VO5

Hot Oil Therapy

Mask / Moisture treatment, lean

Mask / treatment
moisture
Sulfate-free
Silicone-free
Curly-method
Not vegan · ingredient list

Size1 fl oz

Price$3.96seen at one store · 1 oz

Price / oz$3.96/ozat 1 oz

Where to buy3 stores · $3.96–8.91

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

Manufacturer page: vo5haircare.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types All types Not in your profile

Moisture level High Not in your profile

Time on the hair Short Not in your profile

Slip / detangling High Not in your profile

Weight on hair Light Not in your profile

Fragrance Present Not in your profile

Protein Minor Not in your profile

Silicone / wax buildup None Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Low Not in your profile

Parabens / preservatives Present Not in your profile

Show all 21 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 Not vegan · ingredient list Not in your profile

Animal-derived ingredients Not vegan · ingredient list 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

pH adjusted Adjusted Not in your profile

Ingredient list 25 ingredientsAbout average Not in your profile

Price tier Value Not in your profile

Where to buy it Grocery / mass · Walmart 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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$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.

Upper-mid price for a treatment

$3.96/oz at 1 oz — more than 55% of the 341 masks and treatments , which mostly run $1.63–5.59/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet

Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones

Fine hairthat flattens under most products

Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

Short shower windowsit works in ten minutes or less

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent

Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you

Coarse, very dry hairthis is a light formula for its category

Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here

Whether your hair needs moisture, protein, or bond repair right now depends on your damage history and how your hair behaves wet — 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.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Weight on the hair Light

Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.

Protein Minor

Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient.

Water-binding (humectants) High

Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.

Slip and detangling High

Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula.

Time on the hair 1 min

A short wait — it fits inside an ordinary shower.

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
Water	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Cocotrimonium Chloride	conditioning agent	Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through	Detangles
PEI-1750	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Holds
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
Acetamide MEA	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Detangles
Hydroxyethylcellulose	gum	Natural hold and clump definition	Holds
Oleth-20	emulsifier	Keeps oil and water mixed	Stabilizes
Hydrochloric Acid	pH adjuster	Fine-tunes the pH	pH balancer
Fragrance	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein	film former	A supporting film former	Protein
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein/Vegetable Amino Acids/Lysine Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride	conditioning agent	Adds slip, lower in the list	Protein
Keratin Amino Acids	protein	A small amount of protein	Protein

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Contains fragrance. Chelators for hard water.

Full ingredient list (25)

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

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 Cocotrimonium Chloride

General function
A positively charged conditioning agent. Damaged hair carries a negative charge, so it deposits where the damage is and makes wet hair comb through.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- conditioning agent
3 PEI-1750

General function
A positively charged polymer used to help other ingredients deposit and stay on the hair.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- film former
- polymer
4 Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

General function
Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little natural hold.

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

May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
Hydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Aloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.
- humectant
- botanical extract
- gum
5 Acetamide MEA

General function
A humectant that also improves slip, used in conditioners and styling creams.

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

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

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
- humectant
- conditioning agent
6 Hydroxyethylcellulose

General function
A cellulose thickener that gives gels and conditioners their body and adds a soft, flexible film.

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

May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
A polysaccharide film stays softer than a synthetic one as it dries, which is what leaves a curl defined but still able to move.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
A soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what keeps flyaways lying down without stiffness.

May not suitMaximum-hold styling
Gum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.

PubChem
- gum
- thickener
- film former
7 Oleth-20

General function
An emulsifier that keeps oils dispersed in water-based formulas.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
8 Hydrochloric Acid

General function
A strong acid used in trace amounts to bring the formula to its target pH. It is fully neutralised in the finished product.

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.
- pH adjuster
9 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 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
11 Polyquaternium-10

General function
A cellulose-based conditioning polymer that leaves a thin, static-reducing film. Very common in shampoos as the ingredient that keeps them from stripping.

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

May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
Cationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

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.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
12 Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

General function
Wheat protein broken into fragments small enough to cling to the hair. It adds temporary strength and body; too much can feel stiff.

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
13 Hydrolyzed Soy Protein/Vegetable Amino Acids/Lysine Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
- conditioning agent
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
14 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 hydrates without contributing weight.

