Side by side
Axe Axe Urban Messy Look Epic Hold Matte Hair Wax vs Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Finishing Paste
85% function match · 10 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 23%. Axe Axe Urban Messy Look Epic Hold Matte Hair Wax and Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Finishing Paste share 2 ingredients among each other's most prominent.
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.
- Axe Urban Messy Look Epic Hold Matte Hair Wax — protein-sensitive hair
- Pure Clean Finishing Paste — 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”.
- Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
- 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
- Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
- 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
- Scents bother youthis product carries a strong scent
- Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
- Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
- Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
- Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
- Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
More facts about each one
- sulfate-free
- silicone-free
- protein-free
- curly-method compatible
- sulfate-free
- silicone-free
- protein-free
- curly-method compatible
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.
$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
What only one of them carries
Axe Urban Messy Look Epic Hold Matte Hair Wax
Pure Clean Finishing Paste
Full ingredient list — Axe Urban Messy Look Epic Hold Matte Hair Wax (23)
-
1
Water
- solvent
-
2
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
- emollient
- sealant
-
3
Beeswax
- wax
- film former
- sealant
-
4
Petrolatum
- sealant
- emollient
-
5
Cetearyl Alcohol
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
6
Propylene Glycol
- humectant
- solvent
-
7
VP/VA Copolymer
- film former
- polymer
-
8
Diethylhexyl Adipate
- light ester
- emollient
-
9
Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax
- wax
- film former
-
10
Ozokerite
- film former
- sealant
- wax
-
11
Vinyl Caprolactam/VP/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
- film former
- polymer
-
12
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
- Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
13
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
14
Caprylyl Glycol
- preservative
- humectant
-
15
Fragrance
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
16
Glycerin
- humectant
-
17
Citric Acid
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
18
Disodium EDTA
- hard-water chelator
-
19
Peg-90m
- emulsifier
-
20
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
21
Citronellol
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
22
Limonene
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
23
Linalool
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
Full ingredient list — Pure Clean Finishing Paste (24)
-
1
Water
- solvent
-
2
Propanediol
- humectant
- solvent
-
3
Isopropyl Palmitate
- light ester
- emollient
-
4
Beeswax
- wax
- film former
- sealant
-
5
Cetyl Esters
- light ester
- emollient
- thickener
-
6
Stearyl Alcohol
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
7
Glycerin
- humectant
-
8
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
- light ester
- emollient
-
9
Cetyl Alcohol
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
10
Arachidyl Alcohol
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
11
Behenyl Alcohol
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
- Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
12
Caprylyl Glycol
- preservative
- humectant
-
13
Arachidyl Glucoside
- cleanser
-
14
Gellan Gum
- gum
- thickener
-
15
Fragrance
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
16
Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
-
17
Tocopherol
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
18
Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil
- oil
- emollient
-
19
Limonene
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
20
Xanthan Gum
- gum
- thickener
- film former
-
21
Citronellol
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
22
Linalool
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
23
Acacia Senegal/Acacia Senegal Gum
- gum
- thickener
-
24
Citral
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
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.
Axe Urban Messy Look Epic Hold Matte Hair Wax
Epic Hold
Stated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.Matte finish
Stated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.Urban Messy Look
Stated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
Pure Clean Finishing Paste
up to 24-hour definition
SupportedHolds a clump together.strong, non-sticky hold
Stated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.definition and shine
SupportedReflects light for visible shine.clean feel
Stated 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 and a clean rinse-out. Axe Axe Urban Messy Look Epic Hold Matte Hair Wax draws complaints about the scent.
Axe Urban Messy Look Epic Hold Matte Hair Wax
A reviewer notes the finish doesn't feel crunchy despite the strong hold
Target verified purchaser ("mayingotwn")Multiple reviewers say the wax delivers strong, all-day hold as advertised
Target verified purchasers ("Momoftwobayarea", "Maritza")Reviewers note it leaves hair with a natural matte look, not greasy or oily-looking
Target verified purchasers ("Abc", "Maritza", "Sadtablelady")One reviewer felt the fragrance was too strong and lingered on the hair
1-star Target reviewerPure Clean Finishing Paste
Verified purchasers say the paste holds their hair in place and is hard to replace when they run out.
repeat usersA parent reports that the relatively thin paste leaves little residue while still giving enough hold for a child's hair.
parent styling a child's hairOne disappointed buyer says it did not tame their flyaways as expected.
flyaway-control userPrice 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.
$3.00/oz vs $3.03/oz — within about the same cost per ounce.
Every mark sits on one distribution because these are compared against the same set: 92 pastes with a computable unit price.
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.
Axe Urban Messy Look Epic Hold Matte Hair Wax · Pure Clean Finishing Paste · 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.
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