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Side by side

As I Am Curling Creme vs As I Am Smoothing Gel

36% function match · 5 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 57%. As I Am Curling Creme and As I Am Smoothing Gel share 4 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.

  • Curling Creme — protein-sensitive hair
  • Smoothing Gel — 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
As I Am Curling Creme — 8 oz container As I Am

Curling Creme

  • Styler
  • Drugstore
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
As I Am Smoothing Gel — 8 oz container As I Am

Smoothing Gel

  • Styler
  • Drugstore
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$9.99 8 oz · $1.25/oz
$5.11 8 oz · $0.82/oz
Value / price positioning
Priced with its peers $$$$$ Drugstore tier · costs less than 72% of the 105 curl creams we’ve priced
Lower cost than most gels $$$$$ Drugstore tier · costs less than 87% of the 157 gels we’ve priced
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily Co-washes, curl creams, and gels are built around wave and curl. 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 system Differs
Moderate Gums and synthetic polymers together. Your hair
High Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems. Your hair
Slip / detangling Differs
Moderate Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list. 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
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 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
Cast risk Differs
Unlikely Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely. 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 Differs
Rich Butters near the top: a heavy, softening formula. 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
  • Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
  • 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
  • Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
  • Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
  • 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
Stylercream
Stylergel
Where to buy
As I Am · Shop
As I Am · Target
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • protein-free
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
Vegan
Vegan · label states
Vegan · label states
Cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Scent
Scented, not described
Scented, not described
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

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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

IngredientCurling CremeSmoothing Gel
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Glycerin
Moisturizes
#2Leading
#3Leading
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Moisturizes
#4Supporting
#5Supporting
Betaine
Moisturizes
#7Supporting
#2Leading
Fragrance
Fragrance
#16Below the 1% line
#12Below the 1% line
Beta Vulgaris (Beet) Root Extract
Moisturizes
#9Secondary
#8Below the 1% line
Anise Alcohol
Fragrance
#37Below the 1% line
#13Below the 1% line
Coumarin
Fragrance
#38Below the 1% line
#14Below the 1% line
Limonene
Fragrance
#39Below the 1% line
#15Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Curling Creme

Smoothing Gel

Full ingredient list — Curling Creme (39)
Full ingredient list — Smoothing Gel (15)

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.

VerdictsCurling CremeSmoothing Gel
Supported
3
4
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
0
1
Potential conflict
0
0

Curling Creme

  • curl definitionSupportedHolds a clump together.
  • moisturizing curl creamSupportedHelps hair feel hydrated.
  • long-lasting holdSupportedStructure that lasts the day.

Smoothing Gel

  • secure holdSupportedStructure that lasts the day.
  • moisturizesSupportedHelps hair feel hydrated.
  • adds shineStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • rinses easilySupportedComes out in a normal wash.
  • non-drying formulaSupportedNothing in it flashes off dry.

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 the scent. As I Am Smoothing Gel draws complaints about frizz and irritation.

Curling Creme

One purchaser describes the result as exceptionally effective and says they would repurchase.

repeat-purchase-oriented reviewer

A reviewer says the cream left their hair smoother, with a pleasant scent and tighter, more defined curls.

curl-definition user

One buyer thought the jar would be much larger and was disappointed by its perceived small size.

size-expectation concern

Smoothing Gel

A slick-back and edge-styling reviewer says it left hair very smooth and shiny without product buildup.

slick-back and edge styling

A reviewer with 4B coils reports that it kept a slick-back bun in place all day without troublesome flaking.

4B hair; slick-back bun

A 3C/4A-haired purchaser says it laid their hair down beautifully and had a pleasant scent.

3C/4A hair; smoothing use

One purchaser reports that the gel increased frizz and did not give the finished look they wanted.

frizz-sensitive user

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.

$0.82/oz vs $1.25/oz — As I Am Curling Creme costs about 1.5× more per ounce than As I Am Smoothing Gel.

Curling Creme

Against 105 curl creams with a computable unit price.

Smoothing Gel

Against 157 gels with a computable unit price.

Value readCurling CremeSmoothing Gel
Label
Priced with its peersSits in the middle of the range for curl creams per ounce.
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.

Curling Creme vs Rich Kid Coconut Oil GelIGK · 90% function matchSmoothing Gel vs Curl Shaper Take Shape Plumping Defining CreamOuidad · 100% function matchCurling Creme vs Curl Light Defining Styling Cream - 8.5 ozBumble and bumble · 90% function matchSmoothing Gel vs MITCH High Hold PomadePaul Mitchell · 100% function matchCurling Creme vs Moisture Miracle Curling CreamAfrican Pride · 88% function matchSmoothing Gel vs EIMI Pearl Styler Styling Hair GelWella Professionals · 100% function matchCurling Creme vs Curl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 ozBumble and bumble · 88% function matchSmoothing Gel vs Clear Paste 20Kenra Professional · 100% function match

Curling Creme · Smoothing Gel · All curl creams 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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