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Side by side

Curlsmith Invincible Volume Mousse vs Kristin Ess Hair Ultra Light Styling Cream

89% function match · 10 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 14%. Curlsmith Invincible Volume Mousse and Kristin Ess Hair Ultra Light Styling Cream 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.

  • Invincible Volume Mousse — protein-sensitive hair
  • Ultra Light Styling Cream — 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
Curlsmith Invincible Volume Mousse — 6.8 oz container Curlsmith

Invincible Volume Mousse

  • Styler
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Kristin Ess Hair Ultra Light Styling Cream — 5 oz container Kristin Ess Hair

Ultra Light Styling Cream

  • Styler
  • Masstige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$28 6.8 oz · $4.12/oz
$13–15 5 oz · $3.00/oz
Value / price positioning
Upper-mid price for a mouss $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 74% of the 138 mousses we’ve priced
Lower cost than most smoothing creams $$$$$ Masstige tier · costs less than 87% of the 56 smoothing creams we’ve priced
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily The brand’s own claims name curly or textured hair. Your hair
Straight–Curly Smoothing and thermal products span straight through curly hair. Your hair
Moisture level Same
Low Humectants appear, but low enough to be a minor part. Your hair
Low Humectants appear, but low enough to be a minor part. Your hair
Hold (as stated)
Medium A medium hold, as stated by the brand. Your hair
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 Same
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Fragrance
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. 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 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 Same
Mixed Gums and synthetic polymers together. Your hair
Mixed Gums and synthetic polymers together. 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 Same
None No fast-drying alcohol in the list. Your hair
None No fast-drying alcohol in the list. Your hair
Humidity resistance
—
Claimed The brand claims humidity resistance; the ingredient list cannot confirm it. 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
  • Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
  • 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
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Aerosol avoidancethis is a pressurised can
  • Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Styles that must holdthe brand states a light hold at most
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
Stylerfoam
Stylercream
Where to buy
Brand website
Target · Ulta · Brand website
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
Vegan
Vegan · brand states
—
Cruelty-free
—
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Scent
Scented, not described
Scented, not described
Hold
medium6 - Medium Hold (Curlsmith hold bar scale)
lightlightweight hold
Finish
—
natural
Humidity claim
—
Yes
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

$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

IngredientInvincible Volume MousseUltra Light Styling Cream
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Cetearyl Alcohol
Softens
#5Supporting
#4Supporting
Fragrance
Fragrance
#54Below the 1% line
#5Below the 1% line
Phenoxyethanol
Stabilizes
#51Below the 1% line
#7Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Invincible Volume Mousse

Ultra Light Styling Cream

Full ingredient list — Invincible Volume Mousse (60)
Full ingredient list — Ultra Light Styling Cream (62)

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.

VerdictsInvincible Volume MousseUltra Light Styling Cream
Supported
2
2
Partly supported
2
1
Stated by brand
1
1
Potential conflict
0
1

Invincible Volume Mousse

  • Volume lasting up to 72 hoursPartly supportedNeutral on lift.
  • Body and fullness without weightPartly supportedNeutral on lift.
  • Curl definitionSupportedHolds a clump together.
  • No drying alcoholSupportedNothing that flashes off dry.
  • Plant-based stem cell complexStated by brandCheck the position, not the name.

Ultra Light Styling Cream

  • 24 Hour Frizz ControlSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • Up to 10X smoother hairStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • Reduces frizz for up to 24 hoursSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • lightweight holdPartly supportedDepends how fine your hair is.
  • color + keratin safePotential 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.

Curlsmith Invincible Volume Mousse draws complaints about dryness and residue or cast; Kristin Ess Hair Ultra Light Styling Cream draws complaints about frizz and irritation.

Invincible Volume Mousse

Creamy, smooth texture with a pleasant scent

5-star reviewer on curlsmith.com (Gail G.)

Delivers noticeable volume and definition

5-star reviewer on curlsmith.com (Mrs M.)

A little product goes a long way and the curl definition holds all day

5-star reviewer on curlsmith.com (Elaine C.)

Defines waves really well, a standout product for wavy hair

reviewer on curlsmith.com (Sofia N.)

Left hair sticky, dry, flat, and overly crunchy for this reviewer

1-star reviewer on curlsmith.com (Jill)

Ultra Light Styling Cream

Texture is light and non-greasy, smooths and defines without weighing hair down

Ulta reviewer, 5 stars

Good consistency that holds hair well, would repurchase

Ulta reviewer, 4 stars

Holds style in place without looking stiff or plastered down

Ulta reviewer, 5 stars

Caused a skin reaction (hot, red, itchy face) on contact

Ulta reviewer, 1 star

Did not tame frizz around the hairline and left hair looking greasy

Ulta reviewer, 2 stars

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.

$3.00/oz vs $4.12/oz — Curlsmith Invincible Volume Mousse costs about 1.4× more per ounce than Kristin Ess Hair Ultra Light Styling Cream.

Invincible Volume Mousse

Against 138 mousses with a computable unit price.

Ultra Light Styling Cream

Against 56 smoothing creams with a computable unit price.

Value readInvincible Volume MousseUltra Light Styling Cream
Label
Upper-mid price for a moussSits in the middle of the range for mousses per ounce.
Lower cost than most smoothing creamsCosts less per ounce than most smoothing creams 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.

Invincible Volume Mousse vs Invincible Volume Moisturizing Gel to Mousse Styling FoamCurlsmith · 100% function matchUltra Light Styling Cream vs Ultra Light Styling CreamKRISTIN ESS HAIR · 100% function matchInvincible Volume Mousse vs Volumizing MousseCÉCRED · 93% function matchUltra Light Styling Cream vs Sea Salt Air Dry MousseKRISTIN ESS HAIR · 96% function matchInvincible Volume Mousse vs Velvet Finish Softening Blow Dry FoamKRISTIN ESS HAIR · 89% function matchUltra Light Styling Cream vs Sleek Styling Cream + Taming WandRizos Curls · 89% function matchInvincible Volume Mousse vs Style Flex 2-In-1 Adjustable HairsprayMarc Anthony · 89% function matchUltra Light Styling Cream vs Invincible Volume Moisturizing Gel to Mousse Styling FoamCurlsmith · 89% function match

Invincible Volume Mousse · Ultra Light Styling Cream · All mousses 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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