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Side by side

Joico Curls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler vs Mixed Chicks Slick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel

93% function match · 11 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 9%. Joico Curls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler and Mixed Chicks Slick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel 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.

  • Curls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler — maximum slip
  • Slick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel — 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
Joico Curls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler — 6.7 oz container Joico

Curls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler

  • Styler
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Mixed Chicks

Slick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel

  • Styler
  • Drugstore
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$26 6.7 oz · $3.88/oz
$6.60 2 oz · $3.30/oz

Compared at different sizes — 6.7 oz against 2 oz. Per-ounce prices favour the larger bottle.

Value / price positioning
Upper-mid price for a curl cream $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 73% of the 105 curl creams we’ve priced
Priced with its peers $$$$$ Drugstore tier · costs less than 53% of the 16 edge controls we’ve priced
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily Co-washes, curl creams, and gels are built around wave and curl. 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 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 Same
High Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula. Your hair
High Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula. Your hair
Weight on hair Differs
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse 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
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Protein Differs
Minor Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient. 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
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
Formula completeness
out of 10
Complete for its job
out of 10
Complete for its job
Who should choose this
  • 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
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • 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
  • Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
  • Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
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
Salons · Specialty beauty
Brand website · Grocery / mass
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • curly-method compatible
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
Cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
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

IngredientCurls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème StylerSlick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Polyquaternium-11
Detangles
#7Supporting
#6Supporting
Fragrance
Fragrance
#10Below the 1% line
#12Below the 1% line
Sodium Benzoate
Stabilizes
#19Below the 1% line
#7Below the 1% line
Potassium Sorbate
Stabilizes
#20Below the 1% line
#8Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Curls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler

Slick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel

Full ingredient list — Curls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler (32)
Full ingredient list — Slick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel (14)

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.

VerdictsCurls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème StylerSlick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel
Supported
2
2
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
2
1
Potential conflict
0
0

Curls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler

  • Leaves curls feeling hydrated and looking healthySupportedHelps hair feel hydrated.
  • Lightweight, flexible hold - no stiffness, no tackiness, no weigh-downSupportedNatural movement without stiffness.
  • Shields from thermal damage up to 450°F/232°CStated by brandOnly lab testing can show this.
  • 88.78% resistant to breakage (vs. combing breakage on damaged hair)Stated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.

Slick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel

  • Extra firm hold for edge tamingSupportedStructure that lasts the day.
  • Provides firm control to keep edges and baby hairs in placeStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Offers a strong hold that lasts throughout the day without flaking or leaving residueSupportedStructure that lasts the day.

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.

Joico Curls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler draws complaints about weight.

Curls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler

Several satisfied reviewers specifically praise the product's light, fresh fragrance.

general reviewers

Multiple reviewers pair this cream with Joico's foam or mousse from the same line for stronger hold and definition than the cream gives alone.

reviewers layering products from the Curls Like Us line

Several reviewers, some describing perimenopausal or aging-related changes to their curl pattern, say this brought back definition and hydration their curls had lost.

reviewers with previously well-defined curls that had gone flat with age

One detailed reviewer with high-porosity fine curls described the product as lotion-like rather than a true cream, sitting on top of the hair instead of being absorbed or distributed.

a reviewer with high-porosity, fine-to-medium curls

Reviewers with fine, curly or low-density hair report the cream leaves their curls feeling oily, stringy or greasy rather than defined.

reviewers with fine or lower-density curls

Slick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel

Many reviewers say the product tames edges and flyaways for a full day without turning white or flaking, even under sweat.

reviewers with coily/4c hair and edge-control routines

Multiple reviewers use it on their children's or family members' edges and ponytails/braids and say it works across different hair textures in one household.

parents styling children's hair

Some reviewers report it leaves hair feeling weird or slightly flaky and needing a wash-out if overused, though most describe it as flake-free.

reviewers using more than a small amount

A recurring complaint is that the product is thick and hard to spread evenly, and several reviewers say a boar brush or a little water helps distribute it.

reviewers applying it directly with fingers

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.

$3.30/oz vs $3.88/oz — Joico Curls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler costs about 1.2× more per ounce than Mixed Chicks Slick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel.

Curls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler

Against 105 curl creams with a computable unit price.

Slick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel

Against 16 edge controls with a computable unit price.

Value readCurls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème StylerSlick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel
Label
Upper-mid price for a curl creamSits in the middle of the range for curl creams per ounce.
Priced with its peersSits in the middle of the range for edge controls 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.

Curls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler vs TRESemmé Bouncy Curls Air Dry FoamTRESemmé · 96% function matchSlick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel vs Curl Refreshing MistRedken · 100% function matchCurls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler vs Honey Curls CustardTGIN · 93% function matchSlick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel vs Honey Curls CustardTGIN · 100% function matchCurls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler vs Argan Oil from Morocco Style & Shine Foaming MousseCreme of Nature · 93% function matchSlick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel vs TRESemmé Bouncy Curls Air Dry FoamTRESemmé · 96% function matchCurls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler vs Curl Refreshing MistRedken · 93% function matchSlick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel vs Styling CustardPATTERN · 96% function match

Curls Like Us Hydrate & Define Curl Crème Styler · Slick Styling Tamer - Edge Gel · All curl 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.
  • 7 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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