Skip to main content

Side by side

American Crew Heavy Hold Pomade vs Bed Head Back It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture

83% function match · 11 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 18%. American Crew Heavy Hold Pomade and Bed Head Back It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture 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.

  • Heavy Hold Pomade — protein-sensitive hair
  • Back It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture — 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
American Crew Heavy Hold Pomade — container, alternate view American Crew

Heavy Hold Pomade

  • Styler
  • Masstige
  • Protein-free
  • Strong hold
Bed Head Back It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture — container Bed Head

Back It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture

  • Styler
  • Masstige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$23–28 3 oz · $7.83/oz
$21 4.23 oz · $4.97/oz
Value / price positioning
Priced with its peers $$$$$ Masstige tier · costs less than 51% of the 90 pastes we’ve priced
Upper-mid price for a texture spray $$$$$ Masstige tier · costs more than 58% of the 58 texture sprays we’ve priced
Best for hair types
All types Nothing in the formula or the claims narrows this to one pattern. Your hair
Straight–Wavy A light volumising formula — the lift it adds matters most on straighter hair. 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)
Maximum A strong hold, as stated by the brand. Your hair
—
Slip / detangling Same
Some Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners. Your hair
Some Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners. Your hair
Weight on hair Same
Light Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair. Your hair
Light Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine 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 Same
None No protein or amino acids in the list. Your hair
None No protein or amino acids in the list. Your hair
Silicone / wax buildup Same
Low The silicones here are the water-soluble kind. Your hair
Low The silicones here are the water-soluble kind. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Low Your hair
Low Your hair
Hold system Differs
Synthetic polymer Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems. Your hair
Moderate Gums and synthetic polymers together. Your hair
Cast risk Same
Likely Film formers without much softening them — expect a cast to scrunch out. Your hair
Likely Film formers without much softening them — expect a cast to scrunch out. Your hair
Oil absorption Same
None No absorbent powders or starches. Your hair
None No absorbent powders or starches. Your hair
Oils and butters Same
None No oils or butters in the list. Your hair
None No oils or butters in the list. 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
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • Fine hairthat flattens under most products
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Sulfate-free routinesit uses a sulfate detergent
  • Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
  • Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
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
Brand website · Target · Ulta
Ulta
Free of
  • protein-free
  • sulfate-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
Scent
Scented, not described
Scented, not described
Hold
maxUse for styles that require maximum hold and shine.
—
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

IngredientHeavy Hold PomadeBack It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Glycerin
Moisturizes
#5Supporting
#3Leading
Propylene Glycol
Moisturizes
#6Supporting
#4Supporting
Fragrance
Fragrance
#14Below the 1% line
#11Below the 1% line
Linalool
Fragrance
#15Below the 1% line
#33Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Heavy Hold Pomade

Back It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture

Full ingredient list — Heavy Hold Pomade (26)
Full ingredient list — Back It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture (33)

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.

VerdictsHeavy Hold PomadeBack It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture
Supported
3
1
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
1
1
Potential conflict
0
1

Heavy Hold Pomade

  • maximum holdSupportedStructure that lasts the day.
  • high shineSupportedReflects light for visible shine.
  • water basedSupportedComes out in a normal wash.
  • easy removalStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.

Back It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture

  • Provides definition, body, and holdSupportedLeaves room for lift.
  • Creates natural, textured hairstylesStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • One scrunch technology helps hair spring back into shapePotential conflictExpect a cast you have to scrunch out.

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.

American Crew Heavy Hold Pomade draws complaints about dullness; Bed Head Back It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture draws complaints about tangling and dryness.

Heavy Hold Pomade

A parent of a child with tight curls at the hairline said the pomade kept his chosen style for about a day and helped tame those small curls.

parent styling a son's curly hairline

A verified buyer said it worked without leaving an obvious goopy residue in the hair.

verified buyer

A reviewer buying for her husband said this was the first pomade that did not leave his hair looking greasy and hard like prior ones.

spouse purchasing for her husband

One reviewer found that it sets like a hard clear gel; trying to restyle it broke up the product and took away its shine.

reviewer seeking a reworkable pomade

Back It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture

Creates defined textured curls with natural shine when applied correctly to suitable hair types.

positive reviewers achieving desired curl definition

Extremely sticky texture that does not dry properly and makes hair difficult to comb through.

majority of negative reviewers reporting application and texture issues

Leaves hair feeling greasy, flat, or weighed down when applied too generously or left in too long.

reviewers noting product buildup and oiliness over time

Contains high alcohol content and strong fragrance that may dry out hair or irritate sensitive scalps.

reviewers mentioning drying effects and fragrance sensitivity

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.

$4.97/oz vs $7.83/oz — American Crew Heavy Hold Pomade costs about 1.6× more per ounce than Bed Head Back It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture.

Heavy Hold Pomade

Against 90 pastes with a computable unit price.

Back It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture

Against 58 texture sprays with a computable unit price.

Value readHeavy Hold PomadeBack It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture
Label
Priced with its peersSits in the middle of the range for pastes per ounce.
Upper-mid price for a texture spraySits in the middle of the range for texture sprays per ounce.

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.

Heavy Hold Pomade vs MITCH Original PomadePaul Mitchell · 100% function matchBack It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture vs Wave Rider Versatile Styling CreamBed Head · 87% function matchHeavy Hold Pomade vs Salty Not Sorry Texturizing Salt Spray For Natural Undone HairstylesBed Head · 100% function matchBack It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture vs I Create HoldInnersense · 85% function matchHeavy Hold Pomade vs Texturising Salt SprayBed Head · 99% function matchBack It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture vs Salty Not Sorry Texturizing Salt Spray For Natural Undone HairstylesBed Head · 83% function matchHeavy Hold Pomade vs Extra Hold Alcohol-Free Hair GelTRESemmé · 96% function matchBack It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture vs MITCH Original PomadePaul Mitchell · 83% function match

Heavy Hold Pomade · Back It Up Texturizing Cream For Shape And Texture · 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.

Still unsure? Take your consultation or browse more products.

Your personalized hair plan

Tell us what’s going on with your hair, see what we understand, and get a plan built around it — with the reason behind every recommendation.

Free to start · $49.00 for your consultation and hair profile · No subscription · Nothing you must buy

Start your consultation