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Side by side

18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade vs Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Defining Gel Custard

85% function match · 10 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 10%. 18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade and Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Defining Gel Custard share 1 ingredient 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 Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade — dry, thirsty hair
  • Curl Talk Defining Gel Custard — protein-sensitive 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 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
Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Defining Gel Custard — container, alternate view Not Your Mother's

Curl Talk Defining Gel Custard

  • Styler
  • Masstige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$26 2 oz · $13.00/oz
$11–13 12 oz · $1.12/oz

Compared at different sizes — 12 oz against 2 oz. Per-ounce prices favour the larger bottle.

Value / price positioning
Same job for less elsewhere $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 86% of the 92 pastes we’ve priced
Lower cost than most gels $$$$$ Masstige tier · costs less than 77% of the 159 gels we’ve priced
Best for hair types
All types Nothing in the formula or the claims narrows this to one pattern. Your hair
Wavy–Coily Co-washes, curl creams, and gels are built around wave and curl. Your hair
Moisture level Same
High Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here. Your hair
High Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here. Your hair
Hold (as stated)
Medium A medium hold, as stated by the brand. Your hair
Strong A strong hold, as stated by the brand. Your hair
Slip / detangling Same
Little Nothing here is built to reduce combing force. Your hair
Little Nothing here is built to reduce combing force. Your hair
Weight on hair Same
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Fragrance
Prominent Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula. Your hair
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Protein Differs
Minor Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient. Your hair
None No protein or amino acids in the list. Your hair
Silicone / wax buildup Same
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Low Your hair
Low Your hair
Hold system Same
Mixed 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
Some Absorbents appear, low in the list. Your hair
None No absorbent powders or starches. Your hair
Oils and butters Same
Present, lower down Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch. 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
  • 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
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • 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 scent
  • Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
  • Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
  • Soft, touchable finishesthe brand states a firm hold
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
Stylerpaste
Styler
Where to buy
18.21 Man Made · Ulta · Target
Brand website · Grocery / mass
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • curly-method compatible
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
Cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · brand states
—
Scent
Amber & spice · Sweet & vanilla
Hold
mediumThe current 18.21 Man Made and Ulta listings explicitly name a medium hold.
strong
Finish
high-shine
—
How often
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 Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling PomadeCurl Talk Defining Gel Custard
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Fragrance
Fragrance
#8Below the 1% line
#13Below the 1% line
Glycerin
Moisturizes
#9Below the 1% line
#2Leading

What only one of them carries

Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade

Curl Talk Defining Gel Custard

Full ingredient list — Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade (18)
Full ingredient list — Curl Talk Defining Gel Custard (21)

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 Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling PomadeCurl Talk Defining Gel Custard
Supported
4
5
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
1
0
Potential conflict
0
0

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.

Curl Talk Defining Gel Custard

  • Extends the length of your curls, while fighting frizz and adding shineSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • Flake-free, no crunch finishSupportedNatural movement without stiffness.
  • Silicone free and protein freeSupportedNothing that needs a strong wash.
  • Safe for color-treated hairSupportedLess fade per wash.
  • Firm holdSupportedStructure that lasts the day.

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 a light feel and hold.

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

Curl Talk Defining Gel Custard

Delivers exceptional curl definition with a reliable hold that keeps curls visibly defined and structured throughout the day without excessive crunchiness.

Reviewers with naturally curly hair who used the custard for styling and found it provided the hold and definition they needed.

Creates visibly hydrated and well-defined curls with a non-greasy feel, making curls look healthier and more polished without weighing them down.

Reviewers who noticed their curls looked and felt better defined, hydrated, and lighter after using the product.

Provides a versatile hold that can be easily broken through the week or refreshed with light products, allowing curls to move and stay softer without feeling locked.

Reviewers who appreciated the flexible nature of the hold, which does not create a rigid or hard cast on the curls.

Requires hand dipping to apply from the jar, which some reviewers find inconvenient for professional or frequent use, though it remains effective for personal use.

Professional curly hairstylist who appreciated the product's performance but found the jar packaging required workarounds for client application.

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.

$1.12/oz vs $13.00/oz — 18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade costs about 12× more per ounce than Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Defining Gel Custard.

Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade

Against 92 pastes with a computable unit price.

Curl Talk Defining Gel Custard

Against 159 gels with a computable unit price.

Value readSweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling PomadeCurl Talk Defining Gel Custard
Label
Same job for less elsewhereYou are paying above the range for a formula close to several lower-priced options.
Lower cost than most gelsCosts less per ounce than most gels we have researched.

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 Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade vs Tea Tree Grooming PomadePaul Mitchell · 93% function matchCurl Talk Defining Gel Custard vs Custard For KidsCurlyKids · 96% function matchSweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade vs ORS Curlshow Curl Creator Defining JellyORS · 89% function matchCurl Talk Defining Gel Custard vs Curl Defining Mousse - 6.8 ozRizos Curls · 96% function matchSweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade vs TURNTABLE Curl Defining CrèmeR+Co · 89% function matchCurl Talk Defining Gel Custard vs Unapologetic Define, Style & Hold MousseORS · 96% function matchSweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade vs Kalahari Melon & Aloe Vera Deep Hydration Curl Forming GlazeMielle Organics · 85% function matchCurl Talk Defining Gel Custard vs L.A. HOLD Styling GelGiovanni · 96% function match

Sweet Tobacco Medium Hold, High Shine Hair Styling Pomade · Curl Talk Defining Gel Custard · 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.
  • 9 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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