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Side by side

Kenra Professional Styling Gel 17 vs Kenra Professional Volume Mousse 12

65% function match · 7 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 25%. Kenra Professional Styling Gel 17 and Kenra Professional Volume Mousse 12 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.

  • Styling Gel 17 — curly-method routines
  • Volume Mousse 12 — maximum slip

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
Kenra Professional Styling Gel 17 — 6 oz container Kenra Professional

Styling Gel 17

  • Styler
  • Masstige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Kenra Professional Volume Mousse 12 — 8 oz container Kenra Professional

Volume Mousse 12

  • Styler
  • Masstige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Curly-method
Price, size & price per ounce
$18–19 6 oz · $3.17/oz
$19–21 8 oz · $2.50/oz
Value / price positioning
Upper-mid price for a gel $$$$$ Masstige tier · costs more than 68% of the 157 gels we’ve priced
Priced with its peers $$$$$ Masstige tier · costs less than 53% of the 138 mousses we’ve priced
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily Co-washes, curl creams, and gels are built around wave and curl. Your hair
All types Nothing in the formula or the claims narrows this to one pattern. Your hair
Moisture level Same
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
Hold (as stated)
Strong A strong hold, as stated by the brand. Your hair
Medium A medium hold, as stated by the brand. Your hair
Slip / detangling Differs
Little Nothing here is built to reduce combing force. 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 Same
Minor Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient. Your hair
Minor Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient. Your hair
Silicone / wax buildup Differs
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
Low The silicones here are the water-soluble kind. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Low Your hair
Low Your hair
Hold system Same
Synthetic polymer Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems. 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
  • Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
  • Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove
  • 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
  • Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
  • Soft, touchable finishesthe brand states a firm hold
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a strong scent
  • Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
  • Silicone-free routinesit does contain silicones — the water-soluble kind
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
Stylergel
Styleraerosol
Where to buy
Ulta · Salons
Ulta · Salons
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • curly-method compatible
  • sulfate-free
  • curly-method compatible
Cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Scent
Scented, not described
Amber & spiceStrong
Hold
strongKenra hold scale: 17 of 26 (firm hold)
mediumMedium hold styling control without stiffness or stickiness
Finish
shine
—
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

IngredientStyling Gel 17Volume Mousse 12
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
VP/VA Copolymer
Holds
#2Leading
#4Supporting
Fragrance
Fragrance
#9Below the 1% line
#11Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Styling Gel 17

Volume Mousse 12

Full ingredient list — Styling Gel 17 (23)
Full ingredient list — Volume Mousse 12 (25)

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.

VerdictsStyling Gel 17Volume Mousse 12
Supported
1
2
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
3
2
Potential conflict
0
0

Styling Gel 17

  • Provides excellent support for any styleStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Creates fullness & adds shineStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Controls coarse, unruly hair texturesStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Alcohol-free, non-drying, & non-flakingSupportedNothing that flashes off dry.

Volume Mousse 12

  • Medium hold styling control without stiffness or stickinessSupportedStructure that lasts the day.
  • Provides thermal protection up to 450 degreesStated by brandOnly lab testing can show this.
  • Tames frizz & conditionsSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • Non-drying, non-flaking lightweight formulationStated by brandSoothing, not an active treatment.

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 a light feel and volume. Kenra Professional Styling Gel 17 draws complaints about dryness; Kenra Professional Volume Mousse 12 draws complaints about weight.

Styling Gel 17

Long-time user says it consistently produces full, soft curls she's happy with

multi-year repeat Ulta customer

Gives just the right amount of volume and lift without going overboard

Ulta reviewer

Feels light rather than heavy when used on straight hair

straight-hair Ulta reviewer

Smells like rubbing alcohol and left hair feeling dried out despite the alcohol-free claim

Ulta reviewer

Doesn't let a brush glide smoothly through longer hair while blow-drying

long-hair Ulta reviewer blow-drying with a brush

Volume Mousse 12

Pumps up volume on fine hair

reviewer, hair type not specified

Gives noticeable volume to fine, straight hair without weighing it down

reviewer with fine/straight hair, repeat buyer

Lightweight application, not sticky or crunchy on wavy hair

reviewer with wavy hair, 3-star mixed review

Fragrance is very strong and off-putting, described as a heavy masculine/musk scent

multiple reviewers (wavy-hair 3-star reviewer and a 1-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.

$2.50/oz vs $3.17/oz — Kenra Professional Styling Gel 17 costs about 1.3× more per ounce than Kenra Professional Volume Mousse 12.

Styling Gel 17

Against 157 gels with a computable unit price.

Volume Mousse 12

Against 138 mousses with a computable unit price.

Value readStyling Gel 17Volume Mousse 12
Label
Upper-mid price for a gelSits in the middle of the range for gels per ounce.
Priced with its peersSits in the middle of the range for mousses 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.

Styling Gel 17 vs Firm Hold Styling CreamAmerican Crew · 99% function matchVolume Mousse 12 vs Kenra Volume Mousse 12Kenra · 100% function matchStyling Gel 17 vs 121 Proof Thickening Style GelBlind Barber · 96% function matchVolume Mousse 12 vs Kenra Volume Mousse Extra 17Kenra Professional · 93% function matchStyling Gel 17 vs Super Protein Styling GelEco Style · 96% function matchVolume Mousse 12 vs Volume Mousse Extra 17Kenra Professional · 93% function matchStyling Gel 17 vs Sea Salt SprayMurdock London · 94% function matchVolume Mousse 12 vs Thickening Full Form Soft Hair MousseBumble and bumble · 93% function match

Styling Gel 17 · Volume Mousse 12 · All gels 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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