Amika Soulfood dupes: three cheaper conditioning treatments

I’d start with Eva NYC Therapy Session Deep Conditioning Hair Mask as a cheaper alternative to Amika Soulfood. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist is the lowest-cost pick. The main caveat is formula history: Eva NYC has brought vegan protein back, so an old comparison cannot verify today’s jar. These are options for softer, more manageable hair after washing, not evidence of identical results or equivalent bond repair.

Price and size comparison

US one-time purchase prices checked on 3 November 2026, before tax and shipping. Amika’s declared 250ml and Eva NYC’s labelled 400ml volumes are used below. Other volumes are converted from the listed US fluid ounces, so their unit prices are approximate. Sale bundles and subscriptions are excluded.

Treatment	Price and size	Approx. price per 100ml	Best reason to try it	Main drawback
Amika Soulfood Nourishing Mask	US$36 / 250ml	US$14.40	The original deep-conditioning mask	Highest cost per volume
Eva NYC Therapy Session, current vegan-protein formula	US$18 / 400ml (13.5 US fl oz)	US$4.50	First mask alternative	Older reviews may describe a different formula
Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist, avocado version	US$4.99 / 8 US fl oz	US$2.11	Lowest outlay and a three-minute treatment	A different deep conditioner, not a formula copy
L’Oréal Elvive Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Mask	US$8.99 / 8.5 US fl oz	US$3.58	A lower-cost rinse-out mask	Contains hydrolysed wheat protein; different formula

Eva NYC costs half as much per jar and about 69% less per millilitre than Soulfood at these listings. The bigger jar accounts for the additional unit saving. This comparison uses the current 13.5 US fl oz Eva NYC size, not an older 500ml tub.

So haben wir verglichen

We checked current ingredient lists, sizes, directions and prices against the exact US products. An older first-hand community comparison helped identify Eva NYC, but current brand disclosures determine which formula this guide describes. We did not test softness, breakage or rinse-out feel ourselves. Our recommendations concern the conditioning step, with no claim of equal repair performance.

Eva NYC Therapy Session: the first mask I’d try

The two current lists begin with the same three ingredients: water, cetearyl alcohol and cetyl alcohol. Both also list behentrimonium chloride, dimethicone and jojoba oil. That is a specific overlap, not a percentage match or proof that the finished masks behave alike. Amika’s current list, Eva NYC’s current list.

The differences matter. Amika places jojoba oil fourth and includes sea buckthorn oil. Eva NYC places propylene glycol fourth, includes argan oil and now lists hydrolysed vegetable protein. Its current page explicitly says that vegan plant protein has returned. That does not establish that every part of the original formula has been restored.

In an older r/Haircare discussion, user lysskarch said they had used both masks and did not find the difference worth Amika’s higher price. That is a useful lead, but the comment predates the current formula disclosure. I would not turn it into a claim that today’s masks are interchangeable. The first-hand community comparison.

I’d buy Eva NYC if you want another rinse-out mask and are happy to assess the current version on its own. Check for the vegan-protein wording and use the instructions on that jar. If you specifically prefer the absence of hydrolysed protein in Soulfood’s published list, this is a material difference rather than an upgrade.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist: the inexpensive conditioning option

Aussie makes the most sense when the budget is around US$5 and the objective is a short conditioning treatment after shampoo. The current avocado version goes onto clean, wet hair for three minutes, then rinses out. Its published formula includes fatty alcohols, a conditioning amine, avocado oil and a silicone. Aussie’s formula and directions.

This is not an ingredient-led copy of Soulfood. It is a deep conditioner that can occupy the same rinse-out step when you want to spend less. I’d consider it before buying a more expensive mask solely because the jar and the word “mask” seem closer to Amika.

At US$4.99 for 8 US fl oz, the risk to your budget is lower than with either mask above. The compromise is that we have no current-formula comparison establishing Soulfood-like richness or softness. It is also fragranced. Older descriptions mentioning an avocado-and-jojoba combination should not be substituted for the current single-product list, which names avocado oil but does not list jojoba oil.

L’Oréal Elvive Total Repair 5: a mask below US$10

The current US product is called Damage Erasing Mask, although its page URL still says “balm”. It is listed at US$8.99 for 8.5 US fl oz. That exact size matters because older comparisons often quote a smaller container. Its formula includes cetearyl alcohol, behentrimonium chloride and amodimethicone, plus sweet almond oil and a hydrolysed wheat-protein derivative. L’Oréal’s current listing.

I’d shortlist it if you want to keep a rinse-out mask in the routine while spending less than US$10. There is overlap in conditioning ingredients, but it is not Amika’s jojoba-and-sea-buckthorn formulation. Nor does the word “repair” establish that it performs the same job as a separate bond treatment.

The drawback for this comparison is the lack of a verified direct test against current Soulfood. Its ingredient list and price justify considering it; they cannot tell us which leaves your ends easier to comb or whether you will prefer its fragrance. Follow its own directions instead of borrowing Amika’s five-to-seven-minute timing.

What would make a poor substitute?

Amika The Kure and Soulfood are separate masks. An article comparing one does not establish a dupe for the other. Our Amika guide explains where they sit in the range.

A leave-in treatment is also a different purchase from a mask you rinse away. If your favourite part of Soulfood is how your hair feels after conditioning, assess the alternatives at that point in the routine. Do not credit a new mask for results from a second new product introduced on the same wash day.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Is Eva NYC Therapy Session the same as Amika Soulfood?

No. Their current ingredient lists share several components but differ in order and composition. Eva NYC’s returned vegan-protein formula needs to be assessed separately from older versions.

What is the cheapest Soulfood alternative here?

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist costs the least per bottle and per volume at the checked listings. It is a functional conditioning alternative, with no verified claim that it reproduces Soulfood’s finish.

Does the current Soulfood ingredient list contain hydrolysed protein?

The current US list checked for this guide does not list a hydrolysed protein. Eva NYC and the L’Oréal mask do, so check the bottle if that distinction matters to your routine.

Can I leave these masks in instead of rinsing them out?

Use each product’s own rinse-out directions. Do not assume that a conditioning mask can replace a leave-in spray because both make conditioning claims.

Insider Beauty editorial research. Updated 3 November 2026. To flag a reformulation, include the country, jar size and full ingredient list, particularly whether your Eva NYC jar names vegan protein.