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
15 Keratin Amino Acids

General function
Keratin broken all the way down to individual amino acids. Small enough to sit inside the cuticle, used for softness rather than firmness.

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
Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

DependsProtein-sensitive hair
The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.
- protein
- amino acid
16 Methylparaben
- paraben
- preservative
17 Phytantriol

General function
A conditioning agent used for moisture retention and shine in leave-ins.

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
Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

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
- humectant
- conditioning agent
18 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
19 Polysorbate 20
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
20 Biotin · Biotin (Vitamin H)
- vitamin
21 Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)
- antioxidant
- vitamin
22 Panthenol · Panthenol (Vitamin B5)

General function
Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine 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 suitFine or easily flattened hair
It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

PubChem
- humectant
- conditioning agent
- vitamin
23 Ascorbic Acid · Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
- antioxidant
- vitamin
24 Niacinamide · Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)

General function
Vitamin B3, used in scalp products for conditioning 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
Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

PubChem
- vitamin
- conditioning agent
25 Yellow 6

General function
A certified colour that tints the product itself. It does not colour 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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair
A violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.
- colourant

What the whole list adds up to

5 film formers
5 humectants
5 vitamins
4 conditioning agents
4 proteins
3 conditioning agents
3 hydrolysed proteins
2 solvents
2 polymers
2 gums
2 emulsifiers
2 solubilizers
2 antioxidants
1 botanical extract

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-23. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 1 oz

Seen at $3.96 1 store · checked Aug 30

Good value under $2 Under $1.53/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 $2 line; products that do this job typically go for about $2 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 1 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores

Food Depot
$3.96

1 oz · $3.96/oz

Aug 30Lowest per oz
Woot
$4.99

1 oz · $4.99/oz

Aug 23
Walmart
$8.91

1 oz · $8.91/oz

Aug 23

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 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 $3.96 is the price we have observed for the 1 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $2 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.53/oz; at 1 oz that is $2. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $2 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 1 oz.

Formula

Formula score

7 of 10

Both the formula and the price land mid-range: it covers the core of what a treatment does and costs about what masks and treatments cost per ounce.

How the score is counted

5 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
Costs more per ounce than 55% of the 341 masks and treatments we’ve priced
No rich emollients in the formula
Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs

Rich emollientsThe depth a treatment step is built around.3 pts
Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.2 pts
Protein or amino acidsThe strengthening side of a treatment.2 pts
A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
A stated dwell timeThe brand says how long to leave it on.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.

Eva NYCClosest function H2-Whoa! Hydra-Jelly Hair Mask $1.91/oz $2.05/oz less

Protein-free
Curly method
Lightweight

Function: Protein
Film formers
Also: Drugstore tier
8.4 oz bottle

Compare

L'Oreal Paris ElviveClose function 8 Second Wonder Water Lamellar Hair Treatment $1.84/oz $2.12/oz less

Quick
Budget
Widely sold

Function: Film formers
Also: Fresh scent
Drugstore tier
6.8 oz bottle

Compare

4U by TiaLowest cost per oz Deep Conditioning Repair Mask $1.25/oz $2.71/oz less

Curly method
Silicone-free
Alcohol-free

· Close function

Function: Weight on the hair
Film formers
Also: Cruelty-free
Drugstore tier
8 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

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits

Best user

People who want maximum slip, looking for real detangling slip and a curly-method-compatible formula

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or very humid climates, or coarse, very dry hair that wants real richness

Best alternative if not

Eva NYC H2-Whoa! Hydra-Jelly Hair Mask — 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, 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.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

Revitalize Dry Hair One Minute / Once A Week.

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Acetamide MEA
Propylene Glycol

Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

Works best when rinsed within one minute of application.

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

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.

Reviewers commonly praise softer, more moisturized hair and frizz control.

mixed hair types

The one-minute, weekly format is valued as a simple occasional treatment.

reviewers seeking a low-effort treatment

Long-time users with heavily processed hair report returning to it for extra softness and manageability.

reviewers with chemically processed hair

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.
6 sources consulted for this product (4 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
Ingredient references are linked for 7 of 15 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 2026-08-25.

Hot Oil Therapy

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, against what the formula shows

What people report

More from VO5

How this page was made

Your personalized hair plan