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Side by side

18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax vs 18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade

48% function match · 5 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 15%. 18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax and 18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade share 3 ingredients among each other's most prominent.

Based on your consultation

Which of these fits your hair?

We check your pattern, moisture need, scalp, fragrance tolerance, weight sensitivity and more against each formula — and say which one lines up.

Your profile at a glance

  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here

When each one is the right call

What each formula is built for, from its own ingredient list.

  • Sweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax — curly-method routines
  • Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade — dry, thirsty hair

Side by side

Every trait, aligned

One row per trait, read from each product’s own ingredient list and record. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a “no”.

Trait
18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax — 2 oz container 18.21 Man Made

Sweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax

  • Styler
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade — 2 oz container 18.21 Man Made

Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade

  • Styler
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$26 2 oz · $13.00/oz
$26 2 oz · $13.00/oz
Value / price positioning
Same job for less elsewhere $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 85% of the 90 pastes we’ve priced
Same job for less elsewhere $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 85% of the 90 pastes we’ve priced
Best for hair types
Curly–Coily A heavy formula: coarse, curlier strands carry it without flattening. Your hair
All types Nothing in the formula or the claims narrows this to one pattern. Your hair
Moisture level Differs
None found No humectants found — nothing here pulls water into the hair. Your hair
High Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here. Your hair
Hold (as stated)
Strong A strong hold, as stated by the brand. Your hair
Medium A medium hold, as stated by the brand. Your hair
Slip / detangling Differs
Some Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners. Your hair
Little Nothing here is built to reduce combing force. Your hair
Weight on hair Differs
Rich Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients. Your hair
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Fragrance
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Prominent Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula. Your hair
Protein Same
Minor Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient. Your hair
Minor Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient. Your hair
Silicone / wax buildup Differs
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate Your hair
Low Your hair
Hold system Differs
Wax Gums and synthetic polymers together. Your hair
Mixed Gums and synthetic polymers together. Your hair
Cast risk Same
Unlikely Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely. Your hair
Unlikely Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely. Your hair
Oil absorption Differs
High Absorbent powders or starches high in the list. Your hair
Some Absorbents appear, low in the list. Your hair
Oils and butters Differs
None No oils or butters in the list. Your hair
Present, lower down Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch. Your hair
Fast-drying alcohol Same
None No fast-drying alcohol in the list. Your hair
None No fast-drying alcohol in the list. Your hair
Formula completeness
out of 10
Complete for its job
out of 10
Complete for its job
Who should choose this
  • Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
  • Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
  • 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
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a strong scent
  • Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
  • Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
  • Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
More facts about each one
Type
Stylerwax
Stylerpaste
Where to buy
18.21 Man Made · Ulta
18.21 Man Made · Ulta · Target
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • curly-method compatible
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • curly-method compatible
Cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · brand states
Cruelty-free · brand states
Scent
Amber & spice · Sweet & vanillaStrong
Amber & spice · Sweet & vanilla
Hold
strongThe current 18.21 Man Made and Ulta listings explicitly call the styling wax high hold.
mediumThe current 18.21 Man Made and Ulta listings explicitly name a medium hold.
Finish
—
high-shine
How often
as needed
as needed

Facts as we recorded them. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a "no".

The bottom line

The bottom line depends on your hair

Which of these two suits you is a question about your hair, not about them. The consultation answers it — and tells you what your routine needs around it.

Take the consultation

$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.

The detail behind the table

Where the readings above come from: the ingredient lists themselves, each brand’s claims checked against them, what owners report, and cost per ounce in context.

Shared and distinct ingredients

Shared and distinct ingredients

Computed from the ingredient lists as printed. "Shared" means both lists carry it; where it sits on each label is stated, because position is what tells you how much.

What both formulas carry

IngredientSweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling WaxSweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade
Ceteareth-20
Stabilizes
#8Supporting
#2Leading
Hydrolyzed Quinoa
Protein
#9Secondary
#15Below the 1% line
Fragrance
Fragrance
#17Below the 1% line
#8Below the 1% line
Coumarin
Fragrance
#18Below the 1% line
#17Below the 1% line
Water
Neutral
#14Below the 1% line
#1Leading
Peg-16 Macadamia Glycerides
Softens
#10Secondary
#6Supporting
Eugenol
Fragrance
#21Below the 1% line
#18Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Sweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax

Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade

Full ingredient list — Sweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax (23)
Full ingredient list — Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade (18)

Claims check

What each brand says, against what each formula shows

Claims are quoted from each brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when that product’s ingredient list actually speaks to it.

VerdictsSweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling WaxSweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade
Supported
2
4
Partly supported
3
0
Stated by brand
0
1
Potential conflict
0
0

Sweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax

  • high holdPartly supportedSoft structure, not firm hold.
  • low shinePartly supportedA hint of gloss.
  • frizz-free finishSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • all-day holdPartly supportedSoft structure, not firm hold.
  • reworkable second-day stylingSupportedBuys a day between washes.

Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade

  • medium holdSupportedStructure that lasts the day.
  • high shineStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • frizz controlSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • touchableSupportedNatural movement without stiffness.
  • water solubleSupportedComes out in a normal wash.

What owners say

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings, and we never balance one product’s themes against another’s by inventing them.

Both praised for hold. 18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax draws complaints about the scent and hold.

Sweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax

A user says the wax applies easily without pulling, remains combable and touchable after drying, and can be reshaped during the day without losing hold.

Ulta most-helpful positive review of the exact wax

Fragrance is sharply divisive: one dissatisfied customer found it overwhelming and nausea-inducing, even though they considered the hold acceptable before flaking developed.

Ulta customer review from Florida, August 2024

A reviewer with thick, fine hair values the natural finish and strong hold, but warns that applying too much makes it difficult to work through hair.

Ulta customer review from Nevada, May 2021

Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade

One reviewer says it looks and smells good in their husband's hair without a heavy or greasy-looking result.

Ulta customer review from Georgia

Another buyer reports a little goes a long way, with long-lasting performance and no heavy or greasy feel.

Ulta customer review from New Jersey

A long-time user says the pomade provides all-day staying power, then reactivates quickly with a little water after many hours of wear.

Ulta customer review from Virginia Beach, Virginia

A dissatisfied purchaser says the pomade is overpriced and believes it thinned their hair.

Ulta customer review from Oxnard, California

Price check

Cost per ounce, in context

Cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in. Value labels are computed from that percentile and from how many products that do the same job cost less; they are comparisons, not judgements about a brand.

$13.00/oz vs $13.00/oz — within about the same cost per ounce.

$1.50/oz median $7.92/oz $73.33/oz $13.00/oz Sweet Tobacco High Hold, L $13.00/oz Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold,

Every mark sits on one distribution because these are compared against the same set: 90 pastes with a computable unit price.

Value readSweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling WaxSweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade
Label
Same job for less elsewhereYou are paying above the range for a formula close to several lower-priced options.
Same job for less elsewhereYou are paying above the range for a formula close to several lower-priced options.

Computed from cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, and from how many products that do the same job cost less. It is a comparison, not a judgement about the brand.

Compare with something else

Close formulas to each of these, as their own comparison pages.

Sweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax vs Craft Clay Texturizing & Flexible Styling ClaySebastian · 89% function matchSweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade vs Tea Tree Grooming PomadePaul Mitchell · 93% function matchSweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax vs Matte ClayAmerican Crew · 85% function matchSweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade vs ORS Curlshow Curl Creator Defining JellyORS · 89% function matchSweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax vs Brews Clay PomadeRedken · 85% function matchSweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade vs TURNTABLE Curl Defining CrèmeR+Co · 89% function matchSweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax vs MITCH Dry PastePaul Mitchell · 81% function matchSweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade vs Kalahari Melon & Aloe Vera Deep Hydration Curl Forming GlazeMielle Organics · 85% function match

Sweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax · Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade · All pastes in the library

How this page was made

  • This page is assembled from the same researched records the individual product pages render: identity, each ingredient list as printed, each brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. Nothing on it is written per comparison.
  • We do not rank these against each other. Which of them suits you depends on your hair, and that is what the consultation works out.
  • The formula similarity percentage is a stored, precomputed number: position-weighted overlap of the two ingredient lists blended with agreement on the attributes we derive. It measures how alike two formulas are, not how well either works.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 5 sources were consulted across the products on this page.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice. We do not sell these products and take no placement fees.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.

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