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Side by side

Curlsmith Effortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz vs Curlsmith Fragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel

78% function match · 10 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 17%. Curlsmith Effortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz and Curlsmith Fragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel share 2 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.

  • Effortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz — protein-sensitive hair
  • Fragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel — fragrance-free

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
Curlsmith Effortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz — 8 oz container Curlsmith

Effortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz

  • Styler
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Curlsmith Fragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel — container, alternate view Curlsmith

Fragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel

  • Styler
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$28 8 oz · $3.50/oz
$21–25 8 oz · $2.80/oz
Value / price positioning
Upper-mid price for a hairspray $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 64% of the 101 hairsprays we’ve priced
Upper-mid price for a gel $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 58% of the 159 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 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
Strong A strong 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 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
None listed No fragrance is listed. 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
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Low Your hair
Low Your hair
Hold system Differs
Mixed Gums and synthetic polymers together. Your hair
Synthetic polymer Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems. 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
  • Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • Fine hairthat flattens under most products
  • Fragrance-freeno fragrance (parfum) on the label
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
  • Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
  • Styles that must holdthe brand states a light hold at most
  • Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
  • Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
  • Soft, touchable finishesthe brand states a firm hold
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
Ulta
Brand website
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • fragrance-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
Vegan
Vegan · brand states
Vegan · label states
Cruelty-free
—
Cruelty-free · label states
Scent
Scented, not described
—
Hold
light3 - Invisible hold
strong
Finish
natural
shine
How often
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

IngredientEffortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 ozFragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Stabilizes
#5Supporting
#4Supporting
Glycerin
Moisturizes
#19Below the 1% line
#3Leading

What only one of them carries

Effortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz

Fragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel

Full ingredient list — Effortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz (30)
Full ingredient list — Fragrance-Free Strong Hold 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.

VerdictsEffortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 ozFragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel
Supported
1
4
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
2
2
Potential conflict
1
0

Effortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz

  • Reduces frizz by 78% (third party testing)Stated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • 86% agreed waves were more defined after useStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • Crunch-free formulaPotential conflictExpect a cast you have to scrunch out.
  • Made without sulphates, silicones, or drying alcoholsSupportedNothing that needs a strong wash.

Fragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel

  • Level 9 holdStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Non-sticky curl cast that defines, fights frizz, and amplifies shineSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • Fragrance-freeSupportedSafer for scent-sensitive scalps.
  • VeganSupportedMatches our researched record.
  • Cruelty-free (Leaping Bunny certified)SupportedMatches our researched record.
  • Dermatologically testedStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.

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.

Effortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz

Multiple reviewers say waves come out with well-defined, uniform curl clumps and excellent slip for detangling while applying

5-star Ulta reviewer with wavy hair

Reviewers frequently mention the spray keeps hair frizz-free without any stiff or crunchy cast

Ulta reviewers, aggregate

Reviewers describe being genuinely surprised at how much more defined and full their waves looked compared to prior products

5-star Ulta reviewer

Some reviewers report waves fall flatter by the end of the day and hair feels drier than expected

2-star Ulta reviewer

Fragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel

Reviewers describe strong, long-lasting hold that keeps curls defined and frizz-free through humidity or workouts.

general reviewers, including one describing an hour of HIIT exercise

Reviewers with fragrance sensitivity or scalp irritation specifically sought this gel out for being fragrance-free, and some say switching stopped itching or hair loss they attribute to scented products.

reviewers with fragrance intolerance or scalp sensitivity

The gel forms a hard cast that reviewers scrunch out once dry, leaving curls soft and flexible rather than stiff.

reviewers using the cast-and-scrunch technique

Several reviewers caution that only a small, pea-size amount is needed and using too much can be counterproductive.

reviewers describing dosage

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.

$2.80/oz vs $3.50/oz — Curlsmith Effortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz costs about 1.3× more per ounce than Curlsmith Fragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel.

Effortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz

Against 101 hairsprays with a computable unit price.

Fragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel

Against 159 gels with a computable unit price.

Value readEffortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 ozFragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel
Label
Upper-mid price for a hairspraySits in the middle of the range for hairsprays per ounce.
Upper-mid price for a gelSits in the middle of the range for gels 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.

Effortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz vs Hair Gel: Long-Wear Curl Capturing GlossBREAD BEAUTY SUPPLY · 100% function matchFragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel vs A Curl Can Dream Light Hold GelMatrix · 100% function matchEffortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz vs Stay High Volumizing Hair MousseRedken · 96% function matchFragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel vs Touchable Hold Hair Styling Spray GelHerbal Essences · 100% function matchEffortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz vs Curl Keeper Ultimate Frizz ControlCurl Keeper · 96% function matchFragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel vs Curled Flexible Curl Foamgot2b · 96% function matchEffortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz vs I Create HoldInnersense · 96% function matchFragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel vs Xtra Large Bombshell Volumizer - 6.7 ozColor Wow · 96% function match

Effortless Waves Styling Spray - 8.0 oz · Fragrance-Free Strong Hold Gel · 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.
  • 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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