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Side by side

Bumble and bumble Curl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz vs Bumble and bumble Curl Hair Gel + Pomade

48% function match · 7 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 27%. Bumble and bumble Curl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz and Bumble and bumble Curl Hair Gel + Pomade 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.

  • Curl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz — protein-sensitive hair
  • Curl Hair Gel + Pomade — 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
Bumble and bumble Curl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz — 8.5 oz container Bumble and bumble

Curl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz

  • Styler
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
Bumble and bumble Curl Hair Gel + Pomade — 3.4 oz container Bumble and bumble

Curl Hair Gel + Pomade

  • Styler
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$37 8.5 oz · $4.35/oz
$31.45 3.4 oz · $10.07/oz

Compared at different sizes — 8.5 oz against 3.4 oz. Per-ounce prices favour the larger bottle.

Value / price positioning
Priced with its peers $$$$$ Salon tier · costs less than 69% of the 56 smoothing creams we’ve priced
Priced above most gels $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 99% of the 157 gels we’ve priced
Best for hair types
Curly–Coily A heavy formula: coarse, curlier strands carry it without flattening. 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 (as stated)
Light A light hold, as stated by the brand. Your hair
—
Slip / detangling Differs
Moderate Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list. 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
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
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 system Differs
Mixed Gums and synthetic polymers together. Your hair
None No hold polymer, gum, or wax found in the list. 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 Same
Present, lower down Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch. Your hair
Present, lower down Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch. Your hair
Fast-drying alcohol Differs
None No fast-drying alcohol in the list. 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
Covers the core
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
  • 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 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
  • Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
  • Styles that must holdno hold polymer, gum, or wax was found
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
Ulta
Ulta · Brand website
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • protein-free
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
Vegan
—
Vegan · label states
Cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Scent
Scented, not described
Scented, not described
Hold
lightprovides soft hold
—
Finish
shine
shine
How often
every wash
every wash

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

IngredientCurl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 ozCurl Hair Gel + Pomade
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Glycerin
Moisturizes
#2Leading
#4Supporting
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
Buildup
#11Secondary
#15Below the 1% line
Fragrance
Fragrance
#35Below the 1% line
#25Below the 1% line
Limonene
Fragrance
#38Below the 1% line
#26Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Curl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz

Curl Hair Gel + Pomade

Full ingredient list — Curl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz (42)
Full ingredient list — Curl Hair Gel + Pomade (30)

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.

VerdictsCurl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 ozCurl Hair Gel + Pomade
Supported
5
1
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
0
1
Potential conflict
0
0

Curl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz

  • Defines curls and reduces frizzSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • Leaves hair shiny with soft holdSupportedNatural movement without stiffness.
  • Deeply hydrates hairSupportedHelps hair feel hydrated.
  • Provides UV protectionSupportedA real filter is listed.
  • Formulated without parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, formaldehydeSupportedPreserved without parabens.

Curl Hair Gel + Pomade

  • hold, shine, and definitionSupportedReflects light for visible shine.
  • bouncy, versatileStated 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 frizz control and a clean rinse-out. Bumble and bumble Curl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz draws complaints about curl definition; Bumble and bumble Curl Hair Gel + Pomade draws complaints about tangling and the scent.

Curl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz

"Really defines my curls. It works well and doesn't make my hair feel weighed down"

reviewer with wavy hair (Kristen)

"Results are excellent, minimal frizz, excellent shine, no crunch and soft touchable curls"

reviewer with thick, dry 3B curls, marked most-helpful review

Helped define loose curls

reviewer with loose curls (Diana)

"Didn't seem to do anything for me", preferred a Paul Mitchell lavender product instead

reviewer with mixed 2b/3a/3b curls (Bridget)

"Not for me...leaves my hair feeling coated and dirty and does not provide any definition"

reviewer with wavy hair (Kelly)

Curl Hair Gel + Pomade

Leaves curls well-defined with no frizz and no crunchy cast

5-star reviewer

Curls come out shinier, tighter, and smoother than with other products she's tried

5-star curly-hair reviewer

Fragrance was unpleasant enough that she stopped using it after two tries

3-star reviewer

Left hair rough with product residue and tangling after about a week of regular use

3-star reviewer

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.

$4.35/oz vs $10.07/oz — Bumble and bumble Curl Hair Gel + Pomade costs about 2.3× more per ounce than Bumble and bumble Curl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz.

Curl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz

Against 56 smoothing creams with a computable unit price.

Curl Hair Gel + Pomade

Against 157 gels with a computable unit price.

Value readCurl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 ozCurl Hair Gel + Pomade
Label
Priced with its peersSits in the middle of the range for smoothing creams per ounce.
Priced above most gelsCosts more per ounce than most gels; 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.

Curl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz vs MITCH Construction PastePaul Mitchell · 93% function matchCurl Hair Gel + Pomade vs Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Long Last Hydrating Styling CreamBumble and bumble · 85% function matchCurl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz vs Styling Microweb FiberSebastian · 89% function matchCurl Hair Gel + Pomade vs Almond & Avocado Honey & Shea Edge TamerDesign Essentials · 81% function matchCurl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz vs Anti-Frizz CrèmeOUAI · 89% function matchCurl Hair Gel + Pomade vs Goddess Strength True Stretch Defining CreamCarol's Daughter · 81% function matchCurl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz vs Healthy Sexy Hair Styling PasteSexy Hair · 89% function matchCurl Hair Gel + Pomade vs Healthy Sexy Hair Active Recovery Repairing Blow Dry FoamSexy Hair · 81% function match

Curl Defining Hair Styling Cream - 8.5 oz · Curl Hair Gel + Pomade · All smoothing 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.
  • 2 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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