.50

8 oz · $4.81/oz

Aug 30
unitehair.com
$38.50

8 oz · $4.81/oz

Aug 30

Ulta
$38.50

Aug 25

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

8 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 8 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
Good value under $11 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.42/oz; at 8 oz that is $11. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $13 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8 oz.

Formula

Formula score

10 of 10

The formula carries the systems a volumizer is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for volumizers per ounce.

How the score is counted

6 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
Costs less per ounce than 58% of the 143 volumizers we’ve priced
Covers 6 of the 6 things a volumizer should do
Reviewers mention 3 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 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.

Rizos CurlsClosest function Beach Waves Texturizing Salt Spray $2.94/oz $1.87/oz less

Differs: Masstige tier
6.8 oz bottle

Compare

d:fiClose function Reshapable Spray $1.67/oz $3.14/oz less

Function: Fast-drying alcohol
Also: Masstige tier
5.1 oz bottle

Compare

Taliah WaajidLowest cost per oz Crinkles & Curls $1.06/oz $3.75/oz less · Close function

Function: Water-binding (humectants)
Also: Masstige tier
32 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

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits

Best user

Soft, over-stretchy hair, for protein high in the formula and a curly-method-compatible formula

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, hair that stiffens on protein, or very dry or high-damage hair

Best alternative if not

Rizos Curls Beach Waves Texturizing Salt Spray, for similar results at a lower price

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, 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.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

Adds volume & texture

It reads light on the strand, which is what volume claims depend on.

VP/VA Copolymer
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Supported

Leaves room for lift.

Delivers natural finish with flexible hold

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

VP/VA Copolymer
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Ethylhexylglycerin

Potential conflict

Expect a cast you have to scrunch out.

Provides UV & thermal protection

Heat protection is a performance claim; an ingredient list cannot confirm it.

VP/VA Copolymer
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Stated by brand

Only lab testing can show this.

Safe for extensions and chemically-treated hair

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Paraben-free, vegan, cruelty-free

No parabens appear in the ingredient list.

—

Supported

Preserved without parabens.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not 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.

Several reviewers say the lift lasts into the next day and helps their styles hold.

Reviewers with fine, flat, or thin hair

Many reviewers say it adds lift and fullness without making hair feel heavy, sticky, or stiff.

Reviewers with fine, thin, or flat hair

Many reviewers enjoy the scent, describing it as pleasant and not overpowering.

Reviewers across hair types

Some reviewers say it made their hair flat, dry, or frizzy, while others found it reduced frizz.

Reviewers across hair types, especially curly hair

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 (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
Ingredient references are linked for 12 of 17 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 2026-08-27.

BOOSTA Volumizing Spray

Is this right for you?

Read from the label, not the marketing

The ingredients that change a decision

What the whole list adds up to

Should you buy it?

What the brand says, and what the formula shows

What people report

More from UNITE Hair

How this page was made

Hair Care Consultation