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Side by side

18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste vs American Crew Pomade - 3.0 oz

81% function match · 9 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 34%. 18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste and American Crew Pomade - 3.0 oz 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 Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste — dry, thirsty hair
  • Pomade - 3.0 oz — 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 Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste — 2 oz container 18.21 Man Made

Sweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste

  • Styler
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
American Crew Pomade - 3.0 oz — container, alternate view American Crew

Pomade - 3.0 oz

  • Styler
  • Masstige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$26 2 oz · $13.00/oz
$29.99 3 oz · $10.66/oz
Value / price positioning
Priced above most pastes $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 85% of the 90 pastes we’ve priced
Priced above most pastes $$$$$ Masstige tier · costs more than 76% 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
Wavy–Coily The brand’s own claims name curly or textured hair. Your hair
Moisture level Same
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
Hold system Same
High Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems. Your hair
Synthetic polymer Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems. Your hair
Slip / detangling Differs
Some Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners. Your hair
High Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula. 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
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
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate Your hair
Moderate Your hair
Hold (as stated)
—
Medium A medium hold, as stated by the brand. 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 Same
None No absorbent powders or starches. Your hair
None No absorbent powders or starches. 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
Present Fast-drying alcohol is present — it speeds drying and can read dry on the hair. Your hair
Present Fast-drying alcohol is present — it speeds drying and can read dry on the hair. 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
  • Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
  • Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
  • Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a strong scent
  • Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
  • Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
  • Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
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
Stylercream
Where to buy
18.21 Man Made · Ulta
Ulta · Brand website
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 & vanillaStrong
Scented, not described
Hold
—
mediumMedium hold
Finish
—
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 Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling PastePomade - 3.0 oz
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Lanolin
Buildup
#2Leading
#4Supporting
PVP
Holds
#4Supporting
#10Secondary
Alcohol Denat.
Drying
#5Supporting
#9Secondary
Glycerin
Moisturizes
#7Supporting
#7Supporting
Fragrance
Fragrance
#14Below the 1% line
#16Below the 1% line
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Fragrance
#21Below the 1% line
#21Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Sweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste

Pomade - 3.0 oz

Full ingredient list — Sweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste (23)
Full ingredient list — Pomade - 3.0 oz (29)

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 Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling PastePomade - 3.0 oz
Supported
4
3
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
1
2
Potential conflict
1
0

Sweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste

  • soft holdSupportedNatural movement without stiffness.
  • frizz controlSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • smooths textureSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • touchableSupportedNatural movement without stiffness.
  • water solublePotential conflictExpect to need a real cleanse.
  • blow-dry compatibleStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.

Pomade - 3.0 oz

  • flexible alternative to styling gelsSupportedNatural movement without stiffness.
  • tremendous shineSupportedReflects light for visible shine.
  • pliable holdSupportedStructure that lasts the day.
  • works well for curly hairStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • classic, slicked-back looksStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.

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 Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste draws complaints about the scent; American Crew Pomade - 3.0 oz draws complaints about weight.

Sweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste

A user with short wavy hair says it holds a mohawk in place without looking or feeling overloaded with product.

Verified Ulta buyer review from Richmond, Virginia, submitted 2022

A buyer says the paste works on both thin, puffy hair and thick, curly hair in their household.

Ulta customer review from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, submitted 2023

A customer with thick shoulder-length hair says two small amounts last through a hospital workday, still allow restyling, and look natural without weighing hair down.

Ulta customer review from Maryland, submitted 2025

One purchaser finds the product functional but says the scent is too strong and remains on their hands even after washing.

Ulta customer review from Boston, Massachusetts, submitted 2025

Pomade - 3.0 oz

Switched to this pomade after a prior favorite reformulated and became glue-like; this one did the job

reviewer Karen, Thornton CO

Users with short, spiked styles find the hold and texture works well for that look

reviewer dria, Miami — men's short/thick hair

A longtime user found it too greasy for a short, spiked style

reviewer Ardele, SC

Longtime fan of the line but recent jars arrived visibly disturbed (finger marks in the product), a quality-control complaint separate from performance

reviewer Billy, Midwest City OK — repeat buyer

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.

$10.66/oz vs $13.00/oz — 18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste costs about 1.2× more per ounce than American Crew Pomade - 3.0 oz.

$1.50/oz median $7.92/oz $73.33/oz $13.00/oz Sweet Tobacco Soft Hold, M $10.66/oz Pomade - 3.0 oz

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

Value readSweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling PastePomade - 3.0 oz
Label
Priced above most pastesCosts more per ounce than most pastes; nothing in our library matches it closely for less.
Priced above most pastesCosts more per ounce than most pastes; nothing in our library matches it closely for less.

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 Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste vs Sumotech Flexible Hold Cream SolidBumble and bumble · 99% function matchPomade - 3.0 oz vs EIMI Nutricurls Soft Twirl Anti-Frizz Styling FoamWella · 87% function matchSweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste vs Weightless Smooth + Curl Enhancer CreamCantu · 85% function matchPomade - 3.0 oz vs Sumotech Flexible Hold Cream SolidBumble and bumble · 83% function matchSweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste vs Almond & Avocado Defining Crème GelDesign Essentials · 81% function matchPomade - 3.0 oz vs Pomegranate & Honey Curl Defining Mousse with HoldMielle · 83% function matchSweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste vs Volume Boost Volumizing Spray for Fine HairBiolage · 81% function matchPomade - 3.0 oz vs WhipAmerican Crew · 81% function match

Sweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste · Pomade - 3.0 oz · 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.
  • 4 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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