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Side by side

Aussie Mega Hair Spray vs Aussie Ultra Smooth Defining Jelly

56% function match · 5 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 1%. Aussie Mega Hair Spray and Aussie Ultra Smooth Defining Jelly 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.

  • Mega Hair Spray — protein-sensitive hair
  • Ultra Smooth Defining Jelly — 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
Aussie Mega Hair Spray — 10 oz container Aussie

Mega Hair Spray

  • Styler
  • Value
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Aussie Ultra Smooth Defining Jelly — 10.1 oz container Aussie

Ultra Smooth Defining Jelly

  • Styler
  • Drugstore
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
Price, size & price per ounce
about $5 10 oz · $0.50/oz
$9.97 10.1 oz · $0.99/oz
Value / price positioning
Lower cost than most hairsprays $$$$$ Value tier · costs less than 100% of the 96 hairsprays we’ve priced
Lower cost than most gels $$$$$ Drugstore tier · costs less than 81% of the 157 gels we’ve priced
Best for hair types
Straight–Wavy A light volumising formula — the lift it adds matters most on straighter hair. Your hair
Wavy–Coily Co-washes, curl creams, and gels are built around wave and curl. Your hair
Moisture level Differs
Low Humectants appear, but low enough to be a minor part. 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
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
Some Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners. Your hair
Weight on hair Differs
Light Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine 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
Prominent Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula. 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
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Low Your hair
Moderate Your hair
Cast risk Differs
Likely Film formers without much softening them — expect a cast to scrunch out. 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, high in the list Oils sit high in the list — a softening, coating formula. 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
Covers the core
out of 10
Complete for its job
Who should choose this
  • 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
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
  • Aerosol avoidancethis is a pressurised can
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
  • Silicone-free routinesit does contain silicones — the water-soluble kind
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
Stylerspray
Stylergel
Where to buy
Grocery / mass
—
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
  • sulfate-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
Cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · label states
Cruelty-free · label states
Scent
Scented, not described
Scented, not described

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

IngredientMega Hair SprayUltra Smooth Defining Jelly
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Fragrance
Fragrance
#4Below the 1% line
#5Below the 1% line
Benzyl Alcohol
Stabilizes
#11Below the 1% line
#10Below the 1% line
Ethylhexylglycerin
Softens
#18Below the 1% line
#11Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Mega Hair Spray

Ultra Smooth Defining Jelly

Full ingredient list — Mega Hair Spray (18)
Full ingredient list — Ultra Smooth Defining Jelly (12)

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.

VerdictsMega Hair SprayUltra Smooth Defining Jelly
Supported
2
2
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
0
3
Potential conflict
1
1

Mega Hair Spray

  • Flexible, light holdSupportedStructure that lasts the day.
  • Won't weigh you downSupportedLess likely to weigh hair down.
  • Doesn't make your hair crunchyPotential conflictExpect a cast you have to scrunch out.

Ultra Smooth Defining Jelly

  • 48 hours of curl definition, up to 96 hours (4 days) of frizz and humidity controlStated by brandMay help, but not measurable here.
  • crunch-free gel formula, flexible holdSupportedNatural movement without stiffness.
  • creates a humidity-repelling barrierSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • for wash-and-gos, twists, braidsStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • 0% sulfates, dyes, parabensStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • with jojoba oil; line uses silk proteins and baobab/argan/jojoba/grapeseed oilsPotential conflictNot in the ingredient list.

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.

Mega Hair Spray

Older/curated reviews (predating the reformulation complaints) describe a pleasant, light scent and a hold that doesn't feel crunchy or stiff

curated 'what others are saying' reviewers

New formula leaves a white, flaky residue, especially noticeable on dark hair

a long-time user with dark hair

A formula change is widely reported to have ruined the product -- reviewers who used it for years say the new version is sticky, stiff, and no longer 'flexible'

long-time repeat buyers (some citing 10-15+ years of use)

Reformulation also changed the hold: reviewers say the spray now feels wet and provides little to no lasting hold

decades-long repeat buyers

Ultra Smooth Defining Jelly

No review themes researched for this product yet.

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.

$0.50/oz vs $0.99/oz — Aussie Ultra Smooth Defining Jelly costs about 2× more per ounce than Aussie Mega Hair Spray.

Mega Hair Spray

Against 96 hairsprays with a computable unit price.

Ultra Smooth Defining Jelly

Against 157 gels with a computable unit price.

Value readMega Hair SprayUltra Smooth Defining Jelly
Label
Lower cost than most hairspraysCosts less per ounce than most hairsprays we have researched.
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.

Mega Hair Spray vs Volume SprayVerb · 93% function matchUltra Smooth Defining Jelly vs Miracle Coils Shaping JellyAussie · 93% function matchMega Hair Spray vs Total Volume Plumping MousseTRESemme · 91% function matchUltra Smooth Defining Jelly vs Grooming Hair Styling CreamBumble and bumble · 89% function matchMega Hair Spray vs TRESemmé Extra Hold MousseTRESemmé · 91% function matchUltra Smooth Defining Jelly vs Curly Meringue - Frizz Control CreamMiss Jessie's · 89% function matchMega Hair Spray vs Queen For A Day Thickening Spray For Fine HairBed Head · 91% function matchUltra Smooth Defining Jelly vs Curly PuddingMiss Jessie's · 89% function match

Mega Hair Spray · Ultra Smooth Defining Jelly · All hairsprays 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